Whilst I sort through the mountains of footage I have from my recent tour to Portugal, here is a review of my bike that I made whilst I was out there.......in the warm......in the dry
The best review I’ve watched. I pick up my 2012 model on Tuesday and can’t wait. My dad and I intend to do some great tours following the lock down. Can’t wait. Thanks for your review.
Just discovered your channel as I was looking at an explorer great review and content. Pick up my 1200 explorer xc in a few days can't wait. Saying goodbye to my sprint 1050 will be hard.
Fantastic review and video! Thanks so much for making it...I really enjoyed watching and learned a great deal about the bike. Great to hear Mr Parker is treating you well :) P.S. Interesting points about rider modes etc. I tend to agree. I've test ridden several bikes with them and agree it seems I end up picking the one that suits me best and stay with it; plus I believe a critical skill with riding any bike is throttle control and it seems that switching power modes might interfere with that in emergency situations.
Great reviews you do Vee, I've recently bought 2017 xca and I love it, so comfortable great handling and that engine is awesome. I also like ur review on ur r1 as I'm a r1m owner myself and I love that bike. I put an ohlins steering damper on it and the bike feels even better dipping into corners, the standard one is crap. Keep up the good work.
thanks I appreciate it. The XCA and an R1M, you have an upgraded version of my garage, nice! I wish I'd got my name down for an R1M when they were first announced, they're silly money now
Hi, Good to see someone is riding in the sunshine, sleet & haistones for me in Edinburgh.. I too like your views on the riders aids & modes...here to stay though.... wonder if we will all be hearing about multi mode failures from customers a they are in to their 2nd or 3 rd seasons... Dont get me wrong it is good to switch TC & ABS off & On on the Fly & instant suspension setting change is aso great when moving from mountan passes , fast twisties & Motorways instead of just making do.... Cruise control is great & as my hands get older, will be glad of it on my next bike.... does the Explorer have 17' front wheels? laters G
ah well, never mind, we have had the shortest day so all downhill coastng to spring.. 19'' , thanks.. was just thinking about Michelin Pilot tyres & wondered if there are available will check..... have a grand festive break....slainte....
Great review been looking for a one for a while just picked up a 2015 model 12k miles looking forward to riding end of the month when I pass my Mod 2 big jump from a 125 though 😶😁
It's a big jump indeed, but so long as you respect the weight of this bike, youll be okay. The main advice that I will give you is this: when you're manoeuvring at low speeds i.e walking speed, try not to use your front brake and rely more on your rear. The front can be a but bouncy at low speeds and using the front brake when turning at walking pace can compress the front end and bring you to a sudden stop with your front wheel out of line which will pitch you forward into a situation where you won't (due to it's high mass and centre of gravity) be able to stop the bike from rolling over on you. Take a bit of time to practice riding it at walking pace with your feet on the pegs, and combine clutch control and rear only braking to make figure of eight turns. Get that skill nailed down and youll be utterly fine, oh and don't be afraid to move around and throw your body weight to the inside on fast corners, she loves it 👍 Good luck and ride safe
hi there veefour from a fellow Manc ! taking your advice picking up a 2012 version this morning and strangely enough doing a Spain/Portugal trip end of August. Can't wait.😁
Just bought one 2014,second hand had 4000 klm on the clock , has Nobblys on changing to 80/20 road try,s Perelly living in Perth wa with weather like we have its heaven riding unless it's over 38c Putting a tinted screen on it as the standard is to low for me , 6ft 3inch , has 150 higher and wider too at the bottom , by a company in Kewdale WA just down the road EAGLE SCREENS , their on google and ship word wide , takes three weeks to deliver 😤 Looking into sports muffle for it, any recommend please 🙏🏼🙏🏼, Had it two weeks and very happy with it 👍👍
jack hart 4000 km that's barely run in, nice one. I use an Arrow muffler on mine, it doesn't add any power plus there's already enough grunt anyway , but it does shed some weight and sounds and looks much better than the stock pipe 👍
Hello, thank you very much for introducing your motorcycle. I am about to buy a Triumph Explorer 2015. This one has run 36000km. How much have you ridden your Explorer so far and have there been any problems with the bike? Have you ever regretted buying it at any time and for any reason? Greetings from Germany.
