About to get a 99/00 885 apart from being top heavy, anything I should know

[Michae]

As the title says, there's 2 I'm looking at one private the other a dealer I've been reading up on them (as you do) some say the engines are rubbish compared to the newer 955. But I think it's top heaviness that would get me, I'm 5 11 but only about 10 1/2st.

[John Stenhouse]

Mr Canning of this electronic parish will tell you they are rubbish but mine has been turn key reliable for 14yrs and despite being taken off road to the top of the alps a few times has very few bits broken/changed except!

Suspension, get something aftermarket it makes the bike really

Crash bars, get some it WILL take a nap sometime, while your at it get some hand guards and your golden

Main Stand, if it has a Triumph one it will break, if it doesn't, get one from SW Motech

To lower it for confidence sake you can drop the forks a little and turn the eccentrics on the swinging arm to drop the whoile bike a bit. I'm only 5'9" ish and it's not a problem really.

[nickjtc]

Do it! The 'bulk' disappears when you are on the move, and if you are careful about where you stop you shouldn't have a prob.

And from a fettling viewpoint this site is the absolute tops to help you keep your new steed in, well, fine fettle!

[Michae]

Do it! The 'bulk' disappears when you are on the move, and if you are careful about where you stop you shouldn't have a prob.

And from a fettling viewpoint this site is the absolute tops to help you keep your new steed in, well, fine fettle!

I'll need to take your word that the weight disappears when moving till I try it, I've got quite longish legs but not that strong

Mr Canning of this electronic parish will tell you they are rubbish but mine has been turn key reliable for 14yrs and despite being taken off road to the top of the alps a few times has very few bits broken/changed except!

Suspension, get something aftermarket it makes the bike really

Crash bars, get some it WILL take a nap sometime, while your at it get some hand guards and your golden

Main Stand, if it has a Triumph one it will break, if it doesn't, get one from SW Motech

To lower it for confidence sake you can drop the forks a little and turn the eccentrics on the swinging arm to drop the whoile bike a bit. I'm only 5'9" ish and it's not a problem really.

So I should prepare for Mr Canning's wise words later

Thanks for that though, I'm still browsing to see what's what....I've had many bikes mainly sports though this would be my first big traily so to speak. I've 2 triumph rd bikes before ie a sprint and t595 and liked them, found the sprint big n heavy though and thinking the tiger might be the same....see what happens.

[vince]

had a 955i tiger and loved it 
top heaviness got to me in the end . it knapped once to often   
so got a 800 road lighter by a bit  and it's not as top heavy 
the pre 15 models are getting cheaper by the day 
try one and see 

that's my tuppence worth

cheers vince 

[Michae]

That's what a mate said ie be careful VERY carefull.....he's got an 650gs and said to get one, I've not been on his though but think I'd miss having power/torque as they're only 50hp if they are.

[Chris Canning]

As John said I'm no fan of the 885 and I had two of the bloody things the first lasted 6 weeks I had the other for two years and travelled all over Europe on it,here I am cleaning the crude down off in Tarragona when the Spanish re tarmac the road they just rip everything up and spray with water to keep the dust down and we must have ridden 30/40 miles in 3" of gravel.



The thing I'd point out Triumph have a 4 year model plan for engines there has only been one exception and that was the 595/885 motor it lasted from 99 late 2000 in fact the 955 motor that was designed for the new Daytona brought out later but Triumph were in such a rush they put it in the Tiger before that draw your own conclusions!!

I took my 885i in for a 12000 service while there test rode a 955 Tiger in the may of 2001 and I never went back for 885  ,I've had my 955 15 years next may,Ok it's not stock but I still rate it as a great piece of kit,rate it by what I hear your say I have a brand new BM XR1000 coming march the 1st but sure as hell won't be selling my Tiger.

Re what John said about his and there are a few others that also have good ones,that doesn't make the 885i any good it makes them lucky  :icon_wink:

[Michae]

So what's so good/different of the 955 apart from engines

Is it still as top heavy (I know that's what these are though) if not what's been done to solve it, I guess the suspension's been overhauled and probably a few other things. Thing is there's no 955s near me to try, why I say near I mean within at least 100 miles

Im going to see the mate tonight with the 650gs and get a go....I like torque though

[Chris Canning]

So what's so good/different of the 955 apart from engines

Nothing it's all about the motor


Re top heavy?? Oh yes no matter what model,having said that all big traillies are no matter what make or model it's the nature of the beast.

Oh !! 100 miles of where

[Bixxer Bob]

I had a 650 GS before my 955 and to be honest I wish I still had it as well.  The Tiger is brilliant for comfy long miles but for nipping around town or short trips the GS was a hoot and much easier to handle.  Still quite tall but my sister had one and she's only 5'4" although she had the lowering kit fitted (different dog bone).  As you say, only 50bhp but that only encourages you to rag it everywhere. 

If I was buying a Tiger now I'd either look for a good Steamer, they look the part and are a simpler design, or a well looked after 955i.  I'd also buy private, preferably from someone on here but if not someone who's kept the maintenance up to date, looked after it and knows the beast.  A few questions about it based on what you read on here will soon sort out someone who knows and cares fro their bike from soemone who doesn't.  Buyng from a dealer you probably get to know nothing about the bike's history and you're paying him a premium for the bike.

[Chris Canning]

Have to say my best bargains have been from dealers their easier to barter with,I bought an XT660X in 2009 and I'd still get my money back 6 years on,look at the 955 on eBay 14000 mile bike with panniers for 2500 and you can bet your life you can chip him at that price.

I think the 955 is one of the great bargains,the early ones have the fuel connector issue but there are few bikes out there with so few skeletons in the cupboard as the Tiger.

[nickjtc]

Hopefully not off-topic: how does the fuel consumption compare between the carbed Steamer and the efi Girly? Just curious, because that was one of the reasons I let Stanley the Steamer go.

[Michae]

Nothing it's all about the motor


Re top heavy?? Oh yes no matter what model,having said that all big traillies are no matter what make or model it's the nature of the beast.

Oh !! 100 miles of where

So it's all in the engines but I guess that'll be down to different cams, fi mainly

And they're all top heavy, kinda thought that

I'm in South Glasgow

I had a 650 GS before my 955 and to be honest I wish I still had it as well.  The Tiger is brilliant for comfy long miles but for nipping around town or short trips the GS was a hoot and much easier to handle.  Still quite tall but my sister had one and she's only 5'4" although she had the lowering kit fitted (different dog bone).  As you say, only 50bhp but that only encourages you to rag it everywhere. 

If I was buying a Tiger now I'd either look for a good Steamer, they look the part and are a simpler design, or a well looked after 955i.  I'd also buy private, preferably from someone on here but if not someone who's kept the maintenance up to date, looked after it and knows the beast.  A few questions about it based on what you read on here will soon sort out someone who knows and cares fro their bike from soemone who doesn't.  Buyng from a dealer you probably get to know nothing about the bike's history and you're paying him a premium for the bike.

So you had a wee 650GS and liked it

I got a go on his tonight, very nice it was but not the power/torque im used to still a bloody good wee bike. I'll hopefully get to see an old 885 tomorrow and take it from there.

And you say if were going to a tiger it'd be a steamer cause its more simplistic. I guess its right enough before they buggered it with the first of the fi's, oh well. You're right about buying from dealers they do inflate prices but I think it's because they know people will haggle...well that's what they're there for innit 

Have to say my best bargains have been from dealers their easier to barter with,I bought an XT660X in 2009 and I'd still get my money back 6 years on,look at the 955 on eBay 14000 mile bike with panniers for 2500 and you can bet your life you can chip him at that price.

I think the 955 is one of the great bargains,the early ones have the fuel connector issue but there are few bikes out there with so few skeletons in the cupboard as the Tiger.

And you prefer buying from dealers, I guess it's ok if you get good deals, or you hope you are especially when there's warranties involved. I notice you had an XT660 I thought about them too but something out me off.

I see you also mention the fuel connectors and yes I had problem with one on a t595 I had but you get metal one. If I do get a tiger off some kind that's one of the first things i'll check and if plastic i'll get metal

[ds99]

i'd got for a low miles tiger 955i, with cast alloy wheels. there's loads on ebay at the moment. and they come with centre stand, heated grips, and panniers as standard.

eg

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-TRIUMPH-TIGER-955I-LOW-MILEAGE-FULL-LUGGAGE-SERVICE-HISTORY-MOT-/191753463193

[ds99]

yes, they are top heavy, but you only notice this when at slow speed or when parking it.

my 2005 955i gets 60mpg, and it has 29,000 miles on it.