 
Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200 2012 - present. 1215cc, OHV, DOHC, liquid-cooled, in-line triple, adventure bike review Explorer 1200: The good stuff... ABS and traction control: Ideal for control freaks. Looks: We think Triumph got it right. Distinct. Modern. Cool.
Performance: Around 140mph. More than enough for most. Power: 135hp (Triumph numbers).
Handling: Excellent, but it's no lightweight.
Braking: Gripping stuff. These anchors could stop a war.
Exhaust: Stainless steel. Looks good. Sounds okay to us. Shaft drive: Reliable, so unchain yourself. Single-sided swinging arm: Easy wheel changes. Suspension: No complaints. As smooth as Tony Blair's lies. Presence: It gets noticed. You're king of the road on this. Luggage: Optional extra, but well worth the extra. Economy: 45-55mpg. But it's hard to keep the speed down. Equipment: This is an adventure in itself. All you can eat. Comfort: Great for the rider. Pillion gets a decent seat too. Service intervals: Major work at 10,000 miles. Beat that. Alternator: 950W. Power to the people, huh? Heated grips: Standard and essential for serious touring. Heated seat: Optional, and keeps the fundaments cosy. and the not so good stuff... Price: Over £11,000 when launched. £12,500 by 2015. Weight: It ain't fat, but it's heavy. Not for wimps. Scratching: Only your rear end after a day in the saddle. Saddle height: The higher you climb, the further you fall. Livery: Not very adventurous. Extras: Nice touring toys available, but at a price. Design: Too angular? Not to everyone's taste. Power: It's just too much for many. Try the Tiger 800. Servicing costs: Around £500 for the full treatment. Electrics: Like many modern bikes, the wiring is complex. Looks: We like it. But we can see why other's howl.
 ▲ The metallic green (Khaki Green) livery on this 1200 XC variant took a little while to get used to. But we persevered, and now we like it. Mostly. The wire wheels, thanks to a cunning spoke arrangement on the central flange, will run tubeless tyres. Meanwhile, the 21-inch front wheel is less "quick" than the 19-incher as used on the standard bike. But the increased diameter of the of 21-inch wheel is a little better at shrugging off potholes. Suspension on both bikes is excellent.  ▲ Triumph Explorer 1200 for 2012. This is the road-oriented version with no off-road pretensions. The biggest visual differences are the cast wheels (as opposed to wire wheels on the XC, and the colour scheme. Switchable traction control and switchable ABS comes as standard. There's cruise control too if you can find a use for it.  ▲ Remember the 1944 western Tall in the Saddle starring John Wayne and Ward Bond? Well this is a John Wayne kind of bike, and long legs ain't optional. They're essential. Triumph has simply made a sales/height equation and accepted the result. Heated seats for rider and passenger are optional at around £200 each. Plus VAT.  ▲ The imposing business end of the Triumph Explorer 1200 for 2012. You can get it wet and muddy, but this motorcycle has very limited off-road capability. Then again, who cares? Not us. The halogen spotlights, fitted as standard on the XC, are very useful, however. 
▲ Comprehensive instrument display with excellent functionality ... and a comprehensive luggage option for those occasional intergalactic excursions. Triumph tell us that you can fit a full faced lid in the left side pannier (£450 a pair at 2015 prices). But wait, ain't the boxes supposed to be for your shirts and socks and paperbacks and stuff? Still, in the absence of any other meaningful ruler...  ▲ Another amazingly compact engine from Triumph offering stunning performance with a class-leading 10,000 mile service interval. Vibration is negligible. Mechanical noise is worryingly minimal. This engine also drives a massive 950W alternator. It's enough to run the lights, accessory lamps, horn, indicators, heated vests and heated grips at once.  ▲ The standard 2015 1200 Triumph Explorer, but with wire wheels instead of cast wheels. Triumph dealers, and even Hinckley Triumph, insist on calling these wheels "spoked". But they're all spoked, just differently. We'd opt for the cast wheels. They're maintenance free, and with a bike like this, we'd want to ride, not fix. Sizes are 19-inch front, and 18-inch rear.  ▲ Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200 XC for 2015. Essentially the same machine with minor upgrades. The colour is Graphite.  ▲ 2015 Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200 XC on a roll. We like this motorcycle more than we like the BMW's GS, both in terms of looks and feel. But we have to admit a certain marque bias. Nevertheless, if you're a GS rider, you'd be well advised to check out this bike. It's arguably got more character and has oodles of mid-range grunt and torque and better balance—and it doesn't hurt Britain's balance of payments. And yes, that really is a factory when it comes to pretty much anything. Buy British whenever you can.
