Triumph Tiger Sport 660 (2026 – ) review

Of Triumph’s updated 660s if you buy the Trident with your heart the Tiger Sport is the one you choose with your head, given it shares the same engine, electronics and character, just packaged in a much more all-round bike with a wider range of ability. True, it’s perhaps a little less distinctive to look at given its ‘generic modern motorcycle’ styling. But fresh colours and graphics help and the foundations are just as good as they always were, now with more power! To those ends the 660cc three-cylinder engine gets triple throttle bodies, revised exhaust and tweaked gear ratios, the front of the frame widened slightly to accommodate the larger airbox though it remains nice and slim around the middle. Tank capacity has also increased to 18.6 litres and there are tweaks to the bodywork as well but, fundamentally, it’s per the 2025 model year version with the upgrades like cornering rider aids, ride-by-wire and standard quickshifter that brought.

Hard to fault, given the 660 strikes a perfect balance between accessible proportions but enough stature to feel like a ‘proper bike’ capable of doing the hard miles. While not stretched out the riding position is definitely sportier than adventure bike equivalents, putting enough weight on your wrists to feel what’s going on through the front tyre without loading them up enough to ache after a long day in the saddle. At 835mm this is perhaps the one hurdle for shorter or less experienced riders, if not out of the ordinary for a bike of this type. An optional low seat drops this by 25mm to help low-speed confidence for those shorter in the leg.

The Tiger Sport 660’s size and weight make it relatively easy to handle, which helps when parking or moving it around the garage alike. If not fully-faired there’s enough bodywork to protect from the worst of the wind and rain, which we appreciated on our extended loan with the 2025 model year version. The variable height windscreen is a welcome feature here as well, tucking away when not needed but giving you something to hide behind on the motorway. Another litre and a bit of fuel capacity – now 18.6 litres – means longer between fuel stops as well while the optional clip-on luggage set offers the flexibility to run a top box for the commute, panniers only for weekends away or the full rig for extended tours. That these can be clipped or unclipped in seconds and leave no ugly mounts or frames on the bike when not in use is also welcome, though we did snap a key on the equivalent panniers on the Tiger Sport 800 we tried last year so treat them gently. External hydraulic preload adjustment is another useful feature, and means you can easily tweak the rear suspension according to load, pillion or riding conditions. A shame heated grips remain a cost option but, beyond that, it’s hard to fault the Tiger Sport 660 in practicality terms.

The 660cc triple was always was a peach of an engine and core to the Tiger Sport’s appeal, the increase from the previous 81 horsepower to 95 horsepower only adding to the fun. And putting a 20 horsepower cushion between the Triumph and its most obvious rival, the Yamaha Tracer 7. It’s also a lot more than the Honda NC750X that might also be on the shortlist. Indeed, by the numbers that has it nibbling at the heels of the much more expensive BMW F 900 XR which should by rights be competing with the Tiger Sport 800 instead. Smoothness, flexibility, an appetite for revs … the triple has it all, not to mention a wonderfully charismatic exhaust note. The addition of ride-by-wire in last year’s update helps differentiate between the Rain, Road and Sport throttle maps, these also adjusting the response of the commendably slick standard quickshifter. If there’s one chink in the Triumph’s armour compared with the Honda and Yamaha it would be the lack of any automatic shifting, the NC750X coming with DCT as standard while the Tracer 7 has the option of the clutchless Y-AMT system. As far as braking goes, meanwhile, the hardware may be lacking a bit of designer label bling but is more than up to the job and comes with the reassurance of lean-sensitive ABS as introduced on the previous 2025 model.

There’s less of the terrier-like playfulness of the related Trident 660 here, but that’s appropriate to the Tiger Sport’s all-rounder role and it’s still sporty enough to live up to its name. Confusingly, Triumph still refers to it as an adventure bike but the matched 17-inch wheels and general set-up are much more road-optimised than the ‘proper’ Tigers like the 900 and 1200 and there are no claims whatsoever of off-road ability even with the decent amount of suspension travel on offer. Overall, the set-up errs to the softer side, which is great for comfort and handles traditionally bumpy British B-roads very well. Some may find it a little wallowy when really hammering on but for the fast commuting or touring it’s built for it feels fine, and Triumph’s skill in calibrating suspension rarely had us craving any manual adjustment beyond the preload at the back it already comes with.

The price has – inevitably – crept up a few hundred quid but is still on a par with the Tracer 7 and not unreasonable given the performance gains. The option to run in restricted A2 licence trim and the relatively small capacity of the engine should help on insurance for younger riders, meanwhile.

While new to the Tiger Sport 660 the engine upgrades are already proven from the Daytona 660, the motor itself having been around for a while now, too. So, no uncertainties there or with the electronics which, again, have been used across the Triumph range. Consider is reassured!

The Tiger Sport 660 is among the few bikes in the range for whom Triumph’s signature 10,000-mile service intervals might genuinely reflect the kind of use they get, given owners will feel equally happy riding it as a daily as they will for longer tours. If the standard two-year warranty looks a bit basic you can extend it to up to four years at extra cost as suits.

In the age of TFT screens some find Triumph’s more traditional display a little antiquated but, functionally, we have no complaints and it has all the information you need. Most riders will probably clip a phone to the bars for anything more extensive anyway, though there is a supporting app for calls, music and basic turn-by-turn navigation if you prefer to keep it in your pocket. In terms of rider tech Triumph plays it a little quieter than its Tracer 7 rival, systems like cornering ABS and traction control and the quickshifter all there but lacking the range of customisation and configurability you get on the Yamaha. Whether you consider that a good or a bad thing will be down to taste but we quite liked the simple approach and fact you can just get on the Tiger Sport 660 and ride it, without having to go through a lengthy and potentially confusing set-up process or having to navigate endless on-screen menus. Beyond the standard spec there’s a huge choice of accessories, the three-piece luggage set an obvious tick, heated grips being another we’d be choosing in the configurator.

If there’s only space for one bike in your life – or your budget – the Tiger Sport 660 makes a very, very strong case. Sure, aesthetically it’s perhaps not a machine to get the heart racing as some others in the Triumph range might. But it’s got fire in its belly to elevate it beyond the merely functional, and the extra power gives it a welcome turn of speed you can enjoy when the opportunity presents. And probably surprise a few people along the way. The ability to buy in A2 trim and then upgrade as your licence and skills permit means it’s a bike new riders can grow with, too.