Tiger 800 Roadie

[Jaynnus]

Who has one or has ridden one?

Give me the good the bad and the indifferent. Most interested in the power band and how comfortable it is for commuting.

[SprintPoser]

I've got one, bought it a year ago as of 3/29.

I only have 4700 miles on it so far, but LOVE it. The power band is the very best part of this bike, no question. Perfectly smooth and linear, you can put it in 3rd or 4th gear and leave it there most of the day. Absolutely not a single problem with it. I have the ABS brakes and got into it once so far, amazing. I'll never own a bike without it now, and I'm a guy who never thought it would be worth having.

Comfort is going to be an issue for you. The seats are a bit hard, and many owners move to a different aftermarket solution from a variety of shops. I know one of our fellow members here just had his stock seat re-done by a specialist for about $75, and Jeff says it's MUCH better. The stock seats have easily changeable high and low positions (31.9" & 32.7"), and the factory also offers a lower seat that may appeal to you. For average commuting, figure just at or slightly below 50mpg. I get 170-180 miles before the too-eager low fuel light comes on, but go 200-220 before filling up the 5 gallon tank. You probably weigh over 50 pounds less than me, so you'd probably do even better.

Your shop has plenty of great add-ons, especially in luggage. I have the stock panniers and just ordered the top box. I've added the tall adjustable factory windscreen, but the Madstad is the No.1 preferred for perfectly still air at the rider. The options you have for bar risers are good, and one style allows you to rotate the bars back closer to the rider.

I can swing by TT with mine if you want to take it for a spin.

Also check this out: http://www.visordown.com/road-tests-...-xc/22428.html

[AimlessMoto]

Any Tiger triple aside from the old 855 is amazing. 955, 1050, 800, what-have-you... do it and don't look back.

The beaker (800 roadie) only sucks in the way of the instrument panel, lots of crap in a really tiny area. BUT, more than makes up for it in performance.

[Garandman]

Here's the dilemma on "middleweights" - do they offer most of the performance of the large-displacement bikes with better handling at a discount? Or are they "Too big to be small and too small to be big?"

I test rode one before deciding to buy the Tiger 1050. Rode my V-Strom (which has upgraded suspension and brakes) back to back on the same route to get a good contrast. Found it to be a little quicker than the V-Strom, it's a shorter bike so it was more responsive to quick transitions. Stock suspension also better than the V-Strom although not as good as aftermarket. Very friendly ergonomics for many riders with a quick-adjust saddle. Very good brakes. MPG reports vary all over the map. The triples have a unique sound and I think Triumph appeals to younger riders who don't want to be riding a Japanese bike like everyone else, but don't want a BMW. It didn't help that BMW badly botched the F800 intro, although they've now remedied those problems and substantially broadened the product lineup.

All that said, it was expensive. My summary was that it was a little better than the V-Strom for a lot more money, while the Tiger 1050 was a lot more powerful for a little more money. YMMV - I was not buying anything to go off-road, just dirt roads here and there.

I was not impressed when the dealer salesman at Great Bay quoted me what appeared to be several hundred dollars over list price, after telling him I was up there at Ken's recommendation. Others had bragged on here they'd gotten unspecified "good deals" (but would never say what that meant) so to me this seemed like they were trying to play me for a chump. I might be a chump, but I'm now a chump that will walk barefoot over hot coals before I buy anything from that dealership.

[SprintPoser]

The XC version is the one with the BMW-like "beak", my roadie doesn't have it unless I add it. I have no issues with the instrument panel, save one annoyance that took some getting used to. The odometer shows for the first few seconds after the motor's running. After that, you get one of the two trip odometers, or toggle through a variety if things such as miles of gas in tank, gallons of gas, TPMS settings, all kinds of stuff.

I'm with Garandman on GB. Don may be a nice fellow, I just haven't been given any pricing incentives or sterling service over the years. Suzuki-Triumph of Swansea has my business, though I'd work with Performance Cycles, Second Wind or North River.

[Garandman]

As an aside, I get the impression that Triumph is leaning on North River to "Go big or go home." It works great for me because they are walking distance from the commuter rail, so I can take the train out of Boston to pick the bike up after service.

I'm real impressed with what BMW has done with their 800 lineup. When I go to YB breakfasts more and more of them are popping up - Roadsters, ST's, GS's etc etc.

[nhbubba]

I haven't riden one. But I have often considered if I wouldn't be happier making payments on a new Tiger 800 instead of pouring money into my 'strom hopping it up.

