Triumph takes the adventure fight to BMW.

By Chris Northover, cycleworld.com

Japanese and European bike companies have spent years trying to score a bit of the Harley-Davidson pie. And let’s be honest—they’ve never really succeeded. The lure of the monster US market is irresistible to motorcycle manufacturers, and it has been for decades. To be fair, we’ve ended up with some interesting and fun bikes as a result, as unusual designs are introduced just to see if they catch on. There have been some absolute stinkers along the way, too, especially when attempts are made to copy existing formulas; check out a 1980s Moto Guzzi California if you want to see a true hybrid abomination. The same has been happening in the adventure bike world, with manufacturers all vying to reduce the hefty market share currently enjoyed by BMW’s GS.

Arguably some of the best adventure bikes in recent years are the result of manufacturers going their own way, chasing either on- or off-road performance as a priority rather than simply targeting what the GS is good at. That makes Triumph’s decision to directly call out the BMW R 1250 GS at the launch of the new Tiger 1200 a little perplexing. But call it out Hinckley did, going to great lengths to explain how the all-new Tiger makes 14 hp more than the GS, is priced lower, is up to 37 pounds lighter (based on comparable models and specs), and has more features and better technology. Presenters even provided a 37-pound duffel bag to demonstrate the significance of the weight difference.

But for now, let us leave the schoolyard scuffles aside and focus on what the new Tiger 1200 is: a damn fine adventure bike in its own right.

The outgoing Tiger 1200 might not have been a headline-grabbing motorcycle, but it certainly had its good points. A smooth, powerful engine, a well-sorted chassis, and high levels of comfort scored it a place in the hearts of long-distance riders as an effective road-touring adventure bike. But the tall chassis and notable weight compared to its competitors needed to be addressed. With the new Tiger 1200 Triumph has tried to broaden the bike’s appeal; the new model will be produced in five variants.ADVERTISEMENT

These submodels break down into two main categories: the more road-focused Tiger GT, with 7.9 inches of suspension travel and cast 19/18-inch wheels; and the Tiger Rally Pro, with a spoked 21/18-inch setup and suspension travel increased to 8.7 inches. Both models are available in an Explorer version, featuring a 7.9-gallon gas tank versus the standard 5.3-gallon unit.

A quick check of the spec sheets reveal no real surprises other than a choice to go with blind spot radar for the Explorers (a light on the rearview mirror warns of vehicles in or approaching the blind spots) and lack of radar cruise control. Triumph says this came from speaking to customers and potential customers who generally weren’t fussed about radar cruise control; in fact, some of them were quite against it.

Chassis

Showa semi-active suspension comes standard on all models, along with a two-position adjustable seat, two-way quickshifter on everything but the base GT, and an adjustable screen. One nice change is that all the rider modes can now be customized, allowing riders to set the bike up with their preferred options. Off-Road and Off-Road Pro modes allow riders to use the off-road-specific traction control and ABS, or to switch them off and do things the old-fashioned way.

There are a few standout features on the mechanical side, most notably chassis, with a Tri-Link swingarm setup providing a lightweight but stiff shaft drive system. To minimize weight at the end of the swingarm, Triumph has used a lower ratio in the front bevel box, allowing a smaller and more compact gearset in the second bevel box where weight and size are most crucial. In practice, the new swingarm and rear suspension setup is smooth and quiet with far less of the rattle and clatter that some off-road shaft-drive bikes can suffer from.

The frame now has a bolt-on subframe with bolt-on pillion footrests, added in response to riders wanting to make the bikes a little less prone to frame damage in the event of a drop. Pillion footrests can now be removed for off-road riding; if you’re unlucky enough to damage a subframe, you at least don’t have to replace the entire frame. The engineers have worked hard to make the bike slim, so it’s easier to get your feet down and easier to move around when riding standing up.

At 5-foot-8, I found the GT very easy to get on with; at the other end of the spectrum, the Rally Explorer with the seat in the high position was manageable, but did require a good butt shuffle to get one foot firmly on the floor.

Engine

Engine-wise, it is all change: In the tubular steel chassis hangs a new 148 hp 1,160cc powerplant with the same uneven firing order setup used by the Tiger 900. This firing order comes from the T-plane crank design, which gives power pulses at intervals of 180-270-270 degrees. The idea is to increase feel and tractability while giving the typically supersmooth triple a little more character.

Tiger 1200 on the Road

The opening taste of the new Tiger 1200 was a full day of road riding, taking in a mix of 70 mph cruising, a little bit of urban riding, and then endless flowing bends. The one-hand-operated adjustable screen is easy to use and does a decent job of keeping the wind off, though on the off-road day they did get a little stiff due to dust ingress. The heat soak issue which afflicted the old Tiger 1200 is vastly improved, and the new and uncluttered display on the TFT screen allows riders to concentrate on riding without a dash full of distractions. Backlit switch gear makes finding the cruise control for a long night ride home easy. Heated grips and seat will help extend the comfortable riding into the colder times of the year.

