| Author | Message | ||
     Buewulf |
My brother and I took a trip through Colorado and Utah, and my tool was a new Triumph Tiger 800XC that I rented. I know most guys and gals here have an appreciation for and curiosity of other adventure mounts, so I thought I'd post a little ride report from the 1500 miles I spent on the Tiger. I treated the bike like I would my own (i.e. I flogged it) and threw everything at it from unpaved mountain passes, water crossings, twisties and long, fast lonely highways. This was a fully tricked out XC with aluminum side cases, skid plates and engine guards which I'd say probably added 50 lbs to the stock weight. The bike is very well balanced, though, and its weight really only became apparent if you were off the bike pushing it around or in some pretty rough stuff. Rider Comfort: It is definitely easier to get a foot down from the Triumph's saddle than it is on my Uly ('06 X with the low seat), a fact which my 30-inch inseam appreciated. The seat height is noticeably less (it has two positions) and the seat a bit narrower making it easier to move the bike Flintstone-style. I found the rider triangle to be quite comfortable and the seat pretty plush. A slight buzz makes it to the handle bars and just about every other hard part once underway. It never gave me the tingles or caused any numbness or discomfort, and I never really noticed it unless I thought about it. In fact, it wasn't even enough to blur the mirrors. The windscreen caused a bit of buffeting, but not enough to annoy me terribly. We were able to fit a good bit of stuff in the sturdy cases which proved to mount / dismount quite easily from the clever mounting system. The XC's suspension eats bumps like nothing I've ridden in quite a while, and I had to scratch my head at some of my brother's comments about rough roads until we switched bikes. Engine and Tranny: The little 800 is a gem. There is usable power from idle to its ~10K redline with a good midrange and a nice little hit at 7K. The transmission was very smooth and accepted clutchless gear changes without the least bit of protest, which is a practice I had nearly forgotten about since entering the Buell fray a few years ago. Granted all of the armor, cases and gear we had loaded into said cases added a good bit of additional heft to what was already a fairly heavy bike, but I really wanted a little more snap from the engine. If the bike were mine, I would probably take a tooth out of the front sprocket to get that extra snap and provide a more usable crawling speed. Gearing is plenty tall enough and the engine smooth enough that such a change should prove no detriment to the Tiger's impressive interstate munching abilities. Road Handling The Tiger is a lot of fun on a twisty road. Despite the multi-surface rubber and large front hoop, I was able to hustle through the twisty stuff confidently and even drug hard parts a few times while learning the XC's limits. Plus that howling triple made it seem like I was railing twice as fast as I was! The handling is very predictable, but the abrupt throttle is either on or off which made it difficult (for me anyway) to be smooth. A good tune would do wonders for this bike. In fast (80mph+) sweeping curves on more open roads exposed to the high winds that were a constant on the trip, I found that the back end of the fully loaded Triumph would wallow a bit when pitched over at say 80% of its limit. I don't know if the weight+speed was outmatching the shock's settings (I never messed with them) or its limits, or if the wind pushing against the cases was ultimately the culprit, but that was the only unsettling road behavior I experienced. Brakes are good but not sport bike strong, and once I learned what they were capable of, I was able to use them effectively to enhance law-bending activities. This bike was equipped with ABS (which can be switched off), and the system worked well. I mustered up the courage to grab a handful at about 50mph (after a few chicken-outs) just to test them out, and the bike came to an abrupt and stable stop much to the disappointment of my brother who was ready with his video camera for what he was sure would be bribe-worthy footage. (He would miss his only chance for that on one of the off-road segments.  ) The bike eats droning highways up and cruised effortlessly at 100mph on some of the lonelier open roads without the slightest twitch despite the loaded cases. (This highway of course was closed to everyone but me for the duration of this trip. Otherwise, such activity would be unsafe and illegal.  