Triumph Tiger Explorer XCa test

Menus

• One goal, the a (d) venture, 7 ways to achieve it
• A substantial technological revolution masked by a rather timid relifting.
• Discovery
• In the saddle
• In the city
• Motorway and expressways
• Departmental
• On the paths
• Part-cycle
• Brakes
• Comfort / duo
• Convenient
• Conclusion

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 that lasted almost two hours (there are some, features to present!), Nobody mentioned his name but everyone had it in mind. Who is that ? The BMW R 1200 GS of course, scarecrow in the category of big trails and the best-selling heavy-duty machine in the world. So think: this machine and its Adventure version, roughly manage to sell almost 50,000 units per year in the world, enough to give cold sweats – or desires, it depends – on the competition.

What do you want, the world of marketing has to do with totems: in maxi scooter, the Yamaha Tmax eclipses the competition, the world of custom comes up against Harley-Davidson, its HOG and its brand image in concrete and that of the big trails must live in the shadow of the teutonic, even if none of the major manufacturers wants to give up their share of the pie.

To do this, Triumph not only resonates in terms of machine, but use. Because, in the dictionary, with the definition of "Swiss army knife", one should put a big trail so these versatile motorcycles know how to do everything (whereas in the era of 2.0, a knife becomes a little limited). Resonating in terms of use, that means that the big trail can be at the same time a palliative to a scooter for commuting, a licensed road, a foil, a machine that will live the Adventure, a mount that will inspire Adventure, even a war machine with sports performances from a few years ago but a completely different ease of driving (which makes sense, given the average age of the rider and his vertebrae).

And like a big trail, it’s all of this at the same time, Triumph presents no less than 7 versions of the Tiger Explorer (the details of the versions are presented here and there). For this test we had the most successful of the models, the XCa. VS for Cross (therefore, 32 spoke wheels, engine guard, crash bars and hand guards) and To for Adventure, the total electronic package. Its price is € 19,700, but the range starts with the XR at € 15,400. We see here that Triumph is sufficiently sure of himself not to break the tariffs against Bertha.

Discovery

Should we play the game of 7 errors? Because an uninformed observer, a quidam, what, risks not immediately detecting the importance of the evolutions of the 2016 vintage. Basically, the general appearance is the same, the lines cut out of the chassis, the tank, the front face and saddle place us in terrain known since the presentation of the first Tiger Explorer in 2012; and as the Tiger 800 range uses similar codes, doubt inhabits the mind of the beholder.

This one will therefore look in the details: wider and flatter saddle, tank scoops, fairing deflectors, double optic trim, dashboard, trim element (mirrors, logos), fog lights, refitting them. machined feet, the attachment system for the suitcases. This is how we recognize the new model. Some colors are also new to the range: the XCa can be dressed in white, blue or khaki..

In the saddle

It is heavy, with its 258 kilograms dry. It is wide. It is high. It is imposing, surely. She’s rewarding, probably. The Tiger Explorer, that’s a motorcycle !

I got to know the model with the high saddle (857 mm), the tank is wide and despite my size (1.88 m), I do not put both feet flat. For this, easy handling (a notch movement under the saddle) allows it to be lowered to 837 mm. The Tiger Explorer is earned? Not quite: the XCxLow and XRxLow versions allow to have a saddle that evolves from 785 to 805 mm by means of a new fork and a new shock absorber, which is already democratic. However, this does not make the Tiger Explorer a beginner’s machine, given its weight, power and size..

Once in the saddle and during a first grip, the hardest part begins: getting to know the entire electronic package, the 5 engine maps, the operation of the self-adaptive suspensions, the setting of the different levels of traction control and control. ‘ABS.

Fortunately, Triumph has worked well on the ergonomics and logic of the system. On the left stalk, a button located at the rear (traditional location for many headlight calls) allows you to browse the menus in the left dashboard window. In chronological order: electrically adjustable windshield (the first of its kind on a big trail), suspension management, two trips each with their on-board computer … Then, another button on the front of the switch allows you to scroll through the choice and select them. Triumph makes your life easier with pre-defined engine mapping modes, road, rain, sport, off-road or customizable.

This allows you to select a set of settings and then to familiarize yourself with the different possibilities offered. We are pleased to note that the other controls are all ergonomic, whether it is the fog lights or the heated grips, or the cruise control, on the right. Placed at the level of the steering column, a 12V socket allows you to power a GPS that will be positioned on the large handlebars of variable section.

