We've not been keen on Triumphs - they always seem a bit lardy, crap looking and not terribly well finished. But luckily there are quite a few for whom the name and the Brit label does it and so enough bikes have been sold to keep the Trumpet in business. Which may be good for all of us soon, as Triumph seem to have finally got their act together as far as cosmetics are concerned, to whit their new, er, 600 .. actually 675cc.

Now this is a seriously tasty looking bit of kit and deserves to do well if the looks are matched by performance. Anyway we'll have to wait to see when it comes out.

But this rather rekindled a bit of Triumph interest so we thought we'd find out what their current, um, superbike(?) is all about. The nearest equivalent seems to be the Daytona 955i, a 955cc triple cylinder tubular frame affair with a single sided swinger complemented by a rather crap looking can. In fact the whole bike is a little reminiscent of 1987 from certain angles, although the profile isn't half bad.

Having always been one to challenge accepted practice, David decided he'd chop his shiny CBR600 in for a Daytona 675, but of course they're not ready yet so he went even more lateral and got a 955i. Now this was at a rather interesting price, £6,000 all in for a very fetching black one with black accessories all offset with a black frame. Oh, and some black carbon fibrette to lend a little relief to all the black. This is amusingly named by Triumph the Jet Black Special Edition, and it is.

So, depths of a rather chilley countryside and heading for an early bacon and eggs as it is far too cold for riding motorbikes. The 955 isn't run in so a little understanding is called for, but the engine is nice and triply and seating position is not bad - bit of a stretch to the bars but we are still in 1987 don't forget. Clutch, throttle, brakes all OK and fuel injection seems sorted - no glitches and good low revs fuelling. The bike carries its 190 kgs dry weight well and doesn't feel too porky. This is helped by the steering which is actually very good, very easy to hustle the bike into bends and make late adjustments.

Power is quoted by Triumph at 147 bhp, which must be measured at the front wheel spindle or somewhere 'cos it's nowhere near the back wheel. But the bike goes well enough for all that and the power and steering are suited for back road scratching, which presumably is what you want to do. So that's OK then.

Suspension is firmish but compliant enough and it performed well over a selection of rutted farmtracks such as we are blessed with in the sarfeast of this great country. I am sure the Scotch have much better roads, albeit much wetter, as doubtless do the Welsh sheep people, and even more wet, but in our bit of Blighty we have shit roads so a decent bit of suspension is needed.

All in all the 955 was a pleasant surprise and would easily run with any sportbike you care to mount on bendy back roads. A shortage of outright go would leave it lagging far behind on German autobahns but as only complete retards would do such a thing on a motorbike it is irrelevent to this discussion, so I'd rather leave that. Um, oh yes, Triumph, please make a 955 version of the 675, Thank you.