Discussion
Why don't you just buy a proper bike? These things are the two wheeled equivalent of a RAV4. Equally crap on road and off road. If you must have a saggy arsed soft roader at least have a look at these: www.ktm.co.uk/frameset.asp
driller said:
it's pig-ugly
What, you mean as opposed to that motorised oil painting the Triumph Tiger? driller said:
and erm ORANGE
Oh, I see. You prefer your current subtle puke green and tiger stripes 
driller said:
You been out on the ZZR what's the weather like there?
300 miles around the English Riviera yesterday 
. Still no wolderbeest sweeping majestically past or the hanging gardens of Babylon though... Edited by Mon Ami Mate on Monday 19th June 20:35
Mon Ami Mate said:
300 miles around the English Riviera yesterday . Still no wolderbeest sweeping majestically past or the hanging gardens of Babylon though...
. Still no wolderbeest sweeping majestically past or the hanging gardens of Babylon though... Edited by Mon Ami Mate on Monday 19th June 20:35
Bastard. I'm putting the 5th coat of waterproof morter on the basement walls. Ah going out for rides for fun, I remember that...
Anyway, I had a look on the intergrammarnetphone and I'm definately getting this (in the blue): http://riviere67.free.fr/Routieres/TR
http://snapring.jp/6-triumph/Tiger_00
Which is much nicer than this:
www.raptorsandrockets.com/images/KTM990_Adventure_orange.jpg
driller said:
Mon Ami Mate said:
300 miles around the English Riviera yesterday . Still no wolderbeest sweeping majestically past or the hanging gardens of Babylon though...
. Still no wolderbeest sweeping majestically past or the hanging gardens of Babylon though... Edited by Mon Ami Mate on Monday 19th June 20:35
Bastard. I'm putting the 5th coat of waterproof morter on the basement walls. Ah going out for rides for fun, I remember that...
Anyway, I had a look on the intergrammarnetphone and I'm definately getting this (in the blue): http://riviere67.free.fr/Routieres/TR
http://snapring.jp/6-triumph/Tiger_00
Which is much nicer than this:
www.raptorsandrockets.com/images/KTM990_Adventure_orange.jpg
Ride it first FFS. Don't base your judgement on a little picture on the Internet.
Mon Ami Mate said:
driller said:
Mon Ami Mate said:
300 miles around the English Riviera yesterday . Still no wolderbeest sweeping majestically past or the hanging gardens of Babylon though...
. Still no wolderbeest sweeping majestically past or the hanging gardens of Babylon though... Edited by Mon Ami Mate on Monday 19th June 20:35
Bastard. I'm putting the 5th coat of waterproof morter on the basement walls. Ah going out for rides for fun, I remember that...
Anyway, I had a look on the intergrammarnetphone and I'm definately getting this (in the blue): http://riviere67.free.fr/Routieres/TR
http://snapring.jp/6-triumph/Tiger_00
Which is much nicer than this:
www.raptorsandrockets.com/images/KTM990_Adventure_orange.jpg
Ride it first FFS. Don't base your judgement on a little picture on the Internet.
Come on Malc, would you ride a bike that went really well but looked like utter shite? There are no accesories either. The Tiger comes with paniers included in the price, and I can get a colour coded Triumph top case that will take two lids. The seat on the KTM is an arse cutter too. Tiger seat is very comfortable for both rider and pillion.
What else can you recommend? (no, not the zzr1400)
driller said:
Mon Ami Mate said:
driller said:
Mon Ami Mate said:
300 miles around the English Riviera yesterday . Still no wolderbeest sweeping majestically past or the hanging gardens of Babylon though...
. Still no wolderbeest sweeping majestically past or the hanging gardens of Babylon though... Edited by Mon Ami Mate on Monday 19th June 20:35
Bastard. I'm putting the 5th coat of waterproof morter on the basement walls. Ah going out for rides for fun, I remember that...
Anyway, I had a look on the intergrammarnetphone and I'm definately getting this (in the blue): http://riviere67.free.fr/Routieres/TR
http://snapring.jp/6-triumph/Tiger_00
Which is much nicer than this:
www.raptorsandrockets.com/images/KTM990_Adventure_orange.jpg
Ride it first FFS. Don't base your judgement on a little picture on the Internet.
Come on Malc, would you ride a bike that went really well but looked like utter shite? There are no accesories either. The Tiger comes with paniers included in the price, and I can get a colour coded Triumph top case that will take two lids. The seat on the KTM is an arse cutter too. Tiger seat is very comfortable for both rider and pillion.
