OFF ROAD
Named after a Pyrenean breeze Triumph’s Tramontana tackles the Panafrica Rally and proves it’s more than just a PR stunt…
Triumph’s Tramontana – not just a PR stunt plus Sam Sunderland.
YOU’LL NO DOUBT have noticed specialist modifiers getting the backing of major manufacturers to convert production bikes into something extraordinary. And off road is no exception. These bikes tend to look better than they ride but Triumph have bucked the trend with a gloriously functional Tiger 800 XCX rally bike. Called the ‘Tramontana’ Tiger 800, the inspiration was to build something to compete in the 2000km Panafrica Rally in Morocco’s Saharan desert. Named after the north wind blowing into Spain from the Pyrenees, the Tramontana was conceived as, ‘a racing bike… to be raced in the most extreme terrain and conditions over distance.’ So says Triumph’s long-standing development rider and engineer behind the project, David Lopez. The Tiger XCX is a pretty capable adventure bike in stock form, one I’ve ridden a lot off road, but racing one in the Panafrican would be hard work. Aside from obvious bodywork changes and elements such as handlebars and footrests, the Tramontana is more dynamic and better suited to rally. There’s a shorter and lighter rear subframe and all the necessary rally instrumentation (roadbook, ICO, GPS beacon) up front. The stock wiring, headlights and dash have all been replaced. For an adventure bike the stock equipment on the XCX works well but to race off road upgraded Öhlins suspension replaces the standard WP kit, increasing travel and ground clearance. There’s also a new rear linkage to increase height and make movement more progressive. A single front disc brake replaces the stock twin set up which is too heavy and powerful for off road. Though undoubtedly a brilliant road bike engine, Triumph’s triple-cylinder motor is a bigger and heavier lump than any 450cc single-cylinder engine you’ll find on a standard rally bike. Despite that this pretty standard Tiger engine basically just breathes better thanks to a different air filter and an Arrow race exhaust system, which replaces the bulky and restrictive stocker. A bespoke sump guard protects the front and underside of the triple’s long motor and the bodywork is
modified to neatly sweep around it and the radiators. David and brother Felipe Lopez, another Triumph test rider, have bags of racing experience but neither had competed in a rally. Felipe rode the Tramontana in the Panafrican Rally’s ‘Maxi Trail’ class which allows for larger capacity machines. He finished 51st overall having led the class for most of the five day event. Issues on the final day dropped him to second in class. Former WSB champ and Moto GP winner Carlos Checa won the buggy class by the way, finishing 17th overall.