Triumph Tiger Explorer

[markbvt]

Triumph released some new model info last night, including a bunch of photos of the new 1200cc Tiger Explorer.











Apparently it makes 135bhp and features fly by wire throttle, cruise control, switchable ABS, adjustable forks, integral pannier mounts, shaft drive, and a 950-watt generator for powering accessories.

Personally I like the looks of the Tiger 800 XC better, but this 1200 sure would be nice for long-haul touring. I bet Triumph will draw a lot of potential R1200GS buyers.

--mark

[DucDave]

Yikes....

I was really interested in seeing what this was going to be...

Like the new Multi, it's not really an Adventure Bike.

Unlike the new Multi, it's fugly. (IMHO of course!)

[markbvt]

Like the new Multi, it's not really an Adventure Bike.

Except that it has wheels the right size for fitting knobby tires. There may also be a spoked-wheel option, apparently.

--mark

[DucDave]

Really? Cool!

I take back my first comment.

And stand by my second!


(I really wish Ducati would offer wheels that could take some knobbys for the Multi. Or, some tire company offered knobbies that would fit...)

[TheIglu]

In somewhat related news, trying to look at more details of this bike and others by going to http://www.triumph.com/ yields some great results.

[Rossco]

Shaft drive.... 'nuf said.

[gadget]

[TheIglu]

Shaft drive and adjustable fork, something that should have happened on the Tiger. I'm a bit put off by the looks, Tiger has it licked in that regard.

[bstnsboy]

I think i saw one of those in the transformer movie i watched last night.

[nhbubba]

Looks targeted directly at the Yami Super Tenere in just about every way, shape, and form.

Aesthetics are fine by me.. but then I drive a V-Strom.

Interested in hearing about curb weight.. suspension goodies.. and price. (Yep, I asked, suspect it means I can't afford.)

[GearHd6]

Are you going to be trading in that XC Mark? I like the 1200 but I really think my 800 is plenty for my type of riding.

[Garandman]

Yikes....

I was really interested in seeing what this was going to be...

Like the new Multi, it's not really an Adventure Bike.

Unlike the new Multi, it's fugly. (IMHO of course!)

Well, this one is nice, anyway.

[RandyO]

I'm beginning to wonder if I should sink more money in my wannabe VeeStrom or get a real adventure bike

I got a closeup look at a Tiger 800 last weekend, the 800 triple has more power then the Vee, and prolly close to the same torque, but is lighter, better bits outta the box and 800 watts of power

or the 1200, hmmm, there Tenere & Stelvio just dropped a couple places on my list

[Kenn157]

I'm very interested in the Explorer... Looking forward to seeing in person.

[Kenn157]

Oh and thanks for posting those great pix Mark!

[NobodySpecific]

I got a closeup look at a Tiger 800 last weekend, the 800 triple has more power then the Vee, and prolly close to the same torque, but is lighter, better bits outta the box and 800 watts of power

Not sure where you heard that the Tiger 800 has 800 watts of power, but I believe that's wrong. I think the range is 550-645 watts depending on RPM, which is still a lot more than the 400(?) that the Strom has.

[sveesix]

I'm very interested in the Explorer... Looking forward to seeing in person.

I may need to get another bike once I land a job in May...

[markbvt]

Are you going to be trading in that XC Mark? I like the 1200 but I really think my 800 is plenty for my type of riding.

I will not be trading in the XC. I love that bike, and it's more suited to the sort of riding I do than the Explorer. If money were no object, I'd add an Explorer for long-haul touring, but to be honest, the XC is a great touring bike too. And it'll handle stuff like the Trans-Labrador Highway (or eventually the Dalton Highway or Dempster Highway) much better than a huge beast like the Explorer.

I'm beginning to wonder if I should sink more money in my wannabe VeeStrom or get a real adventure bike

I got a closeup look at a Tiger 800 last weekend, the 800 triple has more power then the Vee, and prolly close to the same torque, but is lighter, better bits outta the box and 800 watts of power

Keith's right, the Tiger 800 makes 645W/550W (depending on whether you're measuring at ~14 volts or 12), but that's still plenty to power a wide variety of gadgets.

I came to the conclusion that trying to make my Wee-Strom more of an adventure bike was pointless, because that's just not what it was designed for. It's a great upright touring bike, and despite the modest power it makes, it's an easy bike to ride long distances. But it just doesn't have the suspension and geometry for extended off-pavement riding. When I took mine on the Trans-Lab, I was pretty much white-knuckling it all ~700 miles because I never could find a speed at which the Wee settled down and stabilized the way my friend Jason's Tiger 1050 did, or the way my XR650L did the year before. On the pavement and on solid patches of dirt, the Wee was great; on loose gravel, it wasn't.

I haven't taken my XC up to Labrador yet, but it's felt very composed on the dirt/gravel I have taken it on so far, and it's superb on the road. Triumph hit the ball out of the park with this bike.

--mark

[DucDave]

Hoping to do the Dempster in 2013 on my Multi...
...hoping being the operative word...!

[RandyO]

Not sure where you heard that the Tiger 800 has 800 watts of power, but I believe that's wrong. I think the range is 550-645 watts depending on RPM, which is still a lot more than the 400(?) that the Strom has.

just what the owner of the bike thought is was, he wasn't sure the exact number but he said it was double the power of the V-strom he had before, maybe he meant double the available power after subtracting what the bike uses just to run

the Tenere and Stelvio are both in the 550-600 watt range as well, the big GS has 800 iirc and a GoldWing has a 110 amp alternator, bigger than most cars

[markbvt]

No, those are the only pics released so far. The bike is being officially unveiled at the EICMA show in Italy.

As for your questions... the Explorer will make substantially more power than the R1200GS does, and it will undoubtedly cost less. Like the GS, it has shaft drive, though hopefully unlike the GS, that shaft drive won't explode. It does have a radiator, but so will the GS next year.

--mark

[Kenn157]

Some more info on the Explorer.

Its a PDF

[Kenn157]

e-brochure time!

[nhbubba]

Although the more I look, the more I think the ol' 1050 is still more my speed. I fully admit to not being much of an adventurer.

Triumph definitely has their marketing chops. Very purdy pictahs.

[Kenn157]

Although the more I look, the more I think the ol' 1050 is still more my speed. I fully admit to not being much of an adventurer.

Triumph definitely has their marketing chops. Very purdy pictahs.

But yet you have a 2011 V-Strom... Right thats not considered an "adventure" bike... Maybe its/you are a wanna be adventurer?