No Tiger Yet...

[Dalb]

How reliable have your Tigers been ?

I'm new to riding again (Bought an 08 KLR 650 in July) after a 15 year bikeless state. I put 6000 miles on the KLR before winter weather brought my riding season to an end.

One of my favorite things to do, on my infrequent free afternoons, has been to ride to an area motorcycle shop I haven't been to before, or at least recently.

On one of those rides I found myself outside Triumph of Windber PA.
I got there after closing, but looking through the window I saw a White Tiger. I was quite taken with the bikes handsome looks, and the fact that it appeared well proporsioned for a tall fella like myself.

At 6'-4" alot of the bikes I look at are too cramped.

About a month later I made a point to get back to Triumph of Windber, in order to see if the fit was as good as I had hoped. And low an behold it was. The owner (one of two brothers that own the place) offered me the chance to take a test ride. I hesitated for about half a second, and said "Yup,  :D  sure would".

He then had his blue Tiger ABS demo brought around.
To say that I was quite taken with the riding experience is an understatement.  
I bored my non-motorcycling friends for days with my thoughts of the Tiger's general wonderfullness.

When I bought my KLR, I figured it was a good way to get back on a bike, and its price was low enough I wouldn't have to feel guilty about what I'd spent. (Parental Guilt) It has not disapointed, but since the Tiger test ride, its tops on my lists of desirable motorcycles.

Also admire the KTM Adventure, but that cost too much, and I understand that they are like a thouroughbred, (very high performance, but maintenance intensive). And I have yet to see one in person.

I've noticed the Yamaha FZ-1, and think that might be an appropriate choice as well. But it doesn't have the appeal the Tiger does.

Not sure just where the "Out The Door Price" is on each yet.

As much as I'm a fan of things Brittish, the Brits aren't known for the reliabilty of the Japanese. Does this still hold true ? or is that an outdated notion ?

I understand that this might not be the least biased place to ask, but it might be the place to hear what I want to hear.  

I really wasn't planning on buying another bike for several years, but since riding the Tiger, and my brothers recently aquired Speed Triple, I'm really taken with a more sophisticated bike.

The planned use would be mostly commuting 25 miles to work, and weekend pleasure rides. I'd rather be riding than wrenching.

I live in a mostly rural area with a lot of substandard but entertaining roads. The idea of longer rides on a bike more capable of covering distance without losing the ability to deal with less than good local roads is what I'm after. the KLR kicks butt on these local deer path roads, but gets kinda winded on the highway. It can do it. Just would like something that does it better.

[2004Tiger]

Miles of smiles, minimal wrenching. Up to 2006 the Tiger wasn't much of a dirt bike, and 2007 even less so. Always too heavy. Buy it for the road, you won't look back.

[noivson]

Must be in the water or sumpin'   :)

Just don't understand the relation here.....Of course it's an older pic, the Yamaha has moved on to others.... :D
surely a 'Roadie" rider will chime in and offer suggestions!

[TigerTrax]

Hey Dalb...
The 3 cylinder motor in a Triumph Tiger is NOT to be underestimated.
Strong - Fast- Smooth - Reliable.

The Tiger is terrific bike...
go buy one and see us in Blackwater Falls, WV   June 19-22 2008.
You;ll see a Herd of Tigers!!

Trax

[Stretch]

Nothin' like a Triple.

[WIDGIN]

I agree that the build quality and subsequent reliability of most British manufacturers is piss-poor.  A few years ago, a German employer of mine imported sophisticated machinery from Germany and England.  Despite "every unit is throughly tested before shipment", the Germany products failed startup checks about 15% and the English products about 40%.  Missing parts confirmed that the units had never been tested.  

I also spent many years working for a mid-sized Japanese company importing products and loved their quality control and dedication to customer satisfaction.      

However, Triumph appears to be a very unusual British manufacturer.  Their workforce is young, their machinery state-of-the-art, and their quality control seems very good.  I don't think that they have the same dedication to customer satisfaction but this would only be an issue if you got the rare lemon.  

Quite surprisingly to me, I have to rank Triumph right alongside the Japanese (who have actually slipped a bit in recent years as younger workers without the same strong work ethic join the factories.)

I think any Tiger (Steamer, Girly, or Roadie) would be a vast jump from your KLR and doubt that you'd regret it.      

     

[paulie]

To say that I was quite taken with the riding experience is an understatement.  
I bored my non-motorcycling friends for days with my thoughts of the Tiger's general wonderfullness.

i cant really speak on reliability quite yet, since i've only had my 2005 bike for about 3 months / ~600 miles.

but i CAN say that i test rode a bunch of bikes before looking at the tiger. v-stroms, FZ-1, concours, ulysses... i rode all these first. then i hopped on a tiger, and went through the EXACT same experience.. couldnt stop talking about it. i still can't, in fact. even after buying it!

it sounds like you rode an '07?? if so, my advice would be to try and find an '05 or an '06 for sale. i bought my '05 for about half the cost of a new '07.

sure, like pretty much all bikes, they have their little niggling issues (windscreen is a huge one), but from what i've read about the other bikes i was looking at, much less needed to be done to the tiger to make their owners happy straight away..

my $.02 :)

[Dalb]

As much as I do admire the pre 2007 Tigers, I've kinda got my heart set on the 07.