In the city

Heavy and high, as we have said. It is therefore with a little apprehension tinged with a zest of reserve that one enters the traffic. And, quickly, all this flies away: the controls are soft, with a light clutch (its new type of assistance requires 30% less effort), the by-wire throttle control is perfectly calibrated, whatever either the selected map. Another good news: the balance of the bike that allows you to slip smoothly between the girls of cars, without being subjected to the weight. And the mirrors go over those of conventional cars, which is always appreciated in congested environments..

On this "full house" XCa, Triumph inaugurates a new function: hill assist, the badly named because it also works on a perfectly flat surface. You might think it’s a gadget: it’s not !

Its operation is simple: a strong pressure on the front brake lever and it starts up and keeps the motorcycle perfectly still. It is deactivated when the sensors detect movement by actions on the clutch and throttle, or by a second strong pressure on the brake lever. Considering the size and weight of the motorcycle, this allows you to concentrate on the essentials without having to undergo the inertia of the motorcycle. Useful when starting on a hill, with passenger and luggage and on slopes.

The 1215 cm3 3-cylinder is incredibly flexible: at 50 km / h in sixth gear, it spins at 1800 rpm and its roundness allows it to cross villages without downshifting. Note also that the "Rain" mapping restricts both the torque and the liveliness of revving. The Tiger Explorer becomes soft like a lamb and aggressive like a lemur under Xanax. You will thank him on the wet cobblestones of Place de l’Etoile on a rainy evening.

Motorway and expressways

130 km / h. 6th gear. 4700 rpm. The big three-cylinder purrs in a low rumble that leaves no doubt about its architecture. The high bubble is electrically mounted on its zenith. A light stream of air hits the top of the helmet, above the eyes. Carefully designed deflectors generate no vortex on the bust or back.

Here again, this is an opportunity to play with the features: the mapping on Road already delivers copious performance (we know that the Tiger Explorer has gained 6% of torque compared to the old one, at around 4000 rev / m, while the overall value increased from 121 to 123 Nm). In Sport mode, liveliness is improved and the Tiger Explorer is more vigorous from 5000 rpm. In any case, no problem to overtake and the speeds reached quickly become reprehensible..

The suspensions offer 9 different levels of adjustment between Comfort, Normal and Sport, each of the families having its own levels of finesse. Suffice to say that on Comfort, the Tiger Explorer offers a pleasant softness that allows to absorb small breaks in finesse and large waves in flexibility..

Triumph claims the new saddle is significantly more comfortable than the old one. The opinions of the various testers differed on this point. I quickly found it quite, if not firm, say, lacking in mellowness. Some competition motorcycles remain more welcoming on this point.

Departmental

90 km / h. 6th gear. 3100 rpm. The great strength of the Tiger Explorer is its engine which first acts as a big rubber band. Present at all speeds, it pulls you with force and responds at all times. Thus, it is the ideal auxiliary of a large trail, one of the missions of which is to be able to wander with ease and carefree on the secondary network. In this type of use, the Tiger Explorer is as regal as it is serene.

However, she also has her Mr. Hyde side. Cartography set to Sport, it releases its 139 horses with force and with the manner.

The reduced mechanical inertia strengthens the soundtrack and the Tiger Explorer is nervous at 5000, angry at 8000 and does not lower its guard until more than 9000 rpm, always with a finesse of control of the by-wire to quote as an example. But there, be careful, the arms are stretched out, the motorcycle rushes forward, the landscape begins to scroll quickly and in case of plum, it is Cayenne. However, fans of character mechanics will not be immune to it. The backpacker hides her game well.

On the paths

Unlike the various modes intended for the road, it is necessary to be stationary to select the off-road package. This is because the preload has a little work to do (about 6 seconds) to be ready for these new driving conditions..

In standard Off-Road mode, engine response, level of traction control and ABS response are completely changed. The traction control leaves a little drift when exiting a curve, while the traction control allows the machine to overcome an obstacle by shedding the front on a blow of gas. On the ABS side, the rear is disconnected: we can therefore place the machine on a curve on a daggerboard with the brakes and the front is seduced by the smoothness of its response.

Of course, we will ask ourselves the question of the relevance of bringing a machine weighing more than 280 kilos with full TTs. Trialising courses are excluded, but on large rolling tracks covered with gravel I was able to appreciate its stability at over 130 km / h. And in small, narrower paths descending towards the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, the Tiger Explorer lets itself be taken along gently and does not put too much weight on its weight, provided you anticipate the terrain and the difficulties..

Ergonomics in a standing position is natural even if very large sizes will put a trigger guard on the handlebars so as not to break their backs. As for the progressiveness (not devoid of force at the gas stroke) of the response of the engine and the capacity of the suspensions to absorb shocks. For a machine of this weight, respect !

Part-cycle

This is not visible at first glance, but the restyling of the Tiger masks significant evolutions in terms of the chassis with an entirely new geometry: the caster angle goes from 24.1 ° to 23.1 ° and the caster from 107.8 to 99.2 mm. The front end is therefore a little more "closed", with the direct objective of eliminating the criticisms of a certain category of users who found that the front end of previous versions lacked a little frankness in dynamic driving..

After a test of more than 260 kilometers where there were at least 200 kilometers of bends, the observation is clear: the Tiger Explorer has a healthy and safe front axle. With it, we do not hesitate to return hard to the front, to tighten or break a trajectory without fear of a small understeer or a lack of feedback that would make us hesitant..

We have said it many times: the range and quality of services offered by semi-active suspensions is just bluffing. But the bluff is not enough to erase the great laws of Physics, laid down by Masters for millennia: a trail weighing more than 280 kilos with full tank and equipped with long-travel suspensions cannot work miracles. Yes, the Tiger Explorer is healthy at a fast furling pace and, with confidence coming, we find ourselves licking the footrests on the asphalt. On the other hand, she shows her disapproval by movements of suspension when the attack becomes more bleeding..

Brakes

The new radial system provided by Brembo deserves a lot of praise and criticism. First, nothing to say about the control itself, the feeling at the lever, the attack of the slowdown, the progressiveness, the braking power in absolute terms. Second salvo with the off-road mode, quite simply breathtaking in finesse and responsiveness: this allows you to descend a steep stony path by braking from the front and without breaking a cold sweat !

On the other hand and as in the previous chapter, the Tiger Explorer cannot erase its mass in the event of very dynamic driving. In this case (but which must correspond to a very low demand from the users), the attitude movements become pronounced, the ABS is very sensitive at the rear to the point that it is preferable not to use this control anymore..

But in 95% of uses, the Tiger Explorer fulfills its mission. And on the braking on the angle, the ABS with "turn" function is completely transparent.

Comfort / duo

Spacious and generous saddle, natural ergonomics, volume available on board, conciliatory and adjustable suspensions on demand: what more could you ask for? An absence of mechanical vibrations, a smooth and progressive motor? The Tiger Explorer offers that too.

Convenient

Note that the new exhaust, from 6.5 to 4.5 l, now allows the mounting of symmetrical side cases.

Conclusion

We saw in the introduction that the big trail could be a lot of things at the same time. But the trail is also – and Triumph did not choose this option and the majority of its competitors have also forgotten – a light and carefree motorcycle. This, the Triumph Tiger Explorer is not.

What it is, on the other hand, thanks to the range of possibilities authorized by its entire electronic package, it is a machine that will allow you to scamper down the rolling tracks in Morocco or to cross Europe in duo, with the same palatability, the same ease and, above all, the same security.

Yes, it is heavy. Yes, it is expensive, but customers eager for effective innovations will find what they are looking for. And the thunderous character of the 3 cylinders in Sport mode is not nothing in the attachment that we can have for this machine..

Strong points

• Soft or fiery motor on demand
• Suspension comfort
• State-of-the-art electronic package
• Relevant electronic package for varied use in driving situations
• Healthy front axle
• Bitumen devourer

Weak points

• High weight in absolute terms
• Weight that is felt in the attack
• Price commensurate with the endowment
• Saddle lacking a bit of softness

The competition: Honda 1000 Africa Twin, BMW R 1200 GS, Ducati Multistrada, Honda CrossTourer, Aprilia Caponord, KTM 1290 Adventure

The technical sheet of the Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200 XCa

Test conditions

• Itinerary: 260 kilometers in the Algarve region in southern Portugal, between Faro, Monchique and Portimao. Varied route, with lots of winding and bumpy roads and around 25 kilometers of track.
• Motorcycle mileage: 1200 km
• Problem encountered: a little muscular cornering during the photo shoot that triggered the TPMS alert on the front wheel. Isolated problem.

• Everything about the Tiger Explorer: www.triumphmotorcycles.fr
• All Trail tests
• All Triumph tests
• The technical file of the Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200 XC and XR

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