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Accidental Ownership
Back in 2012 I bought my TT600. Some say it was an impulse buy, having only a month before written off my Suzuki SV650 on a group ride out. I had a bit of an issue when a fence post got in my way! At the time said I would wait and see if I heal ok and if I’m ready for another bike. However, a month later i was the owner of my second big bike! I have always loved Triumph bikes and I really wanted a Daytona 675. However not having the funds so I saw my TT600 advertised on ebay.
Attractive piece of kit
I loved the look of the TT, especially the air intakes. They have been likened to the gun barrels on the front fairing! So I handed over the cash and rode it home. I had researched the bike before making the final purchase and knew about the throttle response issue which the original 2000 models suffered from. Having gone from a v-twin to the in-line 4 engine took an awful lot to get used to. And some who came out on group rides with the Yamaha Thundercat forum group will tell you i came close to getting rid of it.
The TT600 in full glory on BC7 in 2015It was very unnerving to ride at slow speeds. With revs below 3000 there is very little drive until you twist the throttle quite a lot. Making town riding difficult. Especially roundabouts. But once you get the revs up and out on the open road then the fun begins. The TT really opens up and becomes a completely different bike altogether. And on a few occasions having tested the braking ability I was certainly not disappointed.
So different
Having little experience with a variety of bikes it surprised me just how different. It became light and wanting to turn. The engine seemed to want to keep going and it gave you a confidence in the machine unlike at low speeds. nearly 4 years on and having gotten used to this machine and seriously fallen in love with the ride i have researched into upgrading the ECU throttle mapping. So undertook this quite simple and yet rewarding modification.
I’m not mechanically minded myself and am only learning about working on bikes myself . So it was quite an achievement and to be honest quite simple. So having changed the software on the ECU made sure that it still runs and I’ve not broken it! I thought a quick trip to see what happens was in order. And an immediate smile on my face told my wife that the changes were good.
Much, much better
The throttle gave instant response. The gear changes seemed smoother and the bike just wanted to keep going faster. Only getting chance to ride for a mile or 2 I left a proper test for another day.
A good day gave me prime opportunity to fully test. 95 miles of good Shropshire roads meant i could really get used to the new TT600. And yes it is a complete change from the grunty, sluggish bike I had been riding for 4 years. This gave me more confidence in all aspects of the ride and something clicked between me and the bike.Tainted reputation
The TT600 will always have the reputation of being the first of triumphs fuel injected 600s and a failure at its first outing. But for those that have owned/own one will tell you that it’s a bike with it’s own characteristics and once you have learned to control these it’s hell of a fun machine. Definitely worth changing the ECU map on the early machines. The riding position is very comfortable having done over 300 miles in one day on the bike and not really having too many aches and pains to complain about I look forward to weekends away on the bike. Fully laden with soft panniers and tank luggage it still doesn’t miss a beat.
I would recommend this bike. It is a very under-rated due to it’s reputation with low end throttle response. But learn to ride it. learn to master it, then just enjoy the ride
My regular pillion loves it…Great review, good to have a new ‘tester’ on the forum!
You seem to go well enough on the TT to me! The 600 also has a reputation for top notch handling and yours seems to live up to that and no mistake.
Glad the ECU mods worked out so effectively too!
Good long-term review.
As a TDM rider I sympathise about the low-speed jerkiness. An ECU map is the one strategy I haven’t tried yet. The several other mods have each incrementally improved fuelling until I can’t justify spending any more spondulicks to get a diminishing return.
So now while at low speeds I’m either accelerating or over-running (and enjoying the Beowulf burble), rather than smoothly pootling. That’s why I try to keep out of towns and traffic….
Good long-term review.
As a TDM rider I sympathise about the low-speed jerkiness. An ECU map is the one strategy I haven’t tried yet. The several other mods have each incrementally improved fuelling until I can’t justify spending any more spondulicks to get a diminishing return.
So now while at low speeds I’m either accelerating or over-running (and enjoying the Beowulf burble), rather than smoothly pootling. That’s why I try to keep out of towns and traffic….
I will have to have a bimble on your TDM
Good long-term review.
As a TDM rider I sympathise about the low-speed jerkiness. An ECU map is the one strategy I haven’t tried yet. The several other mods have each incrementally improved fuelling until I can’t justify spending any more spondulicks to get a diminishing return.
So now while at low speeds I’m either accelerating or over-running (and enjoying the Beowulf burble), rather than smoothly pootling. That’s why I try to keep out of towns and traffic….
I will have to have a bimble on your TDM
No problem – next time, eh?
Excellent review Mark, thanks. I really don’t know much about this bike but suspect it will be a future classic.
The little Trumpet I always thought to be one of the most underrated bikes I’ve ever ridden, the naked version is a real hoot too!
The little Trumpet I always thought to be one of the most underrated bikes I’ve ever ridden, the naked version is a real hoot too!
The Speed-Four is super rare, only ever seen a couple. I understand a fire at the factory badly impacted on the production of that model in particular
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