Please do not try this at home!) Off-Road: Due to the limitations of my brother's bike, I didn't get to do as much off-road stuff as I would have liked. We split up once so that I could try the Tigger out on some rough stuff. Being on the Uly now for so long, I had forgotten how much more capable a bike with a large front hoop and more off-road oriented geometry can be. Despite weighing as much as my Uly (probably outweighing it with all the gear), the Tiger did a great job at crawling over some rocky terrain and navigating loose and twisty descents. Expensive parts are still a little closer to the ground than I would like, but I managed not to ding anything. The suspension starts to bottom out quickly if you quicken the pace (this is a 500lb bike after all), and the XC gives you plenty of warning when you reach the limit, snapping you out of your Paris-Dakar fantasy as quickly as it would snap your femur should your ambitions overcome your senses. Overall: I think the Tiger is a great bike and offers a very well-rounded package that will entertain its rider on twisty pavement, perform admirably once the pavement ends and eat up the highway miles necessary to get you to and from those more interesting destinations. That said, I have to admit that I missed the Uly during the trip which is an odd feeling for me to have. I had test ridden a Tiger before this trip and was sure it was exactly what I wanted. I figured this extended outing with the XC would reinforce that belief. By all measures, the Tiger was better on the open road, better off-road and better on the tight, twisty asphalt. (Disclaimer: I know you are laughing at that last point since the Uly is essentially a very tall sportbike. For me however, there is something wonky about the Uly's handling on really tight roads that has always sapped my confidence in the bike. The Tiger feels neutral to me and behaves in a manner that I expect when pushing it to its limits. Therefore, I am faster (or least it feels as though I am) on that bike than the Uly. To riders more capable than myself, I am sure the Uly reigns supreme in the twisties vs the Tiger.) The Tiger is more refined, looks better (IMO) has better accessories and is more manageable for my short stature. And yet the Uly has something that the Tiger doesn't, and enough of it that I just can't see myself replacing the Uly with that bike - a difficult statement for me to make because I had every intention of replacing the Uly with that bike. To call it "character" would be cliché, but I don't know what else to call it. When I returned from the trip, I immediately took the Uly out for a spirited run. There is a lot about the Uly I never cared for: it handles strangely, the rear brake sucks, the front brake kind of sucks, the transmission sucks, it's super tall, kicks up a lot of heat, pings when hot and I am always hitting the rev-limiter on that dinosaur of an engine. So I figured once I re-sampled all these inglorious faults that the universe would be set right once again and I could go cut a check for the Tiger and think nothing more of this Uly business. Damned if I didn't feel right at home on the bike. I used the engine's limited powerband more effectively than I ever had before and even laughed out loud a few times in the helmet while doing so. I stopped resisting the wonkiness of the handling and just rolled with it, railing curves better than I ever had before on the bike. Everything was the same, but something was different. I can't say if the Uly knew it was about to be replaced and decided to open new lines of communication with me, or if spending a great deal of time on a nearly flawless bike merely exposed the virtues of flaws. Whatever the case, the Uly is special to me now in a way that it wasn't before. Financially, I don't need to sell the Uly in order to buy the Tiger. I could have them both. But the Tiger would rarely ever challenge the Uly for seat time, so what's the point? The bliss may not last long. The bike may be dying to break down again, or maybe I sniffed too much clean mountain air to think clearly right now. But for the moment, the Uly is just the bike I am looking for. In fact, I think I'll take it for a ride right now. | ||
| Thumpthump |
Now that's a write up! Thanks! (Message edited by thumpthump on September 10, 2012) | ||
| Richardbiker |
Great review!! I think you have a new calling; wonderful storytelling. | ||
| Pnw_uly |
That might just be the best write-up I've ever read. . . Well done! Admire the 800XC and rode one briefly, certainly on the short-list as a Uly replacement. C'mon JPhish - - what say you ? ? | ||
| Chopped_burban |