Fortunately for me, every time I've shown up at a dealer they've not had a demo. Honestly I think ignorance is bliss in my case.

I believe that ~800cc is the perfect size for a street bike. My 'strom 650 is just a touch on the small side when used on the 'slab.

[Manny]

Wirelessly posted

Jane - it is sweet. I did about 200 miles on it last year. Great bike. Everything the 400 is in terms of agility but a great motor and comfortable. Only issue is very little wind protection.

[GearHd6]

I've got a Roadie that I bought back in May of 2011 and I now have over 18,000 miles on the bike. I can pretty much echo everything that PixMan (Ken) has said about the bike. I'm the "Jeff" he's referring to that had his seat reworked. That was the biggest issue I had with the bike although I put up with it until just a few months ago. The only issue I had with the bike was the early fueling issues which had the bike stalling off idle. Within the first 4-6 months Triumph had that bug worked out with a new fuel map. Ergonomics to me are near spot on and I'm about 5'8" tall. I have ridden the bike on a few 500+ mile days and for the most part was comfortable. The only issues were the seat and my knees got a little sore from the knee bend but my knees aren't in the best shape to begin with. As far as fuel mileage, it totally depends on how the bike is ridden and the terrain. I have been on a few tours where I have gotten into the low 50's but on average I'd say I get right around 45 mpg. As far as handling, I think the bike is great. I don't find myself navigating back to my Daytona much for a good handling bike (not that the Daytona is top notch but it's a sportbike). On some aggressive rides I have touched down the pegs on occasion and have also touched down the side stand once or twice, than can be a little unnerving. Once you know that quirk you learn to slide off the seat more which you really should be doing in the first place.

The bike is amazing and guys that don't own one just don't get it, especially the VStrom guys that just get caught up in the price tag. You can ask Markbvt about this also but there is just more to a Triumph than the price tag. For me, I see VStroms on every street corner which that alone does not appeal to me and I'm just not a fan of the looks. The only time I ever saw a bike identical to my 800 is when I rode with Ken for a day, other than that, I have not seen one similar. I also find a lot of guys/gals walking up to me to say how much they like the bike and are taken back by it being a Triumph. A lot of older guys will reminisce about an old Triumph they had back in the day. It's a pretty good conversation starter. And most Harley guys even like them.

And I got my bike from Great Bay. I'll just leave it at that...

[Manny]

Wirelessly posted

In terms of dealerships call whoever is closest to your house and tell them what you want to pay. Then move on down the line....

[GearHd6]

I agree with Manny. When I bought my bike, choices were pretty limited to dealers that had enough pull to be able to speed up delivery. Most dealers around me didn't have them coming in for quite a while and I only had to wait about 3 weeks for mine to come in.

[sveesix]

Short version: Do not hesitate to pick one up for your stable, as long as you know what you are truly getting and are okay with dealing with a budget suspension.

i don't have too much of substance to add to the conversation, but I recently traded my Tiger for a Multistrada and could not be happier. The Tiger has an amazing motor, great handling, and is an overall great bike. There is a reason I put over 12,000 miles on mine in seven months. You honestly cannot go wrong.

The reason why I traded?

The budget suspension. The Tiger 800s are notorious for a "front end bounce" that is almost pogo-like in nature. I also had some high speed weaving. The problem was narrowed down to the suspension, and my only option to fix it was to drop a few thousand to get new internals. There are several reports that just replacing the springs don't help. Triumph wouldn't fix the problem for me, despite others having them bend over backwards. I said to hell with it and decides to purchase something that works, and is a bit more luxury, akin to the Triumph Explorer.

[GearHd6]

I know sveesix and I have gone back and forth over this a few times and this is not to start an argument. I have not once had the issue he talks about with the suspension bounce, maybe it's only on certain bikes? With his post I can think of one strange thing about the front end though. It does not like you to take your hands off the bars as you decelerate, sometimes it will start some tank slap action. If the bike is still under power (throttle lock) and you take your hands off the bars it's perfectly fine. It seems to happen worse as the front tire starts to cup.

[SprintPoser]

I haven't had any problems with suspension. Zero. Sorry that didn't work out for you.

I do realize that the suspension will have to be redone at some point, but that's less than the difference in price between the Multistrada and this one.

...I can think of one strange thing about the front end though. It does not like you to take your hands off the bars as you decelerate, sometimes it will start some tank slap action. If the bike is still under power (throttle lock) and you take your hands off the bars it's perfectly fine. It seems to happen worse as the front tire starts to cup.

THAT is something I've experienced. Weird. All it takes to prevent it is to have even a fingertip on the bar. Very strange but I don't even think about it til now.

[sveesix]

I know sveesix and I have gone back and forth over this a few times and this is not to start an argument. I have not once had the issue he talks about with the suspension bounce, maybe it's only on certain bikes? With his post I can think of one strange thing about the front end though. It does not like you to take your hands off the bars as you decelerate, sometimes it will start some tank slap action. If the bike is still under power (throttle lock) and you take your hands off the bars it's perfectly fine. It seems to happen worse as the front tire starts to cup.

It is what it is. Like I said, it is a great bike and I would not hesitate to purchase one.

Just wanted to let the OP know that there is an issue, e30 addict can chime in on it as his bike has the bounce as well, albeit it is just an annoyance more than anything. Search the web for "Tiger 800 front end bounce" and you will see that it is such a widespread issue. All water under the bridge!

[e30addict]

I bought mine in June of last year and managed 5000 miles on it before I tucked it away.

Some of them bounce at certain speeds, mine included. The first time I rode SV's bike I noticed it in the first mile. I think the lighter you are the more it does so.

To me it's a minor annoyance but not a reason not to get the bike. They do have a higher speed weave in the back if you really load them up in a corner (100mph+) but I'm not sure if that's trail type tires I still have on mine or suspension.

The sound and torque of the motor is phenomenal. Flat curve from roughly 3-9k, it's almost big block pickup truck like. The power is everywhere, although it peaks at 95hp or so. Even two up it's still capable of taking your average sportbike buyer to school on the Kanc at speeds that will get you stuffed in a cruiser.

My biggest bitch about the bike is that it's way thirstier than I thought it would be. I plan on keeping mine around for years to come. I truly thought my next bike would have been a BMW all things considered, but they were even more expensive than the Tiger and have less power. Power corrupts.

Great Bay might have its issues sometimes, but I did get a great deal there. I usually hate throwing numbers out there but will say the total savings off MSRP had 4 digits and the first one was not a 1. Obviously YMMV.

[SprintPoser]

I've never had any bounce or weave on mine, and have had it pretty-much pegged on RT9 coming east over the mountain in VT. When the stock Pirelli Skorpion Trail tires are toast I'll likely move to the Michelin Pilot Road 3 as I never ride anything worse than a dirt fireroad.

[GearHd6]

Again, I'm with Ken on this. I also don't ride my bike at 100+, that to me just doesn't seem like what the bike was meant for and not what I bought it for. I'll pretty much cruise on the highway at 75-80 but I have done a few blasts here and there over 100 but I can count them on one hand. For me, the Scorpion Trail tires are fine road tires but offer zero confidence in corners on dirt fire roads. I guess I ride a little more dirt than the average guy might on the Roadie, so for that I have recently bought a more aggressive tire for that purpose. When the day comes to overhaul suspension I'll most likely end up with an Ohlins in the rear and some revalving/respring in the front.

[nhbubba]

How are the spring rates? Some of you guys are decent sized guys, right? I'm used to these budget Japanese bikes where they seem to be sprung for a 100 lbs rider. At > 2x that I found a spring swap huge. Is this a non-issue on the Tiger 800?

...I'll likely move to the Michelin Pilot Road 3 as I never ride anything worse than a dirt fireroad.

I have these on my 'strom and think very highly of them. Although they are no good in mud at all compared to the hybrid tires that shipped on the bike. I ride (rode?) like you. But owning an 'adventure' marketed bike has gone to my head and I've found myself on more and more unmaintained roads that I have no business on. The tires are a definite step back if that sort of thing is your plan. But on the road they are great.

[e30addict]

A lot of people complain they ride stiff compared to "real ADV" type bikes.

I like it, since I'm more oriented towards the sport side of the equation.

I think it actually leans a little more towards over-sprung for us little guys with just ourselves on it. Kind of like a one ton pick up driving around empty. They're meant to carry weight - whether it's people or accessories. It's stiff enough so that even two up on factory default pre-load it's still not mushy at all.

We can swap bikes on a ride for a little at one point if you want.

[GearHd6]

I really can't say I've ever had problems with the spring rate. With the rear shock preload backed all the way off it works good for solo riding. I'll crank it about half way up when I load it with camping gear and panniers. I've never had issues with the forks either. I'm around 170-175 lbs.

