So we flipped through Triumph’s race catalog and found that most of the engine upgrades were made for the Daytona engine. So, step one? Swap the engines out! Check it out.

That’s as far as we got this week, but stay tuned for more updates! In the meantime, check out Triumph Boards for more Triumph fun.

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

With the baffles removed, the sound was pleasantly deeper but the bike seemed to lose a bit on the low end. We are going to ride it a few more miles before making the decision to connect a Tuneboy or Power Commander. However, I am thinking we are going to have to, due to the fact that it is a full system we installed, not just a slip on.

Stay tuned for more updates and be sure to check out Triumph Boards for more information.

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

Yeah, sorry about that. We promise we will get to it as soon as the weather lightens up again. We will get the baffles off damn it!

Stay tuned for more updates and be sure to check out Triumph Boards for more information.

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

If you guys are interested in purchasing these levers, Lex Racing is running group buys on each of the forums we both sponsor at the bottom of this page. Check it out!

Stay tuned for more updates!

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

Currently, the Daytona is running the Beringer calipers, and a pair of Helibar clip ons. The Street Triple now has the stock Daytona front calipers, and has gone back to handlebars by the way of Rizoma. For a full spec sheet, please check out their respective sections under Staff Bikes.

We believe that there truly are too many factors when comparing motorcycles. Try as they may, many magazines still attempt to use technical jargon to confuse the readers in an attempt to justify one choice over another.

We say the hell with it. We will pit any bike against another, and honestly, it really boils down to personal preference. Making these shoot out videos and articles are fun for us. Hope some of you enjoy them. We will improve each time we do it. Promise!

Stay tuned for more updates and be sure to check out Triumph Boards for more information.

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

After picking up the motorcycle at, Scuderia West, we headed out on the highway for some open road action on our way to the sweepers in the nearby hills.

Check out my video, as well as the video by Andrew, for some interesting high-speed footage and our initial thoughts and opinions on how the two motorcycles compare.

Looks like we almost killed Michelle there as she was strying to get some shots of the two bikes. As you saw, I chose the Shiver over the Street Triple.

Also, keep a look out for our full opinions and some revealing insights in a future print edition of Inline Performance Magazine. There, I will defend my choice of the Aprilia Shiver over the highly modified Triumph Street Triple.

Stay tuned.

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

Right away, the Aprilia Shiver makes herself known with a big frame that suits a taller rider very comfortably. For a naked sportbike, she is noticeably jaunty, baring her 750cc V-twin and angular 2-in-1 exhaust for all the world to see.

The Shiver does perform very, very nicely, though her ride-by-wire throttle introduces a few idiosyncrasies in the controls, which can take getting used to. However, it was fun toggling between the bike’s Touring, Rain and Sport modes, which deliver markedly different acceleration profiles and adapt the Shiver’s overall personality to a wider range of riding conditions than the single-purposed Triumph Street Triple which we pitted her against. Apparently, the Shiver’s electronic throttle control also adjusts valve aperture based on your gear selection, engine speed, throttle grip position and movement speed, temperature and (mountain climbers take note) atmospheric pressure… if the Shiver played Blackjack, I’m pretty sure she’d count cards, too.

As one road tester described, “The Shiver’s V-twin delivers a wonderfully raspy and very Italianate song….” Well, unfortunately I couldn’t quite hear that song over the Street Triple’s trademark triple burble, and the roar of the twin Remus exhausts, but I’m assuming the writer was referring to the Shiver’s nonetheless throaty purr.

Because of her jaunty measurements – more trail, more rake than the Street Triple – the Shiver handles more smoothly, even despite a 750cc V2 setup that ought to have her leaping out of the gate. Instead, it’s the Street Triple and its 675cc 3-cylinder inline that’s rearin’ to go. Is it because the Shiver is a full 50lbs heavier? Or does that ride-by-wire throttle actually read your mind?

