I am in the market for a new bike and just rode 4 triumphs at a Demo day. unfortunaly they did not have the tiger on the lot and that is the one I really wanted to ride. I have done a short 10 mile ride on one and thought "this is the on for me".
Obviously you guys feel the same on this net. I was hopping for so real feedback about what is good and bad about the bike before I plunk down 10 Grand.
Thanks,
Leebo :lol:
If you love the bike, get it. Just make sure its really what you want. What type of riding do you do?
The good:
* value
* motor
* motor
* motor
The bad:
* limited dealer network
* limited off road protection (unless your a freak like sasquatch & can fab up a suit of armour)
* somewhat limited aftermarket
IMO, the Tiger is a more street oriented Adventure bike. If you plan on staying on the tarmac for the most part, it is a great bike.
I don't know, Dave. I think the Tiger is not that hard to make a good bash plate and crashbars for. They are plenty robust, don't overheat at all and the motor just plain hauls ass.Personally, for the difference in purchase price, I can't see the BMW at all. How much have you spent in upgrades and aftermarket for your GS?
It really boils down to what floats your boat. If you really want a GS, don't buy the Tiger. Buy what makes you giggle and tweak it to maximize the fun factor(Dave, I know you did more than a little tweaking on your Tiger, but didn't you really want the BMW in the first place? The triple can be SOOOO seductive, but ...)
Jeeze-rereading this it sounds sorta argumentitive. Not dissing Big Dave or his choice in bikes at all. He definately gave his Tiger a run before deciding to move on. Like he said, be sure it is the bike you want(whatewver you decide).
Leebo...sorry mate but you're in the wrong place for unbiased opinion. I tried most of the big trailies before settling on a Tiger. Believe me...after all the reports I WANTED to buy a GS. But it just didn't do it for me. I jumped on a Tiger and I couldn't stop smiling. OK...she aint perfect by any means but she's without doubt the best value for money out there. My advice? try them all for a couple of hours each. Speak to owners. Check out the websites. Then buy a Tiger.
TEN GRAND??? you can pick up a brand new (old model...spoked) Tiger for £6000. My local dealer's got one.
Oh, and they eat GS's in the twisties (sorry Dave).
Quote from: "RedMenace"I don't know, Dave. I think the Tiger is not that hard to make a good bash plate and crashbars for. They are plenty robust, don't overheat at all and the motor just plain hauls ass.Personally, for the difference in purchase price, I can't see the BMW at all. How much have you spent in upgrades and aftermarket for your GS?
It really boils down to what floats your boat. If you really want a GS, don't buy the Tiger. Buy what makes you giggle and tweak it to maximize the fun factor(Dave, I know you did more than a little tweaking on your Tiger, but didn't you really want the BMW in the first place? The triple can be SOOOO seductive, but ...)
Jeeze-rereading this it sounds sorta argumentitive. Not dissing Big Dave or his choice in bikes at all. He definately gave his Tiger a run before deciding to move on. Like he said, be sure it is the bike you want(whatewver you decide).
I have bought some stuff that was really not needed for the GS. On things I felt I did need like added protection? About $300.
Believe me, I really don't have a problem with the Tiger. I loved a bunch of things about mine. You know the story. Between lusting over the GS Adventure and dealing with my lemon (blown engine at 1000 miles) Tiger, I finally caved in. Granted, it was an expensive decision. Bottom line is that if someone likes a bike and they see themselves on it having fun, them by all means get it if you can. Motorcycles are a very emotional thing. Logic does not always prevail. Neither does it have to. With that being said, I am enjoying my GS to the full. The overall ride is much better for me. It has its quirks. The clunky 1st gear, the lack of power in comparison to the Tiger etc... Maybe its all in my head and thats fine. All I know is that everytime I am around that bike I stare at it, and stare, and stare some more with a big smile on my face.
It is really too bad that so many discussions about comparing bikes end up with trading insults. (not speaking about this thread...) It is easy to get drawn into these discussions as I know I have as well. I just hope that any rider that gets excited about a bike can make arrangements to someday get that bike. It doesn't matter if its a Tiger, a GS or a 12 year old Transalp if it makes the rider smile. Inside & out. That is why I felt compelled to keep this website running even after my Tiger ownership. I am very proud that we have this forum. I am excited that I can contribute something to the Adventure Touring/Dual Sport community that may help in public awareness about the sport we all love. Afterall, it is the riding we have in common regardless of what bike we ride.
BigDave,
Hear, Hear......thanks for keeping these web pages going. The job of a webmaster is at times tedious, but this site is great for us Tiger owners. As my ancestors said.......Mange Tak!
Mark.
Sure you should. If it turns you on.
I did. Picked up my 05 silver on Saturday and now have 450 miles and a few bugs on it.
Went from a large Valkyrie to a V-Strom, to a Yamaha Royal Star Venture and now a Tiger.
I'm 6-6" and 280 lbs. so I need a larger bike and the Tiger fits the bill, for me.
I've gotta get a silencer though. Just can't hear the exhaust while wearing earplugs. Is the Triumph race can as good as any aftermarket can?
ATDRS.... If you want a comparison between the Remus and the Triumph can, ask Chris Canning. He's had both. Me? I've got the Triumph one and it's great.
Dave...top bloke. Absolute respect. How many other decent sites are there for Tiger owners? Exactly.
Above all we have to maintain a sense of humour. The GS v Tiger debate will never be resolved, because we all expect different things from our bikes. Particularly as we get older, the "fun" factor gets more elusive, so it's even more precious when we find it. I know I've slated the GS, but it is still one hell of a bike. I've said before...I wish the Tiger was built by BMW. But it aint. That's why it's cheaper. It's 18 months since I had a go on one, but I've got a chance to take one out again, so I'm going to. And I'll tell you something else...if I think it's a better bike I'll buy it.
Watch this space.
Brock....you wish the Tiger was built by BMW ? Sorry, mate, but that's a treasonable offence. What makes the Tiger special is that it's not built by BMW...or the Japanese. It's a classic British thoroughbred ......and a damn fine bike at that. I saw it referred to as 'the most underrated thing in motorcycling' in one review. So, anyone looking to spend $10 000 - or £6500 - need look no further
Ahem...My Tiger's done 11,500 miles. It's a 2001. I replaced all the engine bolts at 5,000 miles with stainless ones as they were rusty (RUSTY) all the plated fittings are furry. The spoke tighteners are rusty, and it's going in this week for its third oil leak to be cured. That's why I wish it was built by BMW. You're missing the point. Beemers aren't perfect but at least they're built to last.
The Tiger IS a damn fine bike but "thoroughbred"? Not yet.
Read my lips...I LOVE THIS BIKE.
My 01 955 Tiger has 35,500 miles on it and ridden it in the Winter a bit. I have no rusty bolts, the sump is showing a bit of corrosion from the salt. I am not real good about washing it. The only rust on the bike is on the Givi mounts for the panniers. No oil leaks, I had to replace the front wheel bearings because one was getting noisy. O couse I had to replace the chain and sprockets and have used up several tires (tyres) but those are normal wear parts. I guess I am glad mine was built by Triumph. I don't know of anyone with a BMW that has had less mechanical problems with that kind of milage.
I'm new to this forum, and to modern Triumph ownership, having run BMWs as main bikes for the past 15 years (I still have a R1100RT alongside the Tiger).
People talk of the Hinkley Triumphs as a 'classic', that's a load of spherical objects! They are the product of a new company (less than 15 years?), not the 100 years of history that Triumph marketting people keep quoting.
When I bought my 2002 Tiger I looked at the GS, but thought the 1150 was too heavy which made the Tiger more fun to ride. Now that the 1200 GS is available, I think if it had been round at the time my decision would have been different.
