Triumph in the long run

I studied English at university, but what I actually mean is I got bored very quickly analysing poems to death and spent most of my time editing the student newspaper, running the volleyball club and drinking in the students’ union.

- BY GEOFF HILL

However, in one of the tutorials I managed to attend was a girl who was so quiet and mousy she was almost invisible.

Until the end-of-term party, when I was chatting to an absolute stunner and suddenly realised it was the same girl, whod taken off her glasses, let her hair down and put on a fabulous dress.

Sadly, she ran off with some lucky sod, since I never saw her again.

Which brings me, naturally, to the new Triumph Sport 660, which has just had a similar transformation.

First, the good news. I really like Triumphs. I've ridden one from Chile to Alaska and all the way around Australia for two of my books, and for normal riding, they've got the best handling in the known universe, including Planet Zog.

Now the bad news. When I rode the Sport 660 midrange sports tourer three years ago, I found the performance distinctly lacklustre. I mean, the handling was as light and agile as expected, but it just didn’t have the thrill factor of the Tiger Sport 850, or the Tiger 800 or 900. Even the naked Trident, launched two years earlier with the same engine, was friskier.