Hello. So far I have covered 25000 km on my bike and there have been zero issues with it so far. I have no regrets in buying it except that maybe I'd have prefered the better suspension and brakes that you get with the 2016 onwards bikes. However, when I bought my bike new it was the out going 2015 model which was greatly reduced in price and saved me thousands of pounds (UK sterling), and aditionally along with the greatly reduced price the dealership fitted almost every optional extra to the bike, such as an Arrrow silencer, heated grips, fog lights and many other extras as no cost to me. So all in all I have no regrets and I still enjoy riding it 5 years later. Good luck 👍
Thanks for the informative review,have made my mind up to buy one now,used ,cos I,m not rolling in it.. just a question,where did you get the gel seat from?
VeeFour Thanks mate,just bought a 2012 in Grimsby and rode it back to Groningen,Holland.It rides like a dream and i found the stock seat quite comfortable,so I bought a heated seat off fleabay for £120 for the Dutch winters
Nice video. I also owner a '15 TEX - I just wondered how you get on with getting it on the centre stand? The weight of the bike makes it a nervy manouevre for me.
Thanks. I find it quite easy to be honest, and my technique is to hold the left bar in my left hand and the left passenger grab rail in my right, and put all of my weight on the stand lever using my right foot. You have to fully commit with all your body weight, so much so that your left foot comes off the ground, but it just pops right up for me easy 👍
Thanks. The Puig screen extender was a last minute addition prior to setting off on that trip, as without it I found that I got a fair amount of buffetting around my helmet. It was the only one I could find at short notice and it was expensive for what it is, but it does reduce buffeting markedly. Ideally a full aftermarket screen would be better, and I've seen some good ones, but I've become used to this set up now
Veefour, my Tiger 1050 revs like a sport bike is it not the case with the 1200? You seem to be short shifting Also, is it not good in the curves? Is that why you didn't ride any twisty roads in the video?
Unlike the 1050 motor, the 1215 lump's power is all low down and midrange, so there's nothing to be gained from revving it out. As I replied to your other comment, the handling is excellent for a massive bike
That's interesting about the differences in the motors.. I had just assumed it was simply a larger version of the 1050 with the same characteristics. I'm torn between the Explorer the 1200GS and the KTM 1190. Sorry for asking the same question twice, thanks for your response.
if I remember rightly, there was a recall on the 2013/14 bike due to a gearbox issue. This issue was sorted by 2015 when I got mine and the 2016 had a big upgrade so costs more, so imo the 2015 is the one to go for second hand
Hi VeeFour - great video mate. I took one out for a test ride and loved it but found two big issues which I was wondering if you had experienced? I got terrible wind buffeting on my helmet, it was actually way noisier and worse buffeting than my CBR600, have you experienced that? I also had quite bad bar vibrations in the 3-5000 rpm range, gave me quite numb hands. Other than that absolutely loved it!
Did you have the screen all the way up on it's highest setting? I got a little bit of buffet but I solved it with a Puig screen extender and it was fine after that. There's no vibrations at all on my bike that I've noticed, and I'm prone to vibrational white finger so I notice even the most slight vibrations. Maybe it was the bike you rode, but I've ridden 2 different ones and neither had vibes.
