Tiger vs Africa Twin

[macgart]

I did some searching but didn't find anything so I thought I'd throw out a question. How do the two compare?

From a visual perspective they seem pretty similar. I'm curious how the two would compare over all. Not trying to start a war here, I'm just curious. I am quite sure that there are better bikes out there (990A and GSA, 800GS etal) but with respect I would like to keep it to these bikes.

I own a 99 Tiger and have the 885/955 Tigers in mind in relation to the comparison. I'm quite sure they are both good bikes in their own regard. I just want a fair comparison out of curiosity. I really like both bikes.

I know this site is biased, that's why I am a member ;-))

 :twisted:

PS: I posted a similar question on ADV

[LTB]

OK, I have no experience of the Africa Twin but my former bike was a -97 Transalp and in most aspects it's the same bike just a bit smaller and slower.
This summer I got a Tiger 955i -01.

My first impression of the Tiger was WOW!! Smooth engine.
ACCELERATION.

So item by item about the bikes:
Quality and feel:
The Honda is just a little bit better in precision in the fairing and so on. Paint is on the other hand SO good on the T.

Gearbox:
TA has a sluggish tractor, never break feeling about it. I never had problems with finding neutral or accidentally finding false neutrals between gears. I can't say that about the Tiger's gearbox. I trust it, but it's not the same feeling. The 6 gears feel too close with too high revs in 6th for this kind of bike.

Engine:
The V-twin on the TA has a lot of low end torque and a bit of grunt higher up but there isn't enough in the higher revs.
The Transalp has 54hp and my Tiger with Off-Road tune has something like 110hp.
The Tiger feels so smooth and there is so much power all the time. Sometimes I just scream out of joy in the helmet  :D

Brakes:
On my -97 TA I had the same brakes as a AT with dual discs in front and a single in the back. They where up to the job but sometimes I wanted just a bit more from the front brakes. The Tigers brakes have saved me sometimes when I've driven too fast and they feel just a bit better.

Seat and butt pain:
50km between stops on the TA, double that and more on the Tiger.

Twisties:
Tiger has much more control through bends. It wants to go fast through the corners. On the TA I would feel afraid in the speed I can drive with the Tiger.

Highway:
I had a MRA vario screen on the TA so wind was OK but there just isn't enough power. 145km/h top speed and the bike felt scary even if I had new Pirelli Scorpion Trial tires. On the Tiger I can do 140km/h avarage comfortably. I think the AT will do max 165km/h and the Tiger 200+.

Gravel roads:
The TA felt much lighter and is not that top heavy as the Tiger. Maybe the AT is more close to the Tiger. I felt I could play more before feeling out of control with the TA, but of course it's also due to the lower hp.

All in all, the Tiger is so much more modern in every aspect.
I was planning to get an AT as a replacement for the TA because I was quite
happy with it and the AT would be the natural next step.
Now, 4500km later I'm so happy I didn't.

I also tried the 1200GS and didn't like the boxer, 800GS is wonderful but it's more like a fast XT660 than the kind of allrounder I wanted.
One other problem with the 1200GS was the price of used bikes. I paid 45000SEK for my Tiger.A -04 GS with the same milage was like 90000SEK and an AT -01 or -02 was like 55000SEK at the same time.
Better bike for less money!!

My next bike will probably be a KTM SMT if I change two years from now, or the new Tiger if I change next year.

[macgart]

Thomas,

Thank you for a very thorough and well stated comparison.  I realized that I should have included the TA in my original question.  Your observations about the Tiger are much the same as my own.  The more I ride my Tiger the more I like it.

My question came to mind while reading some ride reports from people who ride ATs.  I though the bike was pretty sweet looking.  I then thought, what's the big difference between that and my Tiger?  I am not trying to bash the Honda in any way, in fact I'd love to own one myself.  I'm mostly just making on-line conversation.

I too wanted (actually still want) a GS 1100/1150.  I'm not a big fan of the 1200 because I think that BMW has lowered quality and reliability in the quest to shave weight.  I have never ridden a GS so my impression is second hand at best.  Like many others, for me the cost of the Beemer is just too steep.

[Chris Canning]

Well then!! i had two Africa Twins before my first Tiger(885i/900i),two totally different animals.

