2006, Caspian Blue!

[Aussie Tiger]

She arrived in a crate via Melbourne and it was love at first sight!  I don't care what others say, I LOVE the blue colour.

[Mudhen]

NICE!!!  I hadn't seen a blue one yet - looks awesome!



Why hasn't the Triumph website been updated with it yet?  Lame...

[Aussie Tiger]

That's a good question!  There is a small snippet on the UK site but the pic is small and there's not alot of detailed info about the changes that were made.  I had to buy a motorcycle magazine in order to find this out. In fact, the Australian site makes no mention of the Blue or the Black, only displaying the 05 spec. BRG and Lucifer Orange, despite the fact that all stock of these has been sold. I agree, very LAME indeed....c'mon Triumph, you can do much better than that, surely!



In the absense of updated pics on their site, here's some more of mine.

[Green Lantern]

That is fecking beautiful!

 What are the main differences/upgrades in the 06?

I've had my 05 BRG two weeks now. Awesome.

BTW, I posted a forum question about running in the engine in the general forum and got some very helpful suggestions.

Congrats and enjoy!

[spanky]

THAT'S NOT FAIR.

The dealer told me mine won't be in untill October, but I do live a little further away. Beautiful, and mine will be the same shade. Have a great time with her and let us know how she runs....I can't wait [-o<

[Aussie Tiger]

I was actually looking for an orange 05 one but left it a little too late. So I was given first option on a 06 blue one, straight of the boat (or plane or donkey or however they get stuff down here) and still in her crate! Once I saw the colour in person, that was it, I was smitten!



I took delivery of her on the 10th of August and up until last weekend had really only done the daily commute to work, albiet in comfort and style! On Saturday I went for a blast west of Brisbane to a little town about an hours ride away called Boonah.  One of the other three mad-men I was with had recently bought a ZX-12R and I had no problems keeping up with him or the others (a 955i Daytona and a Suzuki SV1000 at 160 km/h +), especially through the twisties where i was often backing off in order not to run up their collective tails. (see pics)



After living with her for 4 weeks, these are a few observations:

1. The engine gets smoother with time as everything loosens up (don't baby her but don't redline her either!)

2. I have that annoying "clunk" from the front end that others have also noted, which appears to be comming from the front guard or body work. However, it doesn't really bother me that much as the dampening is still nice and smooth. I will get the boy's to check it out at first service (sometime in the next week) as I believe there is a fix.

3. The gear changes are nice, maybe a little better than the 05, but you do have to be sure you get it in.  It's not noisy or clunky, you just have to be positive about the change. Otherwise I really can't tell the difference between the two, certainly not as big a difference as between the 04 and 05.

[thylacine]

Aussie Tiger:



The annual Rat Raid in Port Macquarie is this Fr-Sun, 9-11 Sept



A hundred Triumphs, with accommodation for most at the town beach caravan park SUNDOWNERS. Pub across the road . Seven of us riding up from Canberra. Ride down and bring us Queensland's 'beautiful one day,perfect the next'.



Cheers...

[MarkF]

Sorry if it's been answered already.  But, what is different on the '06 from the '05?  I know some were expecting big changes that didn't come.

[whoa]

what is different on the '06 from the '05?  

Seems to me the 06 was brought out early due to running out of 05 stock.  Too late for the 1050 and certainly anything other than minor cosmetics.  But this is from an outsider looking in.



I do agree with recent Triumph literature admitting the Tiger is not an offroad beast.



That is a fantastic color combination.

[MarkF]

I do agree with recent Triumph literature admitting the Tiger is not an offroad beast.

It's a big Supermotard with a liter engine and a giant gas tank.  Only competition is a Mutlistrada and I think the Tiger is better!  Sweet!



I want a blue one, BAD!  I'm thinking of trading in my '00 BMW for one.

[Aussie Tiger]

Sorry if it's been answered already. But, what is different on the '06 from the '05? I know some were expecting big changes that didn't come.

Seems to me the 06 was brought out early due to running out of 05 stock. Too late for the 1050 and certainly anything other than minor cosmetics. But this is from an outsider looking in.

Whoa is right, the 06 models in silver, blue and black, where brought out early as Triumph world wide had run out of stock of the 05.  However, this was not too early for the 1050 engine as this was already available in the Sprint ST and the Speed Triple.  It appears that Triumph felt that the extra CC's weren't needed for the Tiger considering it's "Touring" intent.  Plus, in some markets, the registration/insurance costs increase when the capacity goes over 1000 cc's.



As it is, the 955i engine in the Tiger is a de-tuned version of the same power plant that went into the previous models of the Sprint ST and Speed Tripple. Having said that, it does score the "new look" engine parts such as the clutch cover and revised plumbing for the water etc. which makes it look just that little bit tidier.



Also, Triumph did a bit of tweeking to the gearbox so that the changes are smoother and more positive than before. This isn't that apparent from new but after about 1000 klms you notice the difference. I haven't found a false neutral yet!

[waltconrad]

I had to settle for a black Tiger,I wish mine was blue.

[Guest]

I had to settle for a black Tiger,I wish mine was blue.

And WHAT'S wrong with black?



Also, you're wrong about the '06 being released early. On my factory tour we were told that Triumph's model year actually starts in July. So, the '06 models would have been released in July '05. which is just when they were first delivered to the dealer network.

[Aussie Tiger]

Technicallly, Blacktiger is right.  Triumphs model year does start in July in as much as they start building the next years models in July, hence the reason they were able to realease the 06 model early (it was already built). However, and this might just be for those of us in the Antipodes, we normally don't see the new models in the showrooms until around October.  (The 06 models were available in August)



This is why Triumph itself issued a press release stating that the 06 Tiger had been made available early.



Hope this clears up any confussion.

[ChrisN]

Nice pics! The new blue Tiger has grown on me and it makes my beloved BRG look positively dull!