In the end, my vote goes to the Triumph Street Triple as the better naked sportbike, despite its aggressive, hypersensitive throttle and unfortunate lack of concern for rider comfort. Adds to the streetfighter allure, I say.

The Shiver, meanwhile, is plainly too competent for its own good.

Be sure to look for the full article in one of our future print issues. In the meantime, for more Triumph and Aprilia fun be sure to check out, Triumph Boards and Aprilia Boards.

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

Yeah, that was a bit short, but it shows that the little triple is back in action for our Speed vs. Street shoot out this weekend. Look for the full article in the annual issue! Ride safe!

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

As their name states, SME makes cool stuff for super motos, but have crossed over to the sport and standard bike markets. Be sure to click on their name and check out their site!

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

Made out of aluminum, the mount can pretty much accommodate any camera with a compatible screw. The installation involves swapping out the bolts around the front of the gas gap and softly clamping down the bracket to the tank. Take note of which screws belong where as they vary in size for the Speed Triple. I suggest keeping the original screws with your travel kit in case you want to remove the bracket on the fly. To avoid nicking the paint at the slip of the hand,  keep a soft towel or scrap t-shirt around the tank.

Once the bracket is set in place, you can attach the provided camera bracket plate to whatever camera you’re using. I haven’t figured out what the Velcro was intended for, and the instructions neglect to mention the function, but I’m sure there’s a good reason. The camera bolts on securely to the bracket, but I would prefer if there was a quick release option, otherwise the process of getting the equipment on and off frequently can be cumbersome.

Some bike enthusiasts that like to keep their wheels streamlined might disagree with me, but I actually like the way the bracket makes it look like my bike has an antenna. I’m looking forward to recording my favorite roads and it looks like SME left the possibility of attaching other types of brackets that could hold a GPS unit. Hopefully, I’ll be able to keep me eyes on the road!

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

Depending on how much experience you have in taking off your rear wheel, I would be surprised if the installation would take more than 10 minutes, tops. It might be easier to work with a spare set of hands to keep the brake calipers in line, when reassembling the rear wheel components, but for a steady hand, it’s not mandatory. All it takes is a big enough torque wrench and a bike stand to make the swap. The SME brackets slide into place with precision and look quite sharp by adding a little flair to the rear. Be sure to adjust your chain back to spec once you’ve got everything in place. And keep that rear nut clamped down before speeding off for the day. Browsing through SME‘s catalog, you’ll find components that cover most popular bike makes, including some older models like my KTM Duke, which is a totally biased bonus on my part.

An easy installation that will save your bike for a small investment is always a wise purchase. It’s nice to see a manufacturer that can do it without sacrificing the good looks of your bike.

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

The installation is as simple as it looks on the video and can be done in about two minutes, if you don’t include the time and patience needed to bleed the brakes. For an additional 39 Euro, you can get a fancy adjustable bracket for looks sharp but the simple one provided is adequate enough. I checked out their web site, and they have enough variation in size and color to match almost any bike, but for those of you hunting for “Kawasaki Green,” you may have to go with the neutral silver until Rizoma decides to start catering to your crowd.

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

So, as you saw in the video, we went against installing the flasher relays. It looked fine without them. Very cool product. We were able to get rid of the stock turn signals and free up some room in the back to properly show off those exhaust cans! Till next time guys, be sure to check out Clear Alternatives!

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

Stay tuned guys! It’s a slow but steady process!

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

We got a pair of steel braided brake lines from the good folks over at HelUSA. Initially Hel products were only available in the UK, but they have since brought their quality products over into the States.

Whether it is an off the shelf item or a complete one off installation, HelUSA has the staff, knowledge and historical background to supply you with the best solution to your performance hose needs. They carry performance products for cars, bicycles and nitrous systems in addition to their motorcycle stuff. Let’s check out the installation.

So, obviously, we are going to have to get a proper master cylinder that fits bikes with handlebars before we can complete and test the front lines. Stay tuned and we will get to it really soon! Happy Riding!

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

So, that’s as far as I could go with the front end modification. I made a call to Thomas at HelUSA regarding our clutch and front brake lines and he told me they were being sent out today, so we should be getting them soon. So, stay tuned for more.

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

As I stated earlier, we are doing some big changes to the Street Triple’s front end, so we had to stop where we did. Stay Tuned for more guys! Enjoy the nice weather and ride safely!

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

For now, the street legal baffles are still inside each can. Stay tuned when we do a sound comparison between exhausts with baffles and exhausts without baffles. Also, stay tuned for a dyno run. Until then, ride safely guys!

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

The stock turn signals just stuck out way too much. This bike is supposed to share the same frame and engine with the Daytina 675, so why shouldn’t it but just as streamlined? Well, that’s it for this time folks. Till next time, ride safely!

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

Stay tuned for more on the sit down segments. Don’t know if you guys enjoy these. Let us know! As I said before, it’s rainy season here in the city so we rarely get to take out our bikes. See you soon for more reviews! Oh yeah, see you guys tomorrow at the motorcycle show in San Mateo!

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

While it hasn’t been dyno’d yet, the bike has definitely been given some extra umph. The weight savings itself should make it go just a bit faster. The stainless steel full dual undertail system was swapped for a side exit full system if you remember.

We have a scheduled dyno session coming up soon so stay tuned for the numbers!

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

Now that I have stockers on the Street Triple, I can hit up CRG, Pazzo, or ASV for nice slick levers to better match my bike. This modification, along with the previous ones, will make the 2008 Street Triple much more comparable to the 2009 model, which we have every intention of pitting against.

Stay tuned for more guys!

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

We did a shoot out between this bike and GooDy’s Daytona 675 a few days back. Look out for that soon. We were seeing with the modifications that we made to this bike could make it keep up with the track focused 675.

But anyways guys, one of the main weaknesses of this bike is the lower spec parts. And as you will see in the 675 shootout, the weakest link was the rear shock. Check out what I did!

The TTX36 Rear Shock was developed using experience from MotoGP, WSBK, and AMA. This hypersport product is probably way beyond what I’ll be using this bike for on the street, but hey, it’s better to have it on tap in case it’s needed then not right?

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

Anyways, with the riding season coming to a close here in the bay, I thought I’d better do something to fix it. I asked Goody, and he was more than happy to swap his stock rearsets from his Daytona for my Gilles.

I won’t go into a detail installation rant since these rearsets were installed at least three times by the IPM staff here already in the past. But here is a quick picture of what it looks like now. Much more streamlined as the end can is now parallel with the subframe.

Here is an old picture just so you guys can do a comparison. The bike looked “squished” before, don’t you think? I think the bike looks much better now.

Alright guys, stay tuned!

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

But I guess it’s a trade off for the low end torque the re-gearing provides in the city. One other complaint is that at these high RPMs the race exhaust can be deafening! It’s not a crusing speed for the bike. I’ve found the bike rides comfortable around 70mph, but anywhere above 6K RPMs will leave a ringing in your ears. I rode a solid 2.5 hours before getting off the bike. My ass was still pretty sore despite having the aftermarket Gel seat on the bike.

That aside, once I was off the freeway and carving up the backroads, the bike performed exceptionally well. This is where this bike excels. This is home. It’s weight makes it easy to throw into turns, and in these tight switchbacks, having the throttle play of a 600 makes all the difference in rideability. I sure as hell didn’t ride for 2.5 hours straight because I was trying to get somewhere, or the bike was a clumsy ride! I’m not sure about the distance I rode though, cause I’m still not proficient with the complicated computer options.

Oh, that’s October 2008′s IPM Girl of the Month Dania Denise on my Street Triple. I probably shouldn’t have posted that, but just thought I’d give you guys a sneak peak!

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

Apparently, when the Alex and Justin pulled the covers from the Daytona 675 to put on the Street Triple, they overtightened those areas, and cracked the casing (come on guys…arghhh!!!).  And, as we all know, the cracks only widen as the metal expands under the extreme heat. 

So we had two options: One, get a new cover, and wait who knows how long for the part, or two, try JB Weld, do it right then and there, and hopefully it will hold.   It was a no brainer.  Let’s do the JB Weld, and hope it holds.  The bike had spent way too much time in the garage, and I really needed to get back on it.

It’s a pretty simple process when you do it.  You’ll be fixing the crack from the inside, not the outside.  Again, first be sure to clean everything well.  You don’t want the crack areas oily at all.  Next, you should take some fine sand paper, and rough up the around the crack.  This allows the compound to get into the metal, and hold better.  Here’s a pic:

Once that’s done you simple mix up the JB Weld Compounds, and apply to the crack area.  Finally, you’ll want to let it dry for at least 6 hours.  We just let it sit overnight to be safe.

Then it’s just a matter of putting it all back together, and putting the oil back in.  It took some time, but we were ultimately able to figure it out.   So far there’s no more leaks, and it looks fine… but most of all, it’s finally safe to ride hard.  Twisties here I come!

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

One thing to note on the removal of the alternator case, is that it’s also magnetized. So removing it is a bit tricky. Rather than use a flathead to pry it off the bike and possibly create a seal problem with the new gasket, we recommend using a rubber mallet and tap it little by little until it gives you an edge to pull it off. Once it’s off we recommend taking a digital picture so you can put everything exactly where it should be, with particular attention to the wiring. Also, you should be very careful to keep the stator clean from any debris. We simply tied a plastic bag around it. Next use a razor to remove the old gasket and clean off any pieces of it that might be on the bike or the casing. Be sure that when you’re scraping that you don’t make any slices into the metal!

Now the gasket: First, make sure you find a clean flat surface and use a large piece of paper to place under the gasket. Next, you want to make sure that you put the gasket sealant on the correct side of the gasket. You will be putting the gasket onto the casing, not directly on the bike. Be sure to give the gasket a good amount of sealant and evenly coat it as best you can.

Line up the gasket and put it on the case carefully. Now here’s the tricky part. First make sure that you put the stator and all of the wiring in the original placement. Use the picture you took as a template, if you can’t remember.

At the bottom of the cover is a small dowel that you have to line up with the bike. As you start to put it on, the cover will get pulled on rather quickly as the magnet grabs the cover. If you don’t get it lined up right, it may get bent in certain areas, so check all around the cover to make sure it’s straight. If it’s not, you’ll have to get out your rubber mallet again, remove it and start again. Once you’re confident with the placement, just put the bolts back in and tighten them in a star pattern to make sure it’s tightened evenly. And that’s how you replace a gasket.

BUT, it turned out that wasn’t the problem. Yeah… FUCK! The bike was still leaking. Initial thoughts were that somehow the gasket was bent. We needed to open it up one more time to check. But in case the gasket couldn’t be reused, I decided to buy another one. Luckily Munroe Motors had one more in stock.

Alright, looks like there will be a part four to the seemingly endless saga.

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

So picking up right where I left off: the following morning, I found the pool of four had coalesced into a single pool of oil over night.  It was time to get this gasket changed.  I probably should have left the bike at home and rode another one, but I was hoping that I could get a couple of things done on my to do list before I actually changed the gasket, which I wanted to do at my friend Jorge’s garage (he’s been a fountain of knowledge in my motorcycle education – good and bad, mostly good).

First off, I needed the gasket kit from Alex.  Then I needed to go by my office in Oakland to finish something  before gingerly cruising over to Jorge’s.  The tire on the left side was getting considerably more and more oily, and I could feel the Triple slipping a bit without having to lean the bike too far.  “Just keep it upright and easy on the turns, and I should be fine,” I told myself.  “And shift earlier to keep the revs down so I didn’t get the oil temperature too high and exacerbate the problem.”