The first little negative came on a long cruising section of road, as vibrations through the handlebars left me with tingly fingers after an hour of riding. Messing around with engine speeds and gears showed the vibes are most noticeable around the 5,000 rpm mark. It’s worth noting that switching to a thicker road-type glove did improve the situation, but vibes were still there. Cruising at 70 mph in sixth gear kept the rpm a little lower, so it wasn’t really a problem.

Once into the bends the vibrations were soon forgotten in a blur of apexes and glorious engine sound. The new motor can cruise along in a high gear, flowing between the turns with a decent amount of shove, if not quite the same punch as a certain boxer twin. But when the revs start to sing, the Tiger 1200 comes alive. The sound, feel, and power of the T-plane triple when it’s on song are intoxicating, begging riders to push the chassis more and more in the turns. And here’s where the Tiger 1200 played its first ace.

Regardless of whether you’re on the 21-inch-wheel Rally or the 19-inch-wheel GT Pro, standard or Explorer, this thing is absolutely stunning through the turns. A 21-inch-wheel bike should feel a little ponderous, maybe even vague, and the Explorer’s nearly 8-gallon tank should make it harder to change direction. But nobody seems to have told the Tiger’s chassis engineers. All four variants tested (the only one missing was the base-model GT) were happy to carve up endless turns with ease.

With a bit of room to get off the leash, the 19-inch front tire starts to count over the 21-incher of the Rally, with harder corner entries and more trail braking. Likewise, the Explorer models take a little more muscling when riding fast, but it’s not a huge difference once things get rolling. Interestingly, the higher suspension on the Rally gives a little more ground clearance so more lean angle can be carried mid-turn than on the GT. Felipe Lopez, Triumph’s chassis development maestro, commented that the footpeg height on the GT was designed to give enough ride height without compromising comfort. For reference, the GT comes on the Metzeler Tourance as standard, while the Rally runs the Karoo Street.

The new Brembo Stylema brakes carry plenty of feel and power, but with a softer initial bite than you’d expect on, say, a sportbike. For aggressive road riders, there’s no option to turn the rear ABS off, unless the bike is set in one of the off-road modes. Now, that shouldn’t be an issue on an adventure bike, but the chassis and engine of this one definitely have that sporty, mischievous feel that encourages riding it like a supermoto. And don’t tell the grown-ups, but the Rally Pro model might just be the best adventure bike yet for mile-long third-gear wheelies.

After a full day on the road the Triumph really impressed. The chassis was the standout feature for its way of cornering with ample stability, allowing a switch of line midcorner with no drama. The Tiger 1200 went easily from rolling lazily from turn to turn to hammering about like a sportbike, working the Showa semi-active suspension hard; the bike lapped it all up with thoroughly scraped-down footpegs the only telltale. The vibrations were a bit irritating, but other than that, comfort was impressive with no complaints after a long day in the saddle.

Tiger 1200 in the Dirt

Day two was spent in the dirt, an area where the big Triumph had the most ground to make up. The outgoing 1200 was never the most natural bike off-road, so the new one had a real point to prove. The bikes provided were Rally Pro models fitted with the handbook-approved Michelin Anakee Wild tires to give enough grip to exploit the new chassis. Let’s face it: With a weight loss of 55 pounds versus the old 1200, the new model couldn’t fail to be transformed off-road. But weight loss is only half the story.

Five bikes skid to a halt at the top of a long, loose climb, riders grinning as their dust cloud engulfs them for a second before settling. Everyone wears the same dust beard; everyone wears the same silly grin. Stunning rolling hills stretch out before them. The tranquility lasts mere seconds before someone fires up an engine and charges back off down the trail; the view might be good, but this bike is too much fun to sit idle for long. The five-bike freight train zigzags its way through the undulating landscape, each corner punctuated by a bigger cloud of dust as the bark of T-plane triples echoes off neighboring hills.

The engine that came to life when ridden hard on the road repeats the same story in the dirt. Once it starts singing, there’s a connection between the throttle and rear tire that feels so natural, so predictable, that it seems it could power slide forever with inch-perfect precision. This makes flowing down a dirt road, steering the bike on the throttle and brake-sliding up to every apex, every bit as addictive as carving through tarmac turns. Triumph has worked very hard from the outset to make the Tiger a joy to ride off-road, shortening the fuel tank and moving the rider closer to the front contact patch. Combined with supple, well-controlled performance from the suspension, the result is a motorcycle that offers truly impressive feel from the front tire, especially for an adventure bike.

Time and time again I found myself running more speed through the turns than I felt I should be, and each time the Tiger obliged. Even when clipping unseen edges or rocks, it was never thrown off balance for long and always felt forgiving of any mistakes. Ridden harder and faster, the Tiger did start to protest on the bigger hits, bottoming the fork and shock, even with the semi-active suspension set to its stiffest mode. On the plus side, after a hard hit like this, the rebound is so well controlled that there’s very little kickback, which prevents the bottoming-out turning into any more of a drama.

It was only at the low-speed technical riding end of the spectrum that any complaints with the 1200 Tiger came up, and then only really because of Triumph’s repeated comparisons to the BMW GS. The one trick the GS does well is being easy to ride at low speed, instilling confidence with a low center of gravity and smooth, predictable fueling at low throttle openings. By comparison, the Tiger still feels a little top-heavy, though it’s significantly improved over its predecessor. A bit more finesse on clutch and throttle is needed to avoid stalling. This was echoed across the riders, with a few stalls throughout the day and a couple of dropped bikes during low-speed maneuvers.

