Motorcycle — Triumph Street Triple 765 2023 | Return to life of an abandoned and regretted formula

(Jerez, Spain) They have now almost disappeared from the market, but there was a time when pure 600 cc sports cars were among the best-selling motorcycles. First designed to conquer the toughest circuits and then made road legal, they offered immense riding joy. Thanks to the Triumph Street Triple 765 2023, the formula lives on.

Tribute to the legendary “600”

It’s impossible to explain the 2023 Street Triple 765 without first going back to the late 1980s, where the idea of ​​a 600cc sports car designed for competition but legal on the road was born. The formula exploded and merciless competition became routine between the four major Japanese brands – Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha – which seemed to be the only ones capable of building such precise and refined machines. At their peak in the first decade of the 2000s, they were often completely redesigned every two years, a rate of development not seen since, but which was necessary to “win the race on Sunday and sell on Monday in store “.

The end

Often bought by a younger clientele, the 600 are among the models that suffered the most from the financial crisis of 2008. The difficulty of access to credit and the marked reduction in the budgets available for “toys” ended up sales to a critical point. The money simply wasn’t there anymore either for the development of the models or to fund the races that popularized them. There are still a few survivors of this class today, but their technology essentially dates back to the time of this crisis which marked both the exceptional level of sophistication reached by these motorcycles and the sad beginning of their end.

The Triumph approach

Triumph entered the 600 arena late with a relatively uncompetitive four-cylinder model compared to Japanese products, but the British brand has positioned itself surprisingly well with its three-cylinder Daytona 675 launched in 2006. Slim and light, the 675 also had the advantage of being more torquey than the 600 thanks to its larger displacement. It was very successful both on the track and with buyers, but like many models in this category, production was discontinued due to insufficient sales. However, the stripped version of the model called Street Triple, it belongs to a still popular class and continues to be offered.

The 2023 version

For 2023, the Street Triple receives a revision that is very reminiscent of the ones that were advancing the 600s at the time. Indeed, each internal part of the three-cylinder – now inflated to 765 cc – has been redesigned in order to lose a few grams while mechanical losses are minimized in order to gain a few horses. The transmission is also new and offers very close gears. Two versions of the Street Triple 765 are offered to the general public, the R favoring the road and the RS better equipped for the track. A limited edition MOTO2 exists for the wealthy, but all are already sold out, according to Triumph.

The R

Slightly less powerful than the RS, the 118-hp Street Triple 765 R is also the less expensive of the two, by a good margin. Intended to spend most of its time on the road, it is equipped with fully adjustable suspensions adjusted in a generally softer way and is equipped with high-performance brakes, but not the latest in the field. Even the tires favor the road due to their more durable rubber. And the model is indeed very cooperative in road use thanks to great agility, remarkably low weight and a reasonable driving position.

SR

Offering ten additional horsepower, the RS offers more advanced suspensions, brakes and electronic steering assistance, in addition to being shod with softer tires. In fact, under its bare motorcycle air, the RS is none other than the reincarnation of Triumph’s late pure mid-displacement pure sports car, minus the fairing. Instantly at ease on the circuit, it is distinguished by its very high ease of handling and remarkable precision, even when pushed at race pace. Almost as at home as the R on the road, it’s the clear choice for riders who plan to ride track days on a regular basis.

Conclusion

Driving the Street Triple 765 R through the Spanish countryside on almost deserted roads was definitely fun, but it was the RS version, at the renowned Jerez circuit, that left the most impressive impression. It embodies what a 600 would be today – less fairing and a very nice additional engine capacity as a bonus – if the financial crisis of 2008 had not arrived and the development of these incredible machines had not been interrupted. So light and precise that it offers downright telepathic piloting, it makes us bitterly regret the disappearance of this class. Luckily, beneath a standard-style tourer, Triumph still offers one such bike.

Technical sheet

Brand: Triumph

Model: Street Triple 765 R/RS

Price: $11,895/$14,295

Warranty: 2 years/unlimited mileage

Engine: 765cc liquid-cooled inline three-cylinder

Transmission: 6-speed, chain final drive

Fully fueled weight: 189/188 kg

Front brake: 2 discs with 4-piston calipers and ABS

Rear brake: 1 disc with 1 piston caliper and ABS

Front tyre: 120/70 ZR17

Rear tire: 180/55 ZR17