2000 Triumph TT600
Model Information Provided By Triumph

Design Brief | Engine | Chassis | Features 

TT600 INTRODUCTION
The new Triumph TT600 is a supersport four-cylinder 600cc machine designed to take on the very best machinery in its class.

A simple statement - but with the same players dominating this fiercely competitive category for so long, we realize that it may be difficult for some people to accept that a fifth force has genuinely emerged. Have no doubt though, the all-new TT600 is equipped with everything it needs to be a major success.

Triumph's technological capabilities have progressed in the last decade at a phenomenal pace. The learning curve has been steep but we are confident that we have amassed the experience and expertise to design and produce motorcycles capable of competing with the very best in the world. This was amply demonstrated last year by the acclaimed Sprint ST, which moved to the top of one of the most technically sophisticated classes of machinery - sports tourers.

TT600 - DESIGN BRIEF
The TT600 goal was for the machine to be fully competitive with the leaders of the 600cc four cylinder supersport class, at the time of its introduction. Easy to say but harder to achieve!

From the outset there was no question that the TT600 couldn't be anything other than an entirely new design from the ground up. No existing Triumph could be used as a starting point - the TT600 simply existed only as a set of design features to be achieved. The target power output for example was set at 108HP at the crankshaft, with the very important proviso that the bike maintained a strong, drivable torque curve.

The bike had to steer clear of engine design modularity - the idea that a single power unit could be used or easily adapted for a wide range of machines was a concept used by Triumph with the first range of machines to come from Hinckley. For the TT600 however, the engine is designed solely for this machine and no other. No derivatives are planned to date.

Particular effort was directed at minimizing the weight of the engine, since this has many direct and indirect benefits in terms of overall performance, including handling and braking.

Despite its focus on high performance and ground-breaking specific power output, the TT600 has nevertheless been designed for sale in all existing Triumph markets, so noise and exhaust emissions had to comply with current and projected worldwide standards. For example the TT600 was designed from the outset to meet EURO 1 legislation. 98PS and 34PS versions will also be available to satisfy local legislative requirements.

The aim for the chassis was simple - it had to offer handling that was competitive with the very best in the class, while weight was to be kept to an absolute minimum. The TT600 chassis is the first from Triumph to undergo extensive race track testing during its development process, where established racers from the highest levels were used alongside Triumph's own highly experienced and skilled testers.

THE ENGINE
Designing this type of very high revving, high specific power output engine was a first for Triumph. Complex frictional analysis studies were carried out in the quest to release every possible 1/4 of a HP, to ensure absolutely no power was unnecessarily wasted and the engine would be as efficient as possible.

It was decided to use fuel injection on the 600 due to its ability to finely control the engine's fuelling and because of Triumph's great success with its existing systems. The ability to download new engine management mapping, as with all other fuel injected Triumphs, has been retained for the TT600 in order to accommodate the fitment of Triumph accessory exhaust silencers.

The electronic control module (ECM) draws information from sensors positioned around the engine, and precisely calculates ignition advance and fuelling requirements for all engine speeds and loads. In addition, the system has hardware diagnostic functions similar to the US state of California requirements for on-board diagnostics (OBDII). This function ensures that, should a malfunction occur in the system, the malfunction type and engine data at the time the malfunction occurred are stored in the ECM memory. This stored data can then be recovered by a Triumph dealer using a special service tool that is mandatory for all Triumph dealers. In this way, precise diagnosis of a fault can be made and the fault quickly rectified. The ignition system, controlled by the ECM is equally state-of-the-art, using cigar-type individual plug top coils for their compact size, light weight and high efficiency.

The intake system includes a large capacity 8.5 liter airbox to ensure that the engine has sufficient air in all situations, while at the same time keeping noise levels to a minimum. The intake mouths are carefully placed at the optimum positions at the front of the bike in 'live' high pressure regions in order to feed cold, dense air to the airbox at speed. This improves cylinder filling thereby increasing power as well as improving throttle response.

The highly advanced piston design has ensured piston mass remains low at just 145g, while the 15mm diameter gudgeon pin is also exceptionally light, minimizing reciprocating mass. It has been possible to achieve this low piston weight due to the new temperature controlled forging process, while their tin coating acts as lubrication during the running in stages. Oil cooling jets aimed at the underside of the pistons maintain a safe working temperature even in extreme conditions.

The pistons are also distinguished by a series of grooves around the top 'land' region above the upper compression ring. These improve reliability and reduce the possibility of the piston picking up on the bores in very hard use. The aluminum cylinders feature individual Nikasil coated liners to provide excellent wear characteristics.

The crankshaft hardening process is carried out in-house by Triumph with its own Plasma Nitriding facility, while the crank primary drive gear is shaved rather than machined for an exceptionally accurate tooth profile to reduce noise and improve driveline refinement. The crankcases are fabricated using a high pressure die cast process, the first time this has been used on a Triumph engine. HPDC offers higher quality castings and represents a very large investment in tooling, underlining Triumph's full and major commitment to the TT600.

The alternator is sited at the end of the crankshaft, a move made possible by the use of a rare earth magnet, which is smaller and more compact than a traditional alternator type. The exceptional sophistication of the TT600 engine is exemplified by the fact the alternator is oil-cooled in order to remain at an acceptable running temperature at all times.

All the engine's crankcases and external covers have been designed with minimizing noise and noise amplification in mind, further enhancing the overall refinement of the power unit. Despite the engine's exceptionally light weight and high power output, it has also met the stringent targets set for reliability and durability.

The success of the design has been confirmed by Triumph's measurements of the TT600 engine's power output, where the TT600's consistent 108HP proved to be competitive with today's class leading machines.

THE CHASSIS
Like the engine, the TT600 chassis had to be entirely new to achieve the design aims. In the first of several major sessions at European race tracks, a prototype machine with full adjustment facilities in all aspects of its geometry was used to establish the basic figures for the TT600. Bodywork development continued at the same time, including wind tunnel testing of the fairing to minimize drag and the turbulence experienced by the rider. The final coefficient of drag is the lowest ever designed by Triumph, while airflow around the rider and cooling efficiency has been optimized.

As with the engine, the reduction of weight has been a major focus, with the twin spar aluminum frame together with the rear subframe weighing just 12.6kg. The frame was constructed using cast and extruded components and was then submitted to severe testing together with further finite element analysis. The frame spars are four-celled, which means there are three inner walls running along the length of the spars, creating four inner square section 'tubes' in the single spar and massively increasing its strength and stiffness with very little weight penalty.

Weight reduction procedures were carried out in all areas, and down to the smallest detail, with even the rear sprocket being redesigned to be 200g lighter than ones used before by Triumph. The TT600 features light weight cast aluminum wheels, which is particularly important as lighter wheels reduce unsprung weight, thereby improving suspension performance as well as reducing the gyroscopic effect, speeding the bike's rate of turn and steering response. There is also less rotating mass to accelerate and absorb power, and the overall mass of the bike is reduced. Mass reduction in these areas is beneficial to handling because it minimizes the weight of the bike at its extremities, improving its rate of turn by reducing its overall rotational inertia.

Further weight was lost through the use of a polycarbonate headlight lens, as opposed to glass, while the use of aluminum instead of steel for the cockpit frame resulted in a loss of 800g and the new lightweight instruments are 900g lighter than conventional items. The instruments feature an analogue tachometer, digital speedometer, digital temperature readout, warning lights, odometer and two independent trip meters.

The speedometer, odometer, trip meter and temperature display can be cycled between the following modes; KPH / kilometers / Celsius; MPH / miles / Celsius; MPH / miles / Fahrenheit, eliminating the necessity for speed and distance conversions when traveling abroad.

Other weight reducing measures include the use of single piece forged aluminum clip-on handlebars, aluminum top and bottom fork yokes and steering stem, which reduce the TT600's steered mass and improve response and feedback to the rider.

The swingarm is constructed entirely from aluminum and is all new, including the linkage to the shock absorber. Sliding block chain adjusters are used for their strength and weight advantage. The swingarm is enormously stiff, giving the TT600 a further handling advantage.

Both front and rear suspension is fully adjustable for spring preload as well as compression and rebound damping. The front fork design has been optimized by Triumph in conjunction with the suspension manufacturer Kayaba to reduce weight. This has been achieved by using lighter springs and aluminum instead of steel damper cartridges. A full 0.5kg was lost over conventional fork design again reducing unsprung weight.

The final suspension settings and design were arrived at after extensive road and track testing using grand prix racers, Triumph's testers and highly experienced engineers from Kayaba. The result is class-leading suspension that is highly capable whether being used to the limit on the race track or on the full cross-section of everyday roads and riding conditions.

Triumph has already established a reputation for producing exceptional braking systems, and the TT600's brakes have been refined even more. Triumph's proven Nissin four-piston calipers have been retained for their impressive feedback and progression, while the light weight of the TT600 has allowed the use of smaller front discs (310mm). In addition, the brake disc carrier and rotor has been redesigned to use eight rivets rather than ten, with useful weight reduction benefits. The rear 220mm disc is matched to a single-piston caliper design, chosen for its light weight.

Suggested Retail Price (US): $8,299

TT600 - DEVELOPMENT TIMETABLE
· Early 1996: Concept discussed and dealer survey undertaken
· October 1996: Styling commenced
· December 1996: Engine development commenced
· January 1997: Chassis development commenced
· January 1998: Engine first run on dyno
· Feb 1998: Engine running in bike
· March 1998: First race track test of chassis
· March 1999: Further engine refinement results in engine making 110PS
· August 1999: Final track testing to set suspension with 110PS engine and 170kg chassis

TT600 - KEY FEATURES
Engine
· Power output of 108HP, with broad, drivable torque curve.
· Uses the Sagem MC1000 electronic engine management system, which has automatic cold start compensation and self-diagnostic capability.
· Pressurized air intake system with large capacity, 8.5 liter airbox.
· Highly sophisticated, ultra light forged piston design with 'upper land' grooves.
· High pressure die cast (HPDC) crankcases for greater consistency.
· Individual cigar type coils for stronger sparks and reduced weight.
· Starter drive direct to end of crankshaft.
· Lightweight, compact rare earth magnet alternator with oil cooling.
· Nikasil coated individual aluminum cylinders for light weight, improved heat transfer, enhanced durability and low friction.

TT600 - KEY FEATURES
Chassis
· All new, lightweight aluminum perimeter beam frame, using engine as structural member, weighs just 12.6kg - including the rear subframe.
· New aluminum swingarm optimized for stiffness.
· Kayaba rising rate monoshock rear suspension with adjustable spring preload, compression and rebound damping.
· Kayaba 43mm telescopic forks with adjustable spring preload, compression and rebound damping and extra lightweight design.
· Lightweight cast aluminum wheels.
· Polycarbonate headlight lens for light weight.
· Lightweight PCB electronic instrument cluster.
· Aluminum cockpit frame.
· Single piece forged aluminum clip-on handlebars.
· Aluminum top and bottom fork yokes and steering stem.
· Ultra low coefficient of drag.
· Fitted with new Bridgestone BT10 dual compound radial tires.

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