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Bought a Triumph Tiger 1200 in Singapore: 28,000 km & 2 year experience

2nd October 2024, 13:12 by Ananth Iyer

I have explored many parts of Malaysia and a few parts of Thailand in this bike.

BHPian narayan recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Pardon me for the brief write ups. Trying to capture as much info as possible in fewer words and let some of the pictures do the talking. But happy to take any questions from potential owners or curious enthusiasts.

After selling the Tracer 9GT, the next bike had to be a big bore adventure bike. I was mostly sure that I won't go for the GS/GSA because I found them not very attractive {not to say they are ugly}, quite common in South East Asia and total cost of ownership was quite high {probably next only to a Ducati MS V4}.

Now my choices were the Honda ATAS 1100, KTM Super adventure S (R is overkill for my use) and the Tiger series. Ducati MS was outright ruled out for he high upfront cost of acquisition, not to mention the upkeep costs.

Fortunately, I did not have to go through an elaborate evaluation process among the above 3 because I really loved the new generation Tiger series after one look at the dealership. Top initial buying reasons were

1. Smashing looks - Lean and muscular frame (maybe even the ATAS will fit this bill - so you can guess what looks appealing to my eyes)
2. Very well packaged and hence did not look or FEEL bulky at all. Notably, I use the bike within the city as well on a daily basis and 50% of city rides are with my son. So I ride with a top box and panniers to store jackets, rain coats and typically other stuff like my office bag, lunch box, son's school bag. So a narrow width is important for me to be able to squeeze between cars within the city. The Tiger fits that bill perfectly despite the 37L panniers
3. The dealer was throwing in unlimited mileage 4 year warranty and 4 year free servicing

Now, deciding from the Tiger 1200 model range isn't easy. I would have ideally preferred the Tiger 1200 GT EXPLORER but the dealer wasn't importing that anytime soon. So i went with the 1200 Rally Explorer. Explorer model is the absolute top end in the range with the full works - semi active suspension, rider modes, blind spot radar, 30 Lit tank ( in reality it is atleast 32-33 lits ). The bike comes fully loaded from the factory unlike the BMW which is a master at low entry pricing and making the buyer add more and more options. I did not have to add a single bit of accessory except a phone mount. The chosen colour was the marquee model colour - Matt Khaki Green. This is basically a combination of black, khakhi green and white

Design/Looks

Let me start with this first given that it was the first swing factor in my buying decision.

1. Lean and muscular from any angle. No sign of bulk even if you put on the panniers
2. Front headlights is an evolution of the bug eye Triumph look - again lean is the theme here compared to the previous generation
3. When you look at it front on, you can see the wide girth at the top which is typical of adventure tourers (though not as wide as a GSA which many buyers further accentuate by fitting storage bags at the upper crash bars). This girth, many mistake, to be due to a "wide 30l" fuel tank. But that is not the case, even the regular 1200 Rally Pro has a wide look. This is more due to the radiator and fans placed on the sides
4. The swingarm and shaft is simply a work of art - a marked departure from the previous generation single sided swing arm (trying to ape the GS). With a double sided swingarm, Triumph were able to make the shaft leaner since it the shaft casing no longer had to provide the structural rigidity also
5. Tail section is super slim and lean. This helps in a compact foot print that i alluded to earlier
6. Exhaust pipe, again, a work of art. I am yet to see (Ducati MS apart), any manufacturer packaging the stock exhaust so well. It hardly protrudes from the body line. So you don't have an ugly cut out in the right side pannier to accommodate it. Rather, both panniers are of exactly same dimensions, giving a very proportionate look to the rear end

The last photo with the panniers is my city set up. I have gone through 2 pannier wraps so far. I do this myself and its an extremely enriching experience

Engine, Drive train, Performance

1. The engine is all new with reduced capacity in this generation. At 1160cc, its now the second smallest in displacement and power in the big bore segment although at launch Triumph was aiming to be almost class leading. {the smallest and least powerful being the ATAS}.

2. However, the new firing order creates a more torquey feel lower down with the exhaust sound very similar to an ATAS/ KTM SAS rather than the triple wail from the previous gen. Since this is my first Triumph and I am not very used to the typical triple sound, the current gen suited me fine. Power delivery is smooth from lower down. There is sufficient torque at all RPMs to pull clean even if you have a pillion and luggage (as is the case with me in my city commute). At higher rpms, the pull get stronger and stronger since a big bunch of torque/power is made higher up. This is no torque monster like the GS or power monger like the Ducati MS. It kind of sits in no mans land somewhere in between the segment - but by itself - it does the job very well

3. Quick shifter, as many reviewers have commented, is super smooth, by far the best I have experienced so far. both down and upshifts are smooth

4. Shaft drive, as expected is low on maintenance. That apart, I haven't observed any difference in power delivery vs chain drive.

5 Some reviewers do point out the viby nature of the engine. This hasn't been a problem for me because I don't have any other reference in this segment and seen by itself, I haven't noticed the vibes being annoying or disturbing. You get used to it very easily and in fact, it adds to the character of the engine

6. Fuel economy - not the right question to ask in this segment but on high way drives, at speeds upto 110kmph, you can easily get 20-22kmpl. Go a bit slower and you will be rewarded with 22-24kmpl. As you build up speed, FE drops fast. Within city, for Singapore driving cycle and a careful throttle, you can easily get 17-18kmpl. Not bad for a 1200cc, 150hp , 270+ kg (fully loaded) machine

7. Clutch is hydraulic. Clutch feel is natural and progressive. The ECU does intervene during the first few seconds of engagement by revving the engine to avoid a stall. This takes some getting used to - part of any new bike experience and your past it in 2-3 days of riding. Clutch engagement is with minimal effort compared to a cable clutch. At the 20k service, the fluids were changed which further improved the feel.