Triumph 660 Street Triple S A2 2019 — Specifications

What drives Triumph to engineer a dedicated engine rather than simply restricting an existing unit? That's the whole uniqueness of the 2019 Triumph 660 Street Triple S A2. Where the competition generally settles for a restrictive mapping on a full-power engine, Hinckley chose to craft a dedicated 660 cc triple-cylinder, with reduced bore and stroke (76 x 48.5 mm). The result: 95 horsepower, the legal ceiling before A2 restriction, and 60.8 Nm of torque available from just 5,100 rpm. An honest approach that avoids the frustration of a muzzled big engine and delivers a power curve designed to be used as-is.

Make no mistake, this Street Triple shares far more than its name with its bigger 765 siblings. The aluminum perimeter frame is the same, so is the swingarm, and the sharp lines with their narrow-eyed headlight carry the family's design language. The onboard electronics haven't been sacrificed either: ABS, traction control, and two mapping modes, Rain and Road, form a reassuring package for fresh license holders. The 17.4-liter tank allows for decent range, and the seat set at 810 mm remains accessible to most rider builds. At 168 kg dry, the machine sits in the same weight class as the Yamaha MT-07 or Kawasaki Z650, its natural rivals in the A2 segment.

On the chassis side, Triumph made pragmatic choices. The 41 mm Showa inverted fork does its job without any adjustability, and the rear monoshock only offers preload adjustment. It's less impressive than the R and RS versions' equipment, but it's consistent with the machine's purpose. The braking follows the same logic: two 310 mm discs gripped by Nissin twin-piston calipers up front, a single 220 mm disc at the rear. Sufficient for daily use and weekend rides, but don't expect the bite of Brembo hardware. The 120/70-17 and 180/55-17 tires offer a versatile compromise between grip and longevity.

The real asset of this Triumph 660 Street Triple S A2 is its character. The triple-cylinder has a personality that the Japanese competition's parallel twins struggle to replicate: a raw exhaust note, a rev climb full of texture, a thread of low-end torque that makes city riding pleasant without turning A-roads into a chore. At €8,700, it sits above an MT-07 but below a restricted Ducati Monster, with one compelling argument: the mechanical nobility of this small triple. The claimed top speed of 220 km/h confirms that performance remains generous despite the contained displacement.

This Street Triple doesn't pretend to be a thunderbolt. It's aimed at riders in the making, those who want to learn on a solid foundation without compromising on enjoyment. When the full A license comes along, the transition to a 765 S, R, or RS will happen naturally, the reflexes built on the 660 serving as a solid foundation. That's perhaps Triumph's shrewdest calculation: building rider loyalty from their very first miles, by offering a machine that never feels like a lesser product.