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The alternative to the BMW R 1200 GS?

Triumph Tiger Explorer: the big enduro in the top test

Travel to distant countries, explore foreign cultures – bikers usually place high demands on their touring motorcycles. Is the Triumph Explorer ready for competition with the R 1200 GS, the so far undefeated alpha in the pack of travel enduro bikes?

The British have experience of crowned heads. And they get the crown here too – with just under 1.3 hp, the Triumph is at the top of its class. No, we’re not talking about the engine performance of the new Explorer, but the data of its alternator. This has an output of 950 watts, and thus not only meets the requirements of extensive, power-guzzling additional comfort equipment (heated seats, heated grips, GPS, additional headlights), but also shows the eternal queen of the travel enduros at this point where the Bartel must, or rather the whiskey here.

VOrbild GS or not – the parallels stop with the engine, Triumph remains true to itself and its preference for three cylinders. With exactly 1215 cubic centimeters, the new design is based on the 1200 scale of the competition from BMW, Yamaha & Co, and the torque output is at 121 Newton meters on the class level – even the British can not do magic. But the triplet with 137 hp saddles 27 horses more than the said competitors. Thanks to the comparatively restrained compression ratio of 11: 1, the Explorer gets by on regular gasoline. Good for trips to remote countries with poor fuel quality. Anyone who rubs their hands in view of the performance data should take a look at the weight of the new ones. The mighty, tall engine, which hangs in the steel tubular space frame, and the massive single-sided swing arm that houses the cardan shaft, indicate it even when the car is stationary: There is no lightweight at the start.

The alternative to the BMW R 1200 GS?

Triumph Tiger Explorer: the big enduro in the top test

The disc can be locked at a variable height using knurled screws (right and left).

The performance increases in an exemplary linear fashion, without a noticeable kick, calmly powerful, without an explosion in performance. That is exactly the characteristic that the touring driver wants and needs on long-distance trips. The Triumph also accelerates gently, but still directly and finely dosed. How smoothly the required power arrives at the rear wheel depends not least on the quality of the secondary drive. BMW has brought the once capricious cardan drive to astonishing maturity over the years. Yamaha also shows how it can work with the Super Tenere. So now Triumph has also dared to use a shaft instead of a chain and, in terms of solid design and stability, plopped instead of messed up. The cardan drive integrated into the thick aluminum single-sided swing arm consists of two metal shafts, between which a rubber component is supposed to ensure quiet, according to Triumph. Even if any redirection and transmission entails a little power loss – the effort, the massive use of materials and the use of a solid torque support have paid off.

A cardan drive can hardly be more inconspicuous and pleasant. Drive influences are practically not noticeable at all, the Triumph cardan works as an example and inconspicuously like a chain, without the rattling and the annoying duty of tensioning and lubricating. If there is any unrest at all, it is the driver himself. With a twitching wrist, because on a rough road surface, when bumps penetrate the handlebars, the smallest movements of the right hand are enough to give unintentional gas commands. Not dramatic, but one should be aware of this effect.

What feels as heavy as lead and like a high center of gravity when pushing and maneuvering, quickly turns out to be astonishingly light-footed colossus when wagging around bends, steering precisely, circling bends largely neutrally and allowing a brisk pace on a flat surface. However, this is limited by the early notches. In fast bends that are even tight, the Explorer reveals a slight tendency to push over the front wheel. The weight and high center of gravity say hello. Rough road surface reveals the weaknesses of the fork set-up. The response behavior is okay – the mighty upside-down fork from Kayaba cannot be described as chunky. However, if waves or large impacts are to be processed in rapid succession, for which the dip tubes have to cover the correct spring travel, the overly tight design takes revenge. A little less damping would help here, unfortunately only the preload can be adjusted. The rear shock absorber offers adjustable rebound damping and preload, but is overall quite soft and comfort-oriented – a slightly more balanced coordination of the front and rear would put the finishing touches on the solid handling.

Black, heavy, stable: single-sided swing arm gimbal, overhead torque support .

Incidentally, the damping characteristics do not prevent the fork from plunging heavily into the brakes or even going on the block. The front wheel can trample and lock on bumps for a short time – which in turn calls the ABS into action, which immediately reduces the brake pressure for a short time, but thanks to short control intervals it quickly builds up again and keeps it pleasantly constant at an astonishingly high level. However, the controllability and the feeling for the specific pressure point, including increased hand strength, are not at the very highest level. When the ABS is switched off, it shows that the brake itself has more potential: bite, transparency and feedback are then flawless. After switching the ignition off and on again, the ABS is activated again and the traction control is always set to level one. The latter does its job brilliantly. Anyone who has tapped their way through the menu jungle using the button on the left handlebars can choose between off, level one and level two: level one for foolproof driving and reliable traction even on gravel roads, level two for sporty, ambitious gasping with late , but safe regulating electronics that just allow the rear wheel to paint subtle black lines without breaking.