I go by Alex’s and get the gaskets.  Now I’m on the freeway in fourth gear splitting lanes a lot more carefully than I normally do, coming up to the section where I had been pulled over by two CHP motorcycle cops a week earlier (I tend to slow down in those areas where I was once busted especially with the incident so fresh…).  Ponch and John were no where in sight, traffic was thinning a bit,  and wanting to get this task done as quickly as possible, I decided to step up the pace and get into 5th gear.  Drop the throttle, pull the clutch, and click up.  Wait, there wasn’t a click.  Actually the shifter had dropped way down, and was completely loose.  I couldn’t shift.  Up or down.  I was stuck in fourth on the freeway – the Bay Bridge, where there is no shoulder of the road to pull over safely.

My drama had intensified substantially now.  I was on a badly leaking bike, with an oily rear tire on the freeway, my shifter had broken, and I couldn’t pull over without putting myself in more risk.  You always hear about people breaking down on the bridge, and then getting out of their cars only to be hit by another motorist since there isn’t a place to pull over.  I had some time for the initial shock to wear off since the bridge is rather long, so I decided, fuck it, let’s see if I can get this bike all the way to the office garage in fourth gear.  As long as I kept the bike moving and didn’t come to a full stop I can make it.  From the freeway it’s not far to my office, and if I can time the five stop lights well enough so as to make sure I’m rolling when the lights turn green, then enter the garage and negotiate going around the gate arm instead of stopping to wave my pass card, I’m all good!  I had to rev the bike higher to get the bike rolling along in 4th gear on a couple of lights since I wasn’t moving very fast, but I made it.  Safely.

Immediately I got on the phone with Jorge, and told him about the situation.  And being the down-for-me-homeboy that he is, he offered to come come get me and the bike in his truck.  As for the shifter, it turned out that one of the bolts that holds the arm to the bike had come loose and fallen out on the aftermarket rear sets.  It was totally unrelated to the oil leak.  Initially I suspected that it may have been a result of the oil leak getting into the bolt causing it to loosen, but the position of the bolt made it highly unlikely.  Moreover, there was no oil on that section of the bike.  I called Alex and told him what had happened, and also to see if he had an extra bolt for it.  No bolt, but he also told me that that part of the rear sets had come fully assembled and they just bolted it on to the bike.  Lesson learned: even with an assembled part, be sure to check all parts and connections, and tighten what you need to.  And for parts such as those, your best friend is Locktite.

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

Wait, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s back up a bit. So I just got the keys at the Saturday IPM meeting, and while I knew there was a leak, I couldn’t wait to get on it and actually try riding it. And, as is often the case after the IPM meetings, an invigorating ride is usually what follows. Perhaps I should have taken care of the leak before putting it through it’s paces, but throwing caution aside, and not wanting to be that disappointed kid on Christmas day who opens their much anticipated present only to find it broken and unusable, I had to ride it. It didn’t seem too bad. Goody and Justin Y. were interested in hitting the twisties at Sharp Park, so my next question to Alex was, “How much gas is there in the bike?” Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, but Alex remembered just filling up, when in fact, it was just about to have the low gas light come on.

We hit the twisties, and it didn’t take me long to start getting acquainted with the bike.  The Pirelli Supercorsas felt great on the turns, and the bike pulled well all the way through 11.5K RPMs.  I found myself consistently revving around 9500 to 11000 RPMs, with the Zard racing exhaust a deafening scream to the cars on the road.  The Street Triple was doing everything I wanted, and it felt as if I were on rails on the turns.  After a good number of rides up and down the hill, and then a quick video clip, it was time to refuel.  I waved to Goody and sped off back up Highway 1 stopping in Daly City for a petrol fill up.  I went in for a drink, and came back to the bike to find that the slight oil leak had gotten substantially worse.  There were now four points where oil was dripping off of the bike, and one pool was about the size of a silver dollar.  I had only been away from the bike for about a minute at the most!  It was time to get the bike home.

Stay tuned, as i further investigate this mysterious oil leak!

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

I’m going to leave you with an exhaust video I made for you guys, showing off the sound of the full Zard exhaust system. Stay tuned for more!

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.