First and foremost, the new Tiger 1200 is a big step up in on- and off-road performance over the old model. The weight savings and playful new engine have resulted in a bike that is seriously good fun on any terrain. Standout features have to be the chassis; the combination of the Showa semi-active suspension and spot-on geometry make it an absolute joy on the road, whether cruising in a high gear or out terrorizing unsuspecting sportbikes in the mountains. And surprisingly, that goes as much for the Rally models as it does the road-biased GT ones. The Explorer versions have a bit more size and presence to cosset riders on long tours, with the extra mass only becoming obvious at low speeds. The ability to dial the suspension through multiple settings from comfort to sport allows quick tweaks to the bike to suit any sort of riding at any given time. On road, the only real complaint is a little too much vibration at certain rpm, a byproduct of having the T-plane crank engine give more character and feel.

On the dirt the Tiger continues to shine, with excellent feel from the chassis giving the confidence to enjoy corners in a manner not common in big adventure bikes. Low-speed riding needs a bit more finesse, and high-speed chargers will run out of suspension travel on bigger hits. It’s kind of a Goldilocks bike off-road: perfect in that middle ground. Whether the Tiger can dethrone the GS will remain to be seen; price-wise it is definitely competitive on a spec-for-spec basis. On and off-road it certainly outperforms the GS in some areas.

Truthfully the decision depends on what it is exactly that you want out of your adventure ride. If you love corners on both asphalt and gravel, the Tiger 1200 will definitely put a big smile on your face.

2022 Triumph Tiger 1200 GT, GT Pro, and GT Explorer Specifications

MSRP:	$19,100 / $21,400 / $23,100
Engine:	DOHC, liquid-cooled inline 3-cylinder; 4 valves/cyl.
Displacement:	1,160cc
Bore x Stroke:	90.0 x 60.7mm
Transmission/Final Drive:	6-speed/shaft
Claimed Horsepower:	148 hp @ 9,000 rpm
Claimed Torque:	96 lb.-ft. @ 7,000 rpm
Fuel System:	Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection w/ electronic throttle control
Clutch:	Wet, multiplate slipper/assist; hydraulically actuated
Frame:	Tubular steel frame, aluminum subframe
Front Suspension:	Showa 49mm USD fork, semi-active damping; 7.9 in. travel
Rear Suspension:	Showa monoshock, semi-active damping, automatic electronic preload adjustment; 7.9 in. travel
Front Brake:	Brembo M4.30 Stylema Monoblock radial calipers, twin 320mm floating discs w/ OC-ABS
Rear Brake:	Brembo 1-piston caliper, 282mm disc w/ OC-ABS
Wheels, Front/Rear:	Cast aluminum; 19 x 3.0 in. / 18 x 4.25 in.
Tires, Front/Rear:	Metzeler Tourance; 120/70R-19 / 150/70R-18
Rake/Trail:	24.1°/4.7 in.
Wheelbase:	61.4 in.
Ground Clearance:	TBA
Seat Height:	33.5 in. / 34.5 in. (adjustable)
Fuel Capacity:	5.3 gal. (GT, GT Pro) / 7.9 gal. (GT Explorer)
Claimed Wet Weight:	529 lb. / 540 lb. / 562 lb.
Contact:	triumphmotorcycles.com

2022 Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Pro and Rally Explorer Specifications

MSRP:	$22,500 / $24,200
Engine:	DOHC, liquid-cooled inline 3-cylinder; 4 valves/cyl.
Displacement:	1,160cc
Bore x Stroke:	90.0 x 60.7mm
Transmission/Final Drive:	6-speed/shaft
Claimed Horsepower:	148 hp @ 9,000 rpm
Claimed Torque:	96 lb.-ft. @ 7,000 rpm
Fuel System:	Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection w/ electronic throttle control
Clutch:	Wet, multiplate slipper/assist; hydraulically actuated
Frame:	Tubular steel frame, aluminum subframe
Front Suspension:	Showa 49mm USD fork, semi-active damping; 8.7 in. travel
Rear Suspension:	Showa monoshock, semi-active damping, automatic electronic preload adjustment; 8.7 in. travel
Front Brake:	Brembo M4.30 Stylema Monoblock radial calipers, twin 320mm floating discs w/ OC-ABS
Rear Brake:	Brembo 1-piston caliper, 282mm disc w/ OC-ABS
Wheels, Front/Rear:	Spoked, tubeless; 21 x 2.15 in. / 18 x 4.25 in.
Tires, Front/Rear:	Metzeler Karoo Street; 90/90-21 / 150/70R-18
Rake/Trail:	23.7°/4.4 in.
Wheelbase:	61.4 in.
Ground Clearance:	TBA
Seat Height:	34.4 in. / 35.2 in. (adjustable)
Fuel Capacity:	5.3 gal. / 7.9 gal.
Claimed Wet Weight:	549 lb. / 575 lb.
Contact:	triumphmotorcycles.com