If the extensive standard equipment already offers great comfort, it can be expanded significantly with the numerous accessories available. The higher windshield mounted on the test bike does not provide perfect protection, but it largely relieves the wind pressure and also enables longer, fatigue-free full throttle stages. Full throttle means here the regulated 210 specified by the factory, measured even a real 215, 225 km / h indicated by the speedometer. The Explorer, which is pleasantly economical with 4.6 liters per 100 km in normal country road operation, then of course lets twice as much fuel through the nozzles. To be on the safe side, the warning lamp in the cockpit reports very early: two bars of the display are still visible and 4.5 liters in the tank – that’s enough for almost 100 kilometers if you drive cautiously. Occasional slight agitation around the vertical axis (intentionally initiated or caused by gusts of crosswind) at high speed only subsides with a delay, but remains harmless. Commendable: the always undistorted, good view in the mirrors of the pursuers. Speaking of vision: The only average light output of the double headlights does not make the Triumph a night vision device. Still: a lot of light, little shadow in the overall balance Can the Explorer overthrow the overpowering competitor GS from the throne? A comparison test of the large enduros follows in volume 9. But it is already clear that Triumph has put a successful GS alternative on the bikes with the new 1200.

MOTORCYCLE points evaluation / conclusion

The Arrow exhaust costs € 879 extra.

engine
The beefy three-cylinder unfolds its power evenly and powerfully from idle and shines with smooth throttle response. He beguiles with a wonderfully hoarse sound, without annoying with vibrations. These are at most noticeable to a certain extent near the maximum speed. The power transmission via a smooth clutch and precisely switchable gearbox to the cardan drive, which works free of undesirable reactions, is great. The torque values ​​suffer from the high weight and the somewhat long translation.

landing gear
Precise steering and neutral cornering behavior, not least due to a tightly damped fork, enable a brisk pace on a flat road with the Explorer, which is pleasantly handy for its weight. Unfortunately, the notches that touch down slow down the fun quite early. If bumps come into play, the rear turns out to be quite soft, the front as a bit overdamped for third-class roads. The slight agitation with the full throttle bolt remains uncritical, loading with a passenger the Triumph puts away unmoved.

everyday life
With lavish equipment and a long range, the British woman meets her high demands on suitability for travel. The driver and front passenger are accommodated in a relaxed manner suitable for long journeys, the payload is absolutely practical, the view in the mirrors is almost perfect. The windshield of the height-adjustable (accessory) pane, however, turns out to be not quite perfect, the light should shine further and brighter. A real plus: the low-maintenance, inconspicuously working cardan drive.

security
The ABS somewhat dilutes the controllability and the bite that the brakes actually offer – as brake tests with the system switched off prove. The control behavior and the reliability of the ABS are still good, the delay is at a high level. Setting up when braking or hitting the handlebars are hardly an issue.

costs
Thanks to the commendably low fuel consumption and the record-breaking long inspection intervals (every 16,000 km), driving an Explorer remains relatively inexpensive fun.

Price-performance
The Explorer is not a bargain, but the high score makes it clear that it is worth its price.

 Max points  Triumph tiger explorer
engine  250  177
landing gear  250  160
everyday life  250  188
security  150  109
costs  100  64 Overall rating  1000  698 Price-performance note  1.0  2.1

On a level surface, the Explorer mutates into a curve wetter.

Conclusion
The research trip was worth it. As a comfortable, well-equipped and active travel enduro with a beefy, cultivated and even relatively economical three-cylinder, the Explorer impresses right from the start. In addition to small details, the main drawbacks are the high weight and the coordination of the suspension elements, which can still tolerate a little fine-tuning. A GS challenger to be taken seriously.

Technical specifications

One pushes through the on-board computer menu using the touch button and info button.

engine
Water-cooled three-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine, a balancer shaft, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder, bucket tappets, wet sump lubrication, injection, Ø 46 mm, regulated catalytic converter, 950 W alternator, 12 V / 18 Ah battery, hydraulically operated multiple discs – Oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, cardan shaft, secondary gear ratio 2.557.
Bore x stroke 85.0 x 71.4 mm
Cubic capacity 1215 cm³
Compression ratio 11.0: 1
rated capacity 101.0 kW (137 hp) at 9000 rpm
Max. Torque 121 Nm at 6400 rpm

landing gear
Steel tubular frame, load-bearing motor, upside-down fork, Ø 46 mm, adjustable spring base, single-sided swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut with lever system, adjustable spring base and rebound damping, double disc brake at the front, Ø 305 mm, four-piston fixed calliper, disc brake at the rear, Ø 282 mm, Double piston floating caliper, ABS, traction control.
Cast aluminum wheels 2.50 x 19; 4.00 x 17
110/80 R19 tires; 150/70 R17
Tires in the test Metzeler Tourance EXP, rear "M"

Dimensions + weights
Wheelbase 1530 mm, steering head angle 66.1 degrees, caster 106 mm, spring travel f / r 190/194 mm, permissible total weight 481 kg, tank capacity / reserve 20.0 / 5.0 liters.

Data service
Service intervals 16,000 km
Oil and filter change every 16,000 km, 4.0 liters
Motor oil 10W40, 10W50
Telescopic fork oil SAE5
Spark plugs NGK CR8EK
Tire pressure solo (with pillion passenger) front / rear 2.5 / 2.9 (2.5 / 2.9) bar
Two year guarantee
Colors blue, gray, black
price 13,790 euros
Price test motorcycle * 15,859 euros
Additional costs around 350 euros

* Price includes touring windshield (139 euros), Arrow rear silencer (879 euros), aluminum oil pan protection (219 euros), fog lights (329 euros), handle protectors (105 euros), tire pressure monitoring system (169 euros), engine protection bar (229 euros)

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