Weighing my options

[D-Fuzz]

This is my first posting here, but I have been lurking and reading for sometime now.  Great site and lots of good info.

I am looking to buy a motorcycle and it seems that my heart strings keep getting tugged toward the Tiger, especially the Steamers.  Maybe it is my fetish for British cars that draws me toward the Tiger.  I have been searching for a number of months, and it seemed that if I wanted a Steamer, I would need to bring one up from the US, as there are not many Tigers available in Canada.  However, maybe my patience has paid off.

Anyway, here is my dilemma.  My friend worked as a motorcycle mechanic for a number of years and his recommendation is that I should spend my money on something newer, such as a 2-3 year old V-Strom.  For roughly the price of the 1997 Tiger (with 25,000km) that I am looking at, I can buy a 2005 Wee-Strom (with 12,000km).  My friend says with the Wee, I will be able to jump on and ride, whereas he thinks the Tiger is going to need some work regardless due to it being a 12 year old bike.  I have seen the Tiger and it is mint, never been off-road, but he thinks things like fork seals and the rear shock are going to need some maintenance regardless.  My problem is, the Wee just doesn't do anything for me.  I am sure it is a fine machine and I would likely enjoy getting on and riding it, but I know the Tiger would be something I would lust over riding.

So, my question is, if my goal is to ride versus wrench, is the Tiger a good fit?  I don't mind doing routine maintenance, as that is part of owning a motorcycle and learning about it.  I just don't want to own something where I go for a ride and then fret over the 10 things I need t fix before I can go riding again.

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

[Mustang]

you realize of course that you are asking a bunch of loyal to the steamer idiots if their bike is any good  

they needed new rear shocks as soon as they left the factory :shock:
everyone has a vee or wee how many steamers you seen lately ?

some times you have to listen to your heart...............................  

[D-Fuzz]

I kind of have to agree with you about following your heart.  With my friend, I am getting advice from a guy who rides a 1150GS, so I thought I should get some info from the Horse's Mouth, so-to-speak.  One thing he brings up is FI vs carbs, and how carbs need to be rebuilt and such.  How many miles/kms will a Tiger go before that becomes an issue?  Also, I have read about carbs being affected more by changing altitudes and such.  Is that only in very extreme circumstances?

[JetdocX]

Altitude is not much of a problem with these carbs.  

Just about anything else is, though.  Get used to pulling them and f$cking with them.  

I'd LOVE to have an FI bike, but not a BMW with the silly canbus. :roll:

[aeronca]

theres no doubt that a steamer will need work, but, once you ride it, you'll never want to get on a vee or wee again. mine was giving me fits a while back(turned out to be a coil issue - easy fix, nology coil swap out), and i did rebuild the carbs, but was so frustrated that i was activly looking for a replacement bike. i test rode a wee and a versey. the wee was like riding there big scooter the burgman except it had a gas tank in the  middle  -  boring.  the versey's was kind of cool actually, but after the test ride when i got back on my tiger, it was clear, they just sucked. they had ZERO sole.  yeah, tiger's need work, but so dont suzukis and kawi's. go and ride the tiger - then ask your self the same question.  also like mustang said - they are pretty rare, and that makes them even cooler.   good luck brother :D

[John Stenhouse]

Go ride it, once your hooked we wont need to explain any more!  :lol:

[oxnsox]

Ride-em and decide...  all bikes need a little bit of loving and thats the payback for the reason you ride.

Like a lot of folk in this forum I ended up on a Tiger because it wasn't like everything else...  took a Steamer for a ride (when my Duke was in the shop) and after a summer break eventually decided I either had to give up wanting one or buy one.  Buying one was good as it meant I had to ride it the 300miles home...

 :D

[D-Fuzz]

To me, the V-Strom is like vanilla ice cream.  Tastes OK, can be used for a lot of things but it isn't really something you go looking for when you want inspiration (maybe that's why I like Tiger-Tiger ice cream).

So, what is a "fair" price for an above average Steamer?  I don't mind paying a premium price for a nice bike, I just don't want to overpay either.  Of course, when I sell things, I know I often think they are worth more than they might actually be.

[abruzzi]

in the US a good to excellent steamer usually goes for $3-4k.  Cheap ones can be had for $2k but almost certainly need work.

Geof

[Sin_Tiger]

(maybe that's why I like Tiger-Tiger ice cream).

They really make Tiger ice cream, I thought I was doing well with Tiger beer  

Go with your heart for a change, then try to blame it on your invisible "friends" on the forums. I did and they all ran away  

[D-Fuzz]

I spoke with the owner at length last night.  The more we talked about the bike, the more hesitant he was about his desire to sell it.  I think the more he reminisced about the bike, he started to think about what it was like to ride it.  He did mention that he had been out of work for a bit and maybe cash was an issue.  I think if I showed up with cash in hand, he might have a change of heart.

However, it seems Tigers have started to sprout like tulips.  I also found a nice '02 with low kms, fully farkled and owned by a Triumph mechanic.  A bit higher in price, but it has everything I would ever want to add to a bike.  That Strom seems to be fading into a distant memory.

[97tiger885]

Let me add one thing about the matter of soul.  I had a K75 as a daily rider for 14 years.  Most folks claimed that mc had the soul of a Singer sewing machine. And I would agree there was nothing special about the K75 if you rode it as an occasion bike.  It didn't do anything exceptionally well; it did do everything well enough.  But, if you rode it everyday,  at 12 and 115 degrees F, at 120 feet below and 12,000 feet above sea level, in Manhattan and on the NJ turnpike and around the Boston rotaries and on the dirt roads of Terra Lingua, then you began to appreciate the soul of the machine.  It was tough and dependable and did whatever you wanted it to do.  That mc saw more off-pavement than most US GSs; it just had to go a bit slower.  It wasn't sexy and temperamental.  It didn't make you feel special in the moment.  I suspect the V-Strom is exactly the same.  Talk to someone who is riding 300+ days a year and putting on 25 K a year. Then you will begin to understand its appeal.   Having said that, I chose to buy a Steamer over a V-Strom or a GS when I had to replace the K75.  I chose to do that because I wanted the intangibles: the rarity, the triple, the Triumph name, the super-enduro look.   And I hoped -hoped-I wouldn't be giving up too much in reliability and durability in doing so because I am fairly confident that I did give up a bit there.  So, if you are using the Tiger as an occasion mc, it is a great machine.  If you want the daily rider for high mileage, it is still good but not as good as V-strom or the GS.

[D-Fuzz]

I live in a frozen wasteland where our riding season, realistically is from mid-April to mid-October.  Barring a long trip of somekind, I am thinking I would put roughly 5000km on in a season.  I am planning a trip to Alaska for next summer, so I want something comfortable, reliable and fun.  If I decide at sometime I want to do some heavy backwood bike riding, I will look for a DR350 or some small displacement DS to use as a second bike.  As far as reliability, I suspect a V-Strom might have a slight advantange there, but in extreme conditions, anything can break.  I have owned several British cars over the year, some more reliable than others, but it always seems I have spent more time preparing for the next day of driving than I actaully did ever driving them.  Hence, the reason I want a motorcycle.  I want to be able to get on, go for a ride, not worry too much about the things that need to be fixed and just enjoy them free time I have.  At the same time, I want to feel the adrenaline pumping from the excitement of sitting on the bike as well.

[JetdocX]

I want to be able to get on, go for a ride, not worry too much about the things that need to be fixed and just enjoy them free time I have.

Based on the above statement a Steamer is definitely not for you.  Buy a Japanese bike.

[skoron]

D-Fuzz

I went from a '97 Tiger to a newer Girly.  I like the FI and power but I do miss my Steamer.  There was just something about that bike.  The good and bad points included.

There are smarter people then me that can verify, but check these items:

1) Has the alternator shaft been replaced with the new update.  This is the Dreaded Alternator Rattle.
2) Has the bike had upgraded coils (Nology)
3) Has the air filter been changed (tedious task requiring tank and carb removal)
4) Any stripped bolts in the tank.

I think Calgary is your closest dealer as I think the Triumph dealer in Regina closed years ago.

Another point is limited accesories.  You can get a Center Stand from SW-Motech, luggage will be aftermarket, larger screens limited and put on after market heated grips (hot grips etc for snowmobiles).

Good luck with your decision.

Skoron