2010 Triumph Daytona 675 Custom - D-Day

Custom sportbikes are a dime a dozen in Florida, and Bike Week brings them out of the woodwork. Everything from absurd Hayabusa trikes to 12-foot long ZX-14s slowly plod along the boulevard, making loads of noise but going nowhere fast. Of that collection we always find a few that are extra special for various reasons: intricate paint, uniquely machined parts or hybrid creations that separate them from the shiny herd. But never have we found one of the aforementioned anomalies in the pit lane, waiting for its chance to spin some hot laps. Hell, we're lucky to arouse a simple burnout from many of the custom riders on the road.

But the status quo was just shattered, and Roaring Toyz is the company responsible for shaking things up. It's really no surprise either; company owner Robert Fisher builds custom sportbikes for a living but races for fun. When his two worlds collided the result was this Triumph Daytona 675 show/race bike.

The bike was parked outside one of the pit garages when I spotted it, and the early morning sun created a dazzling dance with its outrageously bold metal flake paint scheme. There was already a crowd forming around it; everyone from determined racers and team owners to general passers-by stopped in their tracks for a look. I did the same and was planning possibilities for a photoshoot in my head, but I never expected what came next...

But he wasn't joking. He takes pride in the fact that all of his builds-no matter how seemingly outrageous-are designed to be ridden. And this Triumph was to be the ultimate test of that credo, as Daytona is one of the most demanding racetracks in the world.

After getting familiar with the circuit aboard an immaculately prepped GSX-R600 it was time to go for the special ride. The various onlookers strewn about the pit lane observed with curious amusement as the unlikely bike made its way into the lineup for the next session. Meanwhile there were some major concerns swirling inside my helmet. Triumph North America hadn't even seen the bike yet (delivery was scheduled for the next day at a dealer presentation) and the only shakedown the bike had at this point was a few miles on the street. But that's how confident Roaring Toyz was in the build-it was ready for track action.

Admittedly, the first few laps were at a pretty modest pace, but once the nerves settled and some confidence came back I got to business. Aside from tall gearing that was a little sluggish off the low end of the tach, the bike performed perfectly. And when the lap times were compared to the "flyers" I thought I was doing aboard the GSX-R, they turned out to be surprisingly similar.

Upon returning the bike in one piece to its builder a new crowd of sightseers appeared, but this group was genuinely interested in the unique components and general purpose of the Triumph. They'd just witnessed one of the flashiest bikes at Daytona Bike Week do the unthinkable-howl around a racetrack at speed.

There was still a looming question surrounding the 675, and Fisher's explanation of: "It's for Triumph to haul around and show off," didn't really justify its existence. Triumph's North American Marketing Manager, Jim Callahan, gave us a more thorough overview when he explained that Triumph wanted to demonstrate the 675's potential to the custom market as well as raise awareness of the model to those "stuck in Japanese in-line four mode."

On a more heartfelt note, Callahan commented: "This bike inspired me to buy my own Daytona 675 the next day!"