Road – Test Tiger Sport 2013: the 1050 still has the teeth! – Tamed, even domesticated?

Posted on by admin

Tiger Sport 2013 test: the 1050 still has the fangs !

Road - Test Tiger Sport 2013: the 1050 still has the teeth! - Tamed, even domesticated?

In competition with the 800 Tiger and the 1215 Explorer, the Tiger 1050 remains in the Triumph catalog in a new “Sport” version. This 2013 novelty is more efficient, more ergonomic and more stylish than the old model.. First try !

Tamed, even domesticated ?

From the first turns of the wheel, the Tiger Sport and the latest version of the 1050 cc 3-cylinder impress: the English Tiger is at least as supple as it is fierce. In the first three gears, the engine resumes from idle without flinching, the fork crown shaking for only a few seconds.

After 3000 rev / min, the big cat leaps with a certain ferocity, the electronic injection being a little too dry to be quite pleasant at low speed, especially when the gas is cut off. The handling of the throttle therefore requires a little restraint in order to avoid jerks … and excessive speed. !

The two levers are adjustable, but even adjusted to the shortest the spacing is too important for small hands. Like the new saddle, the future levers deserve a notch or a cut a little more suited to small riders.

Likewise, less sturdy bikers would appreciate a reduction in the effort required to disengage. In traffic jams, the Tiger will require a firm and enduring grip. Fortunately, our route for the day only crosses a few towns.

On the other hand, the gearbox of the 1050 block has undergone major changes: compared to the last version which equips the Speed ​​Triple R, the Tiger Sport’s gearbox is even faster and smoother, which limits the use of the left lever..

Still in town, the "Gros Matou" is appreciated for its discretion: the purring of its stainless steel silencer is quite reasonable. As for the mechanical whistling of the engine, it can be greatly limited by driving in fifth or even sixth gear. !

Due to the relatively cool temperatures forecast for this test – 10 ° C at sea level and around 3 ° C in the heights of the hinterland – the suspension hydraulics had been slightly opened by the Triumph staff..

The rebound (on the left) and the compression (on the right) on the fork and the rebound of the rear shock absorber thus released, the retarders, ashy gallinettes’ nests, coarse fittings or other imperfections of the streets are perfectly absorbed: the Tiger and its companion can focus on the route…

The roundabouts leading to the motorway are negotiated without apprehension. Unlike its sisters 800 XC or Explorer in particular, the Tiger 1050 has rims and tires with dimensions similar to those of the Speed ​​or Sprint (17 inches, 120/70 at the front and 180/55 at the rear).

There is therefore no great inertia in the front axle, nor any phenomenon of heaviness or "fall" when setting the angle. As on the old model – and unlike the first Tiger 885 or 955 of the Hinckley era – the behavior of this Triumph is much more like that of a road than that of a trail.

Likewise, when braking, the Tiger Sport fork does not dive excessively despite the presence of two large 320mm discs and their radially mounted 4-piston calipers. The 150 mm of travel is only slightly affected and the weight transfer to the front is limited.

On the braking side, the new ABS modulator associated with the unchanged system of the Tiger 1050 is quite convincing. "We worked with Nissin to limit its intrusion during heavy braking and improve emergency braking distances", details the in-house test pilot.

"At 130 km / h, stopping distances go from 73.5 to 69.4 m in the dry and from 98.3 to 91 m in the wet", calculated the British and the Japanese. It is clear that in normal use, the Tiger Sport‘s ABS shines by its absence. Its intervention, if necessary, is transparent to the hand as to the right foot.

But at this stage of driving, only one "emergency" is felt: to rally as quickly as possible the small winding roads to the north-east of Barcelona !

Related articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *