THE Daytona name is the stuff of racing legend for Triumph Motorcycles and never used lightly.

An evolution of the Daytona 600, a machine that's proved itself in both short circuit and real-roads riding, the Daytona 650 is a pure supersports machine.

It features a race-bred chassis offering direct, uncut connectivity with the tarmac matched with a fantastic engine which has 6-7bhp more peak power than the old bike.

But in saying this, comparing the Daytona 650 to its race-bred 600 brother or even Japanese 600s isn't really fair. As the Daytona is no longer a 600, it's a bit like weighing in at a boxing match. Sure, Kawasaki has its ZX-6R which is a 636, but for such comparisons and for race they also made the ZX-6RR, which is a 600.

It seems that Triumph has sacrificed the race season this year to compete with 600 sales on the road, leaving Jack Valentine and Valmoto to seek success elsewhere with Foggy's Petronas Racing.

Yes, it's a shame that Triumph has had to do this to compete with Japanese technology and we must admit that it's strange that they have brought out a supersport that can't legally be used in the sport! But, in doing so, what they have produced instead is a fantastic bike that has been used by Joe Public for everyday riding and it is a fantastic machine to say the least.

Never content with resting on their laurels, the Daytona's liquid-cooled, fuel-injected DOHC 16-valve inline four-cylinder motor has been extensively worked over.

Triumph has bored out its 600 to 646cc to make it more rideable and powerful, increasing the stroke and boosting the capacity 47cc.

This has seen the Daytona 650's surge of top-end power bolstered with a great gobbet of mid-range torque. The result is an engine that works effortlessly on the road. The new machine is certainly faster, easy to ride and smoother too.

The Daytona hasn't got the fashionable glitz of the rivals, with no radial brakes, underseat exhausts, wavy discs or slipper clutches. This bike doesn't need trinkets to sell it, as it handles and looks like no other bike on the road, and after all we're British, don't you know!

As with the 600, the handling is utterly amazing but now we have the power to back this up too. No matter the situation the Daytona 650 rewards me with instant acceleration and lightning-fast throttle response throughout the rev range.

Power delivery, thanks to a new electronic fuel injection tune, is significantly improved throughout.

Further refining the engine is a seven-plate clutch fitted with a backlash eliminator gear while the slick-changing six-speed gearbox has been enhanced with a remote linkage.

Universally praised as being one of the best-handling middleweights around, the Daytona 650's aluminium, twin-spar frame uses a three-cell construction and is both incredibly light and strong.

The front forks are adjustable for spring preload, compression and rebound damping. The rear shock is also adjustable for spring preload, compression and rebound damping.

Twin four-piston calipers operate on the front discs, one single-piston caliper the rear disc.

The brakes are old in comparison with radials but they still do a sterling job.

Impressed with the need for individuality, Triumph has ensured that the Daytona 650 is a machine that not only looks very different, with its distinct and seductive lines, but is also built with a level of care and attention to detail that ensures a great deal of owner satisfaction.

I should know - I bought the Daytona 600 two years ago and have been smiling ever since.

Model: Triumph Daytona 650

List price: £6,499

Insurance group: 14

Specification changes for 2005: Refined, larger capacity (646cc) engine, remote gear linkage, black silencer finish