Which one is best?

[tenpaq]

From what I have read, and it has been quite alot. The "Tiger" spanks the "BMW" EVERYWHERE! Except the status symbol area and front end dive. Pop in a set of "White Power" fork springs and you`ll be fine. The "Tiger" is the do it all machine.  "Gs`s" do look alot (way) more industrial, which is really cool. Check the blinker set-up on a "Gs"if ya ever get a chance.???   Just do your research, cause it`s all over the Web, in spades.

[Robbie]

Hi Scouser



With a nick name like that are you from Lpool?



I wont go into the Triumph -BMW bashing as that is not what you asked.



Basicaly there of 3 types of Tiger:

The old Steamers are cheep but getting on now and unless it was a late model in tip top condition i would pass, but it is the engine you have now so all your experiance with the SP3 will still hold out. also some people like the look better than the Girly EFI.

The 885 EFI is a good bike and basicly the same as the later 955 but like all machines they have little niggles at the start of production that get improved as time gos by so the later the better.



there are good deals on some late Tigers with less than 5000 miles at the moment but the Tiger is a very differant beast than the SP3, i would get a long test ride on one and see if you like it. if you are in Lpool then i would recomend that you take a trip to Woods in North Wales he is a good dealer and he will let you take one for a ride in a place where you can experiance the full assets of the bike.



i came from a Daytona 1200 to a Sprint ST and now the Tiger ( age thing?) and i am not disapointed with the Tiger in fact i should have got one sooner. but try before you buy and get the best you can afford.

[BykBoy]

tenpaq said:

From what I have read, and it has been quite alot. The "Tiger" spanks the "BMW" EVERYWHERE! Except the status symbol area and front end dive.

And dealer support. BMW has a much wider network world wide. I love my Tiger, but it's not easy to find Triumph dealers or authorized mechanics. Less options drive up cost and hinder flexibility. I'm not saying don't get the big cat, just be aware of this issue. Unless you plan on doing all the work yourself, you will have to deal with this situation down the line.



But hay, triples rule!

[Scouser]

Thanks everyone for the opinions and help.  I already own a R1100GS and have since 95, so I'm ready for a change and had such good luck with the Speed Triple so far, that I thougt a Tiger would be perfect (just can't beat that triple howl).  I still may keep the BMW and get a Tiger also, but just wanted input about the Tiger.  so now I will probably look for a late 955.   I know service may be a problem I currently live in Sacramento, but will move to Tucson soon and as far as I know there is no Triumph dealer there, I think the nearest is Phoenix about 100 miles away, so that is a consideration.  Robbie, yes I'm from Liverpool, but now live in the states, miss some things from the uk, (Saturdays on the Kop especially), but love the lifestyle out here!  Thanks all



Gerry

[Chris Canning]

Well I have to say as someone with a Tiger and a Bm,i see both sides of the coin,yes the Bm is very practical,no radiator,and no chain,and the finish is light years better,the plateing on some of the Tigers nuts and bolts!!!!,i'd be unhappy if i found them in a christmas cracker!!!,and they loose at lot of money compared to the BM's



The otherside to that,the motors are just plain boreing,their a bit like watching paint dry,unless you run them in in a certain way they burn oil till they get close to 20,000 miles,it isn't a problem if your a low milege user but if your on a trip doing 500 miles + per day you'll be topping it up every day,the shaft drive isn't maintenance free,by the time you got 25,000 on one the taper bearing start to wear,they need both ajusting and greasing,and for me the worst thing is how badly effected the engines are by the weather,the topic of conversation i have with nearly every GS owner i've meet is wind turbulance,and i guess they why i rarely ever see one travelling at what i class as a decent speed.

[Lucifertiger]

The other week I was riding with two guys on 1150 gs's and a guy on an adventure. The guy on the adventure was the former local BMW club president he got jack of riding with them because they were way tooooo slow. Anyway we were riding in the country side through the mountains etc, Anyway Rocket Ron (a very noice guy for a oneeyed beemer man) was in the lead I was sitting behind him, he rode pretty well, nice pace, I thought I had better show him what a Tiger was made of, as he knew nothing about Tigers at all.  I waited till we hit a safe spot to fang, and I took off and left them all behind, he was totally gobsmacked as he thought his Adventure was the ducks guts and never thought any other brand of cycle could give it a run. Now I have upgraded my front springs and oil, and have no trouble matching or exeeding corner speed or change of direction of a GS. It is all relevant to the rider too as I could have left him for dead on a number of other bikes aswell.

The bottom line is if you can get rid of the front end dive a little, the Tiger will hold its own against a GS or anyother duel purpose machine. I still recon the orange is fastest!

[tenpaq]

tenpaq said:

From what I have read, and it has been quite alot. The "Tiger" spanks the "BMW" EVERYWHERE! Except the status symbol area and front end dive.

And dealer support. BMW has a much wider network world wide. I love my Tiger, but it's not easy to find Triumph dealers or authorized mechanics. Less options drive up cost and hinder flexibility. I'm not saying don't get the big cat, just be aware of this issue. Unless you plan on doing all the work yourself, you will have to deal with this situation down the line.



But hay, triples rule!

yeah, i didn`t think about dealers. mine is only half mile down the steet, so i guess i am lucky! as far as doin the work yourself, you pretty much can`t. well ya can, but  if it`s new like mine is, "the dealer' will say "Oh no, you have to bring it in" for the service intervals or you may "VOID" your warranty. it`s only every 6k miles but they don`t do shit for the money! clutch adj. and oil i can do, but at the cost of voiding the warranty i don`t



I just always say" Don`t Scratch my Baby man"....

[tenpaq]

I waited till we hit a safe spot to fang,  .......I still recon the orange is fastest!

 i like that,"spot to Fang", gunna steal that 1.

Oh and,mine is the fastest(silver) why because i`ve been doin a lil research and experimenting as of late and this is what i did.



"My Tiger is a 2004" and these are my mods.



these are free mods, and if your shit blows up don`t call me!!!!!!also warrantywill prbably be voided.



first, take off your tank and open up the air box and take out the "Divider" with the two "silenceing holes", the screw lugs that hold the airbox together might spin so grap the ends with dikes to stop em. leave the "Snorkel" (front left side) in the box, take that out you may need a fuel curve "Remap".



2nd, this sounds "Barbaric" but you'll love it!! look down you exhaust pipe (silencer) and you will see a "Wall" about 15 inches, down inside the pipe.

now, put the crowbar in the pipe and hit with hammer. "I know this sounds crazy" so if your scared or allready have off road silencer don`t do this.

Punch a hole through the wall about  1 1/4 inches wide by about a 1/2 inches tall, that equals 30mm wide by 13 mm tall. twist the crowbar to adjust size.



"Thunderbike" says on their site as does "Staintune" you don`t have to "remap" for thier pipes, so this is why i tried this (my pipe mod)in the first place.



i will say that the sound of the bike is" perfect" to me. It does not sound "Raspy" in any way, repeat, it does not sound "raspy" at all, so don`t go crazy with a 'Big Hole" !! The "mod" just  Brings out that 'Triple howl" perfectly.



faster, it has to be . how much who knows(just slightly).but by the "seat of the pants" it feels faster.

but my bike sounds "Fukin great " is all i can say!! for the money, you can`t beat these mods period! "Idid IT for THE SOUND"  and it worked out "PURRfectly!"



i also went up one on the counter shaft sproket (florida`s flat) and i cruise at 80 mph at 5000rpm in 6th.and the bike still does roll on wheelies in first.



so in the end "my 2004 silver is the fastest!"