Offroad any Tigers?

[willie]

So let's see some Tigers going offroad, any one got good pictures. Not just dirt road but more serious stuff...! :P

[newmanr19]

it depends on what you call serious..  I have taken my Tiger on some roads and 4x4 trails that a stock car or truck would not be able to do very well on.. i.e fairly steep, narrow mountain rock strewn and rutted roads and two track but if your talking about muddy, rutted out, root infested, rocks the size of softballs or bigger single track mountan trails like we have around the northwest, then no thanks..  that's what my 230lb KTM 250 is for..



I have the Tiger for blasting down forest roads and camping in the wilderness areas (as well as the street riding of course) and the KTM is for everything else (it's even got a plate   )



TigerJay has been in some pretty knarly stuff with his Tiger.. have you checked the Ride Reports forum yet?

[willie]

I was thinking nobby tyres and trail type stuff, a bit more than the average dirt road. We always hear how good this or that (KTM&BMW) is offroad but if you are talking dirt road they are all very close. I want to see the real advantage of owning for example a KTM950 or 1200GS.

[newmanr19]

well it's not in the same class as the KTM 950 but it certainly can hang with the BMW's and the V-Stroms etc.



check out some of TigerJay's reports.. I think I recall even reading one of Jay's reports where a pretty big name off-roader (was it Paul Krause??) rode Jay's Tiger and commented how well it handled in the rough stuff

[Sasquatch]

It was Patrick Garrihan (sp?).  Factory KTM racer, 7 time ISDE medalist.  We swapped bikes for about 15 miles of gnarly road and I could not even keep up with his dust.  I was riding his KTM 950 (non-S).  And I am no slouch off road.  Bronze medalist in the 94 ISDE, many time desert winner, etc. etc.. Been riding my whole life.



KTM vs. Tiger.  THis has been debated many times.  If you are looking at hard core off road (for a big trailie), buy the KTM and never have to look back.  It is awesome off road.  It is much better than my Tiger.  But, if your travels also call for you to spend hours on the pavement, now that is where the Tiger comes into it's own.  Being able to go moderate dirt as well as all day pavement..



Read my ride reports, but understand that I have an ego that will not quit, backed up by a "pair" that are hard to contain. :twisted:   I will take my personal Tiger places it probably shouldn't go.  Read my report about the Silver City ride..  Children, don't try this at home.....

[willie]

I now live in Canada but use to live in South Africa where I owned a 96 Tiger. I had better than stock tyres on, we where 4 ridding buddies who use to compete on every level possible.

One Funduro

One Tiger (me)

One TT Tenere

One XR650

Needless to say I kept up to all of them, the XR was either a bad rider or I was good but we did everything from crossing mountains on makeshift trails to riding riverbeds, dry and wet. Once we hit the open Hwy I took of to get my first few beers in before they all arrived.



Took a trip once up to Kenya with the old Tiger, bad roads and all she was great.



I then went to BMW and started riding GS's but till today wish I had my 885. I am now looking at getting a new 1200 or a 950...cant decide, but the Tiger is always an option. I plan on doing a bit more offroad and that is why I got rid of the 1150, way too heavy for anything fun. On road I would choose a Tiger above a 1150GS any time.



It is the KTM issue that bothers me. But then on the other hand I am going to Alaska next year...most of it good roads.....



I was just wodering how far offroad has any one safely taken a Tiger......would I really need a KTM....?

(KTM is putting a new seat on for 05....)