Triumph Tiger, eighty years in the making of the perfect dual-purpose bike
The Triumph Tiger history goes back a long way, before the company we know as Triumph Motorcycles even existed. The Triumph Tiger started being manufactured by a company under the name of Triumph Engineering in 1939. From that moment until the third decade of the 21st Century much has happened and changed. In this post, you are about to read you’ll find all the info about the current three sizes offered by Triumph for the Tiger. Also, we will tell you everything about each bike with complete detail of specs and a little review. Finally, we added a couple of accessories that blew our minds and you should definitely try out. Eighty years went by and the tiger is still roaring loud and clear, put on your helmet and let´s jump right into the action!
Triumph Tiger 800
The Triumph Tiger is the smallest incarnation we will review, and it is the most city-friendly of them all. The Triumph Tiger standard is also known as Triumph Tiger XC and is a dire machine. Also, it features Triumph´s signature triple engine and some specs that make it perfect for trips on and off the road. Moreover, it is the closest you can get to a full-on sports bike in a middle-weight, city-friendly ride. It does look and feel like a big bike, but the price tag and the fuel consumption say something else. Let´s go through a couple of its most prominent models and a little review so you can get a better idea.

Triumph Tiger 800 XC
As we anticipated before, the Triumph Tiger 800 XC is a dire machine. Along with the XRx, XRx LOW and XRT make the road-oriented leg of the Triumph Tiger 800. This third generation of the bike has 200 updates and modifications from the 2015 second generation. Also, to introduce all these changes, the company had to take two models and turn them into six. Moreover, the XC is the base model, and as such, it is the most versatile of them all with a slightly smaller body that works perfectly on the streets. You can do some eventual off-road fun with it, but it is not the model designed for it in the line.

Triumph Tiger 800 XCx
The Triumph Tiger 800 XCx is the most off-road oriented bike the Triumph Tiger 800 line ever had. The looks are more menacing, forks have a more extended trip, and the first gear is short and explosive. The initial traction of the XCx off-road is super durable and could outdo more than one off-road specific bike in the market. The TFT display, 21-inch front wheel, and optimized engine also make this bike seem lighter than it is, especially when you leave the pavement. For the occasional off-road enthusiast, the XC model is a better option, but if you are going to do it often, this is the bike.

Triumph Tiger 800 Review
The moment we have been waiting for (at least I´ll speak for myself that got to jump on this beauty) is here. The testing of the Triumph Tiger 800 XC took me to all three roads but started in a parking lot next to an avenue.
Rolling the motorcycle slowly into the pavement, I could feel the first gear being reactive and powerful with a little shorter ratio. The improved exhaust system along with the more responsive triple engine of the Triumph Tiger 800 makes it seem lighter than it is. Also, the adjustable suspension works wonders on and off the road, and if you set it a little stiffer, it works great in the city. Hence, giving the ride-by-wire throttle a little juice was quite an experience that the factory-standard ABS could control easily. However, this harmonious pair works even better with the front 19” aluminium-cast wheel with Metzler Tourance tires.

Taking on the road was great because I got to experience the pure comfort and benefits of the improved riding position. The driver and passenger seats can heat up as well as the grips, and long distances seem a piece of cake on board of this machine. The highway was fun, but the real fun started when I took this best-seller out of the pavement. Turning the riding mode to “Off-road pro” made me feel I was literally on a luxury dirt bike. Also, it can take the beating and has a lot of grip and power to handle almost any situation. I have to say, though, that this driving mode is not for everyone since it is quite challenging to handle if you are not an experienced rider.
The Tiger 800 is a powerful, easy to handle and versatile bike that does everything right.
Triumph Tiger 800 specs
Fuel Consumption
- Fuel Tank Capacity – 19L
- Reserve Fuel Capacity – 3 L
- Fuel consumption – 27.4Kmpl
- Overall Riding Range – 520.6 km
Transmission
- Number of Gears – 6 Gears
- Clutch – Wet, Multi-plate
Braking
- Front Brake Type – Disc
- Rear Brake Type – Disc
- Front Disc Size – 305 mm
- Rear Disc Size – 255 mm
Electricals
- Battery – Maintenance Free
- Headlight – 55/60 W (Multi-Reflector Type)
- Tail Light – LED
Engine
- Engine – CC800 cc
- Number of Cylinders – 3
- Valves per Cylinder – 4
- Max Power – 94 bhp @ 9500 rpm
- Max Torque – 78.8 Nm @ 8050 rpm
- Stroke – 61mm
- Bore – 74mm
- Compression Ratio – 11.3:1
- Fuel Delivery – Multipoint Sequential Electronic Fuel Injection
- Cooling System – Liquid Cooled
- Starting Mechanism – Self Start
Dimension and Weight
- Kerb Weight – 199 kg
- Length – 2215 mm
- Width – 795 mm
- Height – 1350 mm
- Wheelbase – 1530 mm
- Ground Clearance – 203 mm
- Seat Height – 810 mm
Chassis and Suspension
- Chassis Type – Tubular steel trellis frame
- Front Suspension – Showa 43 mm upside-down forks, 180 mm travel
- Rear Suspension – Showa mono-shock with hydraulically adjustable preload, 170 mm rear wheel travel
Wheel and Tyres
- Size of the wheel – 19 inches
- Wheel Type – Alloy Wheels
- Front Tyre – 100/90-19
- Rear Tyre – 150/70 R17
Triumph Tiger 900 Rally
Finally, the Triumph Tiger 900 Rally review, is coming soon since it is a non-released model yet. It should be very close to 800. In papers, the motorcycle is a little bigger than its 800 little brothers but is still a manageable bike. The factory included some optimized cornering controls to power the ABS and adjustable, state of the art, Showa suspension. The four riding modes and the bigger 885cc engine power a lighter chassis for improved agility.

The idea behind the Triumph Tiger 900 Rally is to create the ultimate dual-purpose bike that will excel in any scenario. According to Triumph, the Tiger 900 Rally will be able to handle off-road just as well as longer trips, which will end the annoyance of big dirt bikes that are unusable on the road and big cruisers that can´t handle mud.
Triumph Tiger 1200
Marketed for the first time as the Triumph Tiger Explorer, this 1215cc version of the 800 is indeed a bigger brother. The 94 horsepower of the Tiger 800 and 900 go up to be 139 in the Tiger 1200, and you can tell the extra push of the bike right away. That short, spicy first gear is still there to take us forward like a shooting cannon. All this power is handled correctly by the factory-provided ABS brakes and the three riding modes. Yes, it is a big bike, but it is also a perfect example of how big doesn´t mean unmanageable. The line includes eight bikes with a very distinct profile that embodies all the personalities this versatile motorcycle can have.

Triumph Tiger 1200 Review
This writer is a fortunate guy that got to test drive the last two generations of this fantastic bike. According to the company, the Triumph Tiger 1200 is 4.4lbs lighter than its predecessor, and it tells. This weight-loss makes it a very road-friendly motorcycle that can take you through a traffic jam without busting any mirrors. The entire machine is lighter, but you can accurately tell when taking off in the first gear that is explosive and very short.
The city was not a tough endeavour and rolling off into the pavement on this bike didn´t seem to be a problem. When you roll a big motorcycle (1000cc+) into the roadway to a city street, sometimes you feel awkward, out of place. This didn´t happen to me with this bike because despite its real size it has the feel of a medium-size bike. Yes, the 800 feels smaller, but this one doesn´t feel like too much either. It is super silent and very comfortable, especially now that Triumph made the riding position more upward. Also, you can adjust the suspension on the fly, and it changes the entire feeling of the bike. I set it a little stiffer for the pavement, and it was a pleasant change.
Going on an adventure
Although traffic lights, car swerving, and speeding up to get to the end of the street were fun, highway promised much more. When you are on board a big bike, all you want is to feed that throttle with some adventures. So, I did, and there is one thing that this bike has and is a lot of torque and low-end power, but it also works well in the mid-high segment. I was able to go pretty quick on the fast lane and with the stiffened-up suspension, it was an enjoyable experience. It was to expect that riding on the open road was a delight and again that riding position improved the experience. Triumph made little tweaks here and there that make this a more current powerhouse that is a joy to ride.

The third part of the testing was to be off-road. I loosened the suspension a little and went full-on. The handlebar is 20mm closer to the rider, and the comfy, improved seat worked wonderfully well out of the pavement. Also, the amount of power is just correct, and you can take this bike through any situations with confidence. Moreover, the Triumph Tiger 1200 is for those who want a superb bike with a lot of power that can handle the city and is manoeuvrable.
Triumph Tiger 1200 Specs
Engine
- Engine – CC1215 cc
- Number of Cylinders – 3
- Max Power – 139 bhp @ 9350 rpm
- Max Torque – 122 Nm @ 7600 rpm
- Valves Per Cylinder – 4
- Fuel Delivery – Fuel Injection
- Cooling System – Liquid-Cooled
- Starting Mechanism – Self Start
Dimension and Weight
- Kerb Weight – 248 kg
- Length – N/A
- Width – 830 mm
- Height – 1470 mm
- Wheelbase – 1520 mm
- Ground Clearance – N/A
- Seat Height – 835 mm
Chassis and Suspension
- Chassis Type – Tubular steel trellis frame
- Front Suspension – WP 48 mm upside-down forks, electronically adjustable damping, 190 mm travel
- Rear Suspension – WP mono-shock, electronically adjustable semi-active damping with automatic preload adjustment, 193 mm wheel travel
Wheel and Tyres
- Size of Wheel – 19 inches
- Wheel Type – Spike Wheels
- Front Tyre – 120/70 R19 – Tubeless
- Rear Tyre – 170/60 R17 – Tubeless
Fuel Consumption
- Fuel Tank Capacity – 20 L
- Reserve Fuel Capacity – N/A
- Fuel consumption – 18Kmpl
- Overall Riding Range – 360 km
Transmission
- Number of Gears – 6 Gears
- Clutch – Wet, multi-plate hydraulically operated, torque assist
Braking
- Front Brake Type – Dual Disc
- Rear Brake Type – Disc
- Front Disc/Drum Size – 305 mm
- Rear Disc/Drum Size – 282 mm
Electricals
- Battery – Maintenance Free
- Headlight – LED
- Tail Light – LED
Key Features
- Brembo Monobloc Front Brake Calipers
- On-Board Computer
- Adjustable WP front and rear suspension
- Engine Protection Bars
- Updated Cruise Control
- Full colour 5” TFT display instruments
- All LED lighting including signature daytime running lights (DRL)
- Torque Assist Hydraulic Clutch
- 2 position Adjustable seat height
Verdict
To conclude, the Triumph Tiger line is, without a doubt, a line of beautiful motorcycles that will make more than one rider a pleased man or woman. Each of them has a distinct attitude and you can get an off-road ride as much as a close-to-cruiser one. What is a fact is that all of them do what they do flawlessly?
What did you think of our take on this legendary bike? Leave us a comment about it! Also, feel free to share this with fellow riders and help us create a community of bike info that will help us all.
Happy riding!