I had a 2017 Explorer 1200XRT that I used to do a 23,500 mile, 99 day trip in 47 states and multiple Canadian provinces and territories, spanning from Key West FL to the edge of the Arctic Circle north of Fairbanks. It is (was) a great bike. But it was huge, heavy, and impossible to lift after a fall or drop (and I had a couple). I put a total of 35,000 miles on it in less than 2 years. I wrote a review of my experience, and the story of the 99 day trip on my personal web page (but not TH-cam): www.route66adventure.net (In case anyone is interested; I gain no commercial value from the website--no ads no nothing). I down-graded in weight and HP to a BMW F850 GS. The 850 lacks many of the many 'bells and whistles' of the Explorer, but I can pick it up (I think). But that upright triple on the Triumph is an engine to love: absolutely vibration-free. Plus you get lots and lots of stories from people about their own Triumph's from the 1960s and later. It carries a bond of affection. The BMW, unfortunately, just suggests some rich guy trying to impress; I like the Triumph connections better, but the BMW is a better fit for my riding abilities and overall bike management. (And the BMW guys that I've met, like the Triumph guys, are just regular guys who like to ride).
Ha yeah, but I still own a V4 and I can't keep changing my channel name every time I get a new bike. If I did, I could never own a BMW GS1200. I don't think 'Opposed flat twin' would be a good TH-cam channel name :D
:-) i watched the begining of this tour and almost got the triumph but alas could not afford one so got a second hand GSA, its ok but 37k miles its a bit tired selling this weekend and ide love the triumph but again not enuff cash. cant look at the 800 as im 18 stone (im a blascksmith i need the weight dam it ! ...ye wife does not believe that either lol) Thanks for the reply always nice to see you tubers paying attention , subscribed .
+Edgunsuk yeah the 800 will probably leave you wanting more, even though it's a great bike. now that the new uplift model of Exporer is out, there might be good deals to be had on the earlier Tigers, say from 2012. I'll tell you what one of the best value big bikes that you can get for your money these days, the GSF1250 Bandit. I used to have one and they are torquey, smooth and comfortable, and if you can find a GT variant they come with luggage and are ready to go. They're a winner!
I have had 4 x 1200 bandits i have sworn ide never have another , some one linked me 2005 special edition one last week with 9k miles on it in stunning condition,,, dam them ! but ye seen the GT there is a white one currently on evil bay ide rather get a zzr 1400 with luggage i think .
+VeeFour ha ha, OK, yeah, maybe it is a word... I just try not to use it anymore, cos it's basically just a way of stressing yourself that the world is not how you want it to be, and I don't need the stress
The best review I’ve watched. I pick up my 2012 model on Tuesday and can’t wait. My dad and I intend to do some great tours following the lock down. Can’t wait. Thanks for your review.
You're welcome. Enjoy your new bike and ride safe 👍
Great review mate 🏆💯, honest with no bs. Keep it up. I take delivery of my 2016 xca in the next few days and Im stoked.
@@shaheenadams8162 nice one, ride safe buddy and thanks
A great review. I am about to purchase a new (left over) 2015 1200 Explorer. Thank you for sharing
Excellent. It'll be a heck of a lot of bike for a massive saving
Thanks for your videos on the Explorer, very helpful.
You're very welcome Sir
Just discovered your channel as I was looking at an explorer great review and content. Pick up my 1200 explorer xc in a few days can't wait. Saying goodbye to my sprint 1050 will be hard.
Great Review Video ! Thanks for sharing your impressions.
I'm getting my Explorer this week hopefully.
+Rodrigo Kristensen excellent, if you've gone for the 2016 then you'll get all the new toys too
Fantastic review and video! Thanks so much for making it...I really enjoyed watching and learned a great deal about the bike. Great to hear Mr Parker is treating you well :)
P.S. Interesting points about rider modes etc. I tend to agree. I've test ridden several bikes with them and agree it seems I end up picking the one that suits me best and stay with it; plus I believe a critical skill with riding any bike is throttle control and it seems that switching power modes might interfere with that in emergency situations.
Cheers Windy buddy
Thanks for the vid very informative, I've just traded in my 2014 GS for the very bike you're on but on a 16 plate and can't wait to get it Thursday
Gordon Finlay Very nice. You’ll get the better suspension and brakes which are worthwhile upgrades.
Enjoy your new ride 👍
Great reviews you do Vee, I've recently bought 2017 xca and I love it, so comfortable great handling and that engine is awesome. I also like ur review on ur r1 as I'm a r1m owner myself and I love that bike. I put an ohlins steering damper on it and the bike feels even better dipping into corners, the standard one is crap. Keep up the good work.
thanks I appreciate it. The XCA and an R1M, you have an upgraded version of my garage, nice! I wish I'd got my name down for an R1M when they were first announced, they're silly money now
Lol tell u what silly money is the amount I've spent on it on upgrades , we need help.....
+Pistol Pete hey we need our toys, money well spent
Pistol, I'm trying to decide on a bike... this video he doesn't ride any curvy roads... how does the Explorer handle?
I didn't understand ought about the bike spec Dave. But a truly brilliant road trip video. Rename your channel - " Top Gear on 2 wheels "
Hi, Good to see someone is riding in the sunshine, sleet & haistones for me in Edinburgh.. I too like your views on the riders aids & modes...here to stay though.... wonder if we will all be hearing about multi mode failures from customers a they are in to their 2nd or 3 rd seasons... Dont get me wrong it is good to switch TC & ABS off & On on the Fly & instant suspension setting change is aso great when moving from mountan passes , fast twisties & Motorways instead of just making do.... Cruise control is great & as my hands get older, will be glad of it on my next bike.... does the Explorer have 17' front wheels?
laters
G
Alas I'm back in the land of grey overcast skies and crapy pothole infested roads, but it was nice whilst it lasted. It has a 19" front wheel
ah well, never mind, we have had the shortest day so all downhill coastng to spring.. 19'' , thanks.. was just thinking about Michelin Pilot tyres & wondered if there are available will check..... have a grand festive break....slainte....
Great review been looking for a one for a while just picked up a 2015 model 12k miles looking forward to riding end of the month when I pass my Mod 2 big jump from a 125 though 😶😁
It's a big jump indeed, but so long as you respect the weight of this bike, youll be okay. The main advice that I will give you is this: when you're manoeuvring at low speeds i.e walking speed, try not to use your front brake and rely more on your rear.
The front can be a but bouncy at low speeds and using the front brake when turning at walking pace can compress the front end and bring you to a sudden stop with your front wheel out of line which will pitch you forward into a situation where you won't (due to it's high mass and centre of gravity) be able to stop the bike from rolling over on you.
Take a bit of time to practice riding it at walking pace with your feet on the pegs, and combine clutch control and rear only braking to make figure of eight turns. Get that skill nailed down and youll be utterly fine, oh and don't be afraid to move around and throw your body weight to the inside on fast corners, she loves it 👍
Good luck and ride safe
hi there veefour from a fellow Manc ! taking your advice picking up a 2012 version this morning and strangely enough doing a Spain/Portugal trip end of August.
Can't wait.😁
That'll do nicely, just ensure that it's had the barrels recall sorted
hi what recall? ive just picked up a 2012 one?
On the earlier models there was an issue with the cylinders that caused a recall, I don't know what the issue was though
+VeeFour just looked in service book. it's had cylinder work new rear final drive centre stand by triumph under warranty. wonder if that's it
that'll be it, so it's sounds like you're sorted :)
Just bought one 2014,second hand had 4000 klm on the clock , has Nobblys on changing to 80/20 road try,s Perelly living in Perth wa with weather like we have its heaven riding unless it's over 38c
Putting a tinted screen on it as the standard is to low for me , 6ft 3inch , has 150 higher and wider too at the bottom , by a company in Kewdale WA just down the road EAGLE SCREENS , their on google and ship word wide , takes three weeks to deliver 😤
Looking into sports muffle for it, any recommend please 🙏🏼🙏🏼,
Had it two weeks and very happy with it 👍👍
jack hart 4000 km that's barely run in, nice one.
I use an Arrow muffler on mine, it doesn't add any power plus there's already enough grunt anyway , but it does shed some weight and sounds and looks much better than the stock pipe 👍
Just Googled 'Richard Parker'. Nice one. :-).
Yeah, a big tiger that I go on long voyages with :D
+VeeFour Nice one. Crack on Bonny Lad. :-)
Great video and definitely the place to be in December! Can i ask what camera you use and where you attach it??
+MK Biker I use a GoPro Hero 3 mounted on my Schuberth C3 Pro's chin bar using a curved self adhesive mount and a J bracket
Hello, thank you very much for introducing your motorcycle. I am about to buy a Triumph Explorer 2015. This one has run 36000km. How much have you ridden your Explorer so far and have there been any problems with the bike? Have you ever regretted buying it at any time and for any reason? Greetings from Germany.
Hello. So far I have covered 25000 km on my bike and there have been zero issues with it so far. I have no regrets in buying it except that maybe I'd have prefered the better suspension and brakes that you get with the 2016 onwards bikes.
However, when I bought my bike new it was the out going 2015 model which was greatly reduced in price and saved me thousands of pounds (UK sterling), and aditionally along with the greatly reduced price the dealership fitted almost every optional extra to the bike, such as an Arrrow silencer, heated grips, fog lights and many other extras as no cost to me.
So all in all I have no regrets and I still enjoy riding it 5 years later.
Good luck 👍
Thanks for the informative review,have made my mind up to buy one now,used ,cos I,m not rolling in it..
just a question,where did you get the gel seat from?
I got it as part of the deal from the dealer. Any Triumph dealer can order you one 👍
VeeFour Thanks mate,just bought a 2012 in Grimsby and rode it back to Groningen,Holland.It rides like a dream and i found the stock seat quite comfortable,so I bought a heated seat off fleabay for £120 for the Dutch winters
excellent, enjoy your new ride 👌👌
How tall are you? Good video
Around 185 cm or 6 feet 1 inch in old money
Nice video. I also owner a '15 TEX - I just wondered how you get on with getting it on the centre stand? The weight of the bike makes it a nervy manouevre for me.
Thanks. I find it quite easy to be honest, and my technique is to hold the left bar in my left hand and the left passenger grab rail in my right, and put all of my weight on the stand lever using my right foot. You have to fully commit with all your body weight, so much so that your left foot comes off the ground, but it just pops right up for me easy 👍
Nice review! I would like to know how happy you are with the additional windshield spoiler?
Thanks. The Puig screen extender was a last minute addition prior to setting off on that trip, as without it I found that I got a fair amount of buffetting around my helmet. It was the only one I could find at short notice and it was expensive for what it is, but it does reduce buffeting markedly. Ideally a full aftermarket screen would be better, and I've seen some good ones, but I've become used to this set up now
@@VeeFour thank you very much! I dit not expect such a quick answer at all, but as I have no time pressure, I can first check the market.
Veefour, my Tiger 1050 revs like a sport bike is it not the case with the 1200? You seem to be short shifting Also, is it not good in the curves? Is that why you didn't ride any twisty roads in the video?
Unlike the 1050 motor, the 1215 lump's power is all low down and midrange, so there's nothing to be gained from revving it out. As I replied to your other comment, the handling is excellent for a massive bike
That's interesting about the differences in the motors.. I had just assumed it was simply a larger version of the 1050 with the same characteristics. I'm torn between the Explorer the 1200GS and the KTM 1190. Sorry for asking the same question twice, thanks for your response.
Has this bike had a lot of recalls? If so which year is the year to get? What about the wind protection? I gave a long torso.
if I remember rightly, there was a recall on the 2013/14 bike due to a gearbox issue. This issue was sorted by 2015 when I got mine and the 2016 had a big upgrade so costs more, so imo the 2015 is the one to go for second hand
Hi VeeFour - great video mate. I took one out for a test ride and loved it but found two big issues which I was wondering if you had experienced?
I got terrible wind buffeting on my helmet, it was actually way noisier and worse buffeting than my CBR600, have you experienced that?
I also had quite bad bar vibrations in the 3-5000 rpm range, gave me quite numb hands.
Other than that absolutely loved it!
Did you have the screen all the way up on it's highest setting? I got a little bit of buffet but I solved it with a Puig screen extender and it was fine after that. There's no vibrations at all on my bike that I've noticed, and I'm prone to vibrational white finger so I notice even the most slight vibrations. Maybe it was the bike you rode, but I've ridden 2 different ones and neither had vibes.
Hi Veefour ,
how TEX deals with the cross wind?
I haven't had any noticeable problems so far, even with luggage on
I had a 2017 Explorer 1200XRT that I used to do a 23,500 mile, 99 day trip in 47 states and multiple Canadian provinces and territories, spanning from Key West FL to the edge of the Arctic Circle north of Fairbanks. It is (was) a great bike. But it was huge, heavy, and impossible to lift after a fall or drop (and I had a couple). I put a total of 35,000 miles on it in less than 2 years. I wrote a review of my experience, and the story of the 99 day trip on my personal web page (but not TH-cam): www.route66adventure.net (In case anyone is interested; I gain no commercial value from the website--no ads no nothing). I down-graded in weight and HP to a BMW F850 GS. The 850 lacks many of the many 'bells and whistles' of the Explorer, but I can pick it up (I think). But that upright triple on the Triumph is an engine to love: absolutely vibration-free. Plus you get lots and lots of stories from people about their own Triumph's from the 1960s and later. It carries a bond of affection. The BMW, unfortunately, just suggests some rich guy trying to impress; I like the Triumph connections better, but the BMW is a better fit for my riding abilities and overall bike management. (And the BMW guys that I've met, like the Triumph guys, are just regular guys who like to ride).
Excellent 👍
Veefour motovlogs on an in line triple :-) the irony it not lost :-)
Ha yeah, but I still own a V4 and I can't keep changing my channel name every time I get a new bike. If I did, I could never own a BMW GS1200. I don't think 'Opposed flat twin' would be a good TH-cam channel name :D
:-) i watched the begining of this tour and almost got the triumph but alas could not afford one so got a second hand GSA, its ok but 37k miles its a bit tired selling this weekend and ide love the triumph but again not enuff cash. cant look at the 800 as im 18 stone (im a blascksmith i need the weight dam it ! ...ye wife does not believe that either lol)
Thanks for the reply always nice to see you tubers paying attention , subscribed .
+Edgunsuk yeah the 800 will probably leave you wanting more, even though it's a great bike. now that the new uplift model of Exporer is out, there might be good deals to be had on the earlier Tigers, say from 2012.
I'll tell you what one of the best value big bikes that you can get for your money these days, the GSF1250 Bandit. I used to have one and they are torquey, smooth and comfortable, and if you can find a GT variant they come with luggage and are ready to go. They're a winner!
I have had 4 x 1200 bandits i have sworn ide never have another , some one linked me 2005 special edition one last week with 9k miles on it in stunning condition,,, dam them ! but ye seen the GT there is a white one currently on evil bay ide rather get a zzr 1400 with luggage i think .
Edgunsuk
If you've never tries the water cooled 1250 motor you should. They're so smooth
you'll laugh your head off when you see which bike I just picked up..and I'll happily say it's all your fault! loool
+Yar D Blah Oh dear, what have you done?
+Yar D Blah Actually after your last vid, I'm guessing Tiger 800 XCx, that's my guess
There's no such word as "should"
+Toby Ford Errrm, really? my dictionary seems to differ
+VeeFour ha ha, OK, yeah, maybe it is a word... I just try not to use it anymore, cos it's basically just a way of stressing yourself that the world is not how you want it to be, and I don't need the stress