Shite....here we go again. Do you think when Triumph comes out with the Tiger 675 Adventure we'll get events like this?
http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/xplorgs/tunisia.jsp (http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/xplorgs/tunisia.jsp)
Holy crap...I want a GS again, just so I can participate. I don't care that they're half the off road bike my Steamer is...
You want a GS, but you don't want the canbus. :roll:
It's their best selling bike in just about all markets now, right?
Maybe if they Tiger was the flagship of Triumph we'd see the same cool stuff?
/Hell, I'da been happy if they would have just kept at refining the Steamer and not having 3 totally different models over the model lifespan.
Quote from: "tigerrider"/Hell, I'da been happy if they would have just kept at refining the Steamer and not having 3 totally different models over the model lifespan.
But BMW has done similar with the GS... air head, oil head, and hex head, with five different displacments: 800, 1000, ,1100, 1150, 1200
And they don't have the bike right yet! :ImaPoser
They got pretty close with the F650, and then discontinued it. :?
I forgot about the F___GS bikes... 650 and 800
I didn't like the F650 Dakar I had...got beat up by the wind on the highway and had no nuts.
I'll accept the extra (70?) lbs to get 100% more hp.
The F800GS numbers look awesome, though...
I threw a leg over an F800GS at a show this past February. I liked it... parallel twin, chain drive, decent suspension.
BUT
It uses CANbus. Bye.
The future is in the Can...accept it...
Maybe once manufacturers put some more research and development into the systems so that the damned computer doesn't scram when you jump-start the bike, etc.
The systems are just too finicky for now. I thought I wanted a GS (pre-Tiger) until I started reading on Motorrad and ADV about guys whose bikes suffered total electrical failures while in the middle of a trip, and spent their vacation days in a motel room waiting on the local BMW dealer to (a) figure out the problem, (b) get permission from BMW Motorwerke to do the warranty work, (c) wait on parts, and (d) the repair itself.
Screw that. If BMW dealers can't figure out how to make the damned things work, I'm surely not interested in spending any of my hard-earned coin on one of their bikes.
The only way around that (it seems) is for the owners of CANbus-equipped bikes to install auxiliary fuse blocks straight to the battery, essentially having two electrical systems: One for the bike, and one for the accessories. This from a 16,000-dollar bike. :roll:
Count me out.
I was putting my money down on the 800 when I decided the price was too stupid and I'd wait a few years to buy a used one. It's a beautiful bike from what I hear and I look forward to owning one some day. As for the CanBus, it's like many other stories you hear....you only hear about the bad and it makes you think they'll all fail but it's like winning the lottery. I use CanBus for a living and it's very much a standard in our industry. It's solid. That doesn't mean BMW has it right but Beemer owners piss and moan a lot and blow things out of proportion. It wouldn't keep me from buying one.
The one and only reason BMW put a CANbus on those bikes is to require a dealer visit every time anything goes wrong.
Of all the cool things they could have done with it, they missed the mark by a long shot.
There is no reason for this kind of complexity on a simple motorcycle. :evil:
Then of course....
BMW does build an adventure bike.....
sorry...... 3 of them!
Triumph had a good jump......
a. They failed to understand the market.
OR
b. They didn't want that market.
So now... the Dual-Sport Tiger is a
street Hooligan with long legs.
Word is that at AMA Vintage Days next week...
Triumph is introducing a 1700cc KRUZER.....
If so... I'll bet it's RETRO or '68'.
Where can I buy some handlebar fringe!
Do you think if they came out with an adventurized version of the 675...properly kitted with wheel options, hard luggage options, skidplate/crashbar options, big tank?, (insert your favorite stuff here) options...it would be like a bomb going off in the adventure bike market?
For $9k-$10k outfitted do you think they'd be able to make them fast enough? Think they'd pull GS buyers away hand over fist? Or are most of those people just too mesmerized by the roundel?
Just turned into another Tiger Adventure dreaming thread I suppose. And even if they did make it they'd never put on cool events like BMW does - but I'd love to be on the Great Bay RallyMoto Team...
I agree that the only reason they put CanBus on is to require dealer visits. I work with German Mfgs and they are ALL that controling. It's part of the culture I suppose. We can complain about them or realize that there are some great benefits too. I know that sometimes it's hard to see that and that's just human nature. I cuss and bless it sometimes at the same time.....
As for whether the bike would be a bomb....I think it could but you are right about many being mesmorized by the Roundel. I'd take the Tiger over a BMW GS because of the cost and if they cost the same I'd have to flip a coin.
Also, for many people Triumph = maintenance problems, so they are scared to buy one.
I would agree with that. That's usually the second comment I get from people. "A Triumph! Cool!!! How's the maintainence?"
