Off-road/Trail capabilities of the Tiger

[BigDave]

....oh, and TKC 80's  :idea:

[Kill Switch]

The Tiger is not a dirt bike. However, it can be ridden in the dirt, sand, mud, gravel, or any other terrain you are willing to try. But that is the key, you must be willing to try.



What I'm trying to say is: you should be ready to handle anything the path throws at you if you take the big cat off paved roads. By that I mean: falling, sliding, getting wet, getting dirty, braking foot pegs, hitting shins on foot pegs, bruises, scratches, lifting a +500 lbs bike, fixing flats, etc... All these are part of riding in the dirt. If you are not willing to put up with this kind of abuse, find yourself a nice stretch of pavement.



I don't think you need too much experience to ride it on dirt roads, you just have to be in the right mind set before you do.



The bike can take much more then you can. And it's bigger, heavier, and stronger then you. Keep that in mind and you will do  fine on any road.

Agree.

[TigerPilot]

"I hope you are just joking. The Tiger is great in the dirt!..."



You mean "the gravel". The Tiger SUCKS on the dirt; you wanta play in the dirt you go after a dirt bike and agin, Tiger is NO dirtbike it has VERY few capabilities in the dirt.  I want to know how may times YOU've takin your TIger in the Dirt and found this first hand??? or anyone here for that fact!!! Unless you came from motocross (and yes I did it for about 11 years) you know NOTHING about the dirt!!! I kid you not when I say I know of full fairing BMW, Yamies and Suzis that do better in the dirt than the Tiger...





"Hopefully like he's joking when he calls a KLR a sports tourer."



Actually, NO I am not joking. for those who dare to think-outside-the-Triumph go to www.kawasaki.com and see what category is under; and rightly so. By definition (which you probably could not even tell me what the definition is) is is indeed a spot tourer. It is in fact as much of a tourer as the Tiger ever be!! Tiger is faster? Yes. but it does nowhere as good as the KLR in the off roads...

I think TigerPilot is toying with us; maybe he's a BMW mole planted here to spread rumors and mistruths about our beloved Tigers  :shock:

NO just stating the facts!!!  Althought our beloved cats are much fun bikes (on the roads!) one can't steer someone wrong just we are "fanatics" of a given brand/make. People need to know FACTS not just some oppinions of a biased, bunch-of-fanatics forum board. I tell you the unbiased facts from any bike or model I'm familiar with (and there are tons of them!!) without covering the truth.



I'm beguining to think you guys are used-motorcycles-salesman for Triumph!!!

[Sasquatch]

"I hope you are just joking. The Tiger is great in the dirt!..."



You mean "the gravel". The Tiger SUCKS on the dirt; you wanta play in the dirt you go after a dirt bike and agin, Tiger is NO dirtbike it has VERY few capabilities in the dirt.  I want to know how may times YOU've takin your TIger in the Dirt and found this first hand???

Of the 12k miles on my Tiger, a full 7k are from the dirt.  



Places like this:





and this:





Of course, this:





Oops, got hung up here:





Looks like a DIRT trail here:





How about creek crossings with a fully loaded Tiger?  BTW, that is my father and he is 64 years old.  He is the one with the silver Tiger in all the above (and below) photos, I am on the Roulette Green Tiger.  He follows me just about everywhere.





Ruts anyone?





How about the White Rim Trail in Moab, UT?









Steep uphill with lots of loose rocks:





Broke the left footpeg JUMPING the Tiger off of ledges.  Good thing the pasenger peg is the same.  I now have Fastway pegs.





Now, do you want to accuse me of not taking my Tiger off road again?  Come to the ADVrider rally in Idaho City and see if you can keep up.

[BykBoy]

...You mean "the gravel". The Tiger SUCKS on the dirt; you wanta play in the dirt you go after a dirt bike and agin, Tiger is NO dirtbike it has VERY few capabilities in the dirt.

It all depends on what your defenition of "dirt" is. I took the big cat on dirt roads and it did just fine. I also took it through some rocky sections (softball size rocks) and it handled it as well.



It did not fair well in deep sand, deep loose gravel, deep mud, and construction sites (not the dirt raods the pickup trucks drive on to get around the site --I'm talking about the area the big D9 buldozers rip up). I didn't do any motocross trails (jumps and drops) or any single track through the woods. I imagine this would be very hard on the big cat, even with TKC 80's... If that's what you call "dirt" then you are right on the money.

...I kid you not when I say I know of full fairing BMW, Yamies and Suzis that do better in the dirt than the Tiger...