Great write up!. I'd like to add a little as I did some back-to-back time on a Uly and 800XC as well. I love my Buells, especially my Uly, and came away from it loving my Uly more than ever. No doubt, the 800XC I thought was a nice mid ground between my Uly and my DRZ400 (but seriously... I have 4 bikes.... do I need any more???) Anyway, with a 34 inch inseam, I preferred the handling and geometry of the Uly. I did appreciate how smooth the drivetrain of the Tiger is. Ultimately, happy as ever with the Uly. One thing I want for my Uly from the Tiger is the headlights. I thought those were really nice for stockers. I couldn't believe how much light and how well placed it was for a motorcycle. Anyway, still loving my Buells. Thanks for the great write-up. | ||
| Murf2 |
Whats the heat output like on the Tiger? That's my biggest complaint with the Uly. Murf | ||
| Buewulf |
Wow! Thanks for all of the positive comments, guys. Whats the heat output like on the Tiger? I never had an issue with heat even though the bike can run pretty hot during slow going. I saw ambient air temperatures as low as 37° F and as high as 94° on the same day, and engine temperatures never made themselves noticed except on the gauge. For reference, I was wearing either riding pants or Sliders Kevlar Khakis during the trip, and engine heat was not any more noticeable with one or the other. One thing I want for my Uly from the Tiger is the headlights I concur that the headlights are blazing bright with a pattern that is both wide and deep. I don't know if the Tiger's lamps are awesome or if the Uly's stink so bad that I just can't remember what a good headlight is capable of, but the Tiger cuts an impressive path through the dark. | ||
| Chopped_burban |
Murf, Similar to Buewolf's comment, I was wearing kevlar jeans and usually had something thermal underneath because it was freaking cold. In my case, I was missing the "Uly Heater" while riding the Tiger. I have heard from a few that if you are wearing nylon pants outside the boot, you need to watch the inside of your right leg because the pipe runs close to the peg and your pants may melt (ironically, this happens on a DRZ400 as well, and I know that one first hand). Anyway, Touratech has a proper fix for it while some home grown heatshield should work just as well. Maybe one of these days I'll get to try out the Tiger Explorer...... at least on paper, it looks more like a Uly. | ||
| Buewulf |
Oh, someone PMed me asking about the Tiger's fuel economy, so I though I would share with everyone. I didn't include any results in my write-up because, frankly, I didn't actually measure fuel economy during the trip. The electronics do have a meter, though. If the gadget is accurate, then I averaged about 57mpg during trip seeing a high of 61.1 and a low of 53.4 on pavement. And I was on the throttle A LOT. I rarely ever pumped more than 2.5 gallons into the 5-gallon tank, so gut my tells me that it is at least fairly accurate. Remember this was all at high altitudes between 5K and 11K feet, so apply whatever multiplier you normally would to adjust. I tend to get 10% better fuel economy that high up vs the sea-level conditions I currently live in. Keep in mind those were averages by tank computed by the Tiger's electronics over some extremely varied conditions. I really could not tell you what it gets at say 85 mph on the interstate or cooking above 7K rpms in the twisties. The 53.4 average came as a result of a relatively long and fast (85 - 90mph average speed) highway stretch. The gauge was at 59.0 when I started the highway run and got down to 53.4 when we stopped for gas, so my guess is I was getting somewhere between 45 - 47 during that open road part. | ||
| Murf2 |
Thanks, The wife & I were out at Salida riding around over Labor Day week. I guess the heat from my Uly wasn't too bad either. Man going out & coming back across Kansas the engine heat got to me! So much so, That I've been talking to the wife about selling the Buells & getting a couple enduro's & throwing them in the truck when we go out camping. Thanks for your report on the Tiger! It was very well done. Murf | ||
| Fltwistygirl |
Nice write-up. One thing that would make it even better: Pictures! | ||
| Buewulf |
One thing that would make it even better: Pictures! Yes, I am notorious for never taking pictures. I have been all over the world, and the number of pictures I've taken couldn't fill my wallet. My wife gets on to me often about that. My brother is equally guilty, but he did at least snap a few shots a got a little video as a condition of the negotiations with his wife to take the trip. When I ride, I hate stopping. I stop for gas and to help stranded motorists, but for almost nothing else - rarely even to eat. I'm just not wired to pull over and pose for photo ops. I need to get a GO-PRO or something similar so I can capture moments on the move. | ||