So far I've found the bike quite easy to work on. Some things were easier on my Boxer others not. I do prefer a chain drive though many think it's a pain.
I think Triumph could make a killer dual purpose bike. Both a Tiger and a Tiger Cub.
Quote from: "HappyMan"I do prefer a chain drive though many think it's a pain.
I always ask the guys that got the shaft how easy it is to change gearing to suit their riding style...
Mine got easier after some recent dremel work:
(http://mudhen.smugmug.com/photos/316454730_GFFaE-L.jpg)
Exactly! I love the chain for what I can easily do with it. I cary spare sprockets with my DR and it's a two minute change out. I haven't messed with the gearing on the Tigger but I like knowing that I can if I feel like it. Shaft drive....Heavy, hard to work on, expensive.....any way you slice it your getting "the shaft". :roll:
Dude, I don't get along with my local BMW dealer right now. Imagine how happy it would make me to have to drag that thing in there every time the blinkers don't talk to the tail light thus rendering the headlight inop. causing the almighty brain to shut the engine down "for my own good" because it's unsafe to ride without a headlight. :roll: I don't need that kind of control in my life, thanks.
I'll readily admit I've had my share of maintenance problems with my Steamer compared to my F650 (no CANbus). But adding one more highly flaky system to the BMW's is a step in the wrong direction and one step closer to high maintenance, IMO.
I can relate to not getting along with the BMW dealer. What's up with some of these guys? I just prefer to do my own maintainence. The more expensive the bike the less likely I'll be able to do that. Kind of like my cars.....
Hey Mudhen,
Nice work on your sprocket cover.... hard to tell from the pic, but will you have anything left to actually cover the sprocket??
Is that an OEM size sprocket?
Man, that oil-fill and dip stick placement is so piss poor it makes me want to eliminate the whole thing and have a filler hole welded into the clutch cover. Of course, then there is the issue of how to check the oil....(add in a site glass somewhere? :wink: )
Btw, I've got my '98 back up and running with once again clean carbs and the Daytona coil sticks I bought a while back.... running great again.
Brendan
'98 BRG Tiger
San Jose, CA
Brendan,
We should go for a ride next time I have my Steamer down that way. :D
I rode down last week, but the heat was so oppressive I didn't do any extra-ciricular riding. :cry:
Mudhen, that sprocket cover-ectomy looks sharp.
My F650 only had a flimsy piece of Touratech aluminum covering the CS sprog.
What's the purpose of a cover if it's made of Bavarian cream cheese? :?
Quote from: "Stretch"Quote from: "tigerrider"/Hell, I'da been happy if they would have just kept at refining the Steamer and not having 3 totally different models over the model lifespan.
But BMW has done similar with the GS... air head, oil head, and hex head, with five different displacments: 800, 1000, ,1100, 1150, 1200
And they don't have the bike right yet! :ImaPoser
It's evolved over time for sure, but the 3 Tiger generations are vastly different in my opinion.
Quote from: "BR"Hey Mudhen,
Nice work on your sprocket cover.... hard to tell from the pic, but will you have anything left to actually cover the sprocket??
Is that an OEM size sprocket?
Man, that oil-fill and dip stick placement is so piss poor it makes me want to eliminate the whole thing and have a filler hole welded into the clutch cover. Of course, then there is the issue of how to check the oil....(add in a site glass somewhere? :wink: )
Btw, I've got my '98 back up and running with once again clean carbs and the Daytona coil sticks I bought a while back.... running great again.
Brendan
'98 BRG Tiger
San Jose, CA
I've got a cover on order from XRs Only...if they could ever get me the right one! Then I'll need to make up some sort of bracket to hold it.
I'm also trying to figure out the best way to cover the dipstick hole. The rubber push plug isn't good enough. Just not sure what to do yet. The two issues are that it's tapered, and it isn't round.
Checking the oil is easy, though - I pull the plug and stick my finger down there. Actually thinking about having some lines tatooed on my pinky as a guage... :D
I don't think a tat is necessary. IMO, if you see oil down there, you have more than enough oil to go.
Quote from: "Mudhen"I'm also trying to figure out the best way to cover the dipstick hole. The rubber push plug isn't good enough. Just not sure what to do yet. The two issues are that it's tapered, and it isn't round.
Checking the oil is easy, though - I pull the plug and stick my finger down there. Actually thinking about having some lines tatooed on my pinky as a guage... :D
two words ..............
PIPE TAP maybe something like a 1/2 or 3/4 inch tap depending on the diameter of the existing hole and then you can get a plug from the hardware store , brass so it won't rust .
and if your crafty you could make a dipstick at the same time ....................
OR Just ride it to my house & It'll be a done deal !