This is a tricky statement. I just saw V. Rossi wheelie a Yamaha scooter  all around a MotoGP track. Does that mean a scooter has more is a more capable wheelie machine then an R1? I'm sure Jimmy Lewis can ride a Goldwing through South Pass in Death Valley faster then I can ride the Tiger. But I'm also sure he can ride the Tiger much  faster then the Goldwing up the same pass... My point is: It's more the rider then the ride...

[Kill Switch]

What tires are you using in the pics?  Thanks.  Rick

[newmanr19]

NO just stating the facts!!! Althought our beloved cats are much fun bikes (on the roads!) one can't steer someone wrong just we are "fanatics" of a given brand/make. People need to know FACTS not just some oppinions of a biased, bunch-of-fanatics forum board. I tell you the unbiased facts from any bike or model I'm familiar with (and there are tons of them!!) without covering the truth.

Ok, I take it back. He's not a BMW mole; just a frustrated ex motocrosser that can't ride a Tiger off pavement..  8)



P.S. I am mostly kidding ya.. you just need to take it a little more lightly. Your entitled to your opinions, but if you think a full fared touring bike handles better then a Tiger, I don't put a lot of stock in it (your opinion that is)



P.S.S. I'm not a Triumph dealer; nor a fanatic - just someone who knows what it's capable (and not capable) of in the hands of the right rider

[newmanr19]

Steep uphill with lots of loose rocks:

Ah.. Murphey's Hogback. I did this hill last year on a DRZ 400 and it's no gravel fire road I can attest to that.  Love to see a certain someone try and take a BMW touring bike up that  

[Sasquatch]

What tires are you using in the pics?  Thanks.  Rick

In the photos I had been using Metzler Tourances.  Quality issues with Metzlers have left me looking for other options.  I now have Trailwings fitted and they seem to be up to the same level of performance as the Tourances.



My father has ran TKC-80's untill last tire change.  He then switched to Pirelli Scorpion S/T with good results.

[Sasquatch]

Steep uphill with lots of loose rocks:

Ah.. Murphey's Hogback. I did this hill last year on a DRZ 400 and it's no gravel fire road I can attest to that.  Love to see a certain someone try and take a BMW touring bike up that  

Thanks, I couldn't remember the name of it.  There were a couple of DRZ riders taking a break at the top when we crested it.  They wondered what in the hell was snarling at themcoming up the hill.  I gues the pair of Triumph Tripples really working it make a pretty good sound.  They were floored when we showed up.  I guess there really are people who think the Tiger really is just a street bike...

[Sasquatch]

Too bad I can not hang around and see TigerPilots replies.  I am heading for Laguna Seca tomorrow morning at the butt crack of dawn for the GP races.  I'll be away for the next 10 days or so taking my "street" bike on some very easy gravel roads.... :twisted:

[newmanr19]

Too bad I can not hang around and see TigerPilots replies.  I am heading for Laguna Seca tomorrow morning at the butt crack of dawn for the GP races.  I'll be away for the next 10 days or so taking my "street" bike on some very easy gravel roads.... :twisted:

Another Tiger rider I know is heading down there too from Seattle area. He rides a black 2001 and his name is Clif. I don't think he visits this board.. but if you see him, tell him Newman says hi.



have fun at the races

[BigDave]

The only limitation of what the Tiger (or other big trailies for that matter) is how far can your skills take you while minimizing damage.  Thats why I recomend all the armour you can buy.  Even the V-Strom can go in amazing places. Last year in Ouray, Sasquatch on his 955, me on my GS and Stinz on the big Strom rode all day doing some fairly rough 4WD trails at a pretty quick pace as well. 8)





Sasquatch, Stinez & Pawk at Annimas Fork below Cinnamon Pass near Silverton Colorado.

[Kill Switch]

Took the Tiger somewhat off-road today during the hurricane down here ( we only got some 40 mph winds and moderate rain) in West Florida.  Sandy trails, water and scrub brush plains with 10 inche high foliage (each plant was about 3 inches apart so very "clumpy".  Handled fine.  No problem and I even had my bags on filled with tools, tubes and assorted necessities.



A little worried about the oil cooler.  The only problem was testing the option of doing a 360.  Very difficult - actually impossible.  If anyone has any hints on solving this difficulty please let me know.  Otherwise, bike was very capable and only heavy when I had to turn around.  I feel pretty confident about taking her out anywhere.  



WE ARE WITH YOU BRITAIN.

[BykBoy]

I know of full fearing BMW's that are much better in the dirt than these Triumph Tigers...

I hope you're not talking about this one...















More detail here.



Sorry, I couldn't resist... :oops: