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Bike Review: 2007 Triumph Tiger - From RoadBike March 2007
 Transformed Trailie By Buzz Kanter, Photos by Gold & Goose This new Tiger reminds me of Triumph’s storied history — and that’s a good thing. A century ago, British motorcycles set the pace. English bikes were among the most innovative, fun-to-ride, and well-built motorcycles of their time. That was long ago. Unfortunately, the motorcycle industry developed faster than the British companies did, leaving the once-mighty Triumph brand as little more than a romantic chapter in motohistory books.
The new, Hinkley-based Triumph has been around since 1983, when British industrialist John Bloor purchased rights to the name. The company began selling bikes in Germany and the UK beginning in 1991, but didn’t import them Stateside until 1995. That’s when Triumph introduced a six-pack of inline fours and triples covering the super-sport, sport-touring, naked, and nostalgic niches. It also unleashed an off-road-rally-inspired triple called the Tiger. The first generation of this ultra-dual-sport wildcat was the British equivalent of BMW’s popular GS series. Well received in Europe, these extra-large mounts were made for adventurous types who had fantasies of occasionally riding 500-plus-pound streetbikes off the beaten path. They made for decent road bikes, but truth be told, this genre was more show than go when it came to off-roading. When it arrived in 1995, the $9,895 Tiger had an 885cc, carbureted motor derived from the sporting Daytona series, but tuned for even more torque. This massively tall (it had a 33.5" seat height), unwieldy machine sported a 6.5-gallon fuel tank and weighed in at 527 pounds dry. The adventure tourer’s rangy wheelbase of 61" and soft suspension offered slow handling and a wallowy ride on its long-travel (9.3 front and 7.9 rear) legs.
For its 10th-anniversary makeover, the Tiger became a more refined, svelte, street-biased cat that came standard with GIVI saddlebags to clearly signal its road-going intentions. The $10,499 2005-06 iteration weighed 53 pounds less than the original, sported cast (instead of spoke) wheels, revised frame geometry for sharper steering, a bit shorter seat height and less suspension travel with a tauter ride. Its fuel-injected, 955cc motor had about 90 horsepower on tap but still lacked the zippier 1050cc mill that came in the more popular Speed Triple and Sprint. In this form, this Tiger still didn’t get much love. It had a big, dated feel that seemed out of touch with the American market’s desire for comfortable, do-it-all machines. A few years ago, Triumph polled Tiger owners and realized that they rarely rode their bikes in the dirt, so, in late 2003, the marketing team put the engineers to work finalizing the Tiger’s 12-year transition from big dualie to all-around streetster with a full redesign for 2007. At the bike’s press introduction in southern Spain, I rode it hard and fast through a dizzying series of twisty mountain roads, narrow city streets, and high-speed highways. The new Tiger was up to any challenge I could throw its way.
Sitting on the bike for the first time, I immediately noticed the near-33" seat height, which is .2" lower than the previous bike. I’m 6' tall and could almost get both heels on the ground at the same time. Almost. Fortunately the bike has a tapered waist, feels light, and is well-balanced, so I was okay. I came to appreciate the handlebar, which was wide enough to give good leverage and positioned to be quite comfortable in most riding conditions. It was also tall enough to let me sit upright on long-distance hauls, yet low enough to tuck behind when in a hurry. Overall, it was comfortable at all speeds for hours at a time. With the kickstand up, ignition on, and transmission in neutral, the motor fired with an almost electric sound from the mighty triple. A light twist of the throttle brought immediate response as the engine spun up freely. I pulled in the clutch lever and slipped it into first gear. The gear-change action was smooth and quiet; I pressed the shifter down again to make sure the tranny was engaged. Nice. As I let off the clutch and pulled away, I knew I was going to like this 1050cc, DOHC triple-cylinder power plant.
The Tiger’s mill is based on those introduced in the Speed Triple and Sprint in 2005. This lower-spec unit has different cams, intake system, exhaust, and a taller sixth-gear ratio for more relaxed highway cruising. Based on Triumph’s specs, it’s just 3 ft-lbs. of torque shy of its forebears, but 11 and 17 hp down on the more powerful Sprint and Speed Triple respectively.
Working with Keihin fuel injection and a new, more efficient engine-management system, this revised motor meets stringent Euro III emissions requirements. The system’s smart ECU has twice the memory of previous versions and better mapping. It’s the same unit used on 675, Speed Triple, and Sprint for 2007, which is good for quicker starts and improved fuel efficiency. Triumph claims fuel economy climbed roughly 30 percent. So, even though the all-metal, 5.2-gallon fuel tank’s capacity has been reduced by 2 gallons, the Tiger still gets about the same 200-mile range, thanks to the improved fuel efficiency. I found the motor smooth and willing over a wide range of engine speeds. The tranny was one of the smoothest I’ve ever experienced, and the clutch was easy to use once I dialed in the adjustable lever.
As much as I enjoyed riding this bike on the street, I wouldn’t want to take it off road, even with dual-sport tires. That said, the Tiger’s new 17" front wheel (which replaces a skinny 19" hoop) totally transformed the machine, once and for all putting an end to the question of whether the Tiger is a dirtbike for the street or a streetbike for the dirt. Michelin Pilot Sport tires and wheels are standard sportbike spec: 120/70x17" and 180/55x17" on 3.5" and 5.5" rims, giving riders a much better selection of current rubber, not to mention grip.
The bike’s modern, radial-mount brakes are capable of using all that traction. Thanks to the front end’s four-piston calipers and dual 320mm floating rotors in conjunction with the 255mm rear disc, you can dial down the speed with confidence-inspiring consistency. Even during near panic stops (don’t ask – we tested in the mountains of southern Spain through too many blind turns). Going one better, Triumph will also offer the Tiger with an optional ABS system. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to ride the ABS-equipped bike.
Dressing The Tiger Motorcycle manufacturers have gotten smarter in the last few years. They now design the accessories concurrently with new models so everything fits well and is available for sale at the time of their introduction. Triumph offers 25 accessories for the all-new Tiger 1050. Already offered is a throatier, less restrictive muffler, saddlebags and a top box for serious touring, tank and tail bags for short tours or commuting, heated grips for cold weather riding and various seats to accommodate all sizes of riders. Tech Sheet 2007 Triumph Tiger
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