S3 vs. D675

[SpeedyPete]

Has anyone been debating the merits of the larger S3 vs. the sportier D675 triple?

Who goes for which bike and why?

I'm just asking because I'm thinking of the D675 triple but I'm also painfully aware that I found my Bonnie underpowered within a couple of months of owning. Wouldn't want to go there again.

Thanks all.

P

[Will]

They are completely different bikes. Peak power is about the same, with the bigger S3 motor making more torque. Other than that, the S3 is more like a giant motard bike in comparison to a 675. A 675 has race bike ergos, while the S3 is far more upright and laid back. The 675 is far lighter. Weather protection is better than you would expect on an S3, and it is a really good all around bike. I don't know that a 675 is an all arounder for most people, although that is what mine will be used as.

I hope this helps.

[johnshumpert]

Yeah, I agree with Will, comparing these bikes is like comparing apples and oranges.

I think for me I'd go with the D675 because I think I'd have more fun on it. It's lighter, it's gonna handle better, therefore it's more fun for me.

I like the styling of the S3 better though.

[plagued]

The S3 is an awesome bike, very very fun to ride with more than enough power. However I have no doubt at all that the 675 is quite a bit faster than it. They both feel about as fast as each other, but the unfared bikes feel like you're doing 150 when you're at 70. Step off your bonnie and onto the S3 and you'll be amazed at how well it handles and how much power it has, step off the S3 and onto a 675 and you'll be amazed at how powerful it is and how much better it handles.
If you want to have fun at low speeds I'd go with an S3, if you are more likely to do a bit of sporty riding or wet weather riding, go with the 675.
I've gone with a 675 because I love the revs and as incredible as the 1050 triple is I kept running out of revs

[DaveC]

I had a Bonne, then an ST (with more or less the same motor as the S3), then the S4.

I sold the Bonne because it got boring.

Torque with the ST was great, but I sold it because it also got boring and it was too top heavy for a short/light guy like me.

As far as I can tell, the S4 is just right. It's definitely not boring. It's certainly fast enough. I don't miss the torque of the 955 cc that much, although a tad more would be useful. And it worked out very nicely for a 1000 mile light tour to Death Valley last weekend (except for a tip over in a parking lot).

The only major improvement on the S4 I can think of would be the 675 motor to give it just the right amount of added torque. For that reason, I'm waiting for a naked 675 to be announced. I just hope it retains the S4 ergos and doesn't have upright seating like the S3.

[cheapbastard]

On 2006-03-29 08:56, johnshumpert wrote:
Yeah, I agree with Will, comparing these bikes is like comparing apples and oranges.

I think for me I'd go with the D675 because I think I'd have more fun on it. It's lighter, it's gonna handle better, therefore it's more fun for me.

I like the styling of the S3 better though.

Definately hard to compare these 2 bikes, as they are quite a bit different. The S3 has a upright seating position and is a torque monster where she doesn't need to be revved. The 675 still has the racer tuck ergos and loves to be revved. Me, it was a simple choice, because I love torque monsters, and I wanted something more comfy than my R1's were. As for what plagued had to say about low speed riding, I'd have to disagree. I still sport ride the shit out of my S3, and she hasn't complained once! I feel as if I'm atleast at 95% the pace I was on my R1, because I can still smoke the majority of sportbikes around my area! :-D If you're wanting the absolute fastest lap time you can turn at your local track, go with the 675, if you're wanting a great streetbike, go with the S3! My .02

Hooligan bikes are a hoot!!! :-D



[ This message was edited by: cheapbastard on 2006-03-29 12:08 ]

[Diego]

> comparing these bikes is like comparing apples and oranges

I was thinking more along the lines of comparing fruit salad and seafood. The point of the two bikes is that different.

Pete, sounds as if you might want to better define what your objective is in riding before you commit to another bike. Cheapbastard has pretty well summarized what these two are about.


[ This message was edited by: Diego on 2006-03-29 17:54 ]

[rudebwoy85]

'Cheapbastard' has it dead right, there isnt much about the S3 that feels deficient. It's obviously supa-nekkid so wind protection is NIL, for street riding thats no problem if you are looking to do any significant highway riding at speed the lack of wind protection gets old fast, it annoyed me so much that I put clip-ons on my S3 and that helps streamline 'YOU' through the air a little better. For significant highway it's not so good, even w/ the flyscreen. It's a naked street bike and the highway is not it's forte! Everything else about the bike is grins and glee, fantastic torque, great power, all the usable speed you could ever need in the real world street riding (again, it's naked and feels best to me at no more than 135mph or so), handles fantastically, great ergo's, and the sound..ohh the sound of that engine, it's an angry-horny **** with the TORS (Triumph Off Road Silencers w/ remap).

Maybe it's just me but it comes across of a physically smaller bike than the D675 in all except wheelbase feel while riding, I actually prefer the wheelbase and handling characteristics of the S3 more than I do the D675 for the type of riding I do. I have to admit to being primarily a street rider and the S3 just absolutely shines. It's a shorter bike than the D675 so it feels more "bulldoggish" and squat which for me makes it feel totally tossable and you can hang off this thing like a monkey on a tree.

You can actually lay on the S3's tank if you choose to, sometimes natural to do if you are picking up the pace on the highway and you are sick of getting whipped by the wind, I find that I can crouch but cant lay on the D675's tank, it doesnt ergonomically fascilitate this for me (I"m 6'4" or so), it's no big deal at all, in fact the D675 feels pretty darn good for someone my size.

I have no concerns that I look or feel too big for the bike (strangely I had that feeling about the S3 when I first got it, but that all goes away when riding, it feels 'da bomb'), it's handles like razor sharp and is comfortable for what it is. It feels great and for a middleweight makes power in a way to make you fell very satisfied. You no longer have that always shifting, always revving manner of other 600's. You can cruise in as low a rev as 2500 on level ground and never get the sense your are lugging and it's making power at that level too.

It is a smaller displacement engine so it' simply does not make the torque or feel as grunty as the S3. For the street and as far as racebikes go the D675 is the next best thing to a 750 or big twin, but racing 750's are still tiny as a 600 (not good if your a big/tall fellow like myself) or as nut cookin' and a frequent maintenance fiend as a racing twin.

It feels wonderful on the street, gears are usable and making power right off idle all the way through the rev range, definitely torquey in a way that puts all other middleweights to shame and never requires that it's neck be wrung out just to make power, but you can wring it if ya want to, it' likes that too and feels like the most natural thing to do with this engine.

Mine is only a month old and it still hasnt been broken in so my comparo can be viewed as premature. I do love them both but If I had to choose one, I've gotta say I'd take my S3 without hesitation. It's an absolutely awesome bike and makes no excuses for what it is. It has strenghts and deficiencies and I think I'd always bit*h about the lack of wind protection but c'mon it's nekkid, whatyagonnado.

The D675 is a looker and before I got it I was itchin' for a fully faired bike, they do all look great and it's one of those things you've gotta come to terms with if you choose a S3. But it is one mean looking, ready to wrestle street punk and will get attention wherever you go!

One isnt necessarily better than the other, I think it depends much on what you wish to to use it for primarly and what features and characteristics you must have and others you are willing to compromise on.

If you intend to live a little on the track, I would say the D675 is a natural choice, but dont get it twisted- the S3 is sweet on the track also, it's hardware and geometry is all racebike. For all street duty, they both are good, the D675 is better suited if you are mostly highway, back road and suburban. The S3 is sweet on back roads, suburban metro and the concrete jungle, it'll do highway if it has to but that's not really it's thing.

Neither has storage enough for mor than a pack of condoms and a razor :-D and both will carry only the most petite of pillions and not for too far..and on the S3 they'd better be brave that pillion area is kinda small. Grab rail looks like it had best be on your list if you plan on carrying a passenger on the S3.

[SpeedyPete]

Thanks all and John you're absolutely right about defining needs better. All I can say at the moment is that I want to have the option to go faster than the bonnie and feel the racing ergos. I'm heading out to Vegas at the end of the month and have already booked an 05 R6 for a day so that will be a good way to know if that's what I really want.

I'm also planning on keeping the bonnie for short rides / commutes so the next bike should be a lot different than the standard style of the bonnie.

Starting to feel a lot like the D675....

Funny thing though - I'm not looking at anything other than Triumph. Those brits in Hinckley are definitely thinking of me when they design their products.

P

[Diego]

> Funny thing though - I'm not looking at anything other than Triumph. Those brits in Hinckley are definitely thinking of me when they design their products.

Aww, I thought they were thinking of me all this time.

I know what you mean, though, Pete. I think of myself as the Will Rogers of motorcycles; I've never met one I didn't like. But when it comes time to put down my money, I find it increasingly hard to go with anything other than Triumph.