Triumph TIGER SPORT reviews

I own and have owned several bikes over the years. The Tiger 800Xcs is impressive in that it does it all. On the street or highway commute, coastal highway, or off road camping it has been a blast. Triumphs legendary triple cylinder engine performs no matter what you do with it. Even two up it’s got plenty of goose to get you going. It does well touring the highways and dives into the corners with ease, responsive throttle and breaking promotes confidence and thrill. Fully equipped - fog lights, heated grips, cruise control, off road engine guard,/package, fender extender, two power ports, 3 aluminum (Triumph) bags/trunk and more will cost a little more but you have all the trimmings for a great all around motorcycle. Off road the bike has multiple settings to release traction control, abs and set it up old school if you like. It’s the only thing I have issue with is that when you shut off the motor it defaults back to full traction control and abs. Otherwise - love the choices. Hard steering and peg riding comes intuitive for experienced riders. That being said, the traction control is a nice feature that helps avoid rear end spin out when off the line or in wet corners. Ask me how I know!!! Guarantee - you will return from a test ride thoroughly pleased. Selling one in Washington check it out on Cycle Trader. Show less

The 2020 Triumph Tiger 900 is perfectly balanced for the re-entry rider as well as the experienced rider. The triumph tiger is geared just right to be responsive on the highway and the right amount of low end torque for the off road situations. The ergonomics are designed for a comfortable long distance and designed to keep you protected from the wind. The Tiger 900 sturdy enough for the highway and nimble enough for the dirt. To me the tiger 900GT is the perfect bike for the rider that doesn't want to be limited by top heavy hard to balance adventure bikes. I always looked forward to riding it. Show less

First comment is that this review site, along with CycleTrader itself, has motorcycle categories that have not kept up with market trends and definitions. Adventure style or type motorcycles are not selectable as a category which leaves them misplaced wherever else one puts them for sale or reviewing. That is a very large number of motorcycles, so shame on cycletrader for this oversight. As for the Triumph Tiger 800 xc, reviews are readily found on the internet at other sites, so people really should go there. As for my personal experience with the bike, I have owned approximately forty motorcycles over the years in the groups of dirt bikes, scooters, standards, sport bikes, sport touring, on and off road, classics, Japanese and European. Even as a younger rider, comfort was important to me and all the bikes I have owned over the past 20 years have gravitated even more in that direction. The Triumph Tiger is one of the motorcycles that exemplifies quality in every possible area as a street bike. Enough power for solid acceleration from any speed due to a strong low and mid-range; gearing that makes interstate travel pleasant, i.e. not revving beyond it's comfort zone for vibration. This bike's suspension soaks up large and small bumps compliantly without excessive front end diving or bottoming or rebound stiffness. It turns quickly but is not twitchy due to it's tire sizes and geometry. It is slightly top heavy at low speeds, but heavy enough to be stable at all speeds in windy conditions. Seat and handlebar vibration are minimal. I have not experienced the stock windscreen as I nearly always change that for added wind protection. Tire choices are adequate for the stock rim sizes for either a street bias or off road work. The xc model has spoke rims that can take tubeless tires---nice, if harder to keep clean. The Tiger has a larger than average fuel tank capacity and gets excellent fuel mileage on regular gas----that feature won't be found on most other bikes in this class, the smaller vstrom notwithstanding. Versatility won't matter to some riders, particularly those who think fun only comes at speeds 20 over the limit on public roads. For those of us who want to keep our licenses and our bodies intact, while still getting the excitement that two wheel speed can create, the Triumph Tiger is a standout motorcycle. Reliability is top notch, servicing costs are average, home maintenance ease or difficulty is better than average. Should readers want any additional feedback, I will try to be helpful. Enjoy safe and fun riding one and all. Show less

Having spent 25 years on liter bikes sport touring I developed an interest in ghost towns in the western US. This required a different type bike as gravel roads and sport bikes don’t mix. I test rode several of the popular big bore dual sport bikes, BMW, VStom etc. while they all had their advantages, to me they felt top heavy and awkward in slow going. I took a test ride on a Tiger 800 and loved it! It felt light nimble and for an 800 had some real punch!. Having since put nearly 40,000 miles on my 2014 tiger800 both gravel roads and canyon carving I can honestly say this bike has been a delight. The stock suspension was a little soft for me and I had custom seats made as my wife felt the rear seat was too hard and set too low. For long distance riding cruise control would’ve been nice but certainly not a deal killer. Don’t listen to the twin cylinder guys who tell you the Tiger 800 does not have enough mid range torque for single trailing, just keep it in its torque curve and you can keep up with the best of them. This bike is very happy between 5000 and 8000 RPM. To date it has been Stone reliable. I have no complaints and would recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a great smaller displacement bike with plenty of power. Show less

I purchased the Tiger 800XR after test driving several different makes and models. I'm 6' tall and 200 pound slim built man. I tried a cruiser but at the recommendation of the salesperson, I tried the Tiger and I'm glad I did. I like how it fits me. The power is smooth and I can keep up with larger bikes. My hits against the model is the suspension. Triumph only put adjustable front suspension on the XC models. The shocks are aggressive on bumpy roads. What I did find is that after I bought and installed the side cases and add some weight, the ride smoothed out a lot. I have only driven it a little over 3000 miles but have taken it on a few weekend trips and I don't feel fatigued after 3 hours on the road (I do stop every hour to let my legs straighten out). I wish I had spent a little more money and bought the XRx model that includes cruise control and self canceling turn signals. Not big deal breakers but still I wish I had. I like the detail of the Tiger. I would buy one again. Show less

I purchased a Tiger 800 XC SE and am quite impressed. I decided to step down from a BMW R 1150 GS because it was just too cumbersome for me. I put 58K on it but at parking lot speeds and maneuvering around the garage, I didn't feel secure. I tried the BMW 800 GS and they're nice bikes, but the engine seemed to vibrate a lot and didn't have much punch on top. Then I tried the Tiger 800 XC. Wow. What a difference! Power galore. Good low end torque and a nice top end rush. It handles like a much lighter bike and I feel much more in control. I had an issue with the left side case leaking oil. I took it to the dealer and he fixed it while I waited - faulty gasket. Show less

I've had my 2002 V-Strom 1000 since they first came out. It's still a good bike and I thought it was pretty nifty until I spent an backroad afternoon on an XC800. How can an 800 be better than a 1000? Let me tell you the ways. My V-Strom is gutless until 4000 rpm., then it runs strong. The Triumph pulls smoothly at any speed right from idle. The Triumph also has a responsive eagerness that even a well-broken-in, well-tuned stock 1000 Strom lacks. The 1000 is decently smooth for a 1000 twin. The Triumph is dead smooth period. The 1000 Strom handles decently. It's in its element on backroad sweepers and a real pleasure but it is not quite as happy in the tight stuff. It's still good; we're not talking about some pig cruiser here, but the Triumph has an agility, direct steering and a wonderful fluid tip in to the corners that the V-Strom lacks. The Triumph feels like what it is; a whole generation newer and better. An uncorked dyno-tuned 1000 doesn't run as well as a stock Triumph XC800 - not even close. It's good vs. fanbloodytastic. Show less

I recently picked up an '08 Tiger ABS (Black) from a young fellow down in Sacramento, CA. It had only 3,800 miles on the clock and very clean. It's a great scooter. High gear roll-ons bring big grins. It came with factory hard bags and a centerstand. The stock windshield is worthless. I bought a Cee Bailey from a gent in Philly and he shipped it out to me. I still get some wind noise, but no more blast of air to the chest and the price was right. This bike a hoot to ride. The torque is just awesome. I played with the suspension a little. No complaints with the handling. Brakes are spot on. I sold my 650 V-Strom and still have my '07 ST 1300 for the long hauls. I'm retired and life is good. Show less

This is the third Triumph I have owned and is the best, by far. It has great acceleration and highway manners. The SE comes with hard bags, center stand and gel seat, so the items I would have added were already there. I'm sure the ABS brake system works, I just haven't noticed it in action. I guess that is a good thing. The only concern I had was the poor wind screen. I installed a MadStad Robo screen system, and all wind problems have disappeared. If you want a long haul, upright seating, powerful motorcycle, the Tiger 1050 can't be beat. Show less

It is superb, I never any mechanical problems. It still brings a huge grin after three years. But what a superb machine! It is the most comfortable and capable of my bikes. Show less