I thought as the tigger has clocked over 10,000 miles and is rapidly approaching 3 years old it was time for a review of how things have gone. This a 'Gen 3' Alpine Edition 2020 model which is basically the mid range road version tiger with a few extra toys lobbed at it and a posh frock. This is as unbiased as an owners review can be and I do confess that I have looked at alternatives (GS1250, new tiger 1200, A Twin etc) and all have been, for me, inferior products for a number of reasons. So, I've broken the tigger's performance down into a number of categories with a brief summary at the end. I hope you find it a worthwhile and informative read -
Comfort - this is the big one for the tiger as it's strongest suit, this thing is just super comfortable. However, it wasn't straight 'out of the box' and has needed a number of tweaks to get it spot on. At 6'2" tall I often have to adjust things to fit and a set of handlebar raisers (up 50mm, back 20mm) were the first step. This was followed by some 15mm adjustable footpegs (down & back at 45 degrees) and the optional taller screen with a spoiler I already had. The icing on the cake was the chance to pick up a mint Corbin seat off the Tiger forum. This is now all-day comfortable and it eats miles with ease.
Engine - another strong point. Pulls like a Premiership footballer in a nightclub, any gear, any revs and it just goes. You can waft about in top gear at tickover or wazz the nuts off it to the 10,200 rpm red line - but hang on as it's a 'bit' nippy with 140 hp and 90 lb/ft of torque. Super smooth apart from a really weird patch of gentle vibration at exactly 3,200 rpm? This equates to 50 mph in 6th gear and you can't feel it a 49 mph or 51 mph, very odd and very common with the 'Gen 3' engines. It is electronically restricted to 133 mph, apparently... Excellent on fuel too returning 57 mpg on my recent trip to Scotland.
Suspension & handling - yet again, very good. The TSAS (Triumph Semi Active Suspension) is adjustable on the fly so you can alter it for bumpy roads, speed etc. On the softest settings it absorbs just about every road imperfection imaginable, on the firmest it's like a sportsbike with very firm damping control. You can keep up with most bikes, on most roads, but eventually the sheer weight of the bike becomes the limiting factor. It steers very precisely and holds a line through corners very well. It can get a bit loose & wobbly at 3 digit speeds however...
Brakes - the front Brembo Monoblock's are impressive with excellent, progressive feel, but it's a heavy old girl. They are more than adequate, but they do have a LOT of work to do to stop 265kg + rider... The rear has loads of feel and power and is probably the best rear brake set up I've come across.
Shaft drive - yes ! No faffing about with chains and the single sided swing arm makes rear tyre changes a doddle.
Fit & finish - another strong suit for the Triumph. Yes, I confess, I am a pedant when it comes to cleaning my bike but the tigger still looks like new. The only signs of any corrosion are on the brake discs and you can only see that if you get right up to them. Even the centre stand springs are still golden and look like new, impressive. No marks or scratches on any of the metallic white paint but I have caught the rear passenger grab handle with my clumsy feet a few times, causing a few scuffs. The factory Triumph (Givi) luggage is a joy to use and is 100% waterproof. Acres of capacity and I comfortably managed to carry over a weeks worth of clothing on a trip to the South of France last year.
Electronic's - it's becoming a thing now to have all manner of gizmo's on a bike these days and the tiger is not short of them. The TFT dash is a thing of beauty and so clear and easy to read, the riding modes are easy to access but I prefer 'road' for 99.99% of the time. Sport mode makes it a bit snatchy, rain mode makes it feel flat and why would you go off road on this thing? The cornering ABS & cornering traction control are very unobtrusive and the anti-wheelie is surprisingly efficient. You can feel it reduce the power if you are being brutal with the throttle, but it is very gradual. The standard quickshifter is a thing of pure wonder and is super smooth in operation. I thought these things were a gimmick, but they make riding easier & smoother. Cruise control is a blessing and it's super easy to use with a tap to activate and a second tap to set or re-activate. This makes big days in the saddle a joy and is a 'must have' for any future bike, the electrically adjustable screen helps too allowing a bit more air to reach you around town. The tiger has back-lit switchgear too which looks really funky at night and the LED headlights are quite simply amazing. Keyless start is very nice and has been 100% reliable, although I have heard of some people having issues with it.
Running costs - as I've mentioned earlier it is very good on fuel (for a 1200), does like a tyre or two and it wears the front & rear at the same rate. The front wears odd due to the weight of the bike and the torquey engine gives the rear a hard time. I'm getting about 4,000 miles out of a pair of Bridgestone A41's with ample tread left but both tyres squaring off/wearing badly. Servicing costs are OK (the big 20,000 mile service will hurt however) and it's only needed rear brake pads so far.
Reliability - it's not left me stranded or failed to start. However, it did need a replacement rear WP shock absorber at the first service, which I hadn't noticed was leaking. All sorted under warranty and it's a known issue due to a duff batch of seals, apparently. My bike has not needed a single drop of oil between services either.
Annoying bits - it's not all been plain sailing. The bike defaults to it's base settings every time you switch it on or off. So things like fog lights have to be switched back on again, riding modes have to be re-activated & heated grips reset. It sounds minor but it's a ball ache after a while. The stock fog lights are utter poo and went the journey early on. They are not very bright and often rotate around in their holder (a common fault) and they are far too close to the indicators in my opinion too. At £360 a set they are utter crap, thankfully they were included as part of the deal when I got my bike. The fuel low warning is a pain, the bike has a very handy 'miles to empty' display on the two trips. When you get down to 45 miles the 'low fuel warning' appears and the mileage remaining goes - what use is that! I would like to see how many miles left thank you.
Weight, it's the Elephant in the room, if you pardon the pun. This thing is heavy and it's centre of gravity is high up too, with a full tank of juice it's a handful. Once on the move, even at walking pace, this disappears but as soon as you stop it's a pig. I tried a GS Adventure and it felt half the weight of the tiger and it's about the same weight. If only BMW could make a gearbox that actually works...
Summary - it's big, comfortable, reliable, well equipped and a bit nippy. The tweaks I've made have made it perfect for me and it's a genuine all-day bike. The running costs are fine (for me) and are basically a pair of tyres per year and a service. But, it's a bit on the lardy side, rather like it's owner...
So there you are, a warts & all review of the 2020 Triumph Tiger 1200, Gen 3 (2018-2022). Would I buy one again ? Oh yes, the new one (2023 onwards with the 1166cc, 'T' plane engine) is poo and vibrates like a sex toy so that is out of the question. I suspect I'll be keeping the tigger for a while now. I hope you enjoyed reading this
