New '07 Triumph Tiger - Initial Impressions - Page 6

The Jerk · 01-02-2008, 07:34 PM

I've put some more miles on the bike and I am more in love than ever. Getting more comfortable with the way this bike works and it's more of a treat every time. I love the sound of that triple winding up.

Took it out on the NJ Turnpike a few days ago for some higher-speed work just to see how it feels out on the slab. I was happy to find out that it feels much much more solid and stable at high speeds (up to about 90 is all I could do with traffic) than the GS did.

The wind noise is worse I think only because my helmet is out in the clear air on this bike. On the GS the wind noise wasn't as bad but my helmet would get knocked around by buffeting at higher speeds. The GS wasn't a lot of fun to ride above 75 mph due to that and due to a handling pecularity that I think was a result of a combination of buffeting from boxy vehicles like trucks/vans/SUVs, the wide bars, and not a whole lot of weight on the front wheel.

The Tiger was super smooth at 90 and would have been happy to keep on going. However when I take longer trips that will involve slab time, I think I will definitely need to put some earplugs in if I want to retain my hearing. Maybe at some later date I will experiment with touring windscreens but I'm hesitant to do anything that has a possibility of introducing unpleasant buffeting to a situation where it does not currently exist.

I found a lightly used TOR exhaust for sale over on the Tiger forum for a great price so that is currently on the way. The jury is still out on whether I will have the TOR tune done as well. I'm kind of on the fence on that one.

Had a passenger on the other night who had experience on the GS as well. She reports that the Tiger passenger seat is narrower and a bit firmer than the GS seat, though she framed that as a positive thing. She said it was easier to get on the Tiger and she felt the suspension was a bit more comfortable in that she didn't get bounced around as much on the city's lovely roads. I did notice that the weight of a passenger really settles the Tiger in and the suspension really soaks up the bumps, even the big sharp ones taken at high speed, compared to me alone on the bike.

My passenger reports that the angle of the rear seat is not bad or uncomfortable (it looks bad in photos but it's not really all that angled) and in fact I noticed that she was not sliding forward into me on hard braking like she was on the GS. She also reports that the design of the top box, with its built-in curve for the passenger's back, is more comfortable. On the GS, her back would sometimes come into contact with the hinge and she said that's not an issue with the Triumph top box. Of course, the Triumph top box holds less as a result. Life is full of trade-offs. We have yet to take a longer road trip but it's in the works so I'll report back with her impressions after that.

This is a phenomenal bike. The GS was great as well but I think I have happened on a bike that suits me much better. I may be premature in saying that it's a long-term keeper because I have a spotty track record in that regard but I quite like this bike.

matts1050 · 01-03-2008, 04:48 AM

I've heard good things about the MRA Vario screen. That's my next purchase along witht the mirror extensions. You can see the Vario at twistedthrottle.com. Hopefully this weekend I can get out and ride as the weather is supposed to improve!

bostonsr · 01-03-2008, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sands

Best way to determine whether or not an oil is clutch safe is to know exactly which additives could cause potential issues and then look at a VOA of the oil you'd like to try...You'd be surprized at how strong some of the car oils are in comparison...Many car oils would pass JASO specs with ease...Unfortunately, they aren't marketed for motorcycles so they don't waste time or costs with JASO certification...Unfortunately you won't find a VOA on the bottle of oil...There is a website called bobistheoilguy that has lots and lots of VOA's...Rotella 5w40 is big with alot of the motorcycle owners that are members there because they're getting really good results from their used oil analysis...

none of the rotellas have molybdenum additive. molybdenum is the metal that is used to make a motor oil "energy-conserving"

abe

levain · 01-04-2008, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matts1050

I've heard good things about the MRA Vario screen. That's my next purchase along witht the mirror extensions. You can see the Vario at twistedthrottle.com. Hopefully this weekend I can get out and ride as the weather is supposed to improve!

The MRA vario is awesome. It fixes all the wind related problems on this bike.

The Jerk · 01-12-2008, 03:17 PM

Hey everybody,
Time for the 407-mile update. Yeah I know, that ain't much. What can I say, the weather has not been too great and when it has been great, I've been at work! First service is at 600 miles.

So far the bike has not burned a drop of oil. I've been checking it regularly but it's still as full as the day I took it home. I noticed today evidence of some slight oil seepage from the clutch cover onto the exhaust below. Cleaned it up a bit and will keep an eye on it. Also snugged up the clutch cover bolts just to be on the safe side. Also noticed a slight bit of seepage that appears to be coming from where the clutch cable enters the clutch cover on the top. Will point this out to the dealer at the first service. It isn't much at all, in fact I didn't notice until I got my face right up to the clutch cover while installing my new exhaust today (more on that below).

Also found evidence of a very light mist of oil on the bottom of the engine, suspect it is probably seepage from the oil filter. I guess it wouldn't be a Triumph if it didn't have some kind of oil leak.

Not worried about it, it's exceedingly minor at worst and it hasn't even affected the oil level. Will point it out at service time though.

Today I installed the Triumph TOR exhaust. I was able to find a lightly used one over on Tiger1050.com and got a good price on it, shipping included. The TOR exhaust is visually almost identical to the stock unit, the key difference being that the exhaust outlet looks slightly different. This is fine with me as I wanted to keep the appearance of the exhaust as stock as possible. The TOR unit I got was in perfect shape as advertised and installation was easy, but a slight pain in the butt.

There are only 2 fixing points for the stock exhaust -- the clamp where it goes into the cat and a bolt/nut above the muffler itself where it bolts to the frame. Unfortunately, to get to that one bolt, you have to do a fair bit of disassembly. You have to remove the rear painted bodywork which was more involved in my case because I have the panniers. The pannier mounts have to come off before you can get the bodywork off.

So disassembly was a bit time-consuming but technically not difficult at all. The TOR unit bolted right up as you would expect from a factory piece.

If you've ever heard the Tiger's stock exhaust, it's not unlike the BMW's stock exhaust. It's very quiet to be in compliance with modern noise regs. It's a bit too quiet for sure. I am certainly not a "loud pipes" kind of guy but I do like to hear some kind of exhaust note. The stock exhaust is very well-muffled and as a result you hear the distinctive Triumph engine noise far more than the exhaust unless you are standing directly behind the bike.

I wanted something that had a deeper tone and was only slightly louder so as not to be obnoxious to my neighbors and other residents of the city. From what I heard on the 'net, the TOR sounded perfect. I had read some accounts stating that people had trouble differentiating the TOR from stock. When I started the bike with the TOR unit on, I learned that those people are either crazy or deaf. It is noticeably louder than stock, with a much beefier tone at idle and low rpms, much more of a bass note. It is loudest when accelerating hard at lower rpms, it seems like that's when its tone is at its deepest. As the rpms climb it remains louder than stock though it seems that when you get into the upper rpm range (like > 6000) then the volume seems to quiet down and you hear the intake roar as with stock.

So turns out the TOR was exactly what I was looking for. I'd rate that as a good buy.

While I was out test-riding the TOR, the mailman came and dropped off a package containing the Triumph GPS connector, which I've been waiting for. This is basically a wiring harness that you plug into a blank plug that already exists in the bike's harness. You take off the cockpit fairing, find the plug which is already wired and fused to the bike, plug in the GPS connector, and then you get two leads which you attach to your GPS's power leads. I have the Garmin Zumo 550 which comes with a lead that plugs into the Garmin mount and has bare ends on the other side. I connected that up (the Triumph part comes with crimp connectors and heat-shrink tubing already on), stowed the excess wire, put the bike back together, and I've got a very slick-looking Zumo installation w/ powered mount.

Now it looks like the farkelizing is done for a while so from here on out I should be able to concentrate on riding.

Zapp22 · 01-13-2008, 12:22 PM

I asked this in Beasts - wrong place... so I ask here.

Have any of you rigged luggage on the 1050 and taken 'er for a longish trip? just wondering how it does with a load of stuff adding weight etc.

How's the aftermarket coming along? I read what was said here about windshields... I wonder if the guys that made the Madstad bracket for the V-strom could adapt it to el Tigre? works swell on the V -

This bike is on my very short shortlist.... so I keep listening . -

2whl-hoop · 01-13-2008, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sjbartnik

Also found evidence of a very light mist of oil on the bottom of the engine, suspect it is probably seepage from the oil filter. I guess it wouldn't be a Triumph if it didn't have some kind of oil leak.

Not worried about it, it's exceedingly minor at worst and it hasn't even affected the oil level. Will point it out at service time though.

FWIW, Triumphs are shipped covered in some kind of goo to prevent corosion while in transit, it's called cosmoline or something like that. If it's not completely cleaned off, it attracts dirt and looks very much like an oil leak. I thought I had a couple leaks on my s3, but when I cleaned the areas the leaks never reappeared. Hopefully, that's the case for you too.

Your Tiger is a sweet bike, more than once I've considered trading for one.

Rider · 01-15-2008, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sjbartnik

Hey all,
So I collected my new '07 Tiger 1050 from the dealership on Tuesday November 27....

One of the best reviews I've ever read here.
Excellent job!

twinrider · 01-15-2008, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zapp22

I asked this in Beasts - wrong place... so I ask here.

Have any of you rigged luggage on the 1050 and taken 'er for a longish trip? just wondering how it does with a load of stuff adding weight etc.

k

I toured on one for a weekend, put about 600 miles on it. Loved the handling, suspension, ride position and power. But it didn't have the factory luggage and the high pipe made it impossible to use my soft bags. If I owned the bike I would swap the high pipe for a low pipe, then add some Givi hard cases (both sides equal capacity, unlike the triumph bags).

Not crazy about the Remus' looks but gives you an idea of the space it opens up for side bags.

a1fa · 01-15-2008, 01:39 PM

What oil did you decide to use?

The Jerk · 01-15-2008, 02:38 PM

Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 as recommended by Triumph.

Cos · 01-15-2008, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rider

One of the best reviews I've ever read here.
Excellent job!

How many pages did i send you on the Tiger? And you bought what?

littlefield · 01-16-2008, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinrider

I toured on one for a weekend, put about 600 miles on it. Loved the handling, suspension, ride position and power. But it didn't have the factory luggage and the high pipe made it impossible to use my soft bags. If I owned the bike I would swap the high pipe for a low pipe, then add some Givi hard cases (both sides equal capacity, unlike the triumph bags).

Not crazy about the Remus' looks but gives you an idea of the space it opens up for side bags.

The SW-Motech adapters, the only ones I'm aware of for the Tiger, won't work with low pipes. Wish they would 'cause I'm partial to the look of the Remus Powercone.

twinrider · 01-16-2008, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlefield

The SW-Motech adapters, the only ones I'm aware of for the Tiger, won't work with low pipes. Wish they would 'cause I'm partial to the look of the Remus Powercone.

How about the Givi side racks? I've got a set on my TDM and GS. When I'm not using side cases they pull double duty as tie-down points and crash guards.

http://www.givi.it/caschi_borse_baul...sp?CO_ID=23897

Motorcyclist · 01-17-2008, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinrider

How about the Givi side racks? I've got a set on my TDM and GS. When I'm not using side cases they pull double duty as tie-down points and crash guards.

http://www.givi.it/caschi_borse_baul...sp?CO_ID=23897

They don't seem to be listed for sale on Givi's US website. I wonder how hard it is to order them from overseas?

01-02-2008, 07:34 PM	#76
The Jerk ^OP Bring us some fresh wine! Joined: Mar 2006 Location: Brooklyn, NY Oddometer: 2,327	I've put some more miles on the bike and I am more in love than ever. Getting more comfortable with the way this bike works and it's more of a treat every time. I love the sound of that triple winding up. Took it out on the NJ Turnpike a few days ago for some higher-speed work just to see how it feels out on the slab. I was happy to find out that it feels much much more solid and stable at high speeds (up to about 90 is all I could do with traffic) than the GS did. The wind noise is worse I think only because my helmet is out in the clear air on this bike. On the GS the wind noise wasn't as bad but my helmet would get knocked around by buffeting at higher speeds. The GS wasn't a lot of fun to ride above 75 mph due to that and due to a handling pecularity that I think was a result of a combination of buffeting from boxy vehicles like trucks/vans/SUVs, the wide bars, and not a whole lot of weight on the front wheel. The Tiger was super smooth at 90 and would have been happy to keep on going. However when I take longer trips that will involve slab time, I think I will definitely need to put some earplugs in if I want to retain my hearing. Maybe at some later date I will experiment with touring windscreens but I'm hesitant to do anything that has a possibility of introducing unpleasant buffeting to a situation where it does not currently exist. I found a lightly used TOR exhaust for sale over on the Tiger forum for a great price so that is currently on the way. The jury is still out on whether I will have the TOR tune done as well. I'm kind of on the fence on that one. Had a passenger on the other night who had experience on the GS as well. She reports that the Tiger passenger seat is narrower and a bit firmer than the GS seat, though she framed that as a positive thing. She said it was easier to get on the Tiger and she felt the suspension was a bit more comfortable in that she didn't get bounced around as much on the city's lovely roads. I did notice that the weight of a passenger really settles the Tiger in and the suspension really soaks up the bumps, even the big sharp ones taken at high speed, compared to me alone on the bike. My passenger reports that the angle of the rear seat is not bad or uncomfortable (it looks bad in photos but it's not really all that angled) and in fact I noticed that she was not sliding forward into me on hard braking like she was on the GS. She also reports that the design of the top box, with its built-in curve for the passenger's back, is more comfortable. On the GS, her back would sometimes come into contact with the hinge and she said that's not an issue with the Triumph top box. Of course, the Triumph top box holds less as a result. Life is full of trade-offs. We have yet to take a longer road trip but it's in the works so I'll report back with her impressions after that. This is a phenomenal bike. The GS was great as well but I think I have happened on a bike that suits me much better. I may be premature in saying that it's a long-term keeper because I have a spotty track record in that regard but I quite like this bike. __________________ 2011 Triumph Tiger 800 ABS 2000 Kawasaki W650

01-12-2008, 03:17 PM	#80
The Jerk ^OP Bring us some fresh wine! Joined: Mar 2006 Location: Brooklyn, NY Oddometer: 2,327	Hey everybody, Time for the 407-mile update. Yeah I know, that ain't much. What can I say, the weather has not been too great and when it has been great, I've been at work! First service is at 600 miles. So far the bike has not burned a drop of oil. I've been checking it regularly but it's still as full as the day I took it home. I noticed today evidence of some slight oil seepage from the clutch cover onto the exhaust below. Cleaned it up a bit and will keep an eye on it. Also snugged up the clutch cover bolts just to be on the safe side. Also noticed a slight bit of seepage that appears to be coming from where the clutch cable enters the clutch cover on the top. Will point this out to the dealer at the first service. It isn't much at all, in fact I didn't notice until I got my face right up to the clutch cover while installing my new exhaust today (more on that below). Also found evidence of a very light mist of oil on the bottom of the engine, suspect it is probably seepage from the oil filter. I guess it wouldn't be a Triumph if it didn't have some kind of oil leak. Not worried about it, it's exceedingly minor at worst and it hasn't even affected the oil level. Will point it out at service time though. Today I installed the Triumph TOR exhaust. I was able to find a lightly used one over on Tiger1050.com and got a good price on it, shipping included. The TOR exhaust is visually almost identical to the stock unit, the key difference being that the exhaust outlet looks slightly different. This is fine with me as I wanted to keep the appearance of the exhaust as stock as possible. The TOR unit I got was in perfect shape as advertised and installation was easy, but a slight pain in the butt. There are only 2 fixing points for the stock exhaust -- the clamp where it goes into the cat and a bolt/nut above the muffler itself where it bolts to the frame. Unfortunately, to get to that one bolt, you have to do a fair bit of disassembly. You have to remove the rear painted bodywork which was more involved in my case because I have the panniers. The pannier mounts have to come off before you can get the bodywork off. So disassembly was a bit time-consuming but technically not difficult at all. The TOR unit bolted right up as you would expect from a factory piece. If you've ever heard the Tiger's stock exhaust, it's not unlike the BMW's stock exhaust. It's very quiet to be in compliance with modern noise regs. It's a bit too quiet for sure. I am certainly not a "loud pipes" kind of guy but I do like to hear some kind of exhaust note. The stock exhaust is very well-muffled and as a result you hear the distinctive Triumph engine noise far more than the exhaust unless you are standing directly behind the bike. I wanted something that had a deeper tone and was only slightly louder so as not to be obnoxious to my neighbors and other residents of the city. From what I heard on the 'net, the TOR sounded perfect. I had read some accounts stating that people had trouble differentiating the TOR from stock. When I started the bike with the TOR unit on, I learned that those people are either crazy or deaf. It is noticeably louder than stock, with a much beefier tone at idle and low rpms, much more of a bass note. It is loudest when accelerating hard at lower rpms, it seems like that's when its tone is at its deepest. As the rpms climb it remains louder than stock though it seems that when you get into the upper rpm range (like > 6000) then the volume seems to quiet down and you hear the intake roar as with stock. So turns out the TOR was exactly what I was looking for. I'd rate that as a good buy. While I was out test-riding the TOR, the mailman came and dropped off a package containing the Triumph GPS connector, which I've been waiting for. This is basically a wiring harness that you plug into a blank plug that already exists in the bike's harness. You take off the cockpit fairing, find the plug which is already wired and fused to the bike, plug in the GPS connector, and then you get two leads which you attach to your GPS's power leads. I have the Garmin Zumo 550 which comes with a lead that plugs into the Garmin mount and has bare ends on the other side. I connected that up (the Triumph part comes with crimp connectors and heat-shrink tubing already on), stowed the excess wire, put the bike back together, and I've got a very slick-looking Zumo installation w/ powered mount. Now it looks like the farkelizing is done for a while so from here on out I should be able to concentrate on riding. __________________ 2011 Triumph Tiger 800 ABS 2000 Kawasaki W650

01-13-2008, 12:22 PM	#81
Zapp22 ZAPP - Tejas Joined: Oct 2004 Location: Tejas Hill Country Oddometer: 12,911	LUggage and touring I asked this in Beasts - wrong place... so I ask here. Have any of you rigged luggage on the 1050 and taken 'er for a longish trip? just wondering how it does with a load of stuff adding weight etc. How's the aftermarket coming along? I read what was said here about windshields... I wonder if the guys that made the Madstad bracket for the V-strom could adapt it to el Tigre? works swell on the V - This bike is on my very short shortlist.... so I keep listening . - __________________ Zapp "I will not let the White City fall... nor our people fail.” - Aragorn K4 WEESTROM Stealthfighter Black - Invisible to Radar '02 DR650SE SOLD '97 DR650SE My Fave

01-15-2008, 01:39 PM	#85
a1fa Riding Nomad™ Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Arkansas Oddometer: 12,718	What oil did you decide to use? __________________ Learn to ride. Ride to learn. FS: 1993 Suzuki DR350S (wide ratio 6 speed - street legal kickstart)

01-15-2008, 02:38 PM	#86
The Jerk ^OP Bring us some fresh wine! Joined: Mar 2006 Location: Brooklyn, NY Oddometer: 2,327	Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 as recommended by Triumph. __________________ 2011 Triumph Tiger 800 ABS 2000 Kawasaki W650

01-03-2008, 04:48 AM	#77
matts1050 Tiger Rider Joined: Nov 2007 Location: Western CT Oddometer: 220	I've heard good things about the MRA Vario screen. That's my next purchase along witht the mirror extensions. You can see the Vario at twistedthrottle.com. Hopefully this weekend I can get out and ride as the weather is supposed to improve!

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