New '07 Triumph Tiger - Initial Impressions

OK so my original first post got dissolved into the ether. So now this will serve as an index page to some of the how-to's buried within this thread:

Installing HID Low Beam.

DealerTool.

Installing 3rd Brake Flasher.

Installing SW_Motech Top Rack, SW_Motech Side Racks and TraX Luggage.

12,000 Mile Service.

Throttle Body Balance #1.

Throttle Body Balance #2 (important to read both).

Installing Rear Brake Pedal and/or Shift Lever.

I lost all the text from the original review I wrote but at least I still have the photos. Here's some new bike porn from 2007:

Thanks for the review. The Tiger is one that I might consider as a replacement for my VFR, when the time comes, in about ten years.

Any more noise about a 675cc Tiger?

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All this in just 3 days? You must love your Tiger. <o></o>
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Funny... a bike equipped for touring has a side case that won't take a full size helmet and a top case that barely takes it.<o></o>
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I don't know how the helmets fit in the GS cases, but I own a 06 Tiger 955i, and the way the helmet goes in the left case is with the open part of the helmet facing the bike with the top of the helmet at a downward angle. Did you try this?<o></o>
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Do you have any pics with the bike with all 3 cases on?<o></o>
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Any experiences two-up?
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Nice bike. Triples are a thing of beauty. <o></o>
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Enjoy! <o></o>

Thanks much for the very comprehensive review. Enjoy your bike. It's a beauty.

Thanks for the great review. I believe the valve checks on the 1050 triple motor are actually every 12000 miles, so that helps offset the increased involvement vs the boxer motor somewhat. Enjoy your new bike!

Mike in Oregon - You are right about the 12,000 mile valve check interval, I just confirmed that with the maintenance chart in the owner's manual. I must have read the wrong line when I looked that up before. So yeah, that's not so bad. I corrected it in my original post.

MIUC - I'll take a couple pics. The top case looks gigantic on the bike. I'll take a pics of the internals so you guys can see what I'm talking about as far as space-robbing stuff that shouldn't be in there. I'll try your method for fitting the full-face but I don't think it will work with these cases. Haven't gone 2-up yet though I have a ready and willing ladyfriend type. I want to get myself fully comfortable with the bike before I do any 2-up.

JamesG - there are rumors floating around out there but but the most authoritative stuff I've heard suggests it would be for the '09 or '10 model year at the earliest and quite possibly even later. So I wouldn't hold my breath for it.

MIUC, for you, here are some pics with all 3 boxes on.







And one with the luggage off. Looks better that way. The luggage mounting racks are well-made out of this strange material called "metal." BMW was all plastic.



Also, MIUC, I tried your suggestion for getting a helmet into the side case but it's a no go. It just plain won't fit.

Excellent write-up, thanks alot for doing that. How difficult and how long is it to take off and put on the luggage?

Taking off and putting on the luggage is very easy. It's quite similar to the BMW system. You put the key in and turn it toward the side that says "release." This pops the release handle out. You then pull the release handle all the way out which retracts the plastic claws that are attaching the luggage to the mounts. You then just pull the luggage up (for the side cases) or to the rear (for the top case) to remove it from the bike. Very simple.

Installation is pretty much the reverse of removal.

Again, that was a great review! It was very well-written and informative. I'm deciding between the GS and the Tiger so this thread is helpful.

Enjoy putting miles on the bike. I have a blue one as well. The bike is an absolute blast. Your crash bars look good - I was thinking of getting a set for xmas.

Be sure to check your oil now and then. Mine needs a bit of oil sometimes.

I have never needed to crack of the throttle to start it. Sometimes you have to hold the button in for a moment before it catches, especially in the cold weather lately.

To answer the 2-up question, the bike is very solid with the extra weight. It feels great and my wife approves of the accommodations. One drawback being that the passenger has their head in the wind because of the high seat.

The engine might be just about bulletproof, but only as long as it's got oil in it :)
I just read British 'Bike' November issue and they managed to cook their long-term Tiger by not checking and refilling the oil for more than a week. Apparently Tigers have a bit of taste for the stuff!

