Triumph has decided to enter the increasingly popular middleweight enduro market with both a street and a dirt oriented version of the Tiger 800. The Street version gets a 19 inch front wheel, while the off-road/dual sport version gets a 21 inch, spoked front wheel and increased suspension travel. Our friends at SoloMoto recently attended the press launch for both versions and offer this report.The off-road 800XC represents something new for Hinckley. It is delivered not only with the 21 inch front wheel, but aggressive dual-sport tires, and is far more dirt-ready than any previous Triumph. The XC version is a genuine dual-purpose bike.
The idea of the Tiger 800 was developed back in 2007. 800cc was considered the ideal displacement, and the idea was to develop an engine with a smoother, broader and, more friendly power band than the aggressive one found in the 675cc sport bike. We can tell you that Triumph has definitely hit the mark here. Our testing of the road oriented version immediately revealed the quality of this new engine, which is exemplary in terms of smoothness and breadth of power.
The new Tiger 800 models find several competitors already in the market, including two BMWs that will compete directly with the cross-country version, the F 800 GS and the F650 GS. To some extent, in Europe this bike will also compete with the Yamaha XTZ 600 and the Honda Transalp. On the Street side, the standard Tiger 800 competes with all-around bikes, such as Honda’s CBF models and the Yamaha Fazer 800.
Triumph is confident that these bikes will not only meet the competition head on, but generally succeed when it comes to a comparison of engine and chassis performance. After testing both models, we can understand Triumph’s feeling of confidence. We can’t wait to conduct our own comparison tests.
The Triumph lineage can be seen in the twin headlights and the tubular frame of each new Tiger. Each bike has a fuel tank capacity of 5 gallons for decent range, and that rugged frame that features a welded-on subframe and Showa suspension. The Tiger 800 has a nonadjustable, upside-down 43 mm fork, and a rear shock that offers only spring preload adjustment. The Nissin disc brakes are both powerful and offer good feel. The seat is easily adjustable by 20mm in height by moving an anchor pivot under the seat. Our 5’10” tall test rider was able to place both feet flat on the ground with the seat in the higher position.
The 799cc engine shares its bore dimension with the Street Triple and Daytona 675, but the stroke has been substantially increased. The crankshaft, camshaft, balance shaft, generator and side covers have also been redesigned. A revised cylinder head yields a much lower compression ratio, and the gear change drum has been redesigned, as well, to improve shift quality.
Triumph aimed for a motorcycle that was easy to ride and easy to control. The same engine was intended to work well in the dirt, and it is super smooth on the street. 94 peak horsepower and 58 pound feet of torque is nothing to write home about, but 70% of that peak torque is available below 4000 RPM. On the road, the bike offered plenty of acceleration, and a great connection between the throttle and the rear wheel. That wonderful Triumph three- cylinder sound, now a trademark, was also appreciated.
Navigating some of the famous twisty mountain passes in Europe during our test, we came to appreciate that Triumph has built a bike that is very easy to ride and will appeal to a broad range of riders. The engine is remarkably flexible, and is able to pull from 2000 RPM in sixth gear, for instance. Although power begins to step up at 4000 RPM, from there until redline it is extraordinarily linear. This allows you to pull out of corners without worrying too much about the gear you are in, similar to a big twin, but with less engine braking when you enter the next corner.
Triumph claims a top speed of roughly 130 mph, and roughly 40 miles per gallon fuel economy in mixed (city and highway) riding. In practice, you should easily exceed 150 miles before having to look for a gas station.
The riding position and general ergonomics are excellent. The distance between the seat and pegs allows your legs to relax, even with the seat in the lower position. The downside is that the pegs touch down in corners rather easily on the street version, although this is partly due to the confidence the Tiger offered while carving through the mountain passes.
Wind protection on the highway is reasonable, although taller riders, particularly with the seat in the higher position, will be exposed to quite a bit of wind with the stock windshield.
The suspension settings set by the factory are relatively soft, but well-balanced. The bike is extremely stable, but still provided plenty of confidence in the corners, largely due to the excellent feedback offered by the front end.
The instrument panel is well-placed, and offers a generous dose of information. Buttons on the panel can be used even with winter gloves.
We next tested the cross-country version, both on-road and off. That 21 inch front wheel, and the increased suspension travel (40 mm) make a significant difference when combined with dirt-worthy rubber.
The cross-country version is identified not just by the front wheel and longer suspension, but also by its unique front fender. The rear shock is adjustable for rebound, unlike the standard Tiger, as well as preload. The front fork is a beefier 45 mm in diameter, and that longer travel provides a slightly longer wheelbase despite a steeper steering- head angle. The XC also comes with hand guards, and special protection for the radiator and the engine. While the standard 800 weighs in at a claimed 462 pounds wet, the XC is 11 pounds heavier.The riding position is different on the cross-country, because the handlebar is wider and the ground clearance is higher. Shorter riders will find a longer reach here.
That super smooth motor comes in handy off-road, and we found the handling quite good for a bike of this size and weight. For a large, multi-cyclinder enduro, it seems quite capable in the dirt.
Frankly, after our first outings aboard the new Triumph Tiger 800 and 800XC, we have to give Triumph plenty of credit for the development of these new bikes. Both bikes work extremely well. The road oriented version will be a comfortable, versatile bike useful for touring and commuting, while the 800XC adds a significant dose of off-road capability for the true adventure rider. Pricing for the US versions of these bikes has been set at $9,999 for the standard Tiger 800, and $10,999 for the Tiger 800XC. ABS braking is available on both models for an additional $800. The bikes should be in US dealerships in April, 2011. For additional details and specifications check out our Industry Links page to visit Triumph’s website.
Will wait to give an opinion until I can ride one ? that being said, I will keep my RED08 KLR650. I have 17k on it and still feel it is prolly one of the best DP bikes for $5k. I rode mine to the Arctic Circle and back 9,000+ miles in 30 days, and never had so much as a hiccup.
JMHO
What a bunch of whinners, and complainers!!!!!!!!
I agree with Randy that a Versys and V-Strom 750cc – 800cc would be nice to see. I owned a V-Strom 650 for 4 years and loved it, but it was short on power and felt a bit budget at times. Triumph’s Tiger 800’s sound like just the right mix by offering both a street and dirt version; that said, I wish they’d give you the suspension upgrade option on the base 800 because no front adjustment at all is bad. Can’t wait to see them in person.
The debate about the road tourer and enduro is a bit daft. An adventurer needs to be both, ideally I crossed Europe on a Suzuki Hayabusa and had a blast but it was mainly tar roads and my aim was to get as near 200mph on every opportunity I could get away with, but for the large part it did what sports tourers are supposed to. I crossed Africa (twice) on a KTM 990 Adventure and although challenging in the sand being big and all it was perfect as it carried my life and all my camping kits (incl. spare tyres, tools, 6mm innertubes, chain and sprockets and spare fuel) for months on end and could do dunes, beaches, long long gravel roads, hiking paths, long stretches of tar, tar with crater like holes in, river and streams, mud, balancing on rocky bits and navigating the mad traffic in some crazy Africa inner cities. I have also crossed the jungle treks and tar roads of Malaysia and Thailand on an Aprilia Pegasus 650 and the bike was perfectly adequate for the route. In fact crossed the whole of UK at a max of 40mph on a Batavus MK4S which was my first adventure at 16… and it was an awesome trip but was the deathknell in the little 49cc engine. I intend to do a year long round world trip with a friend, should be the same (for spares and repairs etc) and I am looking at the Triumph 800XC and if its not suitable I will go back to KTM 990 Adv. R. An adventure bike cannot tick an “A” in every box but must be reliable and fun (foremost) for spending your entire waking life on + being able to cross anything and not make it a special forces selection. So I’ll be looking at the 800XC with interest as I need two bikes + all the kit (weight?).. The due diligence reports on this bike on true adventures is what I’ll be looking at… so its a bit early based on motorcycling magazine reporters’ trips to bike shows and Tescos.
If nothing else maybe the Tiger 800 will motivate Suzuki to come out with a SV-XC, or Kawasaki with a Versys XL. Both would need larger displacement engines (750 or 800) to be interesting to me.
To the comments about Ducati making a “enduro” version of Hyper. It’s be done kind of – the Elephant and the Gran Canyon. Big adventure bikes with 900cc two valve engines. I rode a Gran Canyon and thought it was a great bike (for 500 pounds wet).
Of the two Tigers I’d take the street version. It reminds me of my long gone Multistrada (loved, but oh so flawed). Nice regular sitting position, almost exactly the same weight and power. I don’t think the Tiger 800 would be bad on the occassional dirt road. If Triumph gets the non-adjustable suspension reasonably setup (170 pound rider please) then I’d be OK, but I tend to agree with most of the comments, just put the adjustable stuff on and raise the price.
I had and enjoyed my 1K V Strom for 30k miles, but now it’s time for something new. The Triumph 800XC could be my new bike this April.
Can anyone out there confirm these claimed ACTUAL wet weights of these contenders for my money? Yeah, I know, weight is not the only spec worth considering, but it’s a start for comparing these three adventure bikes.
KTM 950 reported “actual” wet weight=495 lbs.
BMW 800 reported “actual” wet weight =462lbs
Triumph XC 800 “Claimed” wet weight =473 lbs
I want one. I’ll be saying goodbye to my seldom ridden FJS-1300 come spring and getting an 800XC. Then I’ll have a 300 Xc-W, a 530 XCW-R and and 800 XC. Next on my fantasy list is a Bata trials bike and a Vespa
I was content waiting for the new Ninja 1000 and now I would have to wait even longer for the 800 Tigress. I had an 05 955I and 1050 Tiger which I liked less(too much wind buffeting from the fairing) than the 955I.
Kawasaki sounding better though I am a real Triumph fan.
Not sure where you are all from, but triumph brings all the bikes to vintage motorcycle days at Mid-Ohio every year. Rep says it is cheaper to do demo days than the 2 mil it costs to run the international motorcycle show circuit for a year. If your around check it out. They bring 3 or 4 of every model.
When “adventure” bike advocates that comment on this site take offense and get in a tizzy calling BS to anything being labeled an adventure bike without key design aspects, this adventure bike has taken a leap to be called an “enduro” in this review… a review which even states that this bike is in an enduro market. Semantics, semantics. It’s quite comical.
Why do many press photos show the XC with knobby tires? I’m sure they provide machines to test riders with knobbies like this review for specific reasons too. Yet, all the stock photos show wimpy-looking street tires? It’s like how the Moto-Guzzi Stelvio NTX is shown with hardcore knobbies in press photos, yet it’s delivered with street-oriented, softcore off-road tires.
With all the off-road pretensions of the XC version Tiger, does it come standard with knobby tires or does it cost extra to have the full off-road capability… oh uh, I mean, look?
How much Adventure are you in to?
Get a Weber Rallye Twin 500 to test, whydoncha, MotorcycleDaily?
Thanks for mentioning these Mark, I’d never heard of one of these!! It’s very very cool. Great idea.
Another bike to check out (MotorcycleDaily guys) would be the US Highland bikes. They make some large displacement motorcycles that are relative light weight, street-legal and actually have the cajones to get in the rough without killing its rider by being too large/heavy/underpowered.
I would buy one if I can run tubeless tires. You did not buy a new Honda scrambler for $250 in 1976
It was used. My store manager sold it to me when I was 16 years old.
I used to ride my CB350 Scrambler off-road back in 1976 and never thought anything of it. It was just the natural thing to do back then. I used the bike for every riding duty back then and the entrance price was only $250, not $10,000+. I know that the price is not really a fair comparison, but it seems a waste to spend up to $20,000 on some of these new “Adventure” bikes. The manufacturers seem to feel that we need a huge engine and 500# to accomplish the same thing that I did in 1976 in order to have fun on-road and off.
I guess all the choices these days are nice, but I really think that the motorcycling world is over saturated with niche bikes when in the past we had just as much fun with simple machines with no computers or traction control. We actually had to bail ourselves out of situations and not Microsoft.
+1
rode my 1973 honda 350 cl scrambler[with all my gear to live 3 months]..from fargo ND..to yellowstone[Flagg Ranch][1000miles ea way] in 1975….worked and rode all summer…made it back to finish last year of HS…great bike…great adventure
Have you checked out the full lean picture of the road version? The rider must be trying to feel the pavement with his foot??Or is trail braking??
I think he’s just doing it like The Doctor hanging his leg out dirt track style.
Sorry, but the XC is NOT a dual sport ( or enduro ). Not with that front mini-fender hugging the tire. Also, too heavy, limited suspension travel and limited ground clearance. Also, gravel roads and fire roads are not “off-road” either. I think the term “adventure bike” is a bit of a joke, too, but would be more willing to use that as a description for the XC.
what do u call a bike u can travel on any kinda road for long distances comfortably and carry camping gear?
Once upon a time. That would have been every street bike on the market.
It seems the street bike industry is busily trying to remember that.
Calling an eight hundred a middleweight isn’t helping that project at all.
A road bike….. I did just that with my Valkyrie, many people have done it with other types of road going bikes. Just don’t take a Valkyrie off-road, that means no road btw.
Like I said, call the XC an adventure bike if you like, it sufficiently blurs the lines.
If you want a real dual sport look at something like a Honda XR650L.
I still love my KLR650, might be a bit under powered and a bit too tall for some, but IMHO you can’t buy a better DP bike for 5k.
I agree. Adventure bikes (big displacement rigs) are NOT enduros, or dual sport machines. The biggest we got of that ilk are the 690 Super Enduro, but more likely the XR650Rs and L models are the most common with the DR Suzukis coming in that category too.
Having said that, big Adventures are great for Real Life conditions out there on the uneven tarmac and gravely roads. Just dont expect them to go hopping downed trees with elan, or storming up a rock strewn staircase climb with ledges and roots.
I’ve seen it done by a very big dude on a BMW 800GS, but he was abusing the SNOT outa that bike to accomplish it….and ultimately it took several of us dismounting to get him up several spots.
These bikes from Triumph and those from BMW and others, are great SUVs. But they’re not Jeeps.
I guess it takes a REAL man to ride a big adventure bike. If it was always easy, then any wussy could do it.
The trails I’m referring to can actually disappear in front of your eyes, then you’re just bushwacking for 1/2 mile or more working through forested slopes to get back to a known trail. All the XRs etc. do it easily. But a bike weighing 400 – 500 lbs starts to get stuck in dirt/mud/rocks/between downed treets/etc. just from it’s own weight. Just too much work to accomplish anything. It does take a pretty strong guy to pick up a BMW 800GS from a down-slope tip over no matter what. I’m a big guy, but I’ll stick with something 300-350lbs (honda xr650r).
Kjazz please tread lightly and don’t ride where there aren’t any exising trails.
You’re right Cajun58. We do stay on trails, sometimes though, it just disappears beneath our tires!!!! We pick it up again eventually, or we double back and just reverse course on the trail. But I’m with you, we always try to stick to established trails, otherwise “they” are gonna shut us all down.
If I take off that front mini-fender, then can I call it an enduro bike…pretty pleeeeze?!
Call it what you like, but the word “enduro” has some actual historical precedence in the world of motorcycling….and it connects most closely with light-weight relatively high performance dirt focused (yet street legal) motorcycles from the 60s or maybe the 70s. Yamaha might have coined the term, dont remember. But again, IMHO, these are not enduros. Calling that is just a bunch of marketing dribble.
Yamaha was probably the first manufacturer to use enduro as a marketing name but time keeping events called enduro’s have been around as long as the motorcycle.
Most guy’s on ADV Rider are not ADV riders, just wanabe’s. That is the facts my man.
No, because then it would not be pretty enough for you.
Many of the motorcycles that will start The Dakar Rally on New Years Day (and every rallye raid event) will have a tire hugging front fender that doesn’t cause them any problem so I reject that as an issue. However the weight, ground clearence and suspension travel do make the Triumph unuseable off-road.
How much mud do they plow through on the Dakar? That is where the problem is with tire hugging fenders.
Dakar has all kinds of terrain how much mud are you talking about plowing through? Given enough mud I can get my XR 600 so jammed up it won’t move and it has a foot between the tire and fender. I’m sure it won’t be long before Touratech has a high mount kit for those hardcore riders.
Looks like I need to start saving up for my fourth Triumph.
Triumph has just raised the bar and the British are coming on strong. I look forward to a test ride and know doubt saying good bye to my 650 V-Strom.
It was nice of Harley to get that darn Buell XB12X (Ulysses) out of the way, just in time for the release of this Triumph. It has (had) an adjustable suspension, heated grips, a 1200 motor, 6.5 inch suspension travel and big bags. The people who run Harley now must know what they’re doing – they have MBAs!
I tried the XB12X and really wanted to like it but I couldn’t get past that awful motor. I could have chalked the ridiculous amount of vibration to character but couldn’t forgive its narrow power band. Every time I opened it up and felt like the engine was just about to pick up steam the rev limiter cut in. I’m sorry to say this bike deserved its fate.
You must have forgot to use the lower part of the powerband, I owned and rode Buells for ten years and would pull from 2500-6800. Thats a huge powerband. And the rubber mount is very smooth. I dont think you really tried to like it, as much as tried to knock it. As for this triumph, I think it’s a great mix. I could ride it out west and get on two track roads that I wouldn’t want to get a Larger touring rig into. Kjaz has it right, these are not dirt bikes like a 650 honda or zook. But I wouldn’t want to ride one of those on a 700 mile stretch of freeway two days to get out west. A welcome addition to the bmw.
Gary, I’ve been a fan of Eric Buell and I had been rooting for the XB12X for a while based on what I read and really honestly did want to like it. It was at a Buell demo day. I tried every part of the power band I could think of. I wouldn’t consider 2500 to 6800 RPM particularly broad – especially since the end result wasn’t really that much power. The wonderful motor on the Triumph Street Triple I rode afterward provided a better experience by several orders of magnitude. Maybe the Buell was out of tune but what I rode was poor compared to many other bikes I have ridden since I started riding in 1972.
If you’ve been a fan why don’t you spell “Eric” right? Your demo ride must have had a problem. I disagree with you about the engine. The only problem Buell motorcycles had was being stuck with H-D dealerships.
Mr. Mike, the only problem with the Buell was your preconceptions. If you are used to high revving motors a Harley (or a Guzzi or an old Triumph, etc.) feels strange.
I rented an XB12XT for a day and was ready to buy one, then H-D shut down Buell.
Buell made plenty of mistakes, bad wheel bearings, very poor engine heat management, etc. but the late Buell 1200s were wonderful motors. I wouldn’t have bought my XR1200 if the engine wasn’t essentially the Buell “Thunderstorm” engine. Once a change the primary gearing I’ll have just about the engine I fell in love with on the XB12XT.
Back to the real subject, with due respect to the people who like it, I have to say these Triumphs may be great bikes but they are so fugly they are of my list. There is a great wave of ugliness spreading through the motorcycle world, the Honda Crossrunner is the worst but the Triumph 800s aren’t far behind, yuck.
Goose
My preconception was that a 1200cc motor would propel me forward somewhere in the powerband with reasonable haste. This one did not. I had stepped off of my KLR650 to test drive the Ulysses so it’s not like I was conditioned to rev a lot. Looks like others on the thread about the new Buell Typhon agree about those old HD engines. One post said it best: “…they handled sweet, but the but the motors were awful and ruined the whole experience”. Then again, since in my haste I mistakenly spelled “Erik” like the Erics I am acquainted with my opinion about the HD engines must not be valid.
I got one for my wife, put a dildo on the seat….she likes it at idle or a bit more. What a joke of a motorcycle.
Hmmmmm… you must be a joke of a man then.
Zuki, do you have a Buell use-less-ees? Better question, do you ride it on anything that comes close to offroad. I’m not gonna waste time here. I ride a KTM 950 Adventure. I have rode that thing all over the west coast. Lot’s of dirt two tracks and a fair amount of single track. I even rode the thing to Miller in 2008 for the SBK races (2000 mile round trip) Did I mention track days.
So if you want to go for a ride, let me know.
If you want to ride my wife’s usless-ees with the dildo I will let her know and she will get back to you.
The KTM 950 Adventure is a cool bike, but not to everyone. Do they call it a joke, or useless? I’ve always thought they were cool, especially when I see them with knobby tires and all muddy. If I had one, it would definitely have knobby tires, so I could explore remote off-road locations with it. Otherwise, it would be pointless to own.
I owned a XB9S and a XB12Ss. Excellent machines. They are only 2 out of the 32 bikes I’ve owned… many different brands, several different engine configurations. Buells are powerful without effort and fun to ride. I think the Ulysses is a great bike, and I especially like the XT version which is more suited for my type of riding (Sport-Touring). One of the bikes I’ve owned was an adventure bike, the Aprilia ETV1000. Comparing the Aprilia engine to the Buell, the Aprilia was gutless at low rpm and busy at all other speeds, but I still saw the Aprilia’s use. For serious long distance offroad adventure, I enjoy the Kawasaki KLR650. For local off-roading… Yamaha XT225.
