White elephant tto TOOTHY TIIGER
Triumph’s latest Tiger 1200 is now ready to take a bite out of the competition, writes
Some claim mid- capacity bikes like Triumph’s own Tiger 900 Rally Pro are pretty much making the largecapacity adventure market irrelevant, but I think the Tiger 1200 Rally Pro makes a good argument that the class is far from it.
To call the 2023 Triumph Tiger an update on a theme would be underplaying just how much work Triumph has done to bring its flagship adventurer into the pointy end of the pack.
While the earlier Tiger 1200 models gave the English manufacturer a foothold in largecapacity adventure touring game, even Triumph is happy to admit these earlier bikes left some room for improvement.
With a thorough revision from the ground up, the new Tiger 1200 not only throws down a very competitive 110.4kW from its triple- cylinder engine, but Triumph’s near full redesign has seen the model dropping more than 25kg.
Weight is the natural enemy of the adventure bike and Triumph has aimed the new Tiger at attracting more adventurous riders to the brand. With the Rally models in particular, the new Tiger makes an excellent case for those riders unsure of where to spend their hard- earned dollar, splitting the difference between the world traversing BMW R 1250 GS and the off- road monsters in the KTM 1290 Adventure range.
Also splitting the difference between its two biggest competitors is the Tiger’s final drive, which like its predecessor is of the shaft variety, but this too has seen a thorough redesign. The result is the bike doesn’t suffer so much from the negatives associated with traditional shaft drives, though I’d be lying if I told you I could tell the difference.
The new Tiger 1200 range comes in four forms: the smaller alloy wheel- equipped Tiger 1200 GT Pro and GT Explorer, and the 1200 Rally Pro and Rally Explorer for rougher roads. The Explorer models gain extra touring range with huge 30- litre fuel tanks, while the Pro models utilise 20- litre tanks.
The model we picked up for testing was the Rally Pro model in classy Snowdonia White. That means it has a larger 21- inch front wheel in the laced style, along with a taller electronic Kayaba suspension.
Following the success of the Tiger 900 range, which introduced the world to Triumph’s T- plane crank for its triple- cylinder adventure machines, the Tiger 1200 also receives this feature. It’s taken the engine note from a swift whistle into a toothy growl.
One of my favourite updates Triumph has pulled off with the new 1200 is its radiator positioning.
On the older bikes, the radiator was placed in the traditional position directly behind the front wheel. Off- road this puts the radiator in a vulnerable position, especially to stones and debris flung up from the front wheel. Triumph’s solution is to take the radiator and split it before placing it up under the fairing, which is also protected by the optional upper crash bars.
As with all Triumph’s premium machines, the Tiger 1200 range features a comprehensive electronics kit controlled through a very clear TFT display. Navigating the menus for adjusting everything from the rider modes to suspension settings, through to phone connectivity is very intuitive, and the heated grips were very welcome as I traversed the central plateau on the hunt for a photoshoot location.
Triumph really has transformed the Tiger 1200. From its durable design and added protection that actually works ( as I found out to my embarrassment) to its brilliantly agile chassis, the big Tiger has come a long way from the first generation Tiger Explorer.
Whether it is the king of the large ADV segment is likely to fall within personal preferences, it undoubtedly is a strong contender for the title no matter what your perspective.