WHY YOU LOVE STEAMER OVER THE Girly?

[Bixxer Bob]

i prefer the look of a steamer. never been a fan of the gurlies, they look too much like a creme egg with headlights to me. cant beat the tractorness of a steamer  8)

+1 from a Girly owner.  In fact, have considered upgrading to a Steamer despite difficulties working on them.  I'd swap all your servicing issues for a set of carbs... :roll:

And I'll have room in my new workshop.....

[kingdomstyle]

seems like from what everyone says,the steamer is hard to service but is reliable.

[CoolHandLuke]

seems like from what everyone says,the steamer is hard to service but is reliable.

Your original question doesn't provide any of your incites into either bike or why you think they are both "awesome".  Did you have your "newer" Tiger long and how long have you had your Steamer?

Why did you sell your newer Tiger for the Steamer?

You say you are contemplating selling the Steamer, why?

</Spanish Inquisition>

[JetdocX]

[kingdomstyle]

sold my 2006 black tiger and got my three boys dirt bikes,got 5,000 cash and got the steamer cause it was cheaper.steamer has better looks and kinda feels like a race bike wich i love.The Girly is a go 1000 miles in a day type of ride.i had a motorcycle crash and broke my back so ride and suspension is important.I cant ride a cruiser at all especialy forward controls.the steamer is awesome but i am not a great mechanic and some stories i hear scare me a bit with the steamer.lol but it is an awesome machine would like to have both but already have three bikes.maybe sell my xr650l get a Girly have two great tigers  :D

[Colonel Nikolai]

Can someone explain how the Steamer is harder to service than a Girly? They seem roughly the same to me.

I've ridden a 2006 Sprint ST and I felt that it had a couple of things my other two Triumphs didn't have: better aerodynamics and better handling. It was faster, too, but at a certain point the only thing faster than my bikes are crotch rockets, which are uncomfortable long distances, and cars well into the six figures which I will never afford anyway. So speed doesn't matter.

Since the Girly has some of the same geometry problems as the Steamer (top-heavy, heavy overall) and some of its own (complicated fuel injection system) I have a hard time trying to get excited about owning a Girly. Especially now that the 800 XC is out.

[CoolHandLuke]

1. Changing the air filter involves removing the tank, the side panels, the rear side panels, the seat, the battery, the expansion chambers, then loosening the carbs, sliding the airbox back, removing the carbs and then sliding the airbox forwards and out.  You can't change just the air filter, you have to change the complete air box.

2.  To replace the front sprocket, you can either tilt the bike over to the right some how, or drain the bike of oil and remove the sprocket cover which is part of the engine casing.

3.  The fuse box is tucked away in a really awkward place, making finding and replacing a faulty fuse a real PITA (I no longer have this problem).

4. Changing faulty H4 bulbs.  The service manual says to go in through the top by removing the clocks.  Anyone who has tried to do this knows this is also a real PITA.  You could try fighting your way past all the wires and fumbling from underneath, but it is just easier to remove the side panels and front panel.

[CoolHandLuke]

5. Changing the middle spark plug which is tucked nicely under the spine of the bike.  In fact, trying to do anything under that bloody middle spine; torque cam bolts, etc.

[JetdocX]

The Wiring loom on a Girly looks like it was done professionally.  The wiring on the Steamer looks like a fifth grade kid's science fair project.

The air filter is super easy to replace on the Girly, and costs a whole bunch less.

The intake on the Steamers was strategically placed to sell more of those expensive air filters.

Certain lucky 98 owners get the pleasure of replacing the valves every 6000 miles due to recession. :roll:

The Steamer carbs take a disassembly every year for cleaning, shitty running, various other reasons.  The ethanol levels are going up in the pump gas and this will soon destroy the rubber bits in the carbs.

That's just off the top of my head.

However, I'm no Girly fan either.  And I'm withholding judgement on the 800XC until I get one between my legs. :shock:

[NeilD]

.

2.  To replace the front sprocket, you can either tilt the bike over to the right some how, or drain the bike of oil and remove the sprocket cover which is part of the engine casing.
.

its not so much the sprocket access, as a C&S change can normally be aligned to happen with a planned oil change, and I'm not into messing about with ratios... but what is a PITA is that the clutch pushrod seal and gearchange shaft seal are located behind/in the same cover and both of these are common sources of oil leaks...

what I've found awkward whilst working on mine recently is the sheer bulk/size/access issues on the thing.. on several jobs I've done I could've really done with another pair of hands, rather than having to try and jam spanners in place whilst tightening up the other end... but maybe I really am getting too old for this spanner twirling sh!t anyway  :D

[CoolHandLuke]

I had forgotten about that NeilD.  That seal leaked on me too when I last changed the sprocket... Drain the oil..., new gasket in case the old one gets screwed, etc, etc.

I am about 6,000 miles away from doing it all again...

[Colonel Nikolai]

The Wiring loom on a Girly looks like it was done professionally.  The wiring on the Steamer looks like a fifth grade kid's science fair project.

The air filter is super easy to replace on the Girly, and costs a whole bunch less.

The intake on the Steamers was strategically placed to sell more of those expensive air filters.

Certain lucky 98 owners get the pleasure of replacing the valves every 6000 miles due to recession. :roll:

The Steamer carbs take a disassembly every year for cleaning, shitty running, various other reasons.  The ethanol levels are going up in the pump gas and this will soon destroy the rubber bits in the carbs.

That's just off the top of my head.

However, I'm no Girly fan either.  And I'm withholding judgement on the 800XC until I get one between my legs. :shock:

Thanks. Forgot about all that. I've gotten used to it. I can replace the filter in less than an hour now. I have a 96 but I've heard of the problems with some 98s. This is my first year of storage after rebuilding the carbs and she seems OK so far. Had some trouble last weekend with one cyl dropping but this weekend she ran like the clappers! I think last weekend was caused by bad / old gas. My Sprint has not needed carb work since 2006.

[CoolHandLuke]

The Steamer is definitely not a race bike.  If it's anything, it is a tourer with the ability to do some light off roading.