Engine: Four stroke, DOHC, in-line 4-valves-per-cylinder triple
Capacity: 1215cc
Bore and stroke: 85mm x 71.4mm
Cooling system: Liquid
Compression ratio: 12.0:1
Induction: Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection with SAI
Ignition: Digital
Starting: Electric
Instruments: Speedo. Rev counter. Air temperature. Charging indicator. Engine temperature. Oil pressure.
Gear position. Frost warning. Trip computer. Tyre pressure monitoring. Fuel gauge. And range-to-empty
Exhaust: Stainless steel 3 into 1, side mounted stainless steel silencer
Oil capacity: 4 Litres
Maximum power: 135hp / 137PS 101 kW @ 9300rpm
Maximum torque: 89lbs-ft (121Nm) @ 6400 rpm
Clutch: Wet, multi-plate
Transmission: 6-speed
Final drive: Shaft
Frame: Tubular steel trellis
Swinging arm: Single-sided, cast aluminium alloy with shaft drive
Front suspension: Kayaba 46mm inverted fork
Front wheel travel: 190mm
Rear suspension: Kayaba monoshock with remote oil reservoir,
hydraulically adjustable preload, rebound damping adjustment
Rear wheel travel 194mm
Front brake: 2 x 305mm floating discs, Nissin 4-piston calipers, switchable ABS
Rear brake: Single 282mm disc, Nissin 2-piston caliper, switchable ABS
Front wheel: 32-spoke 19 x 2.5 inch, aluminium rim
Rear wheel: 32-spoke 17 x 4.0 inch, aluminium rim
Front tyre: 110/80-19
Rear tyre: 150/70-17
Rake: 22.8 degrees
Trail: 90.9mm
Overall length: 88.4in (2,248mm)
Width (handlebars): 37.9in (962mm)
Wheelbase: 56.5in (1435 mm)
Seat height: 33.7 inches (857mm) maximum. 32.9 inches (837mm) minimum
Wet weight: 586 lb: (267kg)
Fuel capacity: 5.3 gallons (20 litres)  ▲ Looking for a lighter, sportier Tiger? Launched in 2010, this is the Tiger 800 for 2011. Very similar to the 1200 model, this smaller cat has a 799cc Liquid-cooled triple engine pumping out a claimed 93 - 95hp (as opposed to 135hp for the 1200 Explorer) and chain drive (as opposed to shaft). The 800 is a revvier bike than the 1200 and, due to its lighter weight, offers better (i.e. less ponderous) handling. Many riders complain about the screen, and more than a few riders have chopped the screen down or removed it completely. Beyond that, it's a terrific bike that will get you anywhere at 80 - 90mph two-up, luggage-laden cruising with great back road performance. The cast wheels and lack of a front "beak" tells you that this is the standard road model. [Read more on the Triumph Tiger 800...] |
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Triumph Tiger 1200 review & road test Triumph Tiger 1200 Intro Tiger model range Launch Style & power Performance Braking Handling Screen Instruments, lights & switchgear Off road Shaft drive Conclusion 2015 Triumph Tiger specifications
Triumph Tiger 1200 intro You can think of the Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200 as a two-wheeled Range Rover, and that's either good or bad depending on what you feel about the world's most illustrious four-by-four as driven by an army of pretty much everyone from soccer stars to foreign dictators, to Russian mafioso to the average bloke in the street. It's big, powerful and purposeful. It's got plenty of road presence, offers top notch comfort, is ideal for covering large mileages in all weathers, is easy to accessorise, and it's very British (whatever that means to you anymore). 
