Thinking of a Girly

[Lostviking]

Last year got sort of complicated. So I sold off my bikes, A Steamer went, A Quota went. A Strom went, and an 800ST went. Throughout the fall and winter I had myself convinced I was done with bikes for a while. I'm looking to move west and thought less to move is better.

Fast forward to today. I'm starting to pace like a caged Tiger(Pun Intended).
My wife says I can't help myself and is walking around singing "Fever".

I keep thinking about a used 1150GS, I like them and they would fill my "I'm only going to have one bike for a while criteria". That being said. They have their issues too. The Steamer never really got ridden because I was in sell mode at that point.

But I keep coming back to the Girlies, Late model ones or any for that matter seem to present quite a value. The Wee was a great bike but it had little appeal in the sexy realm.

The support offered here more than offsets the issues that may arise in the Tigers. And while not actually a wrench I'm fairly handy.

I would like a bike that's not afraid to get dirty, but don't need a moto-crosser. The Tiger seems to fit the bill.

I wouldn't mind hearing from anyone who has experience with both the older GS and the Girly if you're out there. One thing I like about this place is you guys love your bikes but aren't afraid to admit they have some quirks. I value that.

Sorry, to ramble, but I had to hear it myself to see how it sounded.

P.S. I love the lucifer orange and the '05s in BRG are about my favorite.

[ArcticTiger]

:shock: Some quirks?? :shock:  Oh no! :D

[Yukon]

P.S. I love the lucifer orange and the '05s in BRG are about my favorite.

I think you have answered most of your own questions.   :D

Time to buy the tiger!

[macgart]

Sorry, I don't have any personal experience with the 1150, other than I have several friends with 1100, 1150,1200 GS.  I also think they are good bikes and have always lusted for an 1150.  With that said, I don't think I'd swap my Tiger for one.

I have taken my 885i into some pretty nasty places without issue.  I also dirtbike so I know both ends of the spectrum.  The character of the triple engine is fantastic and the bike is very comfortable for long rides.  I find mine to be very easy to work on and parts have not been an issue.

I like to carve corners, do long camping tours, ride dirt roads to explore, and commute.  I find that the Tiger fits the bill very nicely and was about half the price of a comparable 1150.

If I were doing it over again and I had $24k to spend on a tricked out bike, I'd look at a GS12, then I'd probably buy a used Girly and spend the other $18k traveling.  YMMV  :twisted:

Not saying that you're looking at a new bike.  Just making e-conversation

[Lostviking]

Thanks for the responses folks. I actually had a 12GS didn't really trip my trigger. Also had a '94 GS which I should have kept. I tried the F800GS and liked it, but can't make friends with the price.

I've always had a soft spot for the Tigers.

This time around I don't want to spend big bucks, not sure where the world is headed. I figure I can grab a lightly used bike and use the extra $$$ to farkle and or travel.

Your version of riding is similar to mine. Some longer trips, weekend scratching, occasional forest road exploration.

Anyone in upstate NY have one they would be willing to let me sit on or ride would be greatly appreciated.

[macgart]

P.S. I love the lucifer orange and the '05s in BRG are about my favorite.

My personal favs are the black and dark green.

[macgart]

I spent a few days in the city last week and had a bunch of time to kill.  My buddy (a BMW nut) and I hit the local BMW/Triumph shops.  I had a chance to check out the new GSA12.  Nice looking bike and it fits my size well.  But a list price of $21k w/o panniers...  :shock:

I also got to check out the F800, Tiger, and Scrambler.  I think the new Roadie is dead sexy!  Although, I don't think I'd really want to do much off pavement with it.  I know plenty of folks have, but it's just too pretty to risk damage.  

As noted above, with the economy as it is, I'll be on my '99 for a few more years.

[AK Tiger]

I must go along with what others have said.  My '02 Tiger went to the North Slope of Alaska and my '05 is scheduled to go back there this summer and down to Key West, FL.  It's been my camper, back road scratcher, and daily commuter.  It's seen 6 lane freeways and two-track backroads.  It's never left me stranded and always gets about 50mpg.    It's different enough that I don't feel like I'm riding a cookie cutter bike and I can't count the number of times that a cager has given me the thumbs up sign while traveling the highways and byways of America and Canada.

Is it the perfect bike?  No, not yet, but it keeps getting closer with every farkle that I install!   :D

[Tom Herold]

The thing about Triumphs, like Harley's, they have an intangible appeal that's hard to explain. There's character in them, they have something other bikes don't and once you "get it", it's a love affair.  

They're not perfect by any means, but my personal opinion is their quirks endear them to their owners. We complain about them, wrench on them, and sometime curse them, but everyday we gladly mount and ride them with a smile.  They're a small segment of the two wheel world, most people don't even realize Triumph's still in business....

With all that said, I feel my 05 Tiger's the best bike I've ever ridden despite the quirks. If I were King For A Day, the biggest change would be the charging system and it's limited capacity. Unfortunately, I think it's the bikes biggest downfall, but once you figure it out and learn to live with its limitations, it's just as solid as any other bike out there. The newer Roadies don't have the problems the Girlies have.

The factory luggage holds enough to travel and can be resonably water resistant, of course there are upgrades out there for a price.

The triple engine is simple to work on, and under proper maintenance will run into very high mileage numbers easily. The maintenace intervals are at 12k miles for the valve shim clearances, which isn't bad. A lot of other bikes out there are 18k or 24k, but look into the BMW's and you're looking at some of their bikes requiring the valves adjusted every 6k, 8k, or 10k, depending on the model.  

The advantage of the triple is mostly in the useable power and torque coming on in the lower RPMs and riding the smooth curve to redline, on top of that, they're pretty economical to operate.  It has good town and highway manners and will perform very well in the twisties despite it's size.  

The rest is personal preference; wind screens, seats, farkles, suspension settings, etc.

If I were a one-bike owner, the Tiger's the one.  

Go ahead and grab one, spend any amount of time in the saddle and you'll "get it" too.  :D

[Buffalo]

I pretty much have to second what Tom said....
My only gripe is that annoying clunk in the forks, it really irritates me.

[tazshido]

I've always been a "one bike" man. I've generally got more but they are projects and with those the voyage is the destination. I've owned tourers, UJMs, cruisers and Sports. My next "only bike" is a 2006 Tiger. It sits in California at the seller's house awaiting my return to the United States so our love affair can begin. I debated making payments on a $20,000 plus bike, buying a used $13,000 motorcycle outright or keeping my current sport bike. Because I wanted ONE motorcycle that would do everything asked of it, I started looking at dual purpose machines.
   BMWs, KTMs, Ducatis and Aprilias are all good bikes, I just don't think any motorcycle is worth the asking price of one of those. The Girly has got to be the biggest bang for the buck out there. Many farkles made for the GS bikes fit handily on the Girly so the proliferation of Beemers helps us out in the aftermarket. The Girly will outperform the GSs on the street and I won't be riding a "cookie cutter". I'm not a big fan of the boxer motor and having those jugs hanging out there would make me very nervous of a tip-over and they limit where my size 12 feet attached to my 38" inseam can be!
   I'm a Tiger man now and I know I'm going to be very happy with my decision for many years to come. No buyers remorse here. Just my 2 cents.

[Tom Herold]

The fork "clunk" is attributed the type of proportioning valve the Triumph engineers installed. There's nothing wrong with it, it just clunks... another endearing quality our Tiger's bring to the table!

[EvilBetty]

I've got a 2005 Tiger and have never noticed this cluck in the suspension.  Read a lot about it and still don't understand it.

Are you feeling or hearing it?

[Buffalo]

It is a loud clunk when going over sharp-edged bumps at low speed, such as pulling out of a driveway or going over a speed bump. Hear it more than feel it. Most of them do this from what I understand.
I know it is common on these bikes, is not a problem, and won't hurt anything. I just find it annoying. Otherwise I love my bike, and all in all, would recommend one to anyone, especially someone who is limited to a one bike "fleet".
I was playing around with different weights and levels of oil in the forks last summer trying to firm up the front end some and reduce the braking dive. I found with heavier oil the clunk was not as frequent.

[EvilBetty]

Interesting.  I wonder of my use of ear plugs, full face helmet, and TOR exhaust have masked it...  :lol: