New member, new rider, dumb newby question.

[Holmann]

Hello all- proud new owner of an '06 Tiger- first bike in 20 years.  Exactly zero wrenching skills (had to visit youtube to learn how to lube the chain- oh the shame).  Bike has been well maintained, I'm just tweaking the comfort as I go, slowly getting braver with the tools.  My question- and I apologize if this should be obvious ( I did search the forums) - I'd like to rotate the shift lever downward a little bit- how does one get the darn thing off?  I loosened the screw on the underside holding the two halves together, figuring it would slide right off the shaft- nope.  afraid to really yank on it, reasoning that the other end of the shaft is connected to some fairly important stuff.  Thought about using a flathead screwdriver to pry the ends apart, then thought about breaking it and trying to find a replacement lever in my little town -decided against it.  What obvious head-slapping step am I missing?

[Mustang]

take the screw/bolt completely out and insert a flat blade screwdriver into the slot you won't break it unless you play hercules with it . it should just wiggle off the shaft

Oh and welcome to TIGER TRIPLE..........you can learn a lot here about your new kitty .
The only dumb questions are the ones not asked ........... :D

[TigerTrax]

Fellow '06r here.

The '06 was the last of that body style and motor.
I refer to it as the 'bastardized' model. It's 955 motor with 1050 heads;
that's OK, but you'd better know that.
The '05 & '06 have cast wheels which changed the brake rotors and pads from earlier models...???

The '06 model does NOT have a rebuildable rear shock.

The electrics are far too weak for any serious all weather riding. It won't handle heated clothing and grips with aux lights. Something has to be shut down.

The front shocks are OK... but almost everyone replaces them.

The seat ain't worth squat!

It may drip coolant. The thermostat may crap on you. The sidestand needs to inspected every few months for cracks ( up high on backside ).

Some folks squeal about the tank 'deforming' but they drink alot!

You ahve to damned near dismantle everything to do ANYTHING!

This thing is a Brit Built Rubic Cube!

BUT . . . if you want to carve the canyons and give the others a run for their money..... or ride another 50 miles when the road ends ..... or
'walk away' from noisey Pigs .... and maybe put in a 1200 mile day.....
the '06 will get you there!
What's not to like!

PS: BUY A MANUAL ..... try Ebay!
Too bad you missed out on the OOPER Tiger rally 2 years ago.

[NKL]

How many times, the 06 model has 1050 crankcases with 955 head

[chairhead]

The '06 model does NOT have a rebuildable rear shock.

The electrics are far too weak for any serious all weather riding. It won't handle heated clothing and grips with aux lights. Something has to be shut down.

The front shocks are OK... but almost everyone replaces them.

The seat ain't worth squat!

It may drip coolant. The thermostat may crap on you. The sidestand needs to inspected every few months for cracks ( up high on backside ).

Some folks squeal about the tank 'deforming' but they drink alot!

You ahve to damned near dismantle everything to do ANYTHING!

This thing is a Brit Built Rubic Cube!

PS: BUY A MANUAL ..... try Ebay!

Wow!, how glad am i that i bought an 03 :lol:  :lol:

Welcome Holmann you'll be safe here :icon_study  :arrow:  

@ Mustang,love that quote "The only dumb questions are the ones not asked"

[Holmann]

Oof. lots to chew on- Thanks Mustang for the reassurance- figured that was the way to do it, but I've been wrong before.

Good to know about the motor- I doubt I'll do that level of repair myself, but good to tell the mechanic (when I find one)- I do have a manual, hopefully it's specific to that year and not a generic 955 manual.

The trouble with a used bike is I don't know what's been changed- lots of aftermarket goodies on it, I'll look into the shocks.  The fronts are awfully noisy, but that seems to be normal for this model year ("faults" post in the sticky thread)

The seat certainly leaves a bit to be desired.  100 miles max without getting off & walking around.  Being a new rider, my posture isn't what you'd call "relaxed", perhaps not keeping every muscle in my body constantly clenched would improve the comfort.

no coolant leaks that I can see (except of course for the slow motion drop at the stop sign within an hour of getting the bike.)

weak electrics won't be an issue for the forseeable future, I don't have a schedule that allows for long road trips- a few weekends a summer is the best I can hope for.  Right now riding time is divided between deserted country roads within an hour from home & crawling around cones doing all my "maximum control" drills.  

This place is a godsend- None of my friends ride, as far as I know there are only 2 other Triumphs (no tigers) in the same county as me.   Lack of experience breeds questions (is it supposed to do that?  does that sound normal?  don't downshift above 5000rpm?  I've never SEEN the far side of 5000rpm!).  My intent was to buy a KLR or similar this year and work my way up to a Girly (THE bike since the first time I saw one), but funding, tiger availability, and wifely approval aligned last month.

It does seem to be a puzzle to take apart- I want to change the air filter this weekend- pull the tank?  really?!?  The how-to thread with pictures saves the day- I'm no mechanic, but i can follow instructions.

sorry I missed the yooper rally- not that I could keep up, but just having an experienced owner ride the thing around the block a few times would answer most of my questions.  The wife is headed out of town in a few weeks, I'm hoping to ride up to Copper Harbor overnight- I'm in Bayfield WI, should only be 5 hours each way or so- stay the night, do a surise ride over Brockway mountain- after another 2000 miles of "getting used to it" riding, I think.  Took the first thousand to just get used to gentle curves at highway speed- 20 years off from riding, and it was just dirt bikes back then.  took the MSF class, but there's a bit of a difference between 20 miles an hour in a parking lot and actually riding.  I live in a very rural area, spent the first week doing 40 on the farm roads- how do people in congested areas learn to do this without killing themselves?