Launch Hinckley Triumph announced this Tiger at the end of 2011 (at the EICMA Show, aka the Milan Motorcycle Show). From the start, it was clear that the firm had a lot to prove with this bike and was risking a heap of development money and kudos. Hinckley was blatantly gunning for BMW's long-established and class-leading GS series of dual-purpose machines and needed a bike that didn't simply match the Beemer whim for whim, but a bike that beat the competition soundly into the dust. Some folk feel that Triumph did exactly that, and we agree. The Tiger Explorer 1200 is, quite simply, a fantastic motorcycle, and that's high praise because the BMW GS is also a fantastic bag of Bavarian bits and bolts. Tiger model range Two models were soon on offer. The road-oriented Explorer 1200. And the Explorer 1200 XC, the "XC" standing for cross country (see the main image on the left). The difference? A 19-inch front wheel for the road model, and a 21-inch front wheel for the XC, plus a sump bash plate, moulded hand guards, engine guards and halogen spotlights. Both Tigers are offered with a range of accessories including a comprehensive and capacious luggage system. A centre stand is standard across the range. Style and power To begin with, the bike is great looking. So okay, that's a subjective thing to say. But ask enough subjects, and the majority will agree. This is a great looking motorcycle. And it's not that the BMW is exactly pig ugly. But the Beemer is more of an acquired taste whereas this Tiger tastes good straight off the spoon. At its heart is an all-new 1214cc engine. We're talking about three cylinders, four valves-per-cylinder, liquid cooling, a six-speed gearbox, multipoint fuel injection, fly-by-wire throttle control, and more low down grunt that a squad of Sumo wrestlers. Hinckley reckon there's 135hp on tap with maximum torque of 89lbs-ft (121Nm) kicking in at 6,400rpm (and it does kick). 
Performance Start it up, blast off, and you're very rapidly flying along in a low orbit, never short of mechanical adrenalin, the raw muscle inspiring confidence with every yard of tarmac. You don't so much overtake vehicles as project yourself in front of them. And you barely need to check your rear view mirrors because the vehicle you've just dusted will simply be a speck in the distance. Engine noise is near turbine-like. At the very least, you could be forgiven for thinking that you're riding a four cylinder bike. But no. This really is a triple; and something of a masterpiece from Hinckley. 
The steel-framed bike looks huge at the kerb, but it feels surprisingly small when you're on-board. But it's tall. No mistake. The maximum seat height is 33.7 inches (857mm). The minimum is 32.9 inches (837mm). So if you're shorter than around five feet eight (or, more realistically, shorter than around five feet ten) you need either abnormally long legs, platform shoes, or a fair amount of nerve. To mitigate things, the fuel tank is tapered towards the front and is heavily scalloped. Meanwhile, the rider saddle narrows to meet it. Consequently, you tuck neatly into the bike and your pins enjoy a shorter path to ground. And as a bonus, the windblast is significantly reduced thereby encouraging you to ride faster, travel further, and maybe even throw a little extra caution to the wind. In other words, when the Tiger is rolling, it's rollin'. Just point, squirt, point, squirt until you run out of juice. As a footnote, we know a few guys (and one girl) who stand around five-feet-six inches in their socks, and they ride Explorer 1200s with confidence. So it can be done. Take heart, Shorty. 
Braking The brakes are simply excellent. Unless you're being seriously enthusiastic, you need little more than a single trigger finger and your biggest right toe. And although this can be said of many motorcycles these days, the traction control and ABS conspire to give you just the right amount of feedback without taking all the responsibility from your hand and foot. 
