Triumph Tiger Explorer

Cody1771

Explorer
i'm a little dissapointed with the lack of ground clearance on a bike that got its blood from a true "adventure bike". i think i would still lean towards the Super Tenere
 

Frank

Explorer
The Tenere is just as bad. I like this bike over the Tenere based on my simple review at the motorcycle show a few weeks ago. Though I really like the bike, I am still turned off by an adventure bike that runs its exhaust under the bike. -this is one thing I think KTM really got right.

I would like to ride it before ruling it out of my "want" list.

BTW, the KTM 990 adv has almost 1" more suspension travel and has 10.3" of ground clearance (I cant find anything that states what the Triumph GCis )over the triumph

Almost everything is sub-par when compared to the KTM, in my opinion.
 
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zolo

Explorer
I think the Triumph will be another "miss" as is the Tenere for off road. IMO.

The GS and the 990 are just to well thought out to really get any competition in the ADV market. I applaud Triumph for the effort in both bikes but KTM and BMW are so much stronger in the end.

One example for the Tenere, went on an ADV ride with a group a month back. Guy had new SuperT. He was running the stock bags off road and the road was muddy. He was raving about the trac control and trying to keep up with a 990 and 2 super well outfitted Honda 650s. He had a light fall, nothing hard. And one bag completely broke off the bike. Plastic broke, the mount was a joke and the bag was a gonner.
I have dropped my GS and the KTM a few times and I never had such carnage.
It was epic bike had like 1000 miles on it.

If its gonna be an ADV BIG bike with bags at least make the bags strong and the bike have some suspension and ground clearance.
If your gonna be 90% on road and 10% off then the Tenere and Triumph would be well suited.

I agree KTM is the ticket... Its BAD***
 
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Scott Brady

Founder
The GS and the 990 are just to well thought out to really get any competition in the ADV market. I applaud Triumph for the effort in both bikes but KTM and BMW are so much stronger in the end.

I tend to agree. The Triumph 800xc is a nice bike though, we really enjoyed it. It is also far more appropriate on the dirt.

Owning a 950 KTM and riding 1200s extensively, I would really want the 1200GSA for long-distance touring.
 

sandalscout

Adventurer
BTW, the KTM 990 adv has almost 1" more suspension travel and has 10.3" of ground clearance over the triumph

Frank, I know what you are going for, but misread this the first time. The KTM has a total of 10.3" of ground clearance. I can't actually find ground clearance specs for this bike, the 800XC is about 8.5", from what I'm reading.

Maybe it's because I'm fairly new to riding, or maybe it's because like so many other items on this forum were everyone thinks that they NEED so much more than they really do to explore (don't get me wrong, I'm guilty of it as well), but any of the modern "ADV" bikes including the GSA, 990ADV, 800XC and even a mildly outfitted DL650 are all so heavy I wouldn't consider taking any of them out into anything much more than a badly washed out gravel road. I would hate to drop any of them, they all have fairly short suspensions compared to a dirt bike based thumper, are heavy.... did I mention that they are heavy?

I ride a little bike, and after a a strenuous ride in some nasty mud on legal roads, down a hill, I hit a rut weirdly and dropped the bike. It was facing downhill, and had tipped over far enough into the other rut that I had to pick the bike up from more than a 90 degree angle. My buddies were further ahead than I, and while I could have waited for one to return if it was bad, it was still fairly difficult to pick up my under 300 pound bike by myself.

I guess what I'm saying is that regardless of all of the suspension/ground clearance/power of any of these big bikes, they are so heavy to essentially negate any offroad advantages they have over the others as 99% of people (sure, a guess, but I'm definitely in this group) will NEVER push a bike into a situtation that actually warrants the need for all of the offroad capability.

EDIT - Maybe it's a riding environment difference? In the east, we can't really go flat out when riding off pavement, 45-50 miles an hour is usually the top speed we would take. Our riding areas tend to be forest roads that are curvy and often have other vehicles on them. Perhaps out west, in the desert, etc, "off-road" on an ADV style takes a different meaning.
 

Frank

Explorer
Yes, sorry about that. I am writing from work so sometimes my mind goes faster than my fingers when I have a brief second to write a response. I modified my post.

Suspension travel is huge in an adv bike. Sure, if your a pavement pounder it really doesn't make much sense to have a lot of suspension. Get out on a open dirt road, you want suspension and lots of it. Lets not forget, when you sit on that bike, you lose suspension and when you add gear you lose even more suspension.

Zolo, I see in your sig you had a GS and now have a 990. Do you miss your GS?
 

zolo

Explorer
Zolo, I see in your sig you had a GS and now have a 990. Do you miss your GS?


Frank, In some regards yes I miss the GS. The Para-lever front suspension was nice and forgiving when coming into a corner a little hot.
The Shaft drive was nice and the oil changes were easy.

But after riding the KTM I think that for a ADV bike and the fact that I am one of those riders that likes the dirt. The KTM is just more fun and has the power to do whatever. Its lighter faster and can carry just as much as the GS if needed. Mine it set up pretty well.
I didn't sacrifice much of anything switching bikes but seemed to gain a lot from the KTM in the dirt and the power.

I wrote up a comparison here on Expo... http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/68433-Switching-from-a-GS1200-to-a-KTM-990

I think that Triumph and Yamaha have a ways to come to compete in a similar arena.
 

Scott Brady

Founder
modern "ADV" bikes including the GSA, 990ADV, 800XC and even a mildly outfitted DL650 are all so heavy I wouldn't consider taking any of them out into anything much more than a badly washed out gravel road.

I was jumping, single-tracking, wheel lofting, bunny hopping and whoop running a GSA last weekend. All on stock tires. It is shocking what these bikes will do.

RawHyde_Overland_Journal 24.jpg

RawHyde_Overland_Journal 36.jpg
 

zolo

Explorer
^^^^^^^^^^^
Agreed I have ridden the GS and the 990 hard off road and they are great.
Then at the end of the off road sections, you can cruise at 80 and not feel like the bike is struggling.
 

Scott Brady

Founder
The Triumph web page for the Explorer is http://www.triumphmotorcycles.com/motorcycles/range/adventure/10280

The web pages say the Explorer is 570 lbs wet, while the 800 XC weighs 470 lbs ready to ride. Wouldn't the lighter weight and better fuel economy of the 800 twin be more important than the extra power of the Explorer for an ADV style trip?

I agree Chip. The 800XC is really a sweet bike. This is the one we tested. I really enjoyed the bike.

800XC.jpg
 

Frank

Explorer
I think that Triumph and Yamaha have a ways to come to compete in a similar arena.

Thanks for the response. I agree 100% with this statement.

I do think the super t and the triumph are great bikes but not on the BMW/990 level...
 

sandalscout

Adventurer
I was jumping, single-tracking, wheel lofting, bunny hopping and whoop running a GSA last weekend. All on stock tires. It is shocking what these bikes will do.

I guess it is a matter of skill, comfort and riding environment. Of course, this is an example of some of the more extreme riding in my area, but no way would a GS be even remotely close to viable in this ride: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=712066

Of course, that's also why most people have multiple bikes. I'm currently setting up my 250 for more extreme riding (haha, that's funny coming from me!) and planning on serious suspension work, and also planning on getting a Vstrom 650 to explore around here as well as having serious range rides with.
 

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