Triumph Tiger 800 XCa test

Menus

• A renewed proposal in a category of “mid-size” trails in full expansion ….
• 3 cylinders in line, 800 cm3, 95 hp at 9,500 rpm, 79 Nm at 8,050 rpm, 208 kilos, € 14,950
• Discovery
• In the saddle
• Engine and transmission
• In the city
• On motorways and main roads
• On departmental
• Off-road
• Part-cycle
• Brakes
• Comfort & duo
• Consumption / autonomy
• Conclusion
• Video test

A renewed proposal in a category of “mid-size” trails in full expansion ….

3 cylinders in line, 800 cm3, 95 hp at 9,500 rpm, 79 Nm at 8,050 rpm, 208 kilos, € 14,950

Fate sometimes sends signs and you have to know how to decipher them. This is how Triumph recently presented its new Tiger 1200 XRt and 1200 XCa range near Almeria in southern Spain and we drove under the deluge. Rebelote for the little sister: we are in the foothills of the Atlas, near Lake Takerkoust, about fifty kilometers south of Marrakech (Morocco) and in the same way as France, at the moment, is under a screed of snow and ice, here it’s the deluge to the point that the driving schedule had to be changed. "Poor little journalist, having to work in such conditions is really too hard", you must think ( be thanked for this feeling of compassion, by the way!).

Well not at all: actually, it’s great. Because it’s only when the road conditions deteriorate, when the skies fall on the backpacker’s head, when the asphalt breaks down and the warriors of the Apocalypse begin to raise an eyebrow that the trails can, then and finally, prove their immense superiority over all other motorcycle categories and that’s why we love them. Between the big muddy roadster and the agile overtaken roadster, the trail continues its way and on the handlebars, its pilot whistles "colchic in the meadows" (it also works with "and I hear the train whistling"), relaxed, all that . Gravel, potholes, water channels, trajectories to be changed at the last moment: the trail does not care! Better: the real good jubile trail !

And just as you have to know how to read the signs, you have to know how to see the forest behind the tree. Who thinks trail says "BMW R 1200 GS". And yet, other models are managing to forge their way: this is how the Tiger 800, launched in 2010 and renewed in 2014, has since its debut produced 68,000 copies, which is not bad at all. We see that the Tiger 800 evolves every 4 years: it was therefore time to update it.

Discovery

It’s not a Tiger 800 to study, but 6! As usual, Triumph offers its range in two worlds to meet all the practices and all the equipment (and budget) desires of its customers.

This is how the Tiger 800 is available in 4 road versions, the XR: there are three levels of equipment (XR, XRx, XRt) plus a low XRx version (saddle at 760/780 mm) instead of 810 / 830 mm. The saddles of the XC (Cross: chemin), XCx and XCa versions are higher. New colors have also appeared: the XR buyer has the choice between two colors, that of the XRx and XCx between four colors and that of the top of the range XRt and XCa between three colors, including a new "navy" one, that of our test model.

Note also that the differentiation of the level of equipment is accompanied by a wide range of pricing: if the basic XR starts at € 11,100, which seems very reasonable, the XCa, admittedly very techno, is at 14,950. €, which may be starting to do a lot for an 800cc trail.

All 2018 Tiger 800s have one thing in common: as with all recent Triumphs, there has been a marked improvement in the quality of presentation and finish, the quality of the paints, the fit of the logos.

And on the top-of-the-range versions, the equipment is quite simply incomparable in the category: color TFT instrument panel with 6 display modes (even 12, if contrast is included), 6 driving modes, LEDs, heated grips and saddle, cruise control, backlit controls. It has everything a big one and only the controlled suspension separates it from its big sister the Tiger 1200.

Given the weather and the change in the driving schedule on this test, we only tested the XCa version, on the road and on the track.

In the saddle

On the XC, the saddle is adjustable between 840 and 860 mm. In the low position, a tall “pilot” will have their legs a bit bent, but in any case, if you have a minimum of legs, the Tiger 800 is very accessible. There is also a real difference in size, size, weight, center of gravity and bulk with its big sister the Tiger 1200.

Suddenly, it seems quite easy going, this Tiger 800. Compared to the previous generation, the handlebars have been moved back 10 mm for an even more natural driving position. Once on board, it takes a few moments to soak up all the functions and display modes of the dashboard, which is easy thanks to the good overall logic and the ergonomics provided by the shortcut buttons (mode, home, etc.) and the joystick on the left stalk.

With one press on the starter, the three cylinder comes to life…. and don’t sound like it used to.

Engine and transmission

In fact, Triumph has modified the engine and exhaust, as well as the by-wire throttle for a smoother response to acceleration and a less "whistling" and more "motorcycle" sound. The effect is successful, with a pleasant exhaust note in all circumstances.

Side numbers, we remain on a power of 95 horses, a value directly comparable to that of the Honda CRF 1000 L Africa Twin and the next BMW F 850 ​​GS (soon also in test in our columns). The Tiger 800 displays a torque of 79 Nm at 8050, but on examining the torque curve, we see that the curve is almost flat and that we always have more than 70 Nm, from 2500 to 9000 rpm. . This bodes well for a motor character that may be linear, but always effective.

On the transmission side, the gear ratios have been changed to a first gear that is 12% shorter, for easier low-speed off-roading, more liveliness and less use of the clutch. Even in the top-of-the-range version, the Tiger 800 is not entitled to the excellent shifter that its big sister has; no more than the Silent Arrow.

In the city

Few cities on this test, but the test is – necessarily – positive: chassis balance, good turning radius, smooth controls, smooth engine, contained template. Roll on the ring road !

On motorways and main roads

A few sections carried out at a brisk pace (with respect for its neighbor, of course), made it possible to note that the Tiger 800 XCa is also a good traveler. The natural driving position goes well with this new screen, adjustable in 5 positions and having deflectors at its base, as well as the presence of hand guards, heated grips (by 5 ° C, they are already effective in position 1 – on 3) and heated saddles, including for the passenger. Wind protection is very good. I just noticed, given my large size (1.88 m) some turbulence on the top of the visor of my AGV cross helmet (which is not ideal for traveling far, we agree).

For the rest, the kilometers go by without worry, the engine is full and overtaking will be just a formality. At 130 km / h, we turn at 5800 rpm in sixth and indeed, the sound of the engine is less present than in the past, which is more relaxing.

Obviously, there is no problem with stability or sway at high speed.

On departmental

There was no suspense: they are pretty stoned, the departmental roads at the foot of the Atlas and we immediately saw that the Tiger 800 XCa overcame difficulties with great naturalness. In fact, the water gullies, the chippings, the bitumen fittings, all that, she doesn’t care. You just have to aim a little further, put on gas, a stroke of the handlebars and it passes, if necessary by wriggling a little, but in total relaxation. The front axle allows changes of trajectory at the last moment, the suspensions, without being exceptional, erase imperfections without flinching, everything is fine. And all this is the true definition of "a little old-fashioned" trail, that is to say of a machine so easy that it is forgotten to let you enjoy the moment..

With its full engine, we see in normal use that it is possible to make the wrong report: getting out of a hairpin in 3rd instead of 2nd, or from an average bend in 4 and not in 3, it’s not serious. The handle is rolled up and the Tiger 800 tows smoothly, but not without force. Moreover, the engine strengthens a little at around 6000 rpm on the intermediates, in an even deeper sound, quite pleasant. On the other hand, if the red zone is at 10,500 rpm, we see in fact that the power begins to drop past 9,000 rpm. And at 90 km / h, it purrs quietly at 4000 rpm in sixth with, as we recall, more than 70 Nm available at the slightest rotation of the handle..

Full engine, balanced chassis, easy motorcycle: the perfect equation to have fun on the departmental roads. And we will also note that, if necessary, we can play with the maps and driving modes: rain, road, sport and even make your own personal suit ….

Off-road

Barely out of our base camp, we had to start with a nice muddy section! But it was not even a small aperitif compared to the day that awaited us the next day: 3h30 of TT ride, on sometimes muddy tracks, in the foothills of the Atlas with the snow-capped peaks as a point of view. In the end, a pure moment on the bike and this new confirmation that trail running is great for the real moments of freedom that they know how to give you.

They still have to manage to be forgotten: and this is the case of this Tiger 800 XCa which, in this more difficult environment, once again demonstrates its qualities. In fact, it starts with the riding position: the bike is quite thin at the crotch, we hold on well, on the other hand the handlebars are a bit too low for me and, several times, I had trouble catching the rear brake pedal, because it is placed a little too high.

Before setting off, we select the "off-road Pro" mode, which adapts the engine mapping and leaves the bike without traction control; for safety i went into custom settings and added some abs on the front. Perfect. Just like the 3-cylinder: we have already praised its great flexibility and progressiveness and these advantages are even more relevant because traction is one of the qualities of the machine. Likewise, the first shorter makes sense, with the smoothness of the ride-by-wire, when you have to find finesse in the grip to climb a very muddy slope, at the limit of the Pirelli Scorpion Trail’s grip..

Overall, the Tiger XCa has proven to be on the road in TT: easy, balanced, fairly flexible in suspensions without trailing (especially the front, while we sometimes manage to make the rear work harder), it ends up touching the engine guard on big shocks or on stones.

Which brings us to the structural limits of these big trails: although well paved by Pirelli Scorpion Rally, we experienced some critical moments with the front wheel blocked by mud under the mudguard. In these cases, the laws of physics take back their rights, but it must be recognized that the 800 is clearly more natural than its sister the 1200. In fact, to make the track rolling, this level of displacement is on a human scale. and seems more advisable to us. Notice to amateurs !

Part-cycle

Unlike the XRs (and unlike the Tiger 1200s, which are 19 inches at the front regardless of their configuration), the Tiger XCs go a little further in their traillitude (this word could have been invented by Segolène Royal, but I assume the authorship) because they have a 21-inch wheel up front, spoked, of course. At the back it’s 150/70 x 17 for everyone. In fact, the tire fitment differs: it’s Metzeler Tourance for the XRs, the Bridgestone Battlewing for the XCs, which can also receive a more TT-style fit, the Pirelli Scorpion Rally, with which we did our second day of driving, off-road.

While the XR sticks to Showa components (180mm travel fork and 170mm shock), the XCs rely on a WP fork with 220mm travel and a WP rear shock that works 215mm. The shock absorber is fully adjustable, the fork only in compression and rebound.

Brakes

The XCa introduces new Brembo brakes with 2-piston calipers pinching 305mm rotors. There, we are a little mixed: not on safety, of course, but let’s say that if the braking does the job, it does it without grace. Little bite, not a lot of feeling and a fork that plunges quite a bit. It’s a bit of old-fashioned sensations, even if we know that customers of this type of machine do not roll the knife between their teeth (it’s dangerous, by the way and let’s pray that a law forbid us soon).

Off-road, on the other hand, having progressive brakes is an advantage: it makes sense, even if, in this use, I found the brake pedal a little too high when standing..

Comfort & duo

The space on board is suitable for traveling in pairs, the grab handles are generous, the machine protects well and the linear and efficient motor will be a real ally. The suspensions do their job, a little without particular grace, but we did not have enough driving time to refine their operation. Triumph is proud to have installed a new saddle on this machine, again we ran out of time, but we fear that it will prove to be a little hard and a little flat at the base, over the distance. To confirm.

Anyway, the adjustable bubble and the heating of this XCa will be well appreciated. !

Consumption / autonomy

With the 19-liter tank, the value displayed on the on-board computer (4.87 l / 100) leaves more than 350 km of autonomy. The next day, during the TT run, we recorded 5.65 l / 100, which is reasonable because we did not often go past fourth and it was slipping quite a bit.

Not bad at all. We note that the on-board computer is complete, with fuel gauge, remaining range, average consumption ….

Conclusion

Triumph has no complexes and also targets a modern clientele, fan of technology and efficient machines. In fact, the Tiger 800 XCa has a unique endowment in the category, which gives it great versatility in addition to making it a hell of a rolling machine..

As the "big" trails (BMW R 1200 GS, Ducati 1260 Multistrada, Triumph 1200 Tiger) become more and more sophisticated, powerful and expensive, the category below gains confidence, to target a clientele. enticed by the concept but unable or unwilling to follow this arms race. We then see that 95 horses are already a good power for use "in real life" and that the Tiger does not give much, techno side, to the leaders of the segment. Suddenly, the price goes up. And let’s wait for the (very) soon arrival of the new Africa Twin and BMW F 850 ​​GS to definitely fold the cards in this world of 95 horsepower trails ….

Strong points

• Ease of handling
• Engine efficient and full all the time
• High level equipment
• Advanced technology
• General equilibrium
• Versatility
• Sobriety
• A2 license possible

Weak points

• Braking without grace
• Saddle a little hard (to be confirmed)
• Premium price for high-end versions
• In TT: handlebars a bit too low and rear brake pedal a bit too high

The technical sheet of the Triumph Tiger 800 XCa

Test conditions

• Route: 80 km (sic) during the first day of testing on small roads at the foot of the Atlas (Morocco); We made up for it by stuffing ourselves with a slightly challenging 3h30 of Off-Road, at the foot of the snow-capped peaks of the Atlas, the next day. What a foot !
• Motorcycle mileage: 920 km
• Problems encountered: very rotten weather conditions which made it necessary to modify the taxiing time. Other than that, Morocco is really beautiful. And not a crash in TT (even if that doesn’t count, crashes in TT), although it was quite muddy in places, which also shows the balance of the bike.

The competition: BMW F 850 ​​GS, Honda CRF 1000 L Africa Twin, Suzuki DL 1000 V-Strom

Video test

Related articles

• Triumph Tiger 955 motorcycle test

  In order to respond present in all categories, Triumph presented in 1993 a big road trail, XXL version: the Tiger. Powered by a 3-cylinder 885 cc…

• Triumph Tiger 1200 XCa test

  3 cylinders in line, 1215 cm3, 141 hp at 9350 rpm, 122 Nm at 7600 rpm, 248 kilos dry, from € 21,150 This variation of the Tiger 1200 family is intended…

• Triumph Street Triple S A2 test

  The turbulent English roadster in its version intended for young drivers 3 cylinders in line, 660 cm3, 48 horsepower at 11,000 rpm, 60 Nm at 5,100 rpm,…

• Triumph Tiger Sport 1050 test

  A wilder tiger Tiger! In 20 years, the Triumph trail has changed dramatically. From the imposing Tiger 900 trail, which appeared in 1993 at the Cologne…

• Triumph Tiger 1200 XRt test

  3 cylinders in line, 1215 cm3, 141 hp at 9350 rpm, 122 Nm at 7600 rpm, 243 kilos dry, from € 19,950 Less weight and more techno for the big road trail…

• Triumph Speed ​​Triple 1200 RS motorcycle test

  Madame More 3 cylinders in line, 1160 cm3, 180 hp at 10,750 rpm, 125 Nm at 9,000 rpm, 198 kg in running order, from € 17,500 Each time a new product is…

• Triumph Sprint ST 955 test

  Biker tests: Philippe I was looking for a motorcycle with several criteria often incompatible: Able to ride every day, in comfort and protection correct,…

• Triumph Street Triple 765 RS motorcycle test

  The Moto2 roadster 3-cylinder engine, 765 cc, 123 HP, 79 Nm, 166 kg dry, € 11,900 Since its release in 2007, the Street Triple has been a real commercial…

• Triumph Speed ​​Twin test

  Pure roadster The English brand has already presented its many Modern Classic novelties to us with a now large and complete Bonneville family. The update…

• Triumph Tiger Explorer XCa test

  One goal, the a (d) venture, 7 ways to achieve it A substantial technological revolution masked by a rather timid relifting. During a press conference…