The first Twin was an early 90's version,softer motor less vibes not as quick,had it stolen and bought a brand new one in 97,more vibey/more power,would still cruise at 100mph,if you needed any more then you had to send a post card and you got it at about the same speed!!!.

It's a proper offroader and has a 21" front wheel to prove it,quality wise light years better than any Tiger i have owned and thats 3,if i was going on a round the world trip,i'd take the Africa over the Tiger every time,but i haven't, i ride on the road,to be honest i was never a lover of the 885i faster than my africa and went round corners better due to the smaller front wheel,my first 885i last 6 weeks and the day the warranty ran out on Triumph replacement i sold it and bought a 955,i still have 8 years on.

After my experience i'd take an Africa over an 885i any day of the week,i never trusted the motor,but not a 955i different ball game,but i'm  talking road riding,if i was going offroad,i'd take the Africa everytime.


PS
Trans Alp,ain't nothing like an Africa i can tell you,Africa is a far more spirited animal.

[macgart]

Thanks for the reply.  I wish the AT was easier to come by here in the US.

So far I have no reason to doubt my 885.  I've only put about 10k miles on it since getting it last spring, but have had not problems to speak of.  I hope this continues, I value reliability over most other aspects of a bike.

[John Stenhouse]

Ah, the 21" front wheel explains  why the AT felt like the front end was made of wet spaghetti

[Chris Canning]

Ah, the 21" front wheel explains  why the AT felt like the front end was made of wet spaghetti

Yep,and having run a 17" front wheel on my tiger for some years,have the same spaghetti view on the 19" :(  

PS

Don't think the AT was ever imported into the US,considering how good it was and still is, a very strange decision.

[Nick Calne]

Chris, so your tiger is sort of 'supermoto'ed'?

Worth while mod in your view?  Was it difficult?

[John Stenhouse]

I think I've seen a pic of yours Chris. How long have you had it? I wonder if that was you?

More than a few years ago now I met and talked with a guy with a steamer with Dymags and 17" wheels, well before I bought my Tiger. We were on the boat to Le Harve, he blew me away on the hill out of Honfleur  8)

[Chris Canning]

Hi Gents

I had two 885i's and then my 955,i always felt there was so much more bike to be used but the wheels and tyres won't allow it,after 12 months with 955 so i guess around 2002,had a Dutch friend mail me with photo of a 955 with a 51/2" back wheel and 17" front,getting the wheels done was easy,i had them relaced at Central Wheel,the speedo was the hassle,it took months to sort untill i stumbled across this

http://www.yellr.com/yb_home.htm (http://www.yellr.com/yb_home.htm)

It's been on the bike nearly 8 years still works fine,eventually changed from wire wheels to dymags,it's another world unless your an offroader.

[Chris Canning]

I think I've seen a pic of yours Chris. How long have you had it? I wonder if that was you?

More than a few years ago now I met and talked with a guy with a steamer with Dymags and 17" wheels, well before I bought my Tiger. We were on the boat to Le Harve, he blew me away on the hill out of Honfleur  8)

Blimey i know that hill at Honfleur well,been out of Le-Havre and up that probably twice a year since 1974!!,untill P+0 stopped that route and now go Portsmouth/St Malo,boat goes early and arrives later,so no early morning tip off,and will be there in April as we go to Le-Mans 24 hour for the bike race every year.

[John Stenhouse]

So you never had a steamer Chris? Wasn't you then. Yeah great hill on the road down to Liseux, that's a great road on a bike.

The Le Harve route has now gone to LD lines, and they're putting a Cat on next year so 3 hrs 45 mins crossing, and best of all they're cheap.

Link here if your interested:
http://www.ldlines.com/ (http://www.ldlines.com/)

[Chris Canning]

Hi John

Never had a steamer,the reason we went Portsmouth/St Malo,when LD started all they did was the night run either way,and nothing else,no good for coming home from Le-Mans as it was either sunday night or monday/tues morning,the fast ferry looks interesting,but we also go to the NW200 most years and that is easly affected by the weather.

[John Stenhouse]

I see your point Chris, I just use that as the best excuse to stay another day  :lol: