TRIUMPH TIGER 1200 XR (2018 - on) Review

Even with the suspension set at "comfort" the bike handles well beyond my abilities.

The 1215 triple has a power delivery that compares favourably with the excellent Honda VFR800 but topping out at almost 140bhp

Great for touring 2 up with all boxes and tank bag fully loaded.

Dealer servicing can be a little higher than I would expect

All the spec you could ask for. Cornering ABS and Traction Control. Electric Screen. Auto cancel indicators. Cruise Control. Adjustable Semi Active Suspension. Heated Rider Seat. Heated Pillion Seat. Heated Grips. Back Lite Switches. Fog Lights. Riding Lights. Riding Modes. Changeable Screen Displays. Auto or Rider Set Screen Brightness. No Bluetooth Connectivity. Really needs crash bars in case of mishaps. These are readily available

Brakes are sharp (maybe a bit too much so? but I'd rather that than progressive/soft) and the electronic ride control is top notch. Big changes from soft to sport and you can find something in-between that suits. I'm 6ft5 and on a higher seat setting its perfectly comfortable for hours and hours in the saddle. My father uses it from time to time too and low seat setting is fine for him (he's much shorter). I don't find the bike too heavy either, all adventure bike aren't exactly featherweight!

The best bit for me. Brought with the Arrow sports can, it was still a bit too quiet for my liking. A Pipewerx can just gives the engine a bit more pep, along with a lovely but not over the top or annoying pop and burble. The engine and looks were why I brought this bike. Its loves to rev, its happy using cruise control sitting an an autobahn speed and the wind protection I would say is up there with any other brand.

Okay, my bike has a pampered life compared to some I dare say (dry stored and warm at all times lock up, blow dried with a pet drier when washed) but it still looks showroom fresh. Not one problem so far, 15k miles and counting

Basic servicing is fine, the only niggle I've found are the main dealer experience near me in Wiltshire can be a bit hit and miss. So far, the only grumble I have owning this Triumph Tier 1200

2019, electric screen, suspension, cruise control, abs, tc, hill assist, 6 axis IMU, heated everything including the rear seat and numerous USB ports, whats no to love?

Excellent breaking can’t go wrong with brembo

Fantastic engine, even in 6th it still has more to give, the only thing it does I don’t like it vibrates at 3k revs

As I’ve put 4 out of 5 “touch wood” I haven’t had any issues with my tiger, but others with the same year have, from gear box to a rattle noise at 30-40k miles ive only done 10k at the moment

I’ve heard others having more as my last service was £300 for tires, oil and air filter, think it be cheaper to do it myself

The panniers, they’re big and carry as much as you want, highly recommend a tank protector it seem to suit my bike with an aftermarket tank bag and tank protector, hides a bit of the blue, like a black stripe

Super smooth and the weight that magically disappears as soon as you move only adds to its sure footed feel. Turns lovely and maintains composure even if you slam the brakes on mid corner. I ride mine mostly two up and both rider and pillion can ride a tank full (about 200 miles)in comfort. Great tip for handling in traffic /town is to use the rider mode to drop the suspension by setting the TSAS to off road. Gives a extra confidence at manoeuvring speeds on a heavy bike.

Smooth, fantastic power delivery. Fuelling is perfect at town speeds and there’s loads of power that will launch you into licence loosing territory should you choose to exploit it. The engine has been faultless and I suspect that it will do the moon and back.

Quality of build is exceptional. I’ve covered 7500 miles on mine and it has been faultless.

Annual service at Triumph is reasonable I think. The 10k will be more and the big 20k service will be the costly one but over the life off the bike can’t grumble.

Loads of electronics which eventually you get into tinkering with, I now wouldn’t do without them. For example, rain mode actually feels like it rides better in the rain, whether that’s in my head I’m not so sure however the difference between road and sport is noticeable for lively riding on your own. Heated seats are a revelation and must have item for me now.

Longest trip so far was a total of nearly 400 miles in one day which was no effort for me or the bike. I don’t carry a pillion but imaging there is plenty of room for them. Because the bike is already so heavy a pillion wouldn’t add a disproportionate amount to the overall loaded weight.

Makes a lovely noise with my Delkevic silencer fitted but was ok with the standard Triumph one. It goes like a train with the engine never feeling strained.

Not had a single problem so far (two years three months and 6500 miles)

Annual servicing so far has been pretty basic - effectively an oil and filter change plus checking everything else. Now it’s out of warranty I’ll be doing most of it myself.

Being the bottom of the range XR it doesn’t have much in the way of extra kit but I love the cruise control which makes long distances a lot easier. The standard tyres are Metzeler Tourance Next. The are last well with the rear tire just starting to square off a bit but still plenty of grip. I thought that some of the options on offer were ludicrously expensive and being a tight git I declined them and bought them cheaper off eBay (top box/carrier and heated grips). The seat was lovely when the bike was new but soon lost its bounce and felt lumpy and dead so I had it rebuilt with extra memory foam and it is now excellent.

Monobloc Brembos are more than adequate - even when fully panniered up with a large lady on pillion. The world 'plush' is not one you'd normally associate with adventure bikes, but the Tiger gives a supremely plush ride. One of the major factors for my buying it - after decades on Sports-Tourers (FJ1200, K1300S) - was that the world's increasingly deteriorating & disintegrating roads are not going to get fixed anytime soon, so WP suspenders with 190+mm of travel is the way to go.

I'd actually rate it as 10/5. What an absolute peach. Fuelling is perfect at all revs, and it gives a gorgeous induction roar and triple howl when you give it some beans.

I'd hope that, for this price, the build quality is supreme. And I reckon it is - apart from the rubber bump stop on the mainstand which fell off on day one, and the replacement, which fell off soon after being fitted. 'Spoiling the ship for a ha'porth of tar' comes to mind . .

Running in service was around £60 as it was for oil & filter - with free labour. My tech reckons he can do a full service for around £300 but the 20,000 mile service will be perhaps twice that as it includes valve clearances. But as I rarely venture north of 7,000 rpm, I'd expect them to be spot on, as they have always been on my ancient K1200RS.

I ordered the rad guard, sat-nav mount for my Garmin, and have bought a 'cool cover' for the rider's seat. And a 'tank protector' - although what it's really protecting is my gentleman's region during unforeseen heavy braking on a slippery saddle. The Tiger came with full Long Way Round aluminium panniers included. The base XRx has more toys than Hamleys, and none is a gimmick, all contributing to the ride. I didn't want the quick shifter and hill hold of the XRt, as I actually enjoy making all inputs to the bike myself. Old school, I guess.

Sublime ride, can easily ride all day in comfort and enjoyment. Front brakes are adequate although lack initial bite.

Super smooth triple, with bags of grunt. The real stand out feature of the bike.

Only owned it a short while, but everything seems so well put together with a real feeling of quality throughout

Quite a pricey bike to buy, but then you have to pay for quality

The XRT has everything you could possibly want, plus some stuff you didn’t know you wanted!

ride quality is exceptional. You can easily spend all day in the saddle without getting fatigued. The brakes are excellent and very predictable.

Probably the Triumph's party piece. the 1215cc Triple is an outstanding machine. Throttle is very smooth and linear with good, predictable power coming throughout the rev range.

The bike has behaved impeccably and hasn't put a foot wrong.

It's a big bike and, if ridden briskly, can be a little thirsty. In the 2 and a half years I've had the bike I can normally get 170-180 miles from a tank.

The XRT has just about everything you could wish for on a bike. The quickshifter has been great and little things like the hill hold function just make life easier and the riding less stressful.

Thanks to the semi active WP suspension, the ride quality and handling is sublime. The bike absorbs the uneven surfaces amazingly. The feel of the bike through corners offers confidence and the Brembro brakes have a great feel and pull the bike up effortlessly.

The Triumph triple is a proven unit that offers great torque and ample power. This gives the bike good performance and makes overtakes very easy.

The bike feels and looks constructed from premium components. The build quality is of a high quality as you would expect from a bike in the price bracket. Reliability so far is good with no issues.

The first running in service at 500 miles cost £90.00, and I am lead to believe that the first annual service or 10K service is around the £250.00 mark.

The Tiger 1200 is laden with technology, including the semi active suspension, TFT screen, electrically operated screen, riding modes, heated grips, cruise control just to mention a few.