Tiger Tales - Dialling in the 800XC for the dirt

I have probably covered this in my reply to Trev, but I reckon it is really good. It is light years ahead of most of the older dual sports (stock DR650 etc) and for my riding I don't think I will need to do anything with it at this stage. Naturally a DR can be made to work really well with some dollars and a good suspension tuner but the Triumph is really good stock in my opinion. Like most good dirt setups it feels a little stiff on the road and then just irons out the bumps in the dirt.

Good to hear that it works well, I ordered one last week but it hasn't turned up yet unfortunately. I was actually thinking of going to a 14T if need be but wondered about swingarm clearance?

I have been thinking about this. Mine doesn't have a centrestand but it was quite noisy when I rode it home over corrugations. Since then I haven't noticed it making any unusual noises and the only thing i can put it down to is the Triumph Rear Guard Extender (extender)? I bolted it up to fill in the gaps under the pillion seat and noticed at the time that without it, the number plate holder was quite flimsy and seemed like it would flap around a bit. Bolting the extender on braces the whole thing and makes it much more solid so maybe that is the fix

That is a perfectly logical observation, I see your point and normally I am a very logical person. Except when it comes to motorbikes .

For me, the decission came down to the following factors:

1) I really enjoy riding big, powerful dirt bikes on winding dirt roads and trails. Some people drink, others smoke cigarettes and me, I like to ride bikes. I am in the really fortunate position to be able to afford both an adventure bike and a DRZ for the trickier stuff.

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2) Australia is a big country with a lot to see. I have ridden the local area extensively over the last 15 - 20 years and while I still love exploring on my DRZ, there is always a part of me that wants to see something different. On a big comfy dual sport you can set out in the morning, do 600km+ days of mixed dirt, trails and roads and still feel good at the end of it. That's not to say you can't do it on a dirt bike, you can, it just takes more time and resolve. With a young family, who I love spending time with, I don't have the time and after riding long distances on more traditional dirt bikes for several years, I have lost the resolve (well most of it anyway).

3) Riding a big bike in the dirt is a different kind of experience. You tend to slow down a little, see the country side more and focus on getting it right rather than going fast. Dirt roads and less technical trails become interesting rather than just links to the good stuff.

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4) I don't really see what I am doing with the Tiger as thrashing it. Yes, it is going to get dirty and probably a few scratches but it isn't like I am abusing the bike or throwing it at impossible hill climbs where it is likely to get thrown away. The idea of this thread is to show how I go about setting the bike up so that it works well in these conditions. I tend to maintain my bikes really well and as a result they usually hold their value.

5) Long term ownership. If you look at one of the high performance dirt bikes that sell for say $13k here in Australia and compare it the to Tiger at $16k, I would say it compares quite well. Yes, the suspension may be of a lower spec but it works well for the purpose and the bike should be capable of doing over 100,000kms with a bit of luck. Compare that to 5,000 - 10,000km rebuild intervals on a high performance thumper and the value equation starts to shift in my opinion

Excellent bike review! We share very similar riding preferences.

Would you mind elaborating on your experience with the F800GS and comparisons to your 800XC?

Some mods I've made so far;

Handguard extensions - The 800s are not as good as the 1050s


Raising the touring screen




And a splash guard to combine with the Traxxion Shock Sock

GOOD ANSWER!

Well, aside from the obvious that if everybody decided to follow your path, that bike wouldn't be $2,500, and bikes would never get better, kinda like the cars in Cuba. Undoubtedly, for some folks that DP will work fine. For others, who are going to do hundreds of miles or more before they get to their off pavement playground, it ain't gonna do the trick. "Just toss it into the back of the truck," you say? So spend another 10-45k on a truck?

What do you plan to do about the air filter?

I've been wondering about this too. I do my air filter after every ride on my KLR and CRF. But I'm usually with people in dusty conditions. So far that hasn't happened on the Tiger. I haven't had the tank off to look yet, but any chance of a pre filter?

Just fitted the bash plate from Triumph. Anybody else unimpressed? Coverage is good, but it's flimsy. Of course, so is the bracket it mounts to. Kinda wish there was some frame under there instead of just the oil pan to attach to. I guess I won't be able to bash this thing off rocks like I do my other bikes.

I got the SW-M sump guard cause I didn't like the lack of coverage the Triumph one had to the oil filter.
The SW-M one isn't a bad bit of kit but like the OEM one mounts using the same points so definatly not a grind and bash kinda plate.
Having said that I reckon it will suit my needs as I'm really only up for dirt roads and maybe easy 2wheeled tracks (well probably till the off road bug hits anyways)

Really interesting build up and review thus far. I just picked up my 800 XC in Denver and rode it 650 miles home to Moab over tarmac and dirt roads. I've got TKC 80's on mine and I'm seriously impressed w/ the capabilities of this bike. I share your opinion that it's a little doughy on the low end. I had a hard time getting the back end to break loose in the dirt, but that may also be attributed to the TKC's, which grip really, really well.

You've given me some good ideas for my own bike. Definitely need to get a rear mud extender and do something about the rocks and mud that spray up from the front tire. Just ordered some neoprene fork seal covers for the front. Gotta figure out what to do about the rear shock. I'll be watching to see how your solution works out.

Thanks again for the great write-up. I'm definitely in!

Anybody bypassed the clutch and kickstand safeties yet? Looks like a pretty simple case of splicing some wires. Just want to know if anybody found out the hard way it screwed up something in the computer. If I hit the starter button, I need it to work. Now. Not try to get the bike in neutral, clutch pulled in, kick stand up, while I'm hanging off the bike on single track and my dumb ass snubbed it. That's why I need my starter to work. I did these mods on all the other bikes and I can't even count the times it's saved my ass.

The guys at Happy Trails were supposed to have had the prototype built and delivered to me for testing last week. They didn't cause they were building a ton of stuff to take to the vstrom rally. I had to have something. I've been doing a ton of riding off road and it's only a matter of time before I do something stupid. I'm going to make recommendations to the HT guys to improve on the Triumph one. It should be superior in every way when it hits the market.

I asked about bypassing the clutch safety switch & my dealer said it has multiple functions. He asked me to please not muck with it.

I'm curious if he told you what those functions were. I think the dealer is required to say don't mess with anything on the bike so they can charge you 85 bucks an hour.

Good point. Kinda wish I never asked now...getting hammered here a bit!! hahaha.

I say, it's Burren's bike.....ride it like you want and let it rip BR!! We only pass this way one time, ya know?!

Besides, I like your combo. Sweet tiger and a nice woods bike as well. Assuming the carb is jetted of course...:]

Mine is still in the shop. Don't know what is wrong or when I might get it back. Piss poor luck with motorcycles this year. Lots of $$$ spent vs. ....

I'm enjoying your thread, pictures and comments. Best wishes with your new Tigger! I know, precisely, your motives and limitations (I've got a family same as yours- but a tad older) with the new ride. I'm on the same boat, half the world away from you... I bought my new XC with dreams of riding it to places I've not been before, seeing sights I've not seen before, all while just hours from home. I never thought I'd be enviously reading someone else's thread about kitting out their new black XC with envious eyes. Oh well, you roll the dice.

I'll keep reading. Cheers!
:freak