A short treatise on a Roadie

[nickjtc]

For those of you who are on Steamers or Girlies and who might be interested in moving on to something a bit newer BUT who are not interested in exploring the non-paved highways and bi-ways, here is one rider's overview of the 1050 Tiger, aka the Roadie. And also for those not interested in the newer generation of 800s and Explorers.

Specs: Dry weight 198kg/436lbs. Wet, much closer to 227kg/500lbs. Don't know how that compares to a Steamer or a Girly, but it 'seems' lighter than my Steamer was.



Forty years ago we would have looked at this bike and said "my lord an 800 pound gorilla has sat on it and bent the middle down!" Those were the days when motorcycle design was all about a straight line betwixt the bottom of the tank and the rear mudguard. This new Tiger configuration gives the rider a real sense of being 'in' the bike rather than 'on' it, but alas the poor pillion passenger is perched, a la sport bike, high up with a fabulous view of the road ahead, but also hanging out in the breeze.



Looks: a personal preference. I like it. If I had the choice I would have gone for the white one, but am happy with Rhoda's fiery orange.



Mine is fitted with the Triumph luggage rack with a Givi top box adaptor plate. The exhaust is a Leo Vince one which is significantly less bulky, and therefore lighter, than the stock one. But not much noisier.

The engine we all know and love; just a continuation of the theme, with more ccs than the Steamer and Girly, plus all the refinements noted below. + more horse power, of course. My (badly abused by the po in the name of noise = power) Steamer was lucky to get 40 mp(Imperial)g. The Roadie routinely returns high 50 mp(I)g and has occasionally gone into the 60s.

NOTE (1): I never bounce the engine off the rev limiter and although I admit to speeding, it is seldom more than 20kph over the speed limit.

NOTE (2): This bike makes NO pretension at being off (paved) road capable. The wheels are 17" alloy tubeless front and rear. Nice 'n' easy for tyre changes, but tough luck if you are looking for a range of dualsport tyres. And your testicular fortitude must be high if you do decide to go off (paved) road because of the cost of replacement of the damaged plastics if you inevitably go over. The fairing insert panels alone are over $100 to replace. Don't ask how I know.

Here's the riders eye view, with the delectable chrome handlebars front and centre. The little light in the left infill panel is an aftermarket LED state-of-the-charging system monitor. The right infill panel has an aftermarket 12 volt accessory plug.



The on board electrics are entertaining, but I seldom use them. Scrolling through the left hand dash screen gives you:

Instantaneous fuel consumption;


Average fuel consumption since last reset:


Range til empty (ha ha ha!):


Journey distance since last reset, so probably different to what the trip meter is showing:


Journey time total since last reset:


Average speed for the journey:


Maximum speed for the journey (naughty naughty!!):


The fuel tank is a marvel of modern sheet steel moulding. However don't be fooled by what the gauge tells you about its capacity. The shape means that as the level drops it is collected in a nice cylindrical base at the rear bottom. Unfortunately when the fuel gauge tells you that you should be looking for a refill, there is still at least 2 litres in the tank. Cripes, we put a man on the moon in 1969 (YES we did, all you conspiracy theorists!!).... why can't modern manufacturers give us an accurate idea of how much fuel we have in the tank....?? Rant over.

Ergonomics. I think I must be the rider that the bike was designed for. 5'10" with 31" inseam. The reach to the ground is ok, not tippy toe, but not flat foot. I'm not a huge fan of screens (why remove yourself from the riding 'experience'...??) but on the 1050 I get no real discomfort. Yes, I get a helmet full of bugs, but unless I am in the wake of the vehicle in front I experience no buffeting or other distractions. And it has those lovely chrome bars. The OEM hand guards help keep the wind off your mitts, but heated grips are a definite bonus when temperatures dip down close to freezing.

Seat. Not the most comfortable for me, but with a pair of bicycle shorts on it is perfectly acceptable to get you between fuel stops (about 3 hours) without feeling like you have been crippled. Having done a 12,000+km ride over 2+ weeks I feel qualified to make this assessment. I cannot comment on what difference an aftermarket (Corbin/Sargent) one would make.

Maintenance: Read the freakin' manual! Apart from the typical jigsaw puzzle of getting all of the plastic off, the maintenance is not really a chore.

NOTE (3): a metal tank, so no issues with expansion or shrinkage. ;-).

Having a laptop and TuneECU makes life easier for all the diagnostic stuff and for bleeding the ABS brakes and balancing the throttle bodies. Getting the cam cover off involves patience and the usual holding of the tongue in exactly the right place. DO NOT adjust the chain on the centre stand. Again, read the manual.

Speaking of chains, it is easy to adjust as long as you have the right size of rear axle nut socket on a breaker bar and the spanners to 1) undo the lock nuts for the adjusters and 2) to adjust the adjusters. If the chain/sprockets are shagged be prepared for endless frustration trying to find the adjustment sweet spot. Don't ask.

Under the seat there are not one, but two accessory plugs, sitting there waiting for your GPS or heated grips or whatever.

Upside down forks: can't comment on them, even though this is the first bike I have had with them. Generally speaking, and given my limited experience, setting the suspension up per the manual (with my weight + luggage) gives me a ride which I am very happy with.  But again, I never 'push' the bike to its limits.

Factory luggage is perfectly adequate, but don't expect to put your helmet in it. Throwing a big Givi top case on makes life a lot easier, too

[nickjtc]

PS. Rode over one of those "u-weigh-it" roadside weigh scales on my way back from Alberta today. Fully loaded with Triumph panniers and a Givi top box + a tank bag, + a full tank of fuel, the bike weighs 270kg. I am reluctant to divulge how much she weighs with me sitting on her too.

Headlights: I have not had a chance to really assess the headlights since I got the bike (really..... :icon_wink:) Although not stellar they are perfectly adequate for the speeds I ride at, including riding through a torrential downpour on Thursday night going through Calgary.

[MattDaleEvans]

Great review - many thanks - ATB, Matt

[Chris Canning]

Timbox and I had a conversation about the very latest one(1050 Sport)yesterday the tank could do with being a tad bigger but in the real world a real practical piece of kit,problem I had as there was no prospect of me selling my 955 i secumbed to buying a BM XR and while in reality over a 200 mile run is slower than my old 955 one of the most thrilling bikes you will ever ride and the vast majority who are buying as split between the GS and the Explorer.