| Uly_man |
Nice write up thank you. The Uly comments seem a little odd though. Both my bikes trannys are very smooth. The new bike is still a little stiff though. Both brakes should be great with sintered/HH type pads. I get good power and feel from them. A fluid change helps a lot. I have never had any "pinging" on my bikes. The 06 bikes do run very, very hot. Its fine on the later bikes. I found the oil cooler on my 06 bike hardly worked at all. Very strange as it needs to. The 06 bikes do have a "odd steering" feeling at low speeds which might be why the later bikes have a off-set front axle. They are fine now and all the bikes should handle like Demons. Some basic mods to the bike DO help it run and handle much better. The 06 bikes lights are not very good the later ones are better. If I wanted real good lights I would replace them. Unlike most bikes that is very easy to do on the Uly if needed. The Uly has no "focus beam" on the lights and relies on the reflector which is, of course, a crap idea. I have had lots of bikes, race and otherwise and the Uly is a real "odd ball" bike. It can be a BIG pain in the ass at times but also charm as much as well. Its hard to say why I like it maybe its just because I NEVER get board with it. | ||
| Buewulf |
The Uly comments seem a little odd though. Either there is quite of bit of production variance with Buells, or we just have to write these differences off to subjectivity. My tranny is clunky. I have test ridden three brand new XBs in the past (9S, 12R and 12SS) as well as swapped bikes for a ride on a well used and loved 08 12SCG recently. Their transmissions sucked, too. In contrast, I think I may have changed gears once on the Tiger just by thinking about it. Pinging. My Buell has it, and so do the other two XB riders I know locally (both pre-08 bikes). Could just be the heat here in Houston, TX. It isn't an issue when the weather cools off. I actually change the brake fluid annually. The rear still sucks. It goes from doing almost nothing to locking up with absolutely no feedback in between. The front stops strongly, but the progression from light to hard braking is not linear. I'll try some new pads when it is time. I am sure my bike could be a demon in the corners, just not with me piloting it. Tight curves requiring less than 30 mph and even not so tight curves that require quick switch backs don't upset the bike, but the bike doesn't behave in a natural manner either. If Houston had curves, I would work on it regularly and probably develop a sense for how the bike works. I just don't have that opportunity. However, the Uly is the only bike I've owned since I first started riding that I feel like an amateur on when it come to wickedly twisty roads. | ||
| Mnrider |
Great write up. Our Uly's are special machines for sure. | ||
| Teeps |
. For me however, there is something wonky about the Uly's handling on really tight roads that has always sapped my confidence in the bike. For me, the short wheel base and thought of high side is always on my mind. That, and the way applying the front brake whilst turning stands the bike up. | ||
| Uly_man |
"Tight curves requiring less than 30 mph and even not so tight curves that require quick switch backs don't upset the bike, but the bike doesn't behave in a natural manner either." Thats what I was saying and had it myself on the 06 bike. It is a odd feeling I know. Two things I would suggest will help but not cure it as its a design thing. One add 10ml of heavy oil to each fork. This cuts fork dive on front braking and makes the front end handling much better. You will need to back off the compression setting. Two the suspension settings MUST be right and the book settings for the 06 bike are way out. Trust me I know I tried them and they make the bike handle like a bag of crap. Get it right and you will think your a riding God. No bike I have had is as easy to ride in bends as a Buell. Also you need the right rubber as well. "For me, the short wheel base and thought of high side is always on my mind. That, and the way applying the front brake whilst turning stands the bike up." It will not "high side" if you ride right and heavy use of the front brake in a bend is a big "no-no" on any bike. Which is not riding it right. It WILL stand up and you WILL end up on your ass. Your "pinging" is the heat and/or fuel. Try if you can to get the engine temp down with a fan mod and check if your oil cooler is working right. As you say its ok in cooler conditions so that sounds about right. Right? |
