In 2010 I was thinking of changing my 2007 Kawasaki Z750S and one of the bikes on my shopping list was a Triumph Street Triple 675 so I asked Woburn Pure Triumph for a test ride and I was very impressed.

The little Striple makes about the same power as my Z750S and a little less torque but it is over 20 kilos lighter. The three cylinder engine makes a nice noise even on standard pipes when you open it up and is surprisingly quick. It has come out very well in road tests in bike mags often against more expensive models. They hold there value well with year old bikes not much cheaper than new.

The bike cost £6,299 new in the UK and Triumph were offering interest free finance at the time. I could ride it as it was handed to me but my Z750S has a low saddle which was extra and the forks lowered through the yokes by 10mm. Also the lighter weight gave me confidence getting on and off and moving it around. From this angle it looks great and reminds me of a Ducati Monster 1100 Evo which is also on my shopping list.

Handling and braking were good despite the cheap looking brakes and basic suspension. The mirrors were much better than those on my Z750S.

OK so what was I not so keen on? The biggest thing is I hate the headlamps. Also the bike in the picture has several hundred pounds of extras on it like the fly screen, belly pan, and pillion seat cover which also add weight. The colours are a little uninteresting only flat white, black or red. The Striple R comes in a nice burnt Orange but is extra and they have dropped the acid green?

The high level exhausts look good but make carrying soft luggage a problem for those weekends away which you can solve with a Triumph branded tail pack but its another £90. The little fly screen does not keep much weather or wind blast off although with it on you can't see the headlamps when on board! The fly screen looks a bit cheap for £130 and if you add a smoked screen on top takes it to £200! Would sir like a hugger? That's another £50. They didn't have any used bikes with 20 on a waiting list so you are encouraged to buy new.

I found the side stand a little awkward to use which was not great when you are riding a bike that is not yours! Plus I found I needed to use the gears a little more around town as the three cylinder engine got a little more lumpy than my current four cylinder bike although the gearbox was a cracker.

The display was clear and easy to use with various functions I would never use like lap time... It does tell you what gear you are in which I liked. Also I didn't notice a fuel gauge just a light that comes on when fuel is low.

All in all it is a cracking little bike that would make a brilliant ride for a Sunday morning run or a track day. Not sure how it would be on a long motorway run especially if it was wet?

Update 1 After the test ride I started looking for a low mileage used Street Triple and thought I had found the right bike at Triumph Peterborough. It was a demo bike at £5,300 three months old with a couple of thousand on the clock (see picture left.) However, after another enjoyable test ride and a chat about trade in they offered me several hundred under book price for my old Z750S so I didn't buy it.

Update 2 I now have a low mileage 2008 model Buell 1125 CR. I think it is a little heavier than the Striple but has more peak power, more torque, and came with a little fly screen and hugger. Also it has belt drive so no more messing about with chain spray, spanners, and paddock stands.

Update 3 I still have Red IE the Buell 1125 CR, which I love when it is running, but it has not been reliable. I've had Red over 3 years now, and I am starting to thinking that I might change next year? I've ridden the Ducati Monster 1100 Evo, which I liked but it needed more power, the original Ducati Diavel, which I loved but boy is it expensive! I've also ridden the Ducati Diavel Strada. The Diavel I like the engine, but it is so expensive, the tank is too small, and I'm not sure about the ridding position, plus that massive rear tyre looks good, but it does upset the handling. Anyway that have now combined the Testretta 11 engine from the Diavel with the Monster to make the all new Monster 1200. It's a little cheaper, and has more normal handling, and a low saddle setting, and a bigger tank... I'd like to have a go sometime in the spring, but in the meantime I had a very short ride on the latest version of the Street Triple. I only had 30 minutes on a cold day but I liked it. It's light, small, cheaper than the Ducati Monster 1200, and fits me as standard. The bike now has low cans so you can fit soft luggage for a trip. It makes a great noise as you open it up but the whistling from I presume the fuel injection is annoying. I still hate the headlamps even if they are now lozenge shape instead of round. I rode the cheapest version but would go for the ABS bike I think, which is over £3k less than the Ducati, but has less power, no traction control, or riding modes...