Triumph Tiger Sport 660

The Tiger Sport 660 is Triumph's answer to the rider who wants to cover serious distance in a day without switching to a full adventure-tourer's bulk. Priced at Rs 9.45 lakh ex-showroom, it carries over the familiar 660cc inline-three from the Trident and Daytona platform, here running a 12-valve DOHC head with a 240-degree firing order and tuned for 81 PS at 10,250 rpm and 64 Nm at 6,250 rpm, driven through a 6-speed gearbox with an assist-and-slipper clutch. That triple is the whole personality of this bike — it pulls hard enough in the midrange for easy overtakes on a highway and still has a proper rush near the top of the rev range, which is unusual at this price point in India. The riding position is upright and the fairing is sized to actually work at speed, which is the point of calling this a sport-tourer rather than a naked. Suspension is by Showa throughout: 41mm upside-down separate-function cartridge forks with 150mm of travel up front, and a monoshock at the rear with remote hydraulic preload adjustment, also giving 150mm of travel, so a pillion or luggage can be dialled in without tools. Geometry numbers of 23.1 degrees of rake and 97.1mm of trail point to a bike set up for stability on a long, fast road rather than quick flicks through a parking lot, and that shows the moment you get it onto a highway. Braking comes from twin 310mm front discs and a 255mm rear disc with dual-channel ABS, and the 17-inch cast wheels wear Michelin Road 5 tyres, a proper sport-touring compound rather than a budget fitment. Kerb weight sits at 206kg and seat height at 835mm, so this is not a small motorcycle, but it carries that weight low and the claimed top speed of 220 kmph suggests there is real headroom above Indian highway speed limits. A 17.2-litre tank paired with an ARAI-claimed 22.22 kmpl should give a genuine touring range well past 350km, which matters a great deal if you are planning weekend rides between cities rather than just riding around town. The obvious rival in this segment is the Kawasaki Versys 650, which plays a similar sport-touring role at a lower price but without a triple's sound or mid-range urge, and buyers stepping up from a Royal Enfield 650 twin will notice immediately how much more revvy and urgent this engine feels. Within Triumph's own range it sits above the Trident 660 naked in both price and touring ability, aimed squarely at someone who wants one motorcycle that can do a daily commute, a spirited weekend ride and a cross-state trip without changing character for any of them.