If you are one of the elite fraction of one percent who actually religiously check the oil level before every ride you have nothing to worry about. Personally I'm used to my bikes not needing a drop of top-up between oil changes, so I can easily see how they could get caught by this.... and the really worrying part is there was no warning at all until the bearings started to go - no oil light, engine temperature normal. What's the point of oil warning light then, one might well ask - it's worse than useless, it can lull one into a false sense of security!

Anyway, a word of warning for Tiger owners: keep an eye on your oil level.

Huh. I wonder why your Tiger has the accessory outlet on the left side but it's on the right side of my Bonnie. I don't use heated gear, but from what I've read most bikes with such outlets have them on the left.

The crash bars are great, I'd highly recommend them. They are a very stout piece of kit and well-made. There was no fiddling required to get them to mount, all the holes lined up as you would expect from a quality item. Some of the nuts are a pain to get a wrench on but with patience and some dexterity I was able to get it done. The right side was harder than the left side. You do have to pay close attention to the instructions as the bolts are different from side to side and there are a couple of similarly-sized (but not identical) spacers. So just take your time and you'll be fine.

Perhaps the engine computer is still adapting to my riding style. This morning it required some serious cranking -- it was cold last night. I held the button down for 3-4 seconds but it didn't go. Hit it again and cracked the throttle and it fired right up. Maybe I just need to let it get a few more cranks in. I'm used to the GS firing up on the first or second crank. I'll try that next time.

I'm not too worried about the oil, seems like some tend to use it, some don't. Since I'm breaking it in I'm keeping a close eye on it as all engines tend to use some oil during break-in. Once I get past that I'll check it frequently to establish an oil consumption baseline and work from there. Not too impressed with the Bike staff, if you ride the thing hard and don't check the oil, what do you expect is going to happen? There are way too many variables involved to look at that one incident and somehow think that all Tigers burn oil. Point is if you're not checking your oil regularly no matter what you ride or drive then you have only yourself to blame when it goes to shit.

Agreed, the bike definitely needs some sort of emergency flashers.

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Perhaps the engine computer is still adapting to my riding style. This morning it required some serious cranking -- it was cold last night. I held the button down for 3-4 seconds but it didn't go. Hit it again and cracked the throttle and it fired right up. Maybe I just need to let it get a few more cranks in. I'm used to the GS firing up on the first or second crank. I'll try that next time.


Mine has always been that way on cool mornings. I always wait till the fuel pump stops,hit the button,It fires then stalls, 2nd. try it lites up with perfect idle. Just a routine I'm used to. No Problem

I test rode one of these and they are fast! The side stand looks like a tooth pick though and the fit and finish just can't match the gs. The quality of the german engineering is top notch. I ride a r1150gs. That being said, this may just be my next bike. My only concern is the passenger seat. I take my soon-to-be wife on long trips and the passenger seat just doesn't look like it could be comfortable. Kinda looks like a crotch rocket seat. I will be in the dog house if I buy a bike with an uncomfortable seat and it may just put an end to my wonderful trips! Any comment there??

sjbartnik, you are definitely in love.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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Thanks for the pics. All of them.<o></o>
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The cases look big. It is amazing the left case won’t take a FS helmet and the top case only takes it sideways. Design?<o></o>
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Rincewind, thanks for the comment about 2-up. The rear of this bike seems very steep. In the pics posted by sjbartnik the side cases look fine, but the top case looks a bit up there. More of a concern is the passenger being up there also.<o></o>
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I guess as soon as one can make the rear end work, all is good, cause the rest of it looks awesome.
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Pre 07 Tigers have emergency lights. At least my 06 has them. :eek1 <o></o>
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Very Nice, sjbartnik. <o></o>

My previous Triumph (01) had emergency flashers as well. It's unfortunate they don't have them any more.

Thanks for the comments on the crash bars, sjbartnik. Those bars have gotten good reviews by others, but I'm not totally sold on them as it looks like they impede access to the engine covers. I may get a set of Hepco and Becker guards instead, which don't go back as far, and have a cross bar under the oil cooler. I'm still thinking about it.

MIUC, the bike's rear looks high in these pics because the bike is up on the center stand. Once you are loaded 2-up, the bike squats down. It doesn't seem nearly as high, and my wife says it's fine, not nearly as bad as she thought it would be. Here is a pic 2-up from when I fitted my rack and Givi a few months back.