Considering a Triumph Tiger 800

[Navigator]

I've been out and about looking for a bike to replace my highly modified, very off road worthy but not so highway worthy 650 KLR. I realized while riding the KLR on an especially challenging and very steep dirt/gravel road that serious off road riding has passed me by as I struggled to keep it up and on the road. A very seasoned off road riding friend immediately purchased it. It is a very cool machine but just no longer for me.

Sooo, I started to look at adventure style bikes that I can take to Baja. Although most of the primary roads are paved now, there would be times that my friends and I might get on some dirt roads along the coast. I considered the Kawasaki Versys so looked at a couple of used one at a Tacoma dealership today. They are a Honda dealership but much to my surprise had taken on the Triumph line several months ago. I was extremely surprised to see the extensive inventory they had, which included three 2.5 liter Rockets. I determined the Versys is not for me with what I consider to be an odd seating position. They had some beautiful 2019 and 2020 Africa Twins which I sat on but they had just gotten too big for me. I rode one up a mountain in British Columbia in 2015 and loved it but an additional 5 years of aging has changed that.

The salesman asked if I would be interested in a 2016 Tiger 800 XCX with 300 miles on it and, holy cow, it was beautiful. The XCX is the more off road worthy model with spoke wheels and a 21 inch up front, plus a host of on board tuning features and modes. The XRC has mags and a 17 inch front tire. It is just a stunner, fully farkled with bags, engine guards, skid plates etc., and at a great price. And at 490 pounds wet the weight is perfect for me. They had just gotten it in yesterday. I sat on it and it's ergonomically perfect. I'm pretty sure I will call back and commit to buy it tomorrow. They are going through it now, service/oil change, safety check etc. It looks brand new.

I figured some of our Rocket owners might have one of these and would appreciate any comments. They get rave reviews on line.

 

[CanberraR3]

I had a ‘16 model XCX and rode it all over this great land. Until recently I always said it was the best bike ever made because it could not only do everything but it it did it all really well. Comfortable, great performance, cruise control, great suspension and brakes, riding modes, traction control, the list goes one. Awesome, awesome bike. I say until recently it was the best bike ever made because the new Tiger 900 is somehow actually better. Not by a lot but better in every way. So now the 800 is the second best bike ever made with daylight third, forth and fifth.

This was mine. You’ll see in two of the pics that I‘d cut the screen down. I shaped it a bit like a Street Triple screen. Less is more and the shape diffuses the wind. The stock screen up to 2018 was horrible for wind noise and lots of bufeting and the larger touring screen was even worse. The adjust kit helped but cutting it down was the only way to fix what was the only thing I didn’t like about the bike.

And the new one.

 

[Tripps]

I got together with a couple of friends I hadn't seen in a while for a ride recently, both had the 800 tigers and loved them

 

[Navigator]

Thanks gents and also thank you for the photos CanberraR3. I'm was going to commit today to buy it but got cold feet, wondering what I am thinking. I'll call the dealership tomorrow and close the deal, well, I think I will. If I do I believe it will be last bike I ever purchase. I am concerned about the spoked/tube tires but will get along I'm sure. Slime will be my friend. Like with the new 2020 Africa Twin, I see that Triumph finally got on the spoke wheel/tubless tire bandwagon with the 900. Beautiful machine it is.

You're next Tripps. Is a Tiger in your future?

 

[CanberraR3]

Thanks gents and also thank you for the photos CanberraR3. I'm was going to commit today to buy it but got cold feet, wondering what I am thinking. I'll call the dealership tomorrow and close the deal, well, I think I will. If I do I believe it will be last bike I ever purchase. I am concerned about the spoked/tube tires but will get along I'm sure. Slime will be my friend. Like with the new 2020 Africa Twin, I see that Triumph finally got on the spoke wheel/tubless tire bandwagon with the 900. Beautiful machine it is.

You're next Tripps. Is a Tiger in your future?

I actually made my wheels on my 800 tubeless. Worked perfectly on the rear because it’s a tubless rim ie it has the second ridge to assist seating the bead. The front isn’t the same and has no inner ridge and I simply couldn’t get it to seal even with the high pressure hose, so I popped a tube back in but with the spokes and valve stem sealed. Actually the perfect solution. The tube inflated the tyre and I could still plug a puncture because the tube would be leaking into a sealed rim. As 90%+ punctures are in the rear wheel I ran it that way for a while but ended up putting a tube in the back too. I didn’t fancy being out in the bush trying to get a tubeless tyre to bead up with a foot pump!