[SprintPoser]

I really can't say I've ever had problems with the spring rate. With the rear shock preload backed all the way off it works good for solo riding. I'll crank it about half way up when I load it with camping gear and panniers. I've never had issues with the forks either. I'm around 170-175 lbs.

Same here....except for the weight part. I'm about 35-40 pounds heavier than you, though the bike seems to handle me just fine for now. I do think these roadies are sprung just a bit stiffer than the longer-travel XC version, and that works out well for it's primary road going function.

When the suspension starts feeling tired, I figure 25,000 to 30,000 miles at most, I'll have Peter Kates at GMD Computrack do the Race Tech springs and re-valving of the forks, and build a nice Penske shock for the rear. He did that for my Sprint RS at 40K, and it really transformed the bike. I should have had it done much sooner, and I will with this one.

[markbvt]

I'll chime in as well. I don't have the Roadie, but rather the XC, but they're the same bike aside from suspension, wheels, and beak. I picked it up on April 15, 2011, and have put 32,000 miles on it in the meantime. No issues; hasn't even needed a valve adjustment. It's an utterly fantastic bike.

Comfort is going to be an issue for you. The seats are a bit hard, and many owners move to a different aftermarket solution from a variety of shops.

Interestingly, the seat was actually too soft for me. Shaped wrong, too. I had mine redone by Renazco Racing with stiffer foam and a flatter shape; MUCH better now.

All that said, it was expensive. My summary was that it was a little better than the V-Strom for a lot more money, while the Tiger 1050 was a lot more powerful for a little more money. YMMV - I was not buying anything to go off-road, just dirt roads here and there.

Ah, see, I disagree. I came from a V-Strom 650, and I think the Tiger 800 XC is a much better bike. Definitely worth the higher price.

As far as fuel mileage, it totally depends on how the bike is ridden and the terrain. I have been on a few tours where I have gotten into the low 50's but on average I'd say I get right around 45 mpg.

Also depends on the gas mix. I get significantly better gas mileage on the summer gas blend than winter. But for reasonable back-roads riding in warm weather with summer gas, 50mpg is typical even with the bike carrying my fat ass (6'4"/260lbs).

The bike is amazing and guys that don't own one just don't get it, especially the VStrom guys that just get caught up in the price tag. You can ask Markbvt about this also but there is just more to a Triumph than the price tag.

Absolutely. The Tiger has personality; it's more than the sum of its parts. The Strom is a great bike in every objective measure, but it's an appliance.

How are the spring rates? Some of you guys are decent sized guys, right? I'm used to these budget Japanese bikes where they seem to be sprung for a 100 lbs rider. At > 2x that I found a spring swap huge. Is this a non-issue on the Tiger 800?

By all accounts the Roadie is fairly stiffly sprung. Remember it's made by Brits, and they're almost as fat as us Americans.

The Roadie's suspension is definitely budget-bound, but it's still a lot better than, say, stock V-Strom suspension. The XC, on the other hand, is a lot better. It's a little softer and plusher, but Triumph pretty much nailed the settings. I wouldn't bother to adjust the fork even if it was adjustable. The rear shock is fine as well -- I just bumped up the preload a bit and dialed back the rebound damping a hair.

And that brings me to my biggest point: you might want to consider the XC instead of the Roadie, especially if you have any desire to ever take it off pavement. The XC is just as good a road bike, but it's going to be a lot more confidence inspiring off pavement. The suspension's a big part of this, of course... and so is the 21" front wheel, which is much better in the dirt but also helps smooth out rough pavement -- and it doesn't prevent aggressive cornering, believe me!

Long story short, for the kind of riding I do, the only other bike I'd consider at this time is the KTM 1190 Adventure R, but it costs more, and it's a KTM so will probably require a lot more maintenance than the Tiger. I absolutely love my XC -- which of course explains why I've put 32,000 miles on it in two seasons of riding (really a season and a half, due to the accident that ended my first season with the XC very early).

--mark

[SprintPoser]

What a great posting, Mark. You nailed it. Thank you.

One of the best things about owning this bike is the community of fellow owners who love to get together and share a good time. I'd done it for years with NTSR (a group I started) and though I now ride mostly alone the events like the Triumph Bennington Bash just add to the allure. Good times!

[Jaynnus]

So what ya'll are saying is I need to put some Trax boxes on it and put about 30lbs of weight in each one!

I think I definitely will take a test scoot.