‘The Triumph’s dash is driving me to distraction’
3 Style or substance?
On the still-damp B6047 I’m starting to question Triumph’s decision not to give the Tiger angle-sensitive ABS. I know the Brembo Stylema calipers are all very flash but would it be better to save a few quid, give it less posh Brembos (as on the XR...) and spend the money on an IMU? Or do as BMW have done and make it an optional extra.
9 Missing one thing...
The Tiger is proving the far more accomplished mile-muncher, however one feature is notable by its absence – cruise control. It seems an odd omission by Triumph (even as an optional extra). That said, I get the feeling anyone serious about touring would probably buy the Tiger GT instead (£11,500), which has it as standard.
8 Tale of two displays
The Triumph’s dash is driving me to distraction. The speedo and gear indicator are OK but the ‘butterfly wing’ rev counter is a waste of time, the fuel gauge tiny and the trips’ font way too small. Plus the ‘mode joystick’ is easily confused for the indicator. In contrast, the BMW’s dash and user-interface are basically faultless.
4 Two lumps or three?
“The XR’s parallel twin has such a nice spread of power,” says Justin. “On the twisty bits I’m just leaving it in third and
riding the revs.” The Tiger’s triple is equally happy to hold a gear and I love the sound you get from the new off-beat motor, although having just swapped from the BMW I’m starting to miss the XR’s up/ down quickshifter, which is a £350
option on the Triumph.
10 Give me shelter
Despite the fact the BMW has a twostage adjustable screen, which can be altered while on the go, neither Justin nor myself could detect any discernible difference in the wind flow protection between the heights. The Triumph’s five-stage screen (which is best moved when stationary...) is far better. “I like the BMW’s mechanism, it’s just a shame
it doesn’t do anything...” says Justin.
7 Town iers
Despite their wide bars both of these bikes zip through the traffic. However, if you need to do a quick U-turn, the Tiger has a more generous lock than the BMW. For those with a terrible sense of direction, the BMW’s dash has a navigation function (accessed via the BMW Motorrad app) but the Tiger Sport’s dash lacks connectivity and means this isn’t an option.
2 Sport adventuring or rela ed riding
“The XR feels built for backroads,” says Justin as we reach the end of the B1176. “In ‘Dynamic’ the ESA was too hard for the damp and uneven roads so I switched to ‘Road’ and changed the power mode and it felt brilliant. I have no complaints about the front-end at all, so I don’t care its damping can’t be adjusted.” The Tiger’s 19in front wheel makes it less agile and slower to turn than the nippy 17in-wheeled XR, but its softer suspension was right at home dealing with bumps.
1 Sa e ut different
The Tiger costs £9400 so the £9535 F900XR is a pricematch, right? That price is the base model, the TE we tested is £10,395 (which adds cruise control, angle-sensitive electronics, heated grips and more) ours also had the Dynamic Package, Comfort Package and Tyre Pressure Control (plus £200 for gold paint), bringing the total to £12,005.
5 lug and pla
Swapping between the XR and the Tiger instantly highlights their different focus. On the BMW you plug more into the bike and the riding position feels a touch compact, where the Tiger is way more spacious with taller and wider bars. “I love the XR’s riding position for attacking B-roads but I’m not sure it will be as good on the A-road routes,” says Justin. It doesn’t take him long to find out...
6 o fort stop
Just outside Spalding the XR’s fuel warning light illuminates after 125 miles, which is a welcome sight for Justin. “I hit a comfort wall at about 110 miles on the BMW and from then on I’ve been squirming and wishing for a break,” he reports when we stop to fill it up. On the relaxed Tiger I’m having no such issues. The XR records 49mpg and after filling it up we carry on until 143 miles when the Tiger’s fuel warning shows. Recording 45mpg, its 4.5-litre larger tank helps offset its weaker fuel economy when compared to the BMW.