The 900 has tubeless wheels now but I’d consider putting tubes in if I was doing any serious off road.

 

[Tripps]

Thanks gents and also thank you for the photos CanberraR3. I'm was going to commit today to buy it but got cold feet, wondering what I am thinking. I'll call the dealership tomorrow and close the deal, well, I think I will. If I do I believe it will be last bike I ever purchase. I am concerned about the spoked/tube tires but will get along I'm sure. Slime will be my friend. Like with the new 2020 Africa Twin, I see that Triumph finally got on the spoke wheel/tubless tire bandwagon with the 900. Beautiful machine it is.

You're next Tripps. Is a Tiger in your future?

Something lighter than a rocket, no doubt, there's almost as many dirt and gravel roads as paved roads in northern Florida.

 

[CanberraR3]

And instead of avoiding them, you look for them.

 

[Navigator]

And this is the one.

I'm a bit concerned about the 21 inch front tire, that is, how well it will do on paved roads. My VStrom has a 19inch front tire, which is not as competent off road but more so than the 21 on paved roads. The bigger issue is the spoked wheels and tube tires, unlike Canberra's, which has spoked tubless tires. The problem with tube tires is one is almost SOL getting a flat out in the boonies or the highway. Oh well. Decision time is Tuesday morning.

 

[Ishrub]

And this is the one.

I'm a bit concerned about the 21 inch front tire, that is, how well it will do on paved roads. My VStrom has a 19inch front tire, which is not as competent off road but more so than the 21 on paved roads. The bigger issue is the spoked wheels and tube tires, unlike Canberra's, which has spoked tubless tires. The problem with tube tires is one is almost SOL getting a flat out in the boonies or the highway. Oh well. Decision time is Tuesday morning.

You should be able to wrap a couple of tubes in chalky cloth or whatever keeps them good and use them as pannier liners or side pocket fillers on a rear rack/seat bag when panniers left at home. Tubed tires are typically a lot softer and easier to remove with small tire spoons on the side of the road or just use a can of puncture repair sealant if not ripped and swap out at a work shop later with your own right size etc tubes. And/or Small compressor as they are getting smaller /better. I still carry my 30 year old 4x4 one. And / or Gas inflators: 2 canisters for front; 3 for rear; they come in tubeless puncture repair kits cheap.

If that all seems too strenuous, carry the stuff and ride with a labourer. Supervision is an under appreciated skillset! .

 

[Navigator]

You should be able to wrap a couple of tubes in chalky cloth or whatever keeps them good and use them as pannier liners or side pocket fillers on a rear rack/seat bag when panniers left at home. Tubed tires are typically a lot softer and easier to remove with small tire spoons on the side of the road or just use a can of puncture repair sealant if not ripped and swap out at a work shop later with your own right size etc tubes. And/or Small compressor as they are getting smaller /better. I still carry my 30 year old 4x4 one. And / or Gas inflators: 2 canisters for front; 3 for rear; they come in tubeless puncture repair kits cheap.

If that all seems too strenuous, carry the stuff and ride with a labourer. Supervision is an under appreciated skillset! .

I carry Slime and a portable MC air pump whenever I travel. There are some very nice ones out there in the $100 range but the little $25 pump by Slime has served me well many times. While I've used Slime when plugging a tubless tire, it was supposedly developed for tube tires. I've had a roadside plug not quite seal but a bit of Slime in the tube seals it completely. My days of pulling tubes using tire spoons alongside the road are over. Arthritis in the hands. Darn this aging thing. As beautiful as this bike is, I might have to pass and find an XR model. I'll know tomorrow when I go to the dealers. It's all serviced prepped and ready to go.

And yes, I also carry the large CO2 inflators with my repair kit. I was able to find supersized ones that came to the rescue several years ago when I had a rear flat on my DL1000. The tire deflated so quickly that it broke the seal at the rim. I finally was able to get the tire to seat with my third, and last, cartridge.