Triumph Tiger 800 ADV Teaser!

[DosEquis00]

As the OP to this thread I thought I'd bump it seeing that I finally got one in my garage.    Traded my Street Triple R on a touring bike - I must be getting old!  This is my second Tiger and fourth Triumph 3-cylinder bike.  It's a 2012 800 ABS in Venom Yellow.

Very nice Alex as I am sure it will serve you well!

[Rincewind]

I was able to get 415 miles by day four.  The 500 mile service is Tuesday.  Today I took my first passenger, my 9 year old boy.  The passenger seat is very long, the pillion pegs are low, and the grab rails are ace.  He was very comfortable.  Even my rider wife wants to try riding passenger on it.  The long seat with long luggage rack, plus all the bungie hooks and trellis frame parts, make it really utilitarian.

Later in the day I took it to Southern Lancaster Co by Shenks Ferry Wild Flower Preserve where there is a gnarly beaten road that my car would not survive.  I had taken my Tiger 1050 on this road as well.  The T800 did a lot better than the T1050 in the washed out and rocky areas.  The T800 is a little jumpy in first gear at low speed while standing on the pegs.  I was a little nervous on the uphill but it managed just great and I finally got it a little muddy.  The 19" front wheel and Pirelli Scorpion Trails tires helped it feel more confident than the T1050 ever felt in those conditions - sort of like a rally bike, maybe.









I'm trying to figure out now which tank bag to buy.  The weird shaped tank does not accept my Triumph Urban Sports magnetic one.

[Rincewind]

Glad to see another VY in the area.  Enjoy!

Thanks!  I will watch for you on the road.  It took me awhile to figure out that by VY you meant Venom Yellow.    I really like this color, but I think it seems more like a fluorescent green.

[Stromgewehr]

Sorry, I should've been more specific.  Bile green?  Venom Yellow is going away in the UK and Europe for  2013, according to the UK Tiger 800 forum.  Matte Khaki green for the XC (like the current Scrambler here) and "Explorer" blue for the Roadie.

http://www.tiger800.co.uk/index.php/topic,5446.0.html

Wonder if those colors will make it to US shores?

[Rincewind]

Wow, that matte khaki green is a great Tiger color.    The Triumph US site is already showing those same colors for the US 2013 MY.  

[Dan K]

Rince - very surprised by your move, as I was actually considering switching my D675 for a Striple, which would have light track days.

How would you compare the two, other than the T800 having a little less down low and more in the midrange?  How does it handle on the road? Would it be suitable for commuting and light touring and if so, how would it compare to the Sprint 1050 and/or the Striple in that regard?

I have a thing for triples, and I do love the engine in my D675, just don't get to ride it much - not enough time for lots o track days.

Haven't made ONE this year!

-Dan

[Rincewind]

Rince - very surprised by your move, as I was actually considering switching my D675 for a Striple, which would have light track days.

How would you compare the two, other than the T800 having a little less down low and more in the midrange?  How does it handle on the road? Would it be suitable for commuting and light touring and if so, how would it compare to the Sprint 1050 and/or the Striple in that regard?

I have a thing for triples, and I do love the engine in my D675, just don't get to ride it much - not enough time for lots o track days.

Haven't made ONE this year!

-Dan

I was a little surprised too.  I had the Street R set up just right for me after spending quite a bit on aftermarket stuff.  The Tiger 800 is better set up for me right out of the box.  It's so much more utilitarian and comfortable with only a few trade offs.  

The Street R is a top notch sportbike and has the edge for having the more powerful brakes and better suspension on good roads.  The 675 has a slight HP advantage, too.  With its lightweight chassis it posts significantly faster quarter mile times/mph than the T800.  In the low revs, the 675 and 800 are fairly similar, with a slight edge to 800 for grunt.  In the mid range they both pack a satisfying punch.  In the top end is where the HP and significant weight advantage of the 675 make it a little rocket.  The 675 wheelies much more quickly (if ridden hard).  The top end of the T800 is strong and linear with zing, but with the heavier bike and geometries it's not as frenetically fast as a screaming 675 at 12,000 rpm.  It still has all the triple charm but it's a different application.

The Tiger 800 is more comfortable and less harsh on rough roads than the 675.  The 19" front wheel took me some time to get used to versus the 17" on the STR.  It's not as intuitive and precise in handling, but once adapted to the Tiger 800 it feels just as quick through real world corners as the 675.  In fact I have come to prefer the larger wheel because it reduces some road feedback.  The 675 is like a scalpel and provides a tremendous amount of road feedback constantly.  That's a lot to process.

For real world conditions commuting and traveling, the Tiger 800  runs over the Street Triple a few times.  The Street Triple R is a menacing lightweight weapon if ridden hard, and a very easy-going everyday bike - compare it to a small sports car.  The Tiger is more like Jeep or performance SUV - a lot more practical beyond a sport car's agenda.

The Sprint is a nice sport tourer but a fairly different animal.  As I recall it was not the best on rougher roads but was very sharp on smooth ones.  The 1050 is a great engine but the T800 feels slightly more refined and revier like the 675.

For general use real world conditions including less than ideal roads I think the Tiger 800 is better than Sprint or Street Triple R.  The very small performance trade offs for the T800 are not a big deal at all.  It's very torquey and a superb engine on its own and I think too many comparisons to the other triples take away from its unique middleweight strength.  

But that's just my opinion!

[1000lbs]

I was a bit surprised by your switch aswell.  After reading your comparisons, I can see the trade offs for the T800 being a plus given your intended uses for the bike.  I haven't toured on my STR yet (2 part 3,000 mile tour of the coast pending soon  ) but I can see some areas where the T800 would be welcome on such a trip.  Thanks for the details  .

I owned my T1050 when I sampled the T800 at my dealers bike intro. I was basing my ride impression between the two at that time. I remember walking away from the T800 impressed by the refinement of the ride and thoughtful touches regarding functionality. If I didn't have the 1050 they may have been taking my order.  

After hitting the track a few times, the Tigers dropped of my radar and the STR edged out the new Tuono by a slim margin given my want/needs.  Meaning I want/need my bike to be more of a toy and less of a work horse 90% of the time  .  The Tuono only lost out due to unacceptable fuel range.

[Dan K]

I was a bit surprised by your switch aswell.  After reading your comparisons, I can see the trade offs for the T800 being a plus given your intended uses for the bike.  I haven't toured on my STR yet (2 part 3,000 mile tour of the coast pending soon  ) but I can see some areas where the T800 would be welcome on such a trip.  Thanks for the details  .

I owned my T1050 when I sampled the T800 at my dealers bike intro. I was basing my ride impression between the two at that time. I remember walking away from the T800 impressed by the refinement of the ride and thoughtful touches regarding functionality. If I didn't have the 1050 they may have been taking my order.  

After hitting the track a few times, the Tigers dropped of my radar and the STR edged out the new Tuono by a slim margin given my want/needs.  Meaning I want/need my bike to be more of a toy and less of a work horse 90% of the time  .  The Tuono only lost out due to unacceptable fuel range.

If I want my track bike to be a little more street friendly, do you think a switch from the D675 to the Striple R would be a good move?
I haven't really looked into the Striple as a track bike - what's your thoughts on that?

I sold my '03 Tuono specifically because I didn't want to take it to the track and kill myself.  That thing had serious performance mods making it an angry bike, and I miss it a lot.  Now that I have some track chops, kind of wish I still had the Tuono...

- Dan

[Jeff]

If I want my track bike to be a little more street friendly, do you think a switch from the D675 to the Striple R would be a good move?
I haven't really looked into the Striple as a track bike - what's your thoughts on that?

I sold my '03 Tuono specifically because I didn't want to take it to the track and kill myself.  That thing had serious performance mods making it an angry bike, and I miss it a lot.  Now that I have some track chops, kind of wish I still had the Tuono...

- Dan

After riding Hickey's Striple R, I'd say it would be huge fun at a track day.

[1000lbs]

If I want my track bike to be a little more street friendly, do you think a switch from the D675 to the Striple R would be a good move?
I haven't really looked into the Striple as a track bike - what's your thoughts on that?

- Dan

Depends on what your priorities are for street/track, and if you are in the mood to spend $$$ for something a little different.   The Striple is the better tool for public roads and tight stuff.  The gearing is more city friendly and the ergos are a better fit for me when the hours add up.

It also does very well at the track (two runs for me so far).  



I really like that I can strip the lights off and on in no time for street and track use.  I put this pic in to add that a wind screen makes a big difference on the track.  I ran my first day without one and at higher speeds it was a little distracting.  My last track bike was a ZX6R and I'm setting faster times on the Striple (this may be due to more track time rather then the bike).  The Striple holds a line very well and throttles out of the corner great.   I don't find it lacking for much on the track at all.


All that being said it does give up a little to the D675 on the track.  The D675 has better track ergos and more on the top end, which may show up on bigger tracks.  Add to that the full fairing and if trackdays are the primary purpose, I'd stick with the Tona.  If your only doing a handful of trackdays per year, you might find the Striple to be a nice option when your not on the track.

[Dan K]

We'll see how many track days I squeeze in this summer and re-evaluate.  Love that D675 engine, and everything about it -  just not the ergos on the street.  They make no sense unless going 80mph and up so the wind can help keep you up.

 -Dan

[Rincewind]

I have a bit over 2400 miles on the clock after this past weekend's trip - Ride report link.  The Tiger is broken-in well now and I can use the whole rev range freely.  Gotta say: this bike rocks.  It really is the Street Triple's brawny bigger brother.  

At 75mph the motor is spinning almost at 6000rpm which is right at the sweet spot for really nice amounts of passing power.  It will cruise in the 80-90mph range very well, too, though fuel efficiency drops by about 5mpg at those speeds.  I was impressed that multiple times the Tiger exceeded 50mpg on a tank of gas in non-highway sport-touring mountainous conditions.  51.4 mpg was my best, and 47.8 was my trip average.  The fuel light went on regularly between 175-185 miles on a tank.  There is "miles to empty" feature for counting down, but I didn't get worried enough to use it.

The bike handling was exceptionally good and I don't really have any complaints in that regard.  In 1850 miles including many hairpins and tight roads I never once touched down a hard part, though my boot touched down once or twice.  The bike was very sure-footed and it was easy to throw it into back-and-forth leans for miles and miles on end.  The steering lock is noticeably a lot greater on this bike versus the Street Triple - I really appreciate that for tight maneuvers.  The top end of the revs feels a bit more industrial than the singing nature of the 675, but it still pull nice and hard in the mid-to-upper rev range.  

Now for the negatives.  I was stuck in 90° heat in a tourist trap for quite awhile in Tennessee and the engine heated the frame so badly it became painful to have my foot down.  When at speed the heat isn't a problem, but when stopped in very hot weather it is really bothersome.  

The wind buffeting and noise at highway speeds is very increased for me versus my Street Triple.  It wasn't to the point of being annoying but it was present.  A short screen, or no screen, may be in the bike's future, but I'm more interested in some other mods beforehand, one of the first being heated grips which I really missed having in the mornings especially at elevation.

The seat proved to be good for +500 mile adventures once my butt got used to it.  While on the road I experimented with my dad's Airhawk and Bead Riders - he was experimenting with them too for a big trip.  I couldn't stand the beads after about 1/2 hour, while the Airhawk is a good product.  

[crispiegee1]

I was impressed that multiple times the Tiger exceeded 50mpg on a tank of gas in non-highway sport-touring mountainous conditions.  51.4 mpg was my best, and 47.8 was my trip average.  The fuel light went on regularly between 175-185 miles on a tank.  There is "miles to empty" feature for counting down, but I didn't get worried enough to use it.

Is that according to the trip computer or according to your calculations based on odometer reading at fuel fill-ups?

The wind buffeting and noise at highway speeds is very increased for me versus my Street Triple.  It wasn't to the point of being annoying but it was present.  A short screen, or no screen, may be in the bike's future, but I'm more interested in some other mods beforehand, one of the first being heated grips which I really missed having in the mornings especially at elevation.

Good information. What about a tall screen, like the Tiger Explorer?

[Rincewind]

Crispiegee - That is according to my tracking by the odometer via Fuelly.  There were many fill-ups that I had to wait to enter because of gassing up outside of data coverage areas, but I always put the info up after getting back into cellular networks.  The trip computer seems fairly accurate, though I did not cross check it.  If I weighed less and was easier on the throttle, I think it would get even closer to Triumph's 60mpg claimed efficiency.



I don't know if a higher screen would help or make matters worse.  I suspect the latter and would go with a shorter screen - or no screen, if I were to change it.

Another comment about the bike - it's very reluctant to get it off of the center stand.  I literally have to stand on the stand while pushing it off, especially on the concrete floor of my garage.

[sammyseaman]

I've heard of guys chuckin' the screen all together. I think I remember one of our members' ride reports where he just took the damn thing off and it made a world of difference.

[wlselph]

I started a topic over in the general discussion area about a new bike. I used to have a Suzuki DL1000 Vstrom and am considering a Standard 800. How do the two compare? If I remember correctly, my old Vstrom weighed in at almost 600 lbs with less horsepower. I enjoyed the bike but sold it and bought a Concours. It's great for touring but I hardly ever do that.

I've also never had any experience with Triumph. How reliable are they? Thanks.

[Rincewind]

It has been quite a few years since I test rode a Vstrom 1000, so I can't make too many comments.  The one thing I remember about the Vstrom was it had buckets of torque in the low RPM's - enough that power wheelies seem to happen easily at the twist of the wrist.  I also remember it as being more vibey.  The T800 does not have that same level of low-end grunt, but it does have a strong, smooth power output that I find very satisfying.  

Here's a related review, but it is with the DL650 instead - http://www.ridermagazine.com/manufacturer/suzuki/2011-triumph-tiger-800-vs-suzuki-v-strom-650-abs-road-test-comparison.htm

[swimmer]

I've heard of guys chuckin' the screen all together. I think I remember one of our members' ride reports where he just took the damn thing off and it made a world of difference.

I modified my stock screen so that it rotates back/lower.  That helped.  The motorcycle does seem to produce a lot turbulence.  Still a great motorcycle.

After 21 tanks I am at 53.4mpg avg. but that is going up.  Best tank was 57.6mpg and lately they've all been above 55mpg.

[Jblk9695]

I started a topic over in the general discussion area about a new bike. I used to have a Suzuki DL1000 Vstrom and am considering a Standard 800. How do the two compare? If I remember correctly, my old Vstrom weighed in at almost 600 lbs with less horsepower. I enjoyed the bike but sold it and bought a Concours. It's great for touring but I hardly ever do that.

I've also never had any experience with Triumph. How reliable are they? Thanks.

I had an  06 wee strom and find the Tiger a better over all bike, and the triple just keeps pulling plus the FI system adjusts better to changes in altitude, ie no loss in power(may nnoticeableicable on the liter strom)
Mine has a tick over 12K miles with no problems at all, just had the 12K service done and the valves were in spec and all other checks were OK.
Just a fun bike to ride.

Jerry