I'm from Auatralia and are a mature age motorcycle emthusiasts(74) and I ride a 2017 Triumph 1200 XCa. And it's uncanny that all your LDR (Long Distance Ride) practices and anologies are exactly the same as what I embrace. Luv Ya Videos.
Hi Craig. Thanks for the great Alaskan series. I am now 75 but you brought back some great memories of when I rode my 750 Honda to Alaska in 1976, the USA bicentennial year. At that time, from Dawson Creek to the Alaskan border, there was over 1200 miles of dirt road. About 10 million pot holes and when it was raining it was deep and slippery going. It was the adventure of my life and I appreciate you bringing it back to me. By the way for those that might be interested, the 1971 Honda 750 ran flawlessly but I did need to replace the rear shocks when I got to Fairbanks. Thanks again for the great video.
Wow, Ive driven that old Alcan. But not on a 750 . Thats great! My son still has my79 -1100 Special that I bought in 79, it runs but has 110k on it. Drove the updated version of the Alcan a couple years ago. Great hwy but not the same experience. Glad you made that ride! Take care, Ride well and Ride on!🍻
@@jeffpalmer5502 If the 79 -1100 Special is the Yamaha, that would be incredible, as I still have my 1979 Yamaha XS1100F that I bought new in 1979. It still runs strong and just like new. Never even fallen over. Anyway, thanks for the kind words and Ride safe. Boppy
@@boppyj yes it’s a Yamaha. I have a 78 down in my horse paddock my friend Brian Brown that runs the logging out of Ketchikan left it with me 20 years ago. I haven’t ridden it for about 10 years, a friend of mine down the road found a 78 with 500 original miles on it. It looks showing perfect and he just went through the carbs and tires and, all the rubber is roadworthy
10:34 Wind Rider Seat covers on sale for the next 48 hours (9/29). 50% off and they are kicking in another code for an additional 15% off. I just ordered the covers for my GoldWing. Less than $90 for the entire order
Craig, you are very balanced- so, this is an INCREDIBLE assessment by you. What an awesome brute of a bike, and- what a benefit of all your long distance miles prior too this 12,000 mile + trip.
I did my trip to Alaska in early July on the same blue 2023 GT Explorer (aka BigTig). On the day that I separated from the group to head back home in Virginia, I hit a large frost heave that hid a deep pothole on the other side. With no way to