Triumph Adventure

[markbvt]

From MCN:

Like most, I watched Ewan and Thingey’s ‘Long Way Round’. And like many I’ve harboured fantasies of traversing the globe on an adventure bike, picking up enough tales of diseases and delicacies along the way to blow the kids inheritance but generate a lifetime of pub talk.

But unlike the vast majority I’ve been lucky enough to actually ride, at length, all the biking contenders for the job, both on road and off, ranging from the original 1150 and 1200 GS Adventures, to BMW’s newer 800 versions, KTMs, Transalps and even Ducati’s Multistrada.

But as of today the bike that’s right at the top of my fantasy list is Triumph’s all-new Tiger 800 XC. Give me a few months of freedom and a date in Vladivostok or Timbuctoo and this is the bike I’d want. But, equally, take one summer Sunday and point me at Matlock Bath and this’d be what I’d choose – seriously.

In short, right now, I think the Brit triple is the best all-round adventure bike in the world – no mean achievement when you consider the quality and variety of the competition and the fact Triumph has never really built a bike like this before.

Read the full test in this week's MCN - on sale Wednesday 17 November - and check back tomorrow for the video.

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/Ne...c-is-gs-rival/

--mark

[markbvt]

Well, I've taken the leap of faith. My dealer put me on the official preorder list on Monday when it opened, but today I went in and put down my actual deposit. So sometime next spring, I should have a shiny new Tiger 800 XC in the driveway.

--mark

[SVenpointsixtwo]

Congrats on the new bike! So are you giving up the strom for good then?

[markbvt]

So are you giving up the strom for good then?

Very probably. I'm going to try to convince my dad to buy it so it stays in the family -- and so I have a bike to ride when I visit the parents -- but if he doesn't want it I'll offer it to friends, and if none of them want it either I'll put it up on Craigslist and ADVrider.

I figure I will hold onto it for a month or two after I get the Tiger though, just in case.

--mark

[Stromper]

Good luck on your future venture

[catamount]

Color?

[markbvt]

Orange or black, depending on what comes in when.

--mark

[scottieducati]

YouTube - Triumph Tiger 800XC first ride

[SVenpointsixtwo]

Orange or black, depending on what comes in when.

--mark

Get orange, it's faster. Going to go with any of the official Triumph farkles, or wait til aftermarket stuff gets released?

[markbvt]

I figure I'll get the center stand and crash bars, and maybe the heavy-duty skidplate, though the skidplate it comes with seems pretty decent for initial lighter-duty use. Might wait to see what sort of skidplates the aftermarket comes up with. Or just build my own.

All other farkles will either get transferred from the Wee-Strom or wait till later.

--mark

[zombie]

here ya go mark
Zart exhaust note
Sounds really sweet..
http://www.gaskrank.tv/tv/motorrad-a...-tig-14440.htm

[markbvt]

New video -- test-riding the XC in the dirt:

Tiger 800XC dirt test-ride

Note the bike's shod with the stock Battlewings. If it managed that well on what's essentially a street tire, imagine how it would do with a set of knobbies...

--mark

[zombie]

The tiger is getting rave reviews everywhere.
Looks like triumph have hit a home run with this bike

[markbvt]

Just got an email from my dealer -- they spoke to the Triumph rep Tuesday and expect my bike to arrive around April 15.

Cutting it close... hopefully it will be here a little earlier. Can't wait!

--mark

[zombie]

What time of year are you planning your Alaska ride this year??
I'm planning on the trans-lab this year and am going to stick tourances on the bike , whaddya think?
Thanks amigo

[markbvt]

What time of year are you planning your Alaska ride this year??

Delayed till next year (or later). The buddy I was going to do the trip with couldn't get enough time off work. So we're doing a two-week trip out to NM/CO/SD instead.

I'm planning on the trans-lab this year and am going to stick tourances on the bike , whaddya think?

I strongly recommend running knobbier tires than that. I wouldn't do it with anything less aggressive than TKC-80s, or if mileage was a major concern, a TKC on the front and a Shinko 705 on the back.

It's doable with Tourances, but it'll frequently be highly sketchy. You'll have a lot more fun with TKCs, or the new Kenda K784 Big Blocks.

When are you going to do the trip?

--mark

[mojobreakfast]

Local dealer (North River) got his first Tiger and I took a look at it today. White one, non-XC. Smaller and shorter than I expected. Looks nice, well made and pretty comfortable looking. Weirdly it was supposed to be a brand new sale-ready bike but it had been ridden before being crated and had some kind of test markings on it or something, so he's sending it back...

[markbvt]

It's probably intended to be his demo bike.

--mark

[zombie]

Delayed till next year (or later). The buddy I was going to do the trip with couldn't get enough time off work. So we're doing a two-week trip out to NM/CO/SD instead.



I strongly recommend running knobbier tires than that. I wouldn't do it with anything less aggressive than TKC-80s, or if mileage was a major concern, a TKC on the front and a Shinko 705 on the back.

It's doable with Tourances, but it'll frequently be highly sketchy. You'll have a lot more fun with TKCs, or the new Kenda K784 Big Blocks.

When are you going to do the trip?

--mark

Not sure yet maybe first week of August.
I'm planning on a long trip the summer of 2012
Tossing around central and south america but the cost is fairly big so am probably going to do Alaska again and hit the places I missed the last time

[sandman]

Not sure yet maybe first week of August.
I'm planning on a long trip the summer of 2012
Tossing around central and south america but the cost is fairly big so am probably going to do Alaska again and hit the places I missed the last time

how many days are you going to take off to doo the trans-lab

[markbvt]

Not sure yet maybe first week of August.

I recommend early September. The weather tends to be better, and the bugs are WAY fewer.

Make sure you make advance reservations for the ferry from Newfoundland to Cape Breton. It often fills up 2+ weeks in advance. You don't need reservations for the other ferries though.

--mark

[zombie]

how many days are you going to take off to doo the trans-lab

hey Jim how's it hanging?
probably leave on a Friday and do a week to ten days up and back.
thinking of coming?

[sandman]

hey Jim how's it hanging?
probably leave on a Friday and do a week to ten days up and back.
thinking of coming?

things are going well! were just wrapping up a epic sledding year (looks like we'll get to go out again this weekend)

seeing as it looks like ak isn't going to happen this year a rip up there might be the next best thing.

the big question for me is which bike should i take the gsa or the super enduro.

the se cant carry as much stuff as the gsa, but it's a much better adv bike when the going gets rough and with almost 8 gallons of fuel gas shouldn't be a problem.

[markbvt]

the big question for me is which bike should i take the gsa or the super enduro.

the se cant carry as much stuff as the gsa, but it's a much better adv bike when the going gets rough and with almost 8 gallons of fuel gas shouldn't be a problem.

If you do the Trans-Lab? Take the SE. (Wish I had one myself...)

--mark

[sandman]

If you do the Trans-Lab? Take the SE. (Wish I had one myself...)

--mark

thanks, that's what i was thinking i should doo.

while i love the adv (other than being down on hp) on nice fire roads and pavement. even with the ohlins i don't care for it on slick or washed out rds.

the se will go over and through just about anything i want to take a 400+ lb bike through.