The 1200 Tiger Explorer Mega Thread

[Bundu]

Originally Posted by Recon'd

G'day Explorer owners , a few questions if I may.

Two years ago I had a number of major operations , and lost 30 kg. I am yet to gain a single ounce back , and my specialist says that it is very unlikely that I ever will. I weigh 64 kilos [ 145 ish pounds]

I purchased a Weestrom late last year to test the waters on the ADV type bike design. Within a few months I sold it as the bike just had weird noises from the engine casing , and I didn't like the noise[s] one bit.
Further more , at 5'8" , my feet touched the ground without too much of an issue , HOWEVER , as you sit IN the bike , not on it , the top end weight of it was scary for me.

It would tip almost violently into corners, was very unstable when pulling to a stop , and would always dive to the right once I was almost at a standstill.

With my wife on the back , the top heavy , very unstable feeling would magnify the problem alot. With a full tank of fuel , it was just dangerous with her on the back. Had I added any luggage , I would very likely tip the bike over in very quick time.
I did a few adjustments to the suspension that were available , but the actual build of the bike with its high COG was the main culprit for me.

So, looking at the photos posted from the proud owners so far , the Explorer seems ok for a short *ss like myself , but how does it feel for a little bloke with tank height stability , especially with luggage and a full tank of fuel? Has anyone with a pillion struggled with top end stability?

We plan on doing a number of 5000 km trips in full dress and full bags , so I would like the extra weight and hp just to deal with the road trains on the roads over here [Western Australia], but would not want to be nervous at stopping or moving the bike around for the entire 5000 k's.

I have read as much as possible , but it seems that maybe the bike is just too big for us Aussie midgets perhaps?

I am an experienced rider with off road experience , Supermoto , and my usual rides are 1 ltr Sportsbikes.

Advice very gratefully received.

a British midget lowered his Explorer

take a look here
http://www.tiger-explorer.com/index....ic,1655.0.html
and here
http://www.tiger-explorer.com/index....ic,1708.0.html

[moggi1964]

Originally Posted by NewYorkLuke

Rode as much as I could this weekend, but moving and getting a new puppy all in the same day as picking up the bike has really made it hard haha.

Yeah, had you got the topbox you could have combined the puppy pickup with a ride

[NewYorkLuke]

Moggi believe me im still trying to work out how to take him places on the bike, I see using the car to much in my near future.

[Big Jon]

She looks GREAt Luke!

[GaelicDog]

Obviously we are behind the curve on this side of the pond. The Tiger-Explorer site says Triumph has a recall/bulletin out on the Explorers crash bars. Anyone heard this??


Also saw somewhere that Triumph was working on stiffer spring(s) for the fly by wire throttle. Anyone heard this as well??

[Voluhzia]

Recall on the bars is old. I apple about it 2 weeks ago with the dealer and we have upgraded version, well I do...

[GaelicDog]

Originally Posted by Voluhzia

Recall on the bars is old. I apple about it 2 weeks ago with the dealer and we have upgraded version, well I do...

How can we tell the difference in the old and new bars??

[Recon'd]

Originally Posted by element6

Hi Recon'd.
Can't speak to pillion question, as my other half hates leaning off-vertical and begged to be taken home before we got out of our neighborhood. At a tad under 5'8", though, I can speak to the short-leg question. I easily flat-foot one side and if I settle my weight on the seat get both feet flat. I'm pretty sure I have the seat in the upper position, not the lower. And there is a lower seat available. There's a thread on another forum about a bike lowered significantly that might be of use. In a few weeks of ownership and 800+ miles haven't yet had a scare yet where I thought it would over-balance. As others have said, the bulk disappears once moving at all and it's fabulous to ride. I'm coming from a 2002 Sprint, and for me this Tiger has much better road manners. I corner faster and more smoothly with less effort. I've only done a bit of dirt roads with it, and I found it confidence-inspiring there as well. Felt better to me than my KLR650.

Originally Posted by Bundu

a British midget lowered his Explorer

take a look here
http://www.tiger-explorer.com/index....ic,1655.0.html
and here
http://www.tiger-explorer.com/index....ic,1708.0.html

Thank you all for the replies guys!

Unfortunately I was unable to see the pics or even links from the Explorer forum Bundu , do you need to be a member to see them , or is my Mac totally scr*wed since the last update? [seems to want to flag everything].

[Brian06]

Originally Posted by Recon'd

Thank you all for the replies guys!

Unfortunately I was unable to see the pics or even links from the Explorer forum Bundu , do you need to be a member to see them , or is my Mac totally scr*wed since the last update? [seems to want to flag everything].

You have to be a member and logged in to view the attachments on that forum.

[moggi1964]

Originally Posted by Brian06

You have to be a member and logged in to view the attachments on that forum.

It's a forum worth joining

[shaner1100gs]

I just installed the Tourtech racks and my old Happy Trails Panniers on the Explorer. I think I might move them a couple inches further back from where they are mounted onto the racks. My foot hits the bags right now. I think if I move them back a few inches it should be good.









What do you guys think?

Shane

[motorcyclemark]

Looks good, what the width?

[bross]

Originally Posted by shaner1100gs

I just installed the Tourtech racks and my old Happy Trails Panniers on the Explorer. I think I might move them a couple inches further back from where they are mounted onto the racks. My foot hits the bags right now.

What do you guys think?

Shane

I'm thinking, how the heck does your foot hit those? Passengers yes, but your feet?

[Echo3Niner]

So here's another question:

Why does it seem that all panniers and trunks for adventure bikes are all butt-ugly, like they're outta the 70's? What's up with all the black cardboard looking things? Why is it that you can't have nice body colored luggage?

Don't forget, we all know these things'll almost never see any real dirt, so don't go telling me it's because they gotta be rugged or something, or cause you'll scratch them while on the Paris Dakar, cause I mean, come on...

[shaner1100gs]

Originally Posted by bross

I'm thinking, how the heck does your foot hit those? Passengers yes, but your feet?

When I swing my leg over it my foot hits the bag.