The three Triumph Tigers

[Tiger68]

Hi all adventure nuts out their, I am just letting you Triumph fans know about the new 1050 sport. This is my third Tiger, 955i and 800. Will give a brief summary on good and bad points of all three. ( I did a detailed story on my old 955i and not so much on the 800)

955i ( good points)
1. Great tripple engine - so smooth in any gear.
2. Good fuel range with 24 lt tank.
3. Handling is very good in the twistes ( high speed handling isn't the best - above 160 in bends)
4. Good soft of roader, will do dirt roads and good fire trails with no problems.
5. Very good two up for long distance touring.
6. Can pack bike up with heaps of gear.
7. Good for taller riders
8. Heaps of accessories
Bad points
1. Top heavy
2. Not very good brakes
3. Need to put harder progressive springs in forks.
4. Not good for shorter riders
5. Not oil level window
6. No gear incataor

Triumph Tiger 800
good points
1. Again the tripple engine , smooth as in any gear
2. Pillion peg position is better for leg comfort
3. Very good for shorter or female riders ( 810mm lowest setting seat high)
4 . Very good of road ( just don't drop it - big money for repairs)
5. 12v socket location ( near bars )
6. Has oil window
7. Has gear incataor
8. Heaps of accessories
Bad points
1. Not as good in the twistes ( ground clearance is an issue) - XC would be better, but still handling isn't as good as the 955i or sport ( on road only)
2. Not that good two up for long distance touring
3. I think not powerful enough - abit boaring, that's just my opinion
4. Fuel range could be 50 kms better ( but you can get a larger tank)
Triumph Tiger 1050 sport
Good points
1. Again the tripple engine
2. Handling on road is the best ever I have ridden and supper in the twistes
3. Pillion comfort is very good
4. Packing it up for touring , it can handle heaps of ludduge
5. ABS
6. setting selection is on leftside of handle bars ( do not have to take hands of )

Bad points ( and there are some obvious oversights I believe triumph have made
1. No 12v socket
2. No oil window
3. No gear incataor
4. Only good for very soft road

so thier you that's my opinion of the three Tigers

[mollydog]

Thanks for the cool Tiger reviews! I'm a fan too!

I've owned a few Tigers ...all have been good for me but have always had a few other bikes in the shed to share time with the Tigers.

Bought a used '95 in 1998 from a friend. Very inexpensive, only 12K miles. I used it to commute mostly but had 3 bag GIVI set of hard bags so it could tour as well. Bike handled well enough, very plush or our rough California roads, smooth at 75-80 mph. So-So fuel economy, comfortable all day. Good two up ... could use stiffer suspension, wonky when pushed at high speed. Nice character, average brakes. Not bad on easy dirt roads. Not great on sand, rocky tracks or mud.

Carbs were a pain, but only because the ENTIRE air box had to be replaced to get a new air filter! Not the best engineering minds designed that bike.

Eventually the valves closed up ... needed total valve job ... this at round 40K miles. I sold it off very cheap to a young guy who rebuilt the head. He kept it a year and re-sold it, still running fine. A good first effort for Triumph but of course lots of room for improvement.



Next up was a '99 Tiger 885 F.I. that I bought in the UK second hand. Very much like the 955i ... just slightly different motor. I rode that Tiger all over UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco .. did two big Euro trips. OK on easy dirt roads, but with a top heavy feel I had to be careful since I stand just 5' 7". It's a HEAVY bike but a solid touring bike, IMO.

Put about 20K miles on it, sold it off to a friend back in the UK who commuted on it and ran the mileage way up. That Tiger never missed a beat. Good fuel economy, smooth, better handling than the '95. I attended the Triumph USA launch for the '99 Tiger, got to ride the original Tiger back to back with the new '99 which was a totally, 100% new bike. The 955i in 2001 was even better. I've ridden it a lot, never owned one.


Tiger castle hunting in France

I owned a couple Vstroms next and put over 90,000 miles on them. Great bikes but I just got a bit bored ... wanted a change. I test rode the new 1050 Tigers and liked them OK. I knew they needed a lot of changes but my plan was to wait a few years, get a nice used minter cheap.

Found an '07 beauty in 2009 with just 1200 miles for a very good price. Mine came with the Triumph optional power plug. But still ... NO OIL SITE GLASS!

But the silky smooth nature of the motor is a big positive. Riding position is not ideal for me but not bad. This bike is extremely FAST ... Zero to 145 mph is nothing flat. Also, with the radial mount brake calipers, world class braking. But when pushed on our bumpy roads the handling was off.

I had the front forks revalved ... 100% improvement. Bought a used Ohlins for the rear ... it's a bit stiff but still an improvement. One day I'll go to a slightly softer spring.

The 1050 has been a difficult bike to learn to ride properly. Took me a while to trust it. Ground clearance is fantastic ... better than any previous Tiger and way better than any Vstrom. But our beat up California roads can still upset the chassis ... so a smooth hand is required to go fast.
And FAST it IS!



I've ridden both the 800 Tigers several times. My longest ride was back to back with my own 1050. I love the looks and character of the 800. A very sweet bike ... but I really missed the POWER AND TORQUE of the 1050.

I've taken my 1050 on dirt roads ... and one must go very easy to get the feel of the big girl on dirt. But it's doable ... but I'd hate to see what would happen in a tip over !!! $$$$ mine stays mostly on Tarmac.


Bodie Ghost Town, Bridgeport, California's Sierra Nevada.

[oldbmw]

Next week I am hoping to become the owner of a 2003 Triumph thunderbird. So what are peoples opinion of them? One question, what is the best way to start one from cold? reason I ask is my first cold start will be early morning on a ferry

[mollydog]

Honestly, don't know a thing about the Thunderbird. Never rode that one. A friend had an early one from around '97 or '98 ... so that'd be the 885 Carb model. It was a lovely green color reminiscent of late 60's Bonneville. He loved it ... and still has it but it just SITS! And SITS.

