I rode cruisers for a number of years and then in June 2004, 2 friends and I flew into Anchorage and rented KLR's for a 5000 mile 17 day loop around Alaska and Canada. The trip included several hundred miles of "construction" and dirt/gravel roads.
All the way down to Baanf, up to Dawson Creek, the Full length of the AlCan, up to the Arctic Circle and back to Anchorage.
The one thing I noticed was that even after several 300-400 mile days in a row I had very little lower back or joint pain.
I decided this was attributable to the softer, longer travel dual sport suspension over the cruiser suspension I was used to. When I got home, I immediately started looking at "big trailies" and chose the 2005 Tiger, bought in August 2004.
Over the next 18 months I put about 14k on the Tiger (I have a TBird Sport for around town and short weekends).
On dirt/gravel roads the bike did just fine, but the one time I took it on anything remotely technical (15-20 miles of steep sandy hills, rock strewn deep creek beds and huge bedrock sticking up in the middle of the road) it was murder. I made it thru without a drop but with my limited dirt skills it was just tough and not enjoyable at all.
This past July I bought a 2004 Multistrada and found it ran and handled much better on the road and even with the Conti Road Attack's I had on it, it handled limited dirt/gravel roads just fine.
Unfortunately, September 11, when a camper cut me off about 30 miles north of the Grand Canyon I ended up totaling the Multi.
Now in the market for another bike I have decided that the 2007 Tiger fits the bill and have put a deposit down on a Caspian Blue ABS version to be delivered in March.
I expect the bike to be everything I need it to be!
I think it is going to be marketed to compete directly with the Ulysses and the Multistrada and will do very well in this market.
And for those who wish to take it off pavement, just change the tires to a set of Pirelli Scorpians and it will be about as dirt worthy as the current model.
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The spec for the 07 looks like it's going to be a real goer. Hope you're right about the dirt road thing. Belly pan & exhausts look expensive.
Quote from: "Blacktiger"Belly pan & exhausts look expensive.
You seen the price of replacement exhaust guard and down pipes for the 955 or 900i? I dare say this will be no worse.
Comparing the two bikes it seems to me that you could add better protection in the way of oil cooler and radiator guards and a light weight bash plate in front of the down pipes to the 2007 for minimal expense and effort -
(http://w1.bikepics.com/pics/2004/06/10/bikepics-163213-full.jpg)
(http://www.1000ps.at/magazin/triumph/triumph_tiger_1_klein.jpg)
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One fo the things I fear about the new tiger and off-road is the USD forks. My buddies and I have gone through lots of mud and water. With Standard forks, i have no fear of my santion tubes getting scratched or scarred. With the new model, i forsee lots of forks seals...
Based on looks alone, i would say the new tiger is as off road worthy as the new FZ1.
The DRZ400SM has upside down forks and I have never heard of a problem with it. You may need to beef up the rock guard to better protect the lower forks from scarring but there are off road capable bikes out there with upside down forks -
(http://www.psndealer.com/powersportsdlr/images/NewVehicles/NV14175_1.jpg)
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Every new motocrosser has upside down forks.
New Tigger will be fine.
And where are the stantion guards on the Tiger?
I see none.
My old KTM had USD forks - no problems, but the lower half of the forks were shrouder in plastic. I shoudl have been more specific.
Here is the front view of the Tiger and actually the coverage and protection look pretty good -
(http://www.triumphchepassione.com/immagini/gamma_modelli_Triumph_2005/tiger-1050/triumph_tiger_1050-foto9.jpg)
I hope for those that buy it to have no issues.
I know I take mine through brush and down single track type trails. Just covering the front of the fork tubes will not help the sides and back of the tubs when branches snap back. Look at an RC51 from the front and you will find the fender covers the front of the forks like that as well to prevent rock chips on the highway. I believe most bike are like that on road.
I reread the Triumph Page ont he bike and they promote it sport capability with touring capability. Not one mention of off road that I read. I also looked in the specs and saw no travel reported.
So based on that lack of info, i can only go off looks. I still think it is more of an on road FZ1 type bike than the older Tiger.
And for the record, I do like the bike more now than I did before. But the reason I bought the Tiger over other models was in fact the off road ability it had. If I were never goign off road, I believe the new bike quite possibly is better in every other category.
Acerbis and others can provide one with aftermarket fork protectors.
Quote from: "bloaker"I hope for those that buy it to have no issues.
I still think it is more of an on road ... type bike than the older Tiger.
I do not completely disagree. I think the bike is designed to stay on the pavement, but with very few mods will be a competent traveler on well maintained gravel/dirt roads.
However I think the same thing about the current Tiger. I do not think Triumph ever intended it for off road.
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