Time wasting, or money wasting? You made a not-really-funny joke about buying a motorcycle for your wife with the intention of mounting a dildo on the seat for her. Obviously, you cannot call it useless with this very purposeful use. By your own admission it only works at or slightly above idle which is why I must take this opportunity to say once again… you must be a joke of a man.
I find it impossible to believe that perceptions are reality when Buell was selling so many bikes despite the odds against them, even if I hadn’t owned a Buell before. If you go looking for faults then you will surely find them.
The XB12’s redline was increased to 7100 rpm after further improvements. A 4600 rpm powerband is particularly wide considering that other bikes may have a much narrower powerband lodged at a much higher rpm. If you think that 103 hp at 6800 rpm and 84 lb. ft. torque at 6000 rpm is not a lot of power then what do you expect? Do you want your max power to arrive about the time you get to the next stoplight down the street, or shortly after you crossed the first one through the intersection? Which is more fun on the street without drawing the attention of the local law enforcement? I’ve never owned another bike that could shove its rear tire out sideways with such precision and control at a whim’s notice than my XB12. Buells are excellent and fun bikes if you can move past prejudice and misconceptions of what they should be and how other bikes are apparently “superior”.
I currently own a 2003 Tiger 955i, which is a great bike. If the 800 XC retains its strengths (comfort, motor character, reliability) with the added benefit of much less weight and better suspension, I’ll be riding Triumph adventure bikes for quite a few years to come.
An orange Tiger 800XC? I’ll take it.
Sure, it has some budget parts like suspension, small metal gas tank, and on-instrument buttons (really?), but the aftermarket will quickly have solutions to most of these minor issues and I NEED a great adventure bike now, not next year, not when Honda finally gets around to it, now. Triumph looks to have the best offer. Again. I’ll take it.
Why can Kawasaki offer at least a partially adjustable suspension on the Versys, yet Triumph doesn’t offer it on the Tiger which costs at least $4000 more? Pity, I was really considering the Tiger as I like the look and it does have more power than my current 650…
I haven’t wanted a yet to be released model as much as this one. Street version for me! Supermoto meets Adventure Tourer. Like a KTM SM-T but with dealer support. Blue, please?
What part of the world has more Triumph dealers than KTM?
London?
I’d like to see a three way comparison. The new Tiger XC, the BMW 800GS, and the bike I keep wishing Suzuki would make — the SV650 engine in a true dual-sport chassis.
Agreed. If Suzuki built a stripped-down V-Strom 650 with quality suspension, spoked wheels (21″ front), and minimal bodywork, I think they’d sell a ton of them. But they seem content to leave that market to BMW and Triumph.
Would love to see a SV dual.
I had a 955i Tiger and recently bought a 1050
Tiger after selling it. I considered the 800 but decided to go with the 1050 because I think its still going to be the better road bike and because I got a screaming deal on a demo unit.
That said I’m thrilled that Triumph is continuing to move ahead even in these troubled times. I’m a big fan of the triple in general and my local dealer in particular. I’ve nevver thought of myself as brand loyal as I have Harleys, Suzukis and Triumphs in the garage and have owned many other brands. I guess I’m edging closer to being a Triumph loyalist though.
10k for the Triumph beats the price of a new BMW GS by 8k or more.You can really upgrade the suspension with the left over cash and still have money left over for a nice road trip.
Nope, this is comparable to the 800 GS (not the $18K 1250), which after you add ABS and things like heated grips is on par with BMW pricing.
really? IS the 1250 BMW any better than these? I doubt it, unless you’re talking about top gear highway roll-on comparisons.
I am just really disappointed with the styling. No thanks, and I was quite interested in this bike.
I sympathize to an extent. It seems this type of styling is endemic to the breed though.
ummm… i meant “at the expense of high-quality suspension…”
i was writing quickly at the expanse of appearing stupid. no, wait… i mean…
(looking around for the edit button)
I hate that Triumph cheaped out with the non-adjustable suspension. Hopefully they’ll come up with an R version with quality suspension for those motorcyclists sophisticated enough to understand that a lower MSRP at the expense of low-quality suspension is no real bargain.
I can’t help but wonder why Ducati didn’t come up with an “enduro” version of the 370lb 796 Hypermotard, especially since this genre of bikes is pretty hot right now. They could have matched the $10999 price of the Triumph (given that the Hyper costs $9995) and given us an engine that, in my opinion, is even better suited for low traction thoroughfares. A lost opportunity, it would seem…
Very interested in riding an F800GS and the Tiger 800 XC to find out which I’ll like better. I too think Ducati should produce the 796 HyperEnduro!
ohhhhhh, yeah, the above described Duck would be super sweet!
Wow! I want that XC! Now, time to off the 2000 ZRX.
I used to own a 1000 V-strom and I currently have a 1200GS and a Speed Triple. I just got off a rental 800GS yesterday navigating around Oahu in Hawaii (bucket list-check). All of the adventure bikes are great at their intended purpose but BMW has a lot of experience building these things and it shows after riding after several miles.
Triumph has really started building some incredible bikes and those triple motors are so smooth and linear in power that it should be a good mate! My guess is that Triumph will be dead on target against the 800GS, which is a nice bike with the feel of being a lot lighter and less bulky than the 1200GS but not as good at covering a lot of ground in the saddle.
I was hoping that the new Tiger would have power closer to the 1200 level with less weight than the 800GS. I was also expecting them to be able to come in under the price of German competiton but still retain fully adjustable suspension and ergonomics to really compete with both BMW GS models and set a new standard for the breed.
I’ll be looking forward to back-to-back media testing of all the competing models to see how well Triumph has hit the mark or if they may have hit it out of the ballpark. I sounds as if Yamaha still is a bit off the mark in comparison to the big GS. The Strom was a very nice bike it just didn’t have the personality nor the build quality to keep a long term spot in my garage.
Trying to decide if this will be the replacement for my high mileage Strom. It’s a grand more than a new 1K Strom (or 2 for the dirt version), but a bit lighter. Could probably use another gallon of gas, can’t ride the Dempster Hwy or Canol (my plan for 2011) without a 250 mile range, but a jerry can would work there. Sounds like the fork is completely non-adjustable? Pre-load adjustment should be easy for them to throw on there. Can’t wait for a comparo guys.
No adjustable front forks on the road going model?! Triumph came close, but I will shell out a few extra grand for yamaha’s super tenere. Very cool bikes but the cost is still too high for something with too features.
Compared to my ’00 BMW R1150GS the XC is 120 lbs lighter, makes a good amount more power, and just slightly less torque. Wow!
Honda’s too busy cranking out Accords to be concerned with making a bike like this.
I hear you. I’m thinking this could replace my ’99 R1150GS. Glad that Tiger has a larger tank compared to 800GS and with a motor that will pull smoothly from 2000 to 10000 rpm in 6th! Can’t wait to ride it.
I still think the latest the big boxers are the ultimate for two-up touring but since my wife now has her own bike I reckon the 800 is the best option.
Jeez, I must be old. I thought a “middleweight enduro” was a 250CC bike.
Nice bikes with a price just under the BMW F800Gs and on par with the DL1000 while being much lighter and only a few horsepower short of the big Strom . These could be huge sellers for Triumph , especially if the adjustable seat gets those short of inseam in on the adventure bike action . Can’t say I like the meager suspension adjustments though , bikes at this price point should at least have spring preload adjustment on the front forks . Calling them enduros must be a European thing , since dual sport has been used in the U.S. for bikes like these for close to 3 decades now and the term enduro is used only to describe actual enduro competition bikes .
Good bikes Triumph, now lets see a cub 200.
Too bad Triumph was missing in action from the bike show.
Not here until April?? Wonder if Triumph will have any at Bike Week (March) to demo??
Very nice job Triumph. Looks like a couple of winners from the Hinkley company. Two thumbs up.
Kudos to Triumph for bringing these to the US and the Tiger 800 will definitely be my next motorcycle. Hopefully there will be some more interesting color choices by 2012, when I plan on buying one.
Also, those who have been following the Tiger threads on MD will see that my calculations predicting the price were spot on! (too bad it wins me nothing…. ha ha)
I am seriously looking at the XC to replace my aging Transalp; however, I had hoped for less weight. Oh well……