Tiger Tales - Dialling in the 800XC for the dirt

or go faster

The ticket is a wide ratio transmission and not trading a lower first gear for more revs at highway speeds, which is the only thing you are going to accomplish with a sprocket or countersprocket change as you suggest.

I can think of a couple of singles that do this very well (KTM EXC, Husaberg FE, Husky 610/630), but none of the twins. F650GS/F800GS has the same problem.

I had the same problem on my baby beemer. Dropped a tooth in front and upped it two in back. Does a lot better in the dirt. Not so good on the highway as I lost at least a 1000 rpm. 70mph seems like a strain now.

However the tiger seems like it could loose 1000rpm and still do fine at 70. Does fine now at 80 anyway.

It's at 6K @ 80mph now. And yes, the engine will be comfortable because it's so smooth. If my T955i is anything to go by, I think it'll start to drink a lot more fuel pulling 1000 higher at 80. And remember, it's not brilliant now.

I loved the 15th sprocket everywhere except the interstate. As Blacktiger says, the mpg suffers. I was getting 30mpg loaded down going 80-90mph. I put the 16th back on because I get on the interstate all the time.
IMHO, the best thing to do is use a 17th to travel somewhere (Moab) & install a 15th when you get there.

Amen.

This did the trick for me. Much better for when a slow balanced crawl is needed!

Cruising at 70-80 I never get less than 40mpg @ 5600-5900 rpm.

I agree completely. A wide ratio tranny is not even needed - the other gears work fine for the dirt as-is, but there is often a need in the gnarlier dirt sections to go slow and the current first gear does not allow you to do this without abusing the clutch.

I have also discovered that the Daytona 675 has a higher first gear than the 675 street triple. All of the other ratios are the same. The Tiger 800 is higher still.

It seems that first gear is the only ratio that Triumph plays with when going from one model to the next. In the case of the Tiger 800, I think that they did a poor choice for first gear.

The Daytona first gear was changed (made taller) from the '06-'08 models to the '09-current models. If someone wishes to dig into it I'd bet $0.25 that they'd find the current Street Triple first gear to be common with the '06-'09 Daytona.

-Tom

+1

I put on a 15T front sprocket yesterday afternoon. What a difference!! No more clutch feathering on take off. I did a short ride in the evening to see how the bike felt.

It runs about 300 rpm higher at any particular speed. I can't report on fuel consumption, but my estimate is that I am getting a little bit less mpg. The bike runs so great now, I really do not care about the mpgs. Maybe if I was doing a long trip with a lot of highway, I would change it back to the 16T.

I know it will be better in the hard stuff now in the Sierra. I hope to find out this weekend...

JG

Was it a bitch to get the original sprocket off? I know it often is on other makes. I am running a -3 teeth in the back right now. Was thinking of going back to the stock rear sprocket and going up one tooth the in front if I can find an OEM front sprocket with the rubber insert.

It has been for me anyway, I have tried on and off for several days now with no luck. I have tried heat, a 3ft lever, even my neighbors. All we succeeded in doing was bending his 1/2 socket wrench.

I'm taking it in this week have a mechanic with an impact driver take a swing at it. Others, it seems have not had this much issue.

Cheers

I found it easy. Just be sure to bang out the lock washer before trying to spin the nut off. If you don't, I don't care how strong you are... you'll never get it off.

I used a 3 foot long piece of black gas pipe as a breaker bar. It came right off.

I had to adjust my chain slack after also.

JG

Impact driver is your best bet. I went to my buddy's shop and we used his to get the old CS sprocket off today. No more zinging the engine to 3+ grand to take off from a stop. I can't wait to ride this thing in the woods tomorrow with the new 15T sprocket.

A 650 Vstrom has a stock 15T with the rubber inserts. I have seen it posted that it will fit a Tiger, although I have not verified this myself.

You are half right - the Daytona gearing was made taller. The street triple has not and it has by far the lowest first gear. It is 34/13 for a gear ratio of 2.615. The Tiger 800 is 34/16 for a ratio of 2.125 - that is a 20% difference in gearing! Triumph needs to put a street triple tranny into the Tiger 800.

Gleaned from the interwebs:

2006-09 Daytona 1st gear: 2.615 (34/13)
2010-12 Daytona 1st gear: 2.313 (37/16))
2007-12 Street Triple 1st gear: 2.615 (34/13)
2011-12 Tiger 800 1ts gear: 2.313 (37/16)

All suspicions confirmed.

-T

I checked both Bike Bandit parts and World of Triumph and the Tiger 800XC first gear is 34T - not 37T.
http://www.worldoftriumph.com/triumph_motorcycle_parts_locator.php?block_01=&block_02=100057371-0-2&block_03=560040

http://www.bikebandit.com/2012-triumph-tiger-800xc/o/m154268#sch740798

You don't have to have a front sprocket with a rubber insert. You will not notice any difference.