Handling Jab the start button, squeeze the clutch lever, snick it into first, twist the throttle, release the clutch lever and the Tiger gallops off the mark like a thoroughbred. It's clearly a heavy bike (around 65lbs more than the BMW GS), and with the first dab of the brakes there's the suspicion that under heavy front anchoring, the bike just might pinwheel or at least plough a furrow in the tarmac. But the bike doesn't dive much at all. It stays reasonably level and well-balanced. 
So okay, BMW's telelever front suspension system is technically superior. Can't argue with that. Except that the BMW feels more soulless. Clinical. Detached. The Triumph, meanwhile, offers far more feedback thereby reminding you exactly how much weight you're throwing around. Overall, handling is crisp, taut, and surefooted, and rider comfort is about as good as it gets. 
Explorer screen The screen was ideal for us. It adequately bats aside the worst of the atmosphere, but the moment the pillion sticks his or her head in the breeze there is a little buffeting front and back. The screen is easily adjustable, and of course you'll want to experiment to get it right for your tastes and sensibilities. Is the buffeting worse than on other bikes we've ridden? Not really. But it's worth mentioning and you won't get much trouble below around 70-80mph. Put simply, there are immutable laws of aerodynamics that Hinckley hasn't yet managed to circumvent. But give the factory a little time... A touring screen costs £240 at 2015 prices. Instruments, lights & switchgear The Tiger switchgear is easy to use with positive indents. Details like this make a difference on the road, and Hinckley got this detail right. BMW GS switchgear, by way of comparison, is slightly better (both functionally and aesthetically). But the Explorer switches do their job satisfactorily. The headlight slices the darkness into manageable chunks no matter how fast you're riding. We had no complaints there. The mirrors, meanwhile, stay calm under all but the most extreme conditions. The instruments are very comprehensive. Speed. Revs. Air temperature. Charging. Engine temperature. Oil pressure. Gear position. Frost warning. Trip computer. Tyre pressure monitoring. Fuel gauge. And range-to-empty. In fact, this bike has more instruments than the Glen Miller Orchestra and sounds almost as good. But instrument watching isn't compulsory, and we mostly just grooved along in the traditional way, dodging bugs and snorting up the white line. 
Off road So how about off-road? Well the standard Explorer is a non-starter off the highway. It's a road bike with no green lane, desert or mud-plugging pretensions or aspirations. But the XC is different. It's got the heart for off-road fun, but it hasn't got the right equipment. Actually, it's mostly a weight problem. And okay, the suspension could use more travel. So as it stands, it won't tackle anything heavy duty, and that's not going to surprise anyone. But for dusty, muddy, cratered back roads and suchlike, it will trundle along with acceptable competence, albeit whilst hauling a lot of lard. But is the Beemer any better in the dirt? Fact is, we don't know. We never tried the bikes head-to-head, or even tyre-to-tyre. But we're guessing that the BMW GS will be slightly better. It's got a head start and we'll see the Tiger playing catch up for a while. On the dirt, anyway. But until the Explorer sheds some pounds, the GS will probably stay ahead, dirtwise. However, all this is something of a moot point for most riders because the XC is still primarily a road-oriented machine and, like the average Range Rover, that's where it will spend 95 percent of its time. On tarmac. And probably reasonably fresh tarmac. 
Shaft drive Well what about that shaft drive? The short answer is that it's good. The longer answer is that you barely notice it. The firm has fitted "torsional dampers" and a "metalastic shaft". And the firm has moved the metal around in all kinds of technical ways to reduce "squat" and "lift". But the factory does qualify its sales boasts by mentioning that it's talking about "solo riding". But even two-up, no matter how hard you jerk the Tiger's lead, you know that you're not riding a pogo stick. 
Conclusion The conclusion is simply that this is a very clever, very well thought-through, very worthy, very quick, very motorvating motorcycle. BMW must be concerned about this machine. We're not currently in the market for a bike such as this. It's a lot of money for the Sump kitty to bear, especially when we've got so many other biking commitments. But if we were looking for an big-assed, hard-nosed, two-up, luggage lugging, Kraut kicking adventurer bike, the Tiger 1200 Explorer would definitely be on the shortlist. |