Comments on: 2012 Triumph Tiger Explorer: MD First Ride (Bike Reports) (News)

By: Mr. Mike

Mr. Mike — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 11:58:41 +0000

Back in 1975 when I was a kid into dirt bikes and the first Gold Wing (GL1000) came out my dad and I joked about how funny it would be to try to take a bike that big and heavy off road. I wish he were still around today. I’m sure we’d have a good laugh together.

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By: steve

steve — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:38:49 +0000

maybe but that big ktm can cruise a dirt road at a comfy 75 mph and some of those cute utes can do similar things whether the owner uses it for this or not

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By: casatomasa

casatomasa — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:19:51 +0000

The true “Adventure bike” has yet to arrive. This machine and the others of this genre are nice looking standard street bikes posing as a fantasy for the great unknown, at over 500lbs I call ‘em “Moon Pigs”. I should know I own a V-Strom 1000 and honestly a Prius will do as well off-road as these boats. Anything more than a graded dirt road is asking for trouble. I’m also a very passionate dirt bike rider/racer and ride a KTM 525 that loves to explore the true “Adventure” of Arizona, New Mexico, and Sonora. The problem comes with stiching those great trails with miles and miles of highway. Why the manufactures don’t produce a bike that weighs 350ish lbs, 650/700cc twin, ajustable suspention, ruggid repairable frame, enuff highway wind protection, cappable of accesories, do both off-road and cruise 75mph for 200+ miles is beyond me. Think Jeep Cherokee of bikes, not a rock crawler CJ (full on motocross), nor Tahoe SUV (GS1200/Triumph Tiger/V-strom) something very cappable in all worlds. The first one to come out with that one wins!

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By: Jake

Jake — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:19:05 +0000

Re: Super Tenere…
Just about all the testers say: “It’s down on power.”
Vis a vis its competition…

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By: x-planer

x-planer — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:09:56 +0000

“Personally, I think that you give up a lot with Yamaha’s parallel twin engine, but that’s just my personal opinion.”

And that would be a very uniformed opinion. The Yam’s engine is great off road and on.

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By: poorBob

poorBob — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 00:32:26 +0000

I’ve had Triumphs for years and love the triple but this is one ugly machine. Moto Guzzi Stelvio!

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By: T. Rollie

T. Rollie — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 23:50:56 +0000

I suggest they start calling these bikes “standup road bikes” or “comfort bikes.” Because that’s what they are – bikes we can stand up on when a pot hole is coming at us or when we’re slipping a bit on some dirt roads. Since most of us have bad backs due to old age, misspent youths, excess body weight and lack of exercise, we want a comfort bike that, again, lets us stand up once in a while to take the weight off our poor aching spine. It’s good marketing to use the sexy title of “Enduro/Adventure,” but that label is basically a euphemism for “old guy’s comfort bike.” Anyway, I want one.

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By: John

John — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 22:13:11 +0000

I have spent the last 15 years riding a cruiser. Loved all 4 of them. I’m turning 57, my wife and I both have tricky backs. My wife likes to join me on trips and she likes to take stuff… (All of us married guys know this to be true). The Explorer just may be perfect. The roads here in L.A. are really bad and we don’t even get the weather of Illinois. The constant comparisons to lighter bikes for dirt is valid but come on people… Does your car do everything perfect? Does your Boss pay you what your worth? Does the Boss still write great songs? I’m buying the Triumph. My check book will cry but I will be all smiles.

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By: JB

JB — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 17:09:29 +0000

I’ve only been semi-interested in an adventure-touring type bike because I am 6’1″ with long legs, so most bike feel cramped and make certain areas hurt. These types of bikes tend to have more room than your SV650S’s (I used to have a 2003 SV650S). They tend to be sportier/better-handling/lighter than your full dress bikes, but more comfortable than sportbikes or “standards” like that same SV650S — a good middleground. Also, if you have roads as crappily maintained and as destroyed from weather extremes as here in Illinois, the extra travel from the suspension helps smooth them out and prevent pothole-induced destruction! I also want to be able to commute to work without dying, LOL! It has NOTHING to do with “looks”, as all these types of bikes are fugly as hell to me. I just like their overall all-around competence for my height, my area and my intent of use.

That said, I still think a near-perfect bike would be an 800 Sprint, or maybe an R version of the 800 Tiger with the engine tuned much sportier and more powerful. Or some sorta middleground cross of the 2.

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By: Reinhart

Reinhart — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 12:54:55 +0000

Think of this category bike as the “Leatherman Tool” of the biking world. True, there are bikes that are better at touring, off-roading, corner scratching etc… but these bikes tend to do it all. That’s why they sell well. If you’re only going to own one bike then this type of machine begins to make sense. I own a bike for every type of riding I enjoy, but if I was down to one machine it would be the Triumph Tiger 800XC, without a doubt. Lighter, cheaper, better off-road on than the Explorere and still able to cover distances in relative comfort.

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