Every day's a school day

[Lee337]

As I get ever closer to the big 60, I've been toying with changing my main bike as a present t myself. I know the 955i is a great bike & it's taken me a few years to get it how I want, even taking her on the odd overnight trip where she's performed faultlessly.

But, I've found myself looking at the Tiger 800XC recently & often wondered what XC stands for.

You may know this, but I didn't - apparently it sands for Cross (X) country .

There are, of course a couple of things that, while not putting me off, is giving me pause to think.

• Do I really want to sell Tallulah?  No, not really
• Is there enough room in the garage for yet another bike? yes, but the car would have to live outside permanently
• Can I afford an XC? possibly, just, but I'd have to sell Tallulah
• Would Mrs L let me buy another bike? possibly, but see points 1 - 3

As it stands, I've got 6 months to make a decision, that's 2 months to make up my mind & 4 months to convince Mrs L

[London_Phil]

For a Mk1 XC, it stands for Xtra Crispy as the heat from the engine is directed directly at your thighs.
Later ones had a curved rad, and 900 has the air vented to the sides.
Mk1 has only ABS, later ones have traction control
900 has a much improved frame/electronics etc.
I had a go on MatTigers 900 and it is very much more refined, and lighter than my mk1 800xc.

[Lee337]

Worth noting thanks  but I think budget is going to come into play here.

Maybe wait until after Xmas when pressies combined with rising cost of living might bring the price of 2nd hand bikes down a bit.

[Sin_Tiger]

I want mine back 

I never noticed the engine heat but then again ambient temps were 30-34 C everyday, except for 30 mins of monsoon rain during the season 

[Lee337]

Found a post on Triumph Rat that talks about the heat from the radiator & someone has fabricated a couple of deflectors from a plastic bucket & cable tied them to the frame. Apparently they work to deflect the heat away from your legs.

If I end up buying an XC, I'll have to try it.

[London_Phil]

It's not terrible, but if stationary in traffic, on a hot day in London, it doesn't add to the experience. Probably be happy to have it if we end up in Wales next month....
Not a deal breaker, just need to ensure the gearchange mod is done, stepper motor for tickover is clean, and the wheel adjusters aren't seized, and there not much else to worry about..

[Nick Calne]

Putting the car outside to accommodate extra motorbikes indicates that you are:

A man of good moral character
Intelligent
Attractive to the opposite sex
In need of a double garage

Owing two tigers only further proves the above.

You know what to do!

[Lee337]

Well... already have a double garage, currently with 4 bikes in there but only 2 roadworthy.

At some point I must have been attractive to the opposite sex but that was probably 14 years ago.

I mentioned to Mrs L today that I was thinking about changing the Tiger  for a Tiger & she mumbled something which I took to be positive. Mind you  we were in z coffee shop  surrounded  by other people & she'd just taken a bite out of a piece of cake.

Still, I took that as permission 

[Sin_Tiger]

a piece of cake.

Still, I took that as permission 

Cake, permission and forgiveness, this is a correlation I've never quite managed to work out. You forgot Stealth, that's been my principle and my adage "you can never have too many bike covers"

[Nick Calne]

"You can never have too many bike covers"

HA! What a great concept.

[Lee337]

Was at a cheque handing over event for Bikers 4 Macmillan on Saturday as one of their riders for the Sunset to Sunrise tour this year. This took place at Wheels motorcycles in Peterborough (not that I'm advertising their services, they're a little expensive).

Mrs L had to drive me there as I couldn't drive or ride until Monday. While there I convinced her to go & look at the shiny stuff & they had a couple of Tiger 1200s there.

So, I had to have a sit on one of them. They're a little too heavy for me, being close to 300kg, but at this point Mrs L didn't say anything. As I got off to admire it further, she said 'Isn't that a bit big?'

The door opens, the foot crosses the threshold -

'Yes', I said, 'but I'm looking more at the 800xc, which is lighter & a little smaller and a comparable weight & size to the 955i. It's just a little more up to date & since Tallulah has now done over 67k, now might be a good time to start looking'

Well, she didn't say no so that really confirms permission   

[Nick Calne]

 

[London_Phil]

Get a late model 800., or a 900. They seemed to have incrementally improved them.

[Sin_Tiger]

The door opens, the foot crosses the threshold -

 

I had a look at one recently and thought the 1200 has become an incredibly refined and packaged bike, compact compared to a Steamer 

[Lee337]

I think budget is going to be the deciding factor here, I have around £3k plus whatever I can sell Tallulah for.

So, realistically I'm probably looking around £4500 - £5000. That puts me in the 2011 - 13 range for an XC. They're out there & I've seen one for a tad under budget with full luggage and ABS with 26k miles. It's within 45 miles of me too, but the timing is not right.

I did consider the 1200 but think the weight will be an issue. the 800XC is about the same weight as the 955i, the 1200 from memory is around 40kg as well as out of my budget.