I've talked myself into pulling the tank & changing the filter- be back with more questions when I get stuck, I'm sure.

[KuzzinKenny]

Hey Holmann !! Welcome to TT.com  

as Mustang already said, there's no such thing as a dumb question but there are dumb answers  :shock: usually provided by me  

you never said how many miles on yer Tigger ?

keep this, as it will come in handy  

http://www.triumph.co.uk/media/enTiger9 ... nwards.pdf (http://www.triumph.co.uk/media/enTiger955cc2001onwards.pdf)

you might not need to change the filter if it aint done the miles !!

have fun

KK

ps as for the seat, cheap fix is a sheepskin pad  

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kuzzinkenny/4653659812/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kuzzinkenny/4653659812/)

[Holmann]

Hi KK- 27.2K when I got it a month ago, I've added another 1500.  There's a service receipt for a new alternator/stator, brake pads, and an oil change at 26.2 stuck in the manual- one wouldnt do a 24k service and then change the oil that soon, would they?  6k being the recommended interval.  Air filter seems to me to be the easiest way for a novice to determine if the 24k service was performed- if it's filthy, time to get to work.  

This is the silver Tiger that was on eBay in early-mid June, if anyone was wathcing.  The story on the bike- as it was related to me by the dealer (Jeramiah at Stone Motor Co., a very nice guy to deal with): Texas bike, owned by a rider from New Zealand, used when he came to the states to visit family.  Apparently an Iron-butt type, most of the milage was put on a few thousand at a time.  Texas title showed him to be the second owner, not a clue about the first guy.  

I said above thet the bike was well maintained- just based on the overall appearance- absolutely spotless, everything working, no leaks of any kind, just as described.  Except the chain.......astonishingly filthy.  3 cans of cleaner and an hour and a half filthy.  The easiest of jobs, sure (even for me!), but I'm paranoid enough to wonder- if such a basic piece of maintenance was ignored, what else was?

[Mustang]

Except the chain.......astonishingly filthy.  3 cans of cleaner and an hour and a half filthy.  The easiest of jobs, sure (even for me!), but I'm paranoid enough to wonder- if such a basic piece of maintenance was ignored, what else was?

probably the exact opposite is the case ............the chain was filthy from being lubed religously when riding .not a bad thing

[Holmann]

That's good, then- I've been cleaning & lubing every 250 miles- too often, I guess.  Keep lubing & clean less frequently, got it- I said I was paranoid!

[Robbie]

ps as for the seat, cheap fix is a sheepskin pad  

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kuzzinkenny/4653659812/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kuzzinkenny/4653659812/)

that looks like it still got the sheep inside :lol:

commfffy arn't they

[KuzzinKenny]

ps as for the seat, cheap fix is a sheepskin pad  

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kuzzinkenny/4653659812/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kuzzinkenny/4653659812/)

that looks like it still got the sheep inside :lol:

 :shock: Ssssh !! how else do ya stay warm in a tent at nite  :roll:  :lol:

KK

[DeanRider]

My '06 Tiger 955i is simply an awesome machine! I will never part with it. It simply ticks all the boxes as a long-distance touring machine, with comfort, great handling and lots of pep in all the right places, that takes us across South Africa without missing a beat!

While it may have shared parts with the (then) recently launched 1050 motor in order to supply an unexpected market demand at the close of its long production run and the soon to be launched new Tiger 1050 in 2007, the results were awesome. Here is a great review by the renowned  Alan Cathcart: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/roadt ... index.html (http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/roadtests/2006_triumph_tiger_955i/index.html)

Enjoy your new bike Holmann. You will not be disappointed!

>Deano

[Gam]

Welcome Holmann!

Have no fear about your fuelie.  I've had an '05 for 20K+ and LOVE it.  The PO even called to buy it back from me about 2 weeks after I bought it.  It was my first bike since about 9 years prior (sport bikes when I was younger and stupider) and though heavy it was/easy to re-learn on.

Heck, I even taught my girlfriend to ride it in the city with no MSF class...yet.  She has NEVER rode any bike before.. granted she is 5'10" so she can flat foot at least.

I'll be moving up to Wisco from TN soon, likely the Fox Cities or more central Wisco.

Be safe and have fun!

[Holmann]

Note to self- when a Scotsman advises you to buy a sheep, take his advice.  Bought an Airhawk instead & hate it.  Feels like I'm not attached to the bike.

Thanks for the link DeanRider- not entirely sure I'll be shifting without the clutch at 7k anytime soon, though.  I tend to cruise in most gears at around 3500- too low, likely, just an ingrained holdover from cars.

Gam, I may end up in your new neck of the woods, the wife is agitating to move closer to her family.

Found a mechanic, I think- Twin Ports Cycle- "41 years experience, British bike specialist".  100 miles away, but I live in a small town deep in Harley territory.  With this site as a resource, I'm hoping to do all the basics myself, but a good going-over is in the cards first.