I believe yours is F.I. ..? but no idea what motor you've got. Not sure but I think Thunderbird was discontinued in the US by 2003? Is yours a 885 or 955i?

I'm guessing you've test ridden the bike before loading her onto a Ferry?

If the battery is strong and the bike is running well ... should fire right up. No choke on F.I. Don't touch the throttle ... select Neutral, clutch IN, stand UP, hit the starter. I'd bet she roars to life.

The only Triumph I've had that's sometimes a NO START is my current Tiger 1050 ... as Triumph spec'd a TOO small battery for it ... so sometimes balks. Battery is important with any EFI bike. Next battery will be ONE SIZE up, which just fits in there.


Good luck with the new bike! (I wonder if it's using Sagem (French) or Keihin
ECU unit? My '99 had Sagem (fantastic), 1050 uses Keihin. Also good. At some point Triumph switched ECU's. Not sure why ... probably cost as Bloor was a cheap skate.

[oldbmw]

Originally Posted by mollydog

Honestly, don't know a thing about the Thunderbird. Never rode that one. A friend had an early one from around '97 or '98 ... so that'd be the 885 Carb model. It was a lovely green color reminiscent of late 60's Bonneville. He loved it ... and still has it but it just SITS! And SITS.

I believe yours is F.I. ..? but no idea what motor you've got. Not sure but I think Thunderbird was discontinued in the US by 2003? Is yours a 885 or 955i?

I'm guessing you've test ridden the bike before loading her onto a Ferry?

If the battery is strong and the bike is running well ... should fire right up. No choke on F.I. Don't touch the throttle ... select Neutral, clutch IN, stand UP, hit the starter. I'd bet she roars to life.

The only Triumph I've had that's sometimes a NO START is my current Tiger 1050 ... as Triumph spec'd a TOO small battery for it ... so sometimes balks. Battery is important with any EFI bike. Next battery will be ONE SIZE up, which just fits in there.


Good luck with the new bike! (I wonder if it's using Sagem (French) or Keihin
ECU unit? My '99 had Sagem (fantastic), 1050 uses Keihin. Also good. At some point Triumph switched ECU's. Not sure why ... probably cost as Bloor was a cheap skate.

It has three keihin carbs. 885 cc triple. Not EFI , sadly no kickstarter , I did test ride it and found a fault which they have now fixed (alternator pulley with slight rattle at low revs) will test ride it again before parting with cash. BUT.. need to bring it home via the ferry and that will be my first alone cold start. Both the Enfield and my carbed BMW had very specific needs to guarantee a first time start.

Thanks

[mollydog]

Loose alternator belt? Rattle?

This jogs my memory of things long forgotten regards older Triumphs.
The dreaded "Sprag clutch failure" was a deadly issue on some early carb'd
885 Triumphs. If the Sprag clutch breaks from starter clutch kick back its a costly repair. A rattle, I believe, was perhaps a "tell tale" of possible failure? But my memories of this issue are vague ... But check it out.

The key back then to avoid a sprag failure was always having a very strong battery fitted. A weak batt could help cause the failure ... forgot details on how this worked, something like kick back from starter clutch ... or something, would break it.

IIRC, only about 10% of Triumph's had this malady ... but that's just a guess on my part. Several of the guys on the old Tiger forum list serve had this happen. (1998 or so)

Check out the "Steamer Tiger" forums or Thunderbird forums for a more accurate run down on this issue. Hopefully your bike is "A" OK.

[Tiger68]

2006 Triumph tiger 955i

2011 Triumph tiger 800

2014 Triumph tiger 1050 sport

[Squily]

Originally Posted by Tiger68

Hi all adventure nuts out their, I am just letting you Triumph fans know about the new 1050 sport. This is my third Tiger, 955i and 800. Will give a brief summary on good and bad points of all three. ( I did a detailed story on my old 955i and not so much on the 800)

....

so thier you that's my opinion of the three Tigers

Any words on maintenance? I've been looking at the 800. My 955 is probably classed as the one of the worst bikes to work on when travelling. Like any superbike, you have to strip half the machine to do simple maintenance- changing the plugs takes around two hours and you can't get to the aircleaner without removing the tank (which includes removing the battery and battery box- huh?!?!).

[mollydog]

Originally Posted by Squily

Any words on maintenance? I've been looking at the 800. My 955 is probably classed as the one of the worst bikes to work on when travelling. Like any superbike, you have to strip half the machine to do simple maintenance- changing the plugs takes around two hours and you can't get to the aircleaner without removing the tank (which includes removing the battery and battery box- huh?!?!).

Major maintenance mid trip would be ... ah .. inconvenient. The 1050 Tiger is similar to the 955i. Since I've done it a couple times on my 1050 I can get down to the plugs and valves in about an hours work. Then another hour to check valves. Mine haven't moved yet but only 25K miles. I installed Iridium plugs so hopefully won't be back in there soon. The paper air filters get dirty quickly if you're riding dusty roads. I don't on my 1050 but DID on my '99 885 Tiger.

Never seen an 800 apart. I'd guess they would be a pain as well. I'd go down to a Triumph dealer and "sit in" in the shop when their doing an 800. They probably knock it out in half hour ... then charge the punter 3 hours labor.

[oldbmw]

Not a belt. the alternator is driven by an impeller via rubber bushings, sometime sthe bolt holding the impeller comes loose and the the impeller rattles on the alternator shaft splines. There is an upgrade bolt and washers for it.
The sprag clutch on the thunderbird was fixed around 1998. mine is a 2003 model.

have to say it is a treat to ride, happy at any speed over 3000 rpm