Tigers equal to GS?

[MikeBenzon]

I am wondering what you think about the abilities of a Tiger compared to the BMW GS, mostly off road capabilities.
I don't see much difference between the two, yet most in the press totally omit the Tiger when referring to the big adventure bikes. To me, they have about the same abilities off road. They have very similiar demensions, including tires.
I ride an 05 Tiger and my friend rides an 05 GS. We seem to be able to go the same places with or without the same difficulties. His might have a little more comfort on the long tours, not really sure about that. My Tiger can haul just about the same amount of weight and gets a little better gas mileage.
Every article I read about big trailies mentions the BMW GS and the newer bikes to the fold like the Ducati Multistrada or the new Guzzi, but never any mention of the Tiger. It could be that Triumph doesn't sell a true dualy any more, but there are a lot of Tigers still running around.
It's as though the Tigers dropped off the edge of the earth in 2007.
It is my belief that the Tiger is every bit as good as a BMW GS, at a considerable discount in price and that is why I bought a Tiger.

[HappyMan]

BMW pays for more press time.  I don't know that for a fact but that is the way industry works so most likely if Triumph wanted to push a DS bike (which they don't make) they could get mentioned as often.  Magazines are not a good source for unbiased opinions.  Most opinions are bought.  O.K. off my soap box.

The 06 and earlier Tigers do what the GS does and with as much comfort  or more.  Tigers suffer from a lack of off road accessories compared to the Beemer as well.

I believe the biggest problem is that they no longer make the Girly/Steamer and to top it off they were never meant to be DS bikes anyway.

[coachgeo]

...they no longer make the Girly/Steamer and to top it off they were never meant to be DS bikes anyway.

Steamer not DS?  Can see that in the Girly but not as much so with the Steamer.  Granted Steamer's weight lends it more to an Adv. Bike type DS more so than  the Enduro type DS of yesteryears.

[Colonel Nikolai]

Both bikes are too heavy for real offroad riding. Heck my cousin in California who often rides offroad in the Desolation Wilderness keeps telling me that even a KLR's weight isn't really appropriate for that kind of riding, either and that bike weighs like, what, 150 kg?

So what we're really talking about is some bad roads with some ruts and hopefully not too much mud with these bikes.

But here's the thing about BMW: I think the idea that you're going to take a $23,000 motorcycle like the R1200GS Adventure and ride it where you could drop one of those jugs onto a rock seems crazy to anyone who isn't filthy rich. The only thing against the Steamer and Girly is how difficult it is to fit crash guards onto it. And as we can tell there are ways to get around that, too.

[HappyMan]

...they no longer make the Girly/Steamer and to top it off they were never meant to be DS bikes anyway.

Steamer not DS?  Can see that in the Girly but not as much so with the Steamer.  Granted Steamer's weight lends it more to an Adv. Bike type DS more so than  the Enduro type DS of yesteryears.

Triumph didn't intend for the Steamer or the Girly to go off road.....

From the Steamer manual.....

[JetdocX]

You are comparing the Tiger to the 1200GS, right?  It does not compare to the 800GS no way no how.  But it is over $10K cheaper than an 800GS.

[2004Tiger]

...most in the press totally omit the Tiger when referring to the big adventure bikes. ...

Well, sure, the transition from Girly to Roadie pretty much knocked Triumph out of the DS sphere. But your statement would have been correct even back when the Tiger was "the next wonderful machine", and as much DS-worthy as any GS. Have you ever noticed that in ALL automotive and motorcycle magazines the amount of praise for any product is directly proportional to the purchased advertising? I take that back. Every word printed in those rags is bought and paid for, and then you buy your copy. (Oops, I said it again.)

It occurs to me that in this forum over the years, whenever someone upgraded from a GS to a Girly, the comment was always that the Girly was equal or superior. I did, and I still believe it.

[Advwannabe]

I like how the 12GS doesn't dive under brakes, I like it's lower center of gravity in tight snotty going and I LOVE the shaft drive and cross spoked tubless wheels. In all of these things it is superior to the Tiger.

The Tiger has a nicer, smoother, more powerful engine charateristic. I think it handles fast gravel a little better than the BM and for the yawing price gap I'll settle for it's other deficiencies, which can be overcome by setup and riding style.

The Beemer is not so much better that two riders of equal ability won't be able to stay close in the dirt. Much of the Beemer's legendary capability it just that: legend.

in a deep sandy creek bed it is just as much of an unmanagable pig as Tigger.

[flux]

Both bikes are too heavy for real offroad riding.

Come on, Colonel!  You don't believe that, do you?   :D

[Colonel Nikolai]

Come on, Colonel! You don't believe that, do you?

Well... Maybe this is more about me and how I suck offroad: I once took my Sprint on a dirt road with some ruts. It got high-centered in about 100 feet and I barely got it back to the road. The Tiger will do much better in the same circumstances ... much better. But I'm not holding my breath beyond that.

Furthermore, when I think of "real offroad", I think of bikes that can fly and come down without coming apart. I can't imagine doing that with a tiger.

[Sasquatch]

Both bikes are too heavy for real offroad riding.

Come on, Colonel!  You don't believe that, do you?   :D

I believe it.  But most of you are confusing "off pavement" vs. "off road".  You will simply not get Tigers or GS's off road very far without costing lots of $$ in repairs.  I know, I have tried.

Off pavement they are both similar, but I give the nod to the Tiger.  I test rode both extensively and bought the Tiger.  Money was not an object (at the time   ).



An earlier poster liked the GS shaft drive better than chain.  While I like the concept of shaft, I do not like the extra weight, complexity, and unreliability of them.  GSes have a well documented history of leaving you up the proverbial "Crap Creek" in the middle of nowhere when it decides to puke the final drive.  I can visually check my chain and tell when it is getting close and any MC shop can order me in sprockets and a chain overnight if they dont already have the parts in stock.  From one who likes to travel way off the beaten path, this is of major importance to me.

[tett]

Off pavement I would also give the nod to the Tiger.  Not that I have any experience with a 1200GS but I think the specs and postings speak for themselves.

Now for Off Road I would love to pick up an 800GS.  Just not enough cash laying around to do so.  

tett

[Colonel Nikolai]

I've test driven the F800GS too and loved it. I was trying to figure out how I could buy one when a Steamer came into my purview. The 800GS is a better bike for the tough stuff offroad, but I just couldn't get my head around the 12k I would need to buy one.

[abruzzi]

I've test driven the F800GS too and loved it. I was trying to figure out how I could buy one when a Steamer came into my purview. The 800GS is a better bike for the tough stuff offroad, but I just couldn't get my head around the 12k I would need to buy one.

Frankly the F800GS weight is in the ball park of the KTM 950/990ADV (and price).  The 800 has less power and a crappy front suspension.  If you really want to go off road but still be able to carry loads and travel distances, I'd be looking at the big thumpers:  640ADV, 690E, DR650, XR650, TE610/630, XChallenge.  That 300-350lb range is kind of the sweet spot--light enough to handle off-road, but heavy enough to ride a distance.

I've taken the Tiger off pavement and off road, and it did it, but with the 640ADV, I decided to repurpose my Tiger as a street tourer, with enough dirt road capability to go that last mile if need be.

Geof

[Sasquatch]

I've taken the Tiger off pavement and off road, and it did it, but with the 640ADV, I decided to repurpose my Tiger as a street tourer, with enough dirt road capability to go that last mile if need be.

Geof

Exactly.  I now have a Tiger for street/mild off pavement and a KTM LC4 enduro 640 for anything more technical.