What else can you recommend? (no, not the zzr1400)
Quinny said:
Ah Triumph Tigers, they don't have to be boring.
This is my 1994 model with Speed triple front end and wheels fitted with the at the time de- rigour Michelin Hi Sports, Daytona cams and carbs, ZXR 750 cans, 4 pot Nissin calipers and a few other mods that I've forgotten about.
The intention was to make a super motader for a nutter, and it worked, it got loads of interest, was great to ride and was even featured in Performance Bikes "Readers Special" May 1996 I think. (Do they still do that)
Sadly my biking days are over, but that Triumph was a bloody good bike and a hoot to ride, especially in the twisty stuff
This is my 1994 model with Speed triple front end and wheels fitted with the at the time de- rigour Michelin Hi Sports, Daytona cams and carbs, ZXR 750 cans, 4 pot Nissin calipers and a few other mods that I've forgotten about.
The intention was to make a super motader for a nutter, and it worked, it got loads of interest, was great to ride and was even featured in Performance Bikes "Readers Special" May 1996 I think. (Do they still do that)
Sadly my biking days are over, but that Triumph was a bloody good bike and a hoot to ride, especially in the twisty stuff
Nice one Quinny. It's funny I started with a Griff, sold it and got a Tiger and you went the other way round
Mon Ami Mate said:
driller said:
Mon Ami Mate said:
driller said:
Mon Ami Mate said:
300 miles around the English Riviera yesterday . Still no wolderbeest sweeping majestically past or the hanging gardens of Babylon though...
. Still no wolderbeest sweeping majestically past or the hanging gardens of Babylon though... Edited by Mon Ami Mate on Monday 19th June 20:35
Bastard. I'm putting the 5th coat of waterproof morter on the basement walls. Ah going out for rides for fun, I remember that...
Anyway, I had a look on the intergrammarnetphone and I'm definately getting this (in the blue): http://riviere67.free.fr/Routieres/TR
http://snapring.jp/6-triumph/Tiger_00
Which is much nicer than this:
www.raptorsandrockets.com/images/KTM990_Adventure_orange.jpg
Ride it first FFS. Don't base your judgement on a little picture on the Internet.
Come on Malc, would you ride a bike that went really well but looked like utter shite? There are no accesories either. The Tiger comes with paniers included in the price, and I can get a colour coded Triumph top case that will take two lids. The seat on the KTM is an arse cutter too. Tiger seat is very comfortable for both rider and pillion.
What else can you recommend? (no, not the zzr1400)
I've been reading reviews on t'net. It was a reviewer that said the seat was shit. Seriously what is there not to like about the Triumph?
Edited by driller on Monday 19th June 22:02
It's just not my kind of bike, but that isn't the point. The point is that the only bike you've ever had is a Triumph Tiger. Widen your horizons before just buying another one - at least get out there and do some shopping so that you can make an informed decision and not just an emotional one.
If you're going to try the Tiger and a KTM you might as well try a GS too. It depends on what you want it for of course but the GS is a very good bike and you don't actually need to have a beard and sandles to ride one! I'm on my third because they suit my purposes and they are good fun. It will feel differant after what you're used to but maybe give it a try too.
I feel fairly qualified to talk on this one!!
First the Tiger is a good bike period. A mate of mine has just gone from Gloucester to Sydney on one and had no issues, not a single one. I did the same journey but the KTM (a 950) had utterly self destructed by Pakistan... The Tiger has a good engine, pretty comfy and youcan get plenty of kit with it.
On the KTM front, you won't find a new 950 anymore so it is either second hand or the 990. The 990 is an utter pig to ride at low speed. There is a fueling issue which is well known by KTM and they keep releasing revised maps but they are not working. The saddle is nothing like as bad as the rep, they come with gel seats now, I had one on my 950, and 500 miles in a day is fine. I rode from Grenoble to Calais in a day and also the Turkish border to Patras in a day, tired but not sore. The panieers that come with it are great, realy solid. Mine survived numerous drops, a potenial attack in Iran when a guy tried to force the locks and file into them but failed - they are double skinned!. So a lovely bike, but on the 990 the fule map is horrible.
The GS is a good all round bike. Bit flat in its engine delivery, certainly by comparison to the other two, but it goes on for ever. Can take plenty of kit without to much problem, but the frame is not bomb proof, a mate cracked his in Pakistan after being knocked off. Its the one bike that if you buy second hand carefully won't cost you a load in depreciation, but it is expensive to buy. Look at the 1200 Adventure, its huge and does look cool but is overpriced and I wouldnt want to take it anywhere near the dirt.
Any one of these 3 would be cool, with the possible exception of the KTM if the fuelling is a bother!
First the Tiger is a good bike period. A mate of mine has just gone from Gloucester to Sydney on one and had no issues, not a single one. I did the same journey but the KTM (a 950) had utterly self destructed by Pakistan... The Tiger has a good engine, pretty comfy and youcan get plenty of kit with it.
On the KTM front, you won't find a new 950 anymore so it is either second hand or the 990. The 990 is an utter pig to ride at low speed. There is a fueling issue which is well known by KTM and they keep releasing revised maps but they are not working. The saddle is nothing like as bad as the rep, they come with gel seats now, I had one on my 950, and 500 miles in a day is fine. I rode from Grenoble to Calais in a day and also the Turkish border to Patras in a day, tired but not sore. The panieers that come with it are great, realy solid. Mine survived numerous drops, a potenial attack in Iran when a guy tried to force the locks and file into them but failed - they are double skinned!. So a lovely bike, but on the 990 the fule map is horrible.
The GS is a good all round bike. Bit flat in its engine delivery, certainly by comparison to the other two, but it goes on for ever. Can take plenty of kit without to much problem, but the frame is not bomb proof, a mate cracked his in Pakistan after being knocked off. Its the one bike that if you buy second hand carefully won't cost you a load in depreciation, but it is expensive to buy. Look at the 1200 Adventure, its huge and does look cool but is overpriced and I wouldnt want to take it anywhere near the dirt.
Any one of these 3 would be cool, with the possible exception of the KTM if the fuelling is a bother!
Good post from Twit - impressive trip down to Sydney on the Tiger and KTM! One thing I would add to it is that I've got a GS Adventure, the 1150 not the new 1200 and it spends a fair amount of its life on the dirt. Yes it's heavy but it's very planted and it certainly feels much more so than a standard GS1200. In my experience the Adventure will do more than you might think off road despite its size and I would describe myself as a pretty average off roader although I do enjoy it.
As Twit says they are all good but he does raise the KTM reliability issue that has raised its head on a few occasions. The BMW is pretty unburstable in comparison and there a lots great extras available from people like Touratech. I doubt you'll go wrong with any of them. But get the GS anyway
As Twit says they are all good but he does raise the KTM reliability issue that has raised its head on a few occasions. The BMW is pretty unburstable in comparison and there a lots great extras available from people like Touratech. I doubt you'll go wrong with any of them. But get the GS anyway
Cheers guys. Very interesting story Twit (BTW the login in name sounds appropriate regarding all the crazy places you've apparently taken your bike too!). Confirms my feelings about the Tiger after owning one for 4 years. I looked at the GS Bob, very, very impressed by the quality but I dunno just isn't me...and the seat hight is lower as well. Anyway I've ordered the Tiger
Edited by driller on Tuesday 20th June 13:14
Ok, im slightly qualified to answer.
I have toured on at least 3 occassions around the pyranees. My daytona sports bike, vs others on tigers.
The tiger riders arrived first, did more miles, and were more refreshed.
It has a 1000cc engine, straight out of my daytona then tuned down. it can handle the mileage with plenty of grunt left behind.
It does do offroad to a degree, but if you want offroad, buy one, offroad bikes they cant do onroad very well either. A tiger is a compromise in that respect.
lots of luggage space, and heated grips standard. I also have afriend that did morocco and back on a BMW GS1150R thing. He found it overly heavy, but capable.
Alos the tiger is about to be radicaly upgraded. hand on till the end of summer for bargains or buy the new one.
I have toured on at least 3 occassions around the pyranees. My daytona sports bike, vs others on tigers.
The tiger riders arrived first, did more miles, and were more refreshed.
It has a 1000cc engine, straight out of my daytona then tuned down. it can handle the mileage with plenty of grunt left behind.
It does do offroad to a degree, but if you want offroad, buy one, offroad bikes they cant do onroad very well either. A tiger is a compromise in that respect.
lots of luggage space, and heated grips standard. I also have afriend that did morocco and back on a BMW GS1150R thing. He found it overly heavy, but capable.
Alos the tiger is about to be radicaly upgraded. hand on till the end of summer for bargains or buy the new one.
. 
Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff