Triumph Adventure

[markbvt]

Tiger 800 press launch is today; first ride report is in:
http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-...800/15497.html

--mark

[zombie]

pretty good write up
will be interesting to see what they have to say about the 800 trailie version

[catamount]

Sounds like the engine is a little bland?

[markbvt]

Sounds like the engine is a little bland?

No, sounds like the journalist didn't feel he could publish an article that didn't contain something to complain about.

That said, the engine is in a very mild state of tune. From another article interviewing the Tiger 800's product manager, Simon Warburton:

Finally, you moved the cat right to the front of the header pipes and in doing so the pipes go from 3-into-1 very quickly, restricting the power output. Couldn't you have moved the cat further back and given the Tiger 800 more power?

Certainly. There's no question we could have got a lot more power out of this engine. We targeted 95bhp from this engine from the start. But with new legislation coming in in a couple of years time, it means that new riders will have to ride a bike that produces no more than 95bhp. We thought that this bike was going to be one of the entry points into the Triumph range and so it needed to be eligible for new riders to ride. And secondly, we thought that 95bhp is plenty for this kind of bike, so certainly we could have made more horsepower, but this output isn't stretching the limits of this engine.

In other words, an exhaust swap and new EFI map will probably wake the engine up significantly.

But then again, 95hp is plenty for an ADV bike, and in such a mild state of tune, it ought to offer good gas mileage and excellent engine longevity.

--mark

[Kurlon]

In other words, an exhaust swap and new EFI map will probably wake the engine up significantly.

But then again, 95hp is plenty for an ADV bike, and in such a mild state of tune, it ought to offer good gas mileage and excellent engine longevity.

--mark

My take away from that is the engine is MILD throughout. Same head as the smaller 675, guessing they didn't up the valve size. Future emissions standards, low target HP, desire for a broad spread of linear power and that first collector being so close makes me think the cam setup is low overlap with a late opening exhaust valve. I think you're going to need to do more than a couple bolt ons to radically alter the bike's performance characteristics.

[markbvt]

Pretty good ride video:
Tiger 800

--mark

[TheIglu]

For the love of god, I wished they would leave the music out of the video and let us hear the bike the whole time.

[markbvt]

Visor Down has ridden the XC as well, though it's a much less useful review because the guy's not an offroad rider and is enough of an idiot to be under the impression that other people don't take their bikes off pavement either.

On-road:
http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-...iew/15568.html

Off-road:
http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-...iew/15538.html

--mark

[markbvt]

More comprehensive, and much more informative review:
http://www.ashonbikes.com/content/tr...ger-800-review

The XC is sounding like a terrific ADV bike.

--mark

[markbvt]

US prices:
Tiger 800: $9999
Tiger 800XC: $10,999

On both versions, ABS is an $800 option.

--mark

[zombie]

So then
Are you going to buy one at those prices
Seems pretty reasonable money considering what you get

[Stromper]

Funny the Europe price is what 30% higher

good to be us

seems fine me too

[markbvt]

Yeah, it's about $800 higher than I was expecting based on Triumph's other prices (as compared to their corresponding UK prices), but I'm not going to quibble over that.

I'm first on my dealer's list for an XC. He hasn't received word from his Triumph rep yet, although other dealers have, but he's going to keep an eye on Triumph's online dealer system and enter my preorder as soon as they get accepted.

--mark

[zombie]

And how much are you going to put aside for farkling
cos' thats when the real spending starts.
Mind you it really looks like it's going to be a cracking bit of kit

[Chippertheripper]

I might have to road trip my azz to vt to get a look at this thing.

[markbvt]

And how much are you going to put aside for farkling
cos' thats when the real spending starts.
Mind you it really looks like it's going to be a cracking bit of kit

I'm thinking I'll order it only with the bare necessities -- center stand, crash bars, and maybe the skidplate (although I may wait and see what sort of aftermarket skidplates become available, or even just make my own -- not immediately critical, as the stock bike comes with a small skidplate, and I'm not going to be taking it on any long gravel trips until the end of the summer at least).

I'll install heated grips myself -- the Symtec ones work great and are only $40, as opposed to $150 or whatever Triumph charges for the factory ones. I'll probably end up with the taller windshield too, eventually, but may go with some aftermarket one.

As for luggage, I don't like the Triumph boxes (they look like they'd break off in the slightest drop). I'll see what sort of racks the aftermarket comes up with for Pelican cases or aluminum boxes, but in the meantime I'll just use soft bags.

I don't really need to buy too many farkles because I can just use the ones I've currently got for my V-Strom (luggage, GPS, etc).

--mark

[Baggey22]

I can help with skid plate fabrication. Back in college I welded up some sweet truck bumpers that were always tree tested

[markbvt]

Cool. Can you weld aluminum? Because that's what I'd make the skidplate out of so it doesn't weigh a ton.

--mark

[Baggey22]

i CAN, I just don't personally own a welder than can do it.

[Stromper]

http://www.alumiweld.com/

[SVenpointsixtwo]

Man, that seems like a pretty damn good price for what you get. I think I'd opt out of ABS unless it was switchable. That extra $800 will get you some nice farkles!

[markbvt]

The ABS is switchable. I'd like to have it for safety's sake (ABS would have saved me from that coal dust in West Virginia), but the ABS version of the bike probably won't be available for a few months after the non-ABS version, which would put it into summer. I don't want to end up getting the bike halfway through the riding season.

--mark

[Garandman]

The ABS is switchable. I'd like to have it for safety's sake (ABS would have saved me from that coal dust in West Virginia), but the ABS version of the bike probably won't be available for a few months after the non-ABS version, which would put it into summer. I don't want to end up getting the bike halfway through the riding season.

--mark

Yeah, getting it on July 5th instead of the 1st - poof, half a season gone!

[markbvt]

No, more like June/July instead of March/April. I want the bike for a big trip I'm doing in May. If it turns out the ABS models will be available in April, great, but I really doubt it.

--mark

[Stromper]

Anytime I signed up for something the date gets pushed back, and back

Good luck but I would be mouthy about both models