Story Peter Jones ~ Photos by Blake Connor

Three cylinders. Is there anything good about that? Some guys love the thundering sound and smooth power that twins produce, while others are enamored of the screaming rush of peaky four cylinder bikes. But triples? Who lusts for 3 pops every two rotations? For whom does a triple bang? But of course! It bangs for thee.

Three cylinder bikes have been around for years and they've even won superbike races. Dick Man won Daytona on a BSA Rocket 3 in 1971. Since then other triples to see production include the Kawasaki H1 and H2 two-strokes, the original Triumph Speed Triple, which was actually the same engine as the BSA with the exception of the lean of the jugs, and Laverda's 1000cc machines that began with the 3C of '74 and ended with their full bodied Jota of the early eighties with its revised crank pin locations. Just what are the proper rod mounts on a triple's crank?

This latest of all triples also happens to be one of the most high tech bikes produced today. The Triumph T595 Daytona is powered by a water cooled, 955cc, four valve, twin cam engine that is a complete redesign of the revived Triumph company's initial three cylinder engine (that would be the one in between the BSA's brother and this one). And the Daytona's fuel injection is still the best in the business even as we end the second year of the bike's production. This is remarkable considering we've witnessed a number of efi fed bikes coming from various manufacturers in the last year.