The Tiger is a beautiful bike to ride, but so is the BMW. The finish of the BMW isn't perfect, but the Tiger appears much worse. The fasteners on the engine etc are covered in red rust on mine, and clamps holding brake lines etc are dissolving before my eyes.
Having said all that, I still love the bike and the sound and handling of it so no plans to replace it with the GS yet (perhaps replace the old RT with a GS and have the best of both worlds).
Cheers,
Keith.
Hi Keith,
True, the Hinckley plant is essentially a new company; nevertheless, the Hinckleys may well become classics (which is imho what is meant here).
Let's not confuse a classic with an antique, regardless of marketingspeak ... :lol:
I must admit the 1200 GS looks to be a great bike, and who knows, I might succumb to the temptation one day. For now, due to a slight difference in price, I'll stick to my Steamer [edit] which, in spite of my best efforts to reduce maintenance to an absolute minimum, look pretty good considering its 70k kms and extensive winter rides. Engine bolts are a bit dodgy, though. Perhaps I'll replace them some day...[/edit]
And as for BMW build quality: remember the gearboxes and final drives on the older GS's? Then again, this may have been solved on later models. Still, I know quite a few people (mostly BMW dealers here in the Netherlands) who have more than a few doubts about the status BMW have attained as a rock solid bike. Not saying they are cr*p, but they are certainly not better than most Japs or Triumphs (by much :D )
Bottom line: both brands make great bikes. Triumphs are British, though, and are a tad more exclusive... :wink:
Grtz,
Marnix
A guy I know runs a black 955i tiger. he rides it through all weather, and all seasons, it's parked outside (London) and he does not maintain it much at all...result: Bike would look brand new if he rubbed some WD40 over the engine parts and gave it a good clean. Looks like a very well made machine to me. Build quality is top notch.
As with most bike conversations it does get emotional since people love their bikes.
I don't have an attachment yet. I just know that the next bike I buy will have to get me through 4 to 6 years due to the kids needing braces and saving for school and all the other stuff parents have to do. I am still in the process of breaking my wife down on this and letting me get one.
Other bike in the mix are the Speed triple, the honda VFR and the Vstrom. So far the Tiger is on top of the list.
Thanks for the info guys. Great website. I will continue to look back and see more replies. 8)
Yeah? he's lucky. Oh, I forgot to mention...The powder coating's decided to part company with the engine, starting at the bottom.
Listen...I wash this thing with clean water after almost every ride in winter. It's a great bike, probably the most fun I've ever had on a bike. The build quality is simply not up to other manufacturers standards ON MINE (or the three-month old Silver demo bike at the local dealers that's rusty and furry).
I still say it's better VALUE FOR MONEY than any of the other big trailies. And I'd recommend it to anyone. You've just got to watch the build quality and keep it meticulously clean. The corrosion's obviously my fault. I'll write to Triumph and apologise.
Hi again All,
if I was chosing a bike to buy today, then It'd be a difficult choice! True, the BMW reputation for reliability has been exagerated, and the extra cost (about £ 2,500 at current prices) takes a bit of justifying, but as a long term BMW owner, I find the Triumph finish (on my bike) looks worse after one winter of very little use than the finish on my BMW after 5 years of pure winter abuse.
I bought the Tiger for a number of reasons, I wanter something different, although BMWs have a similar exclusivity here to the Triumphs, I also wanted a light bike as a contrast to the big BMW tourer (The R1200GS now feels much like a Tiger weight wise). As I stated earlier, I'd probably have gone for a 1200GS if the choice had been there, but the extra money isn't much of a disincentive, and there would have been advantages for me to keeping to all BMWs (one set of service kit, tools etc in the garage rather than 2 etc).
I'd support anyones choice, because I can't see a strong enough argument against either model. Just remember, the BMW has a centre stand as standard!
Cheers for now,
Keith.
This thread takes me back to when I bought my 73 Norton 850 Commando. At that time if I'd had another $1200.00 I might have bought a R90S. My Norton was $2300.00 and the R90S was about $3500.00. All said and done I am glad I got the Norton, it still runs and after my 1st cross country trip I knew just exaclty what tools I needed to carry with me.
Quote from: "NortonCharlie"All said and done I am glad I got the Norton,I knew just exaclty what tools I needed to carry with me.
All of them? :P
"...I wish the Tiger was built by BMW."
Maybe built by Honda and I'd agree.
But then the bastards wouldn't inport it to the States.
Do you guys with the rusty bolts live in damp/marine climates?
I'm in Houston and haven't seen anything like that in 1.5 years.
Had a 2 drop per ride oil leak. Got the counter-shaft seal replaced under warrenty and now have a 1 drop per ride oil leak. I'm wondering if I should care.
If you want to feel good about the quality/ fit/ finish of any modern Triumph, go hang out with the Harley dudes. They paid more and got less!
BMSBIKE
02 Black
E'rrrr no!!!! about 40 miles from were they build the bikes!!!!,my Tiger has never seen a winters day in it's life,but when i popped the plastic covers of the disc bolts they were all rusty,i'd say the quality of the nuts and bolts and ancillaries are about the same as what you get in a Christmas cracker!!!,i'm on my third Tiger,and if i can get hold of one at the right price will buy another(04 model) i've already made my feelings known on the 05!!!,but the general finish is no were near as good as BM(i own an 1100s) and people moan about the quality of those!!.
I think the Tiger is a great bike,but that doesn't mean i can't see the wood from the trees,when it comes to finish!!!!
Chris
This was bound to open a can of worms and I hope we haven't put leebo off. These sites are so good when you're considering a bike. On the whole you get honesty and real-life experience. Not the same old bollocks from the Magazines or dealers. What we have here is (aall things considered) probably the best and most under-rated big traillie around. Best value for money BY FAR, but she does need an eye kept on her, particularly in the winter. And get any leaks sorted before the warranty runs out!
Winter riding? Not here in New Hampshire unless it is a 4 wheeler or a snowmobile.. May get a few nice days to ride the main roads but there is no way I could get down off the hill through the ice and snow to get there. LOL i would wreck 200 yards from the house.
Thanks guys.
leebo
My steamer is ridden year round, sees quite a bit of snow, rain and mud and is seldom washed and never dried. I have had no corrosion at all. My 955i Speed Triple lived a short but camparetively sheltered life-it did see one winter. No corrosion there either. Sort of like the fuel tank corrosion problem, I would even know it exists if I hadn't heard about it from you guys. Must be a batch thing or a regional thing, cause I haven't seen it here.
I have had problems with some of the allen head bolts rounding off. I ended up wellding allen wrenches to the caliper pins on my rear brake and I seem to have problems witht he fairing bolts rounding out, but that is probaly my ham handed wrenching skilss biting me in the ass again. Anyone know of a good, non Triumph replacement source for the button head fairing screws?
Clearly the salt (and other crap) they put on UK roads in the winter is specifically designed to eat bikes.
Quote from: "RedMenace"Anyone know of a good, non Triumph replacement source for the button head fairing screws?
I used Kawasaki part # 92009-1654 for the crappy plastic buttonhead screws on the windscreen. They are black painted philips head screws off of a ZX-750 Turbo (one of my former bikes). They look very nice.
I think what alot of people are missing,me included!!!,the engine caseing bolts on the 955 have been changed,both Brock and i have early 955,the latter ones have a different kind.
Chris
Leebo,
Don't worry too much about the corroding screws and nuts - the ones in my 04 seem to be stainless steel and so I think Triumph have addressed this issue.
Your choice of motorcylce is simple, if you want a sports/tourer choose the VFR800, if you want a trailie/tourer choose the Tiger. Or, let the kids have bent teeth and buy a 1200GS.
There, that was easy - now its up to you.... keep us updated.