They are just that good looking.

I haven't riden a pre 07 Tiger either. And prior to the ride I was just an admirer, of the bikes looks. The test ride is what started me thinking of trying to get one.

Like I said, I'd only started riding again this year, and wasn't planning on another bike purchase anytime soon. The KLR was out the door for well under 6 grand, and now I'm thinking of trading in on a 10 grand bike.  :oops:

I like the idea of ABS too.

The KLR is a neat bike, but its floppy, and slow. The Tiger is like a precision instument for the road. A little more softly sprung, and comfortable than my brothers Speed Triple.

If I hadn't riden the Triumph, I'd probably been happy for a few more years on the KLR.  I might be bullshitting myself on that one. After feeling the thrust of 1000 CCs, really revealed the "little engine that could" aspect of the KLRs single 650 cylinder. It'll do it, but its humping its little guts out to do it.

I like the Buell Uly too, sat on one and the salesman said he could make me a good deal on the Black one on the showroom floor. But I didn't get to test ride that.  I've heard Harley dealers aren't so great at customer service on the Buells either.

The guy at the Triumph dealer really impressed me with his willingness to let me ride the demo, and talk about the bike. Told me that they have a Triumph "Rat Pack" Club that has group rides which sounded like fun.

I hope they don't do the huge rolling road block like the Harley guys do.  :roll:

[Dalb]

My friends say "if you like it that much, just go buy one".

But I am a family man, and with that comes some degree of financial conservatism.

I turned away form my KTM Adventure lust after reading that they tend to break down unexpectedly. A KTM owner at ADVrider told me if you get the KTM keep the KLR to ride when the big twin isn't running.  :?

Don't think thats going to happen.

[ridin gaijin]

Well, Stretch, thank you for that. Now I feel...just weird. Really weird.

{on topic} My Tiger has had problems. It's had the fuel gauge problem and the warped front rotor problem. But the bike really is the one for me. I wouldn't expect a Honda to give any issues at all; I'd expect many more problems with something like a Ulysses.  I don't think any mainstream motorcycle company, not even HD, can get away with building utter crap today. The stakes are too high.

The thing is, if you're as much in love with the thing as your post suggests, you basically have to get one--or else spend forever wondering what would've happened if you had.

Also keep in mind a Tiger bought new from a dealer, regardless of model year, will have a two year, unlimited mileage warranty. I'm not sure if the Japanese are doing that these days?

[Patrick the Scot]

13000 miles - not one problem.

[noivson]

Had a FZ1
 Had a KLR
 Ride a Tiger

 Passion, it needs to be real....

[TigerTrax]

If you ARE what you say you ARE....
Take this to the BANK...

Two of the best buys on the USED market are
1. Kawasaki Concourse
2. Triumph Tiger

Why:
1. They are BOTH great bikes.
2. They are RELIABLE.
3. They are CHEEEEEEEEP.
    ( A friend bought a USED '06 Tiger this summer; 900 miles; $6800
      WITH accessories )

KTM... if you want a wedge up your butt... have at it.
KLR .... Great bike.... no comfort for long distance ROAD travel, certainly not 2-up!

The '02-'06 Tiger is more bike for the money; Controlled off-road/trail;
Superb highway touring ( 80mph+ all day ); Genuine Urban Street Fighter.
My money says you cannot go 1150 miles in 17 hours on a KTM, KLR, or some other bastardized 'trail bike' !

C'ya in West Virginny at the Tiger Rally ... and you can pay homage to many Tigers.

[Dalb]

If you ARE what you say you ARE....
Take this to the BANK...

All I am, is trying to be a responsible person, hessitant to go further into debt, for another new bike before my relatively new bike is an old bike.

The is no doubt that the Tiger is a more appealing machine, its just that next time I take a plunge, I want it to be a keeper. Since everytime you buy something like a bike or car or boat, your're taking a hit.

I've owned my truck for 8 years, my hobby car for 10 years.
My wife and I have lived in our current house for 10 years and plan to grow old here.

I lean toward keepers.

I've got a brother who trades cars and bikes almost yearly, and another like me who is very careful what he spends his money on, and keeps his stuff nice and for a long time.

Guess which who has a healthier bank account.

I'm no troll. But I may be a little uptight. Riding season ended round these parts weeks ago, and I do miss it.

I don't want to get off on the wrong foot.
I just didn't know what you meant by that.

Used bikes are probably the way to go, since the first owner takes the big depriciation hit, but I like the new Tiger best, and the few used 07s I've seen are priced pretty close to what a new one is.

So I'm inclined toward a new one, and if I keep it 10 years, the depriciation really doesn't matter all that much. I just don't want to buy a bike and think "Oh I should've bought that other one".

Even my wife thinks I worry too much.  :oops:

[ridin gaijin]

Well, you should decide if you want a used 07 (might be scarce though) or an earlier model (big differences). The 06s and prior will be even less injurious to your financial health.


EDIT - nevermind, saw you prefer the redesign. Can you find them used? I know there are new ones on teh ebayz...