Triumph Tiger 1200 XCa in the test

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Triumph Tiger 1200 XCa in the test

Large enduro for a sporty pace

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Stronger, lighter and equipped with new features, the Triumph Tiger 1200 is heading towards 2018. First contact in the area around Almeria in southern Spain. But why is our tour guide turning the shower so cautiously??

AT.uf, give up! At the rear of the tour guide are five journalists who are apparently particularly gassy today. Before them David Lopez, suspension tester at Triumph and ex-racer. In the mid-2000s, he even pulled the cable for PS in the Endurance World Championship. So a guy who knows exactly where the gas is. The pace is quite fluid, but to our liking, he could attack the presentation of the new 1200 Tiger a tad more angrily. "I understand you guys, but we’re driving at the speed that corresponds to this vehicle category," said the Spaniard soothingly. An understatement! Because there is a certain sporting potential in the redesigned big cat, which is always shown when the PS tester falls back to catch up with the crowd in fast-forward mode.

Triumph Tiger 1200 XCa in the test

Large enduro for a sporty pace

A lot of electronics can be configured cleanly

Of course, the lower pounds do not make the Tiger lightweight. This is another reason why Triumph sharpened the front brake. Snappy surfaces, a new hydraulic transmission ratio and changes to the saddles give it a significantly sportier note. Now the system can be dosed super well and delayed like the devil – a clear improvement compared to its somewhat tired predecessor! The rear wheel only starts to run slightly out of track when anchored hard, as the partially integrated stoppers automatically decelerate at the rear.

The British also went for the equipment. However, the full pack is reserved for the high-end XCA and XRT (street) versions. Some of the cheaper models can be retrofitted. The automatic gearshift with blipper function allows smooth, clean and quick gear changes without a clutch, the lean angle-dependent LED cornering light is supposed to illuminate the road better when bending in the dark, and the easy-to-read TFT display, which can be varied in angle, offers numerous menus and submenus for settings of all kinds. In contrast to most of the other Triumphs, the menu navigation turned out to be simple and self-explanatory, which is also a real step forward.

In addition to the driving modes of the previous models – Rain, Road, Offroad, Sport and Rider – the two more off-road big cats are joined by the "Offroad Pro" setting, which automatically deactivates the ABS and traction control and also makes the chassis more sporty than the conventional off-road Mode. The keyless system is also new, which enables the ignition to be activated via radio link. However, you can fill up with the integrated, foldable key. A button on the transmitter that cuts the connection when the bike is parked is designed to protect against potential thieves with a self-made radio amplifier.

Chassis can be sharpened

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The Tiger’s chassis is convincing.

Tea driving modes also offer plenty of electronics. All levels influence the throttle response, ABS, traction control and the electronic chassis. The road modes should even automatically switch to off-road after a few seconds as soon as the system detects the relevant terrain.

Triumph likes to describe the fork and shock absorber as semi-active, but that is only partially correct. Because the front does not react at all to different driving conditions, the shock absorber only partially. After all, the bike recognizes the load based on the swing arm angle and automatically adjusts the spring base and damping accordingly. What sounds complicated works extremely well in practice. Especially since the basic setup of the chassis can be easily adjusted to the road conditions and personal taste using a mini-joystick in every mode from “Comfort” to “Normal” to “Sport” while driving. Depending on the attitude, the Tiger transports its cargo like a litter or with sporty rigor.

Tiger can also do offroad

Now let’s briefly look at the different models. Triumph offers a total of six types – four on-road and two off-road variants. As usual, each one starts with an "X". The bikes, which are mainly intended for road use, are followed by an "R" for road, a possible third letter denotes the equipment variant. Exclusively for the street version, the British have a version with a low seat height. If there is a C after the X, the bikes are more suitable for off-road use (C for Cross). They differ from the street tigers mainly in the wire spoke wheels, the engine guard, the hand protectors and the crash bars. Buckled up? If not, take a look at the homepage of the German importer, which describes the different types in detail.

On day two of the presentation, a two-hour excursion into the southern Spanish area is on the program. Numerous gravel roads lead through the famous desert landscape near Tabernas. An ideal area for the new tiger, as the topography is neither too harmless nor too demanding. Converted to grippy Pirelli Scorpion Rally, the XCA skilfully drifts over loose terrain thanks to electronic monitoring. Only in narrow passages with deep gravel does it push something over the front wheel because the pilot cannot shift enough weight onto it. But measured by its sheer size, the Tiger does very respectably off-road. Here, too, she grabs with sharpened claws, which is why the motto is more valid than ever: the big cat is looking for an adventurous animal tamer!

Triumph Tiger 1200 XCA – Offers for the luxury off-roader

Used Triumph Tiger 1200 XCA in Germany

The Triumph Tiger 1200 XCA really has everything one could even remotely need. But such luxurious equipment also has its price. However, this can be mitigated on the used motorcycle exchange. There you can buy Triumph Tiger 1200 XCA at lower prices: Used Triumph Tiger 1200 XCA in Germany

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