This is the second version of the Tiger, Triumph's giant trailee. It uses Triumph's standard 885cc triple, with fuel injection.
This is a completely new bike to the earlier model. As well as the use of EFI, the old spine frame is replaced by a tubular steel cradle. There's improved suspension and brakes, and a completely different bodywork, including a curvy plastic tank.
The latest Tiger - 2001 onwards - looks essentially the same, (minor changes to the graphics) but has the newer 955cc engine.
I bought my Tiger second hand in 1999; four months old with about 4000 miles on the clock. In the two years since, I've put on another 20,000 miles.
I sometimes use it for commuting the short distance to work. Much of the rest of its mileage is on motorways and trunk roads but I also try to use it for general hooning about at weekends.
The first impression of the Tiger is its size. This is a big bike! Although the seat offers some height adjustment it is still very tall. Some additional adjustment is possible by rotating the eccentric chain adjusters by 180 degrees. To maintain the steering geometry you can also move the forks in the yoke; obviously at the cost of some ground-clearance.
However, you don't need to be a giant to cope with the Tiger. It's no light-weight, but it's no heavier than any other big bike and substantially lighter than the dedicated tourers. Once on the move the weight vanishes and even at low speed it's very well balanced.
The Tiger's size is also apparent to other road users. It's imposing presence means that this is a bike which is quite hard, (though not impossible!) to miss. It's a nice feeling to see cars getting out of your way.
Comfort, as you would expect, is good. It may not offer the luxury of a Goldwing, but this is a bike you can cover some very long distances on. The first thing to give out will probably be your bum; the seat is well padded but not too soft, but the upright riding position means that nearly all of your weight is on it. That same position means that you won't be suffering from back ache or cramped legs, though.
The standard fairing offers reasonable protection. I find that I can sit bolt upright at up to about 90mph. With a bit of a crouch you can maintain much higher speeds as long as the fuel lasts. Triumph also offer a short, "sports" screen, (largely cosmetic) and a taller screen, which some riders prefer. From what I've heard taller riders generally prefer the standard screen.
The hand guards won't do the job of proper brush guards, but they do keep the wind and weather off your hands, allowing the use of light-weight gloves well into Autumn and making riding less painful in Winter.
The Tiger comes with dual headlights. These are decently bright, so riding at night isn't a problem. There are also hazard warning lights.
Switchgear is unexceptional; much the same as on any modern bike.
The mirrors are quite good. They're stable, don't vibrate too much and provide a useful view.
There is a little vibration through the bars, but not enough to make things uncomfortable, even over very long distances.
A centre-stand is available as an optional extra.
Triumph's three-cylinder engines have always received praise. The Tiger's is tuned for low down, smooth power. This means that it can seem just a little short of breath at the top end, (it only puts out around 80 bhp), but you've got to be pressing quite hard to notice the lack, and you really need to be in the company of sports bikes for the comparison.
It will pull from about 1500 rpm. Things pick up at about 3000, with the real fun coming with a bit of a surge at 5000, taking you smoothly up to the 8,500 rpm red-line, although you might as well change up by 8000.
Top speed is about 130mph. It will get to 110 quite smoothly but you need to work at it to get any faster. 80-90 seems to be a good cruising speed, givien a good blend of comfort, economy and flexibility; plenty of power left for top-gear roll-ons. On twisty roads, then you'd want to keep the revs above 5000 for maximum fun.
Unlike the earlier model, this one has a six-speed gearbox. It's not as smooth as a good sports bike's but provided you keep the chain correctly adjusted it's OK; clutch-less changes are easy and smooth, (apart from 1st to 2nd). Top is not merely an overdrive, but you probably wouldn't want it except on motorways and the like; fifth will get you nearly as fast whilst giving a bit more flexibility.
Handling is good. The suspension is, as you'd expect, fairly soft, but it's capable of hustling along at a respectable pace. Alternatively, you can cruise along gently and enjoy the view.
I wouldn't consider using it off-road, (although there are some who do), but it will cope with pretty much anything which claims to be a metalled road. Even serious holes won't bother you and there's no danger of smashing up your fairing or sump, thanks to the high ground-clearance.
The soft suspension means that it'll cope well with the poor road surfaces you're likely to find in the real world. This is particularly useful round town. The Tiger does reasonably well in traffic. The bars are wide, but high so they'll clear most car door mirrors. The good balance makes it fairly easy to get through traffic.
The limiting factor is tyres. Unfortunately it is not possible to get pure road-going tyres in the right sizes.
(Actually, you can get old Metzler touring tyres - ME33 and ME99. It might be possible to find a proper sports rear but mixing that with a dual-purpose front is probably not a good idea.)
There are tyres available from all of the major manufacturers and all have their adherents. My personal preferences are Bridgestone's and Avon's offerings. These are very much road-biased tyres.
In dry conditions the tyres perform well. In wet weather some care is needed, especially with the rear, which is prone to sliding under braking. Michelin's are particularly bad for this. However, it's not a big problem if you're prepared for it and keep things smooth.
Brakes are good, but not startling. A bit of effort is needed to get the most out of the front. The suspension will dive a bit, but it shouldn't bottom out. The rear brake is not just for show, but due again to the soft suspension it's of limited use in heavy braking; too much weight transfer.
The large (25l) tank gives you a fairly good range, but fuel economy can vary considerably with the type of riding.
At legal motorway speeds you should see a range of over 200 miles before the fuel warning light, (there's no reserve but the fuel gauge is accurate). 300 is possible, (but boring). Serious hooning about will still get you anything between 150 and 200 miles; deduct about 20 if you have the panniers fitted.
Triumph do a range of hard luggage. I have the panniers but not the top box. These have proven to be mostly waterproof, but they're not quite perfect so a little care when packing is appropriate. The left-hand box leaks more than the right because when on the side stand water will run down to the seal; on the right it runs away. On the move, neither of them leak very much, (and I've tested them in some fairly heavy weather).
The left box is big enough to take a full-face helmet. The right box offers less capacity as it is shaped to fit around the high-level exhaust. This also means that it gets quite warm inside, (so it's the best place to put your chips on the way home).
The panniers don't upset the handling, but do reduce fuel economy. (see above). They are also slightly wider than the bars, which can make it a little difficult to judge gaps and limits you somewhat in traffic.
The bike comes with a rack. This is reasonably substantial but the smooth shape makes attaching bungee cords/cargo net a bit awkward at times.
The tank is plastic. This means, of course, that magnetic tank bags are out. Triumph do a decent strap-on bag, and Baglux now do a harness. (Be careful when buying this to get the right model; the earlier Tiger had a completely different tank.)
Standard service interval is 6,000 miles. That's obviously a good thing as far as maintenance costs go. It does mean that you need to keep an eye on oil level and brake pads. It doesn't normally use a lot of oil - it will use a little if you're riding hard. Front brake pads don't last all that long; about 10,000 miles. Different pads may affect that but I haven't really experimented.
I've fitted a Scottoiler, since I'm lazy! A special part is required since there's no vacuum take-off on the carbs - no carbs! Strictly speaking this invalidates the warranty, but there shouldn't be a problem.
There have been some concerns raised with Triumph reliability. Personally, I have had no significant problems. I've had to repair the connection to the horn; the fuse for the indicators blew; the fuel-gauge sender was faulty and had to be replaced, (under warranty).
Other Tiger owners also seem to find them reliable although there is a bit of a question mark over the clutch cable of the 955 model. There have been a couple of recalls, but relatively trivial and taken care of at normal services.
This is a bike for someone seeking versatility. On the Tiger you can blast down the motorway, or even to the continent. Or you can hit the back-roads and surprise a few sports bikes. It will get you into town if you prefer, and with the panniers you can even get a week's shopping!
Like everyone else, I think from time to time about other bikes, but in all honesty I can't think of any other bike I'd prefer. I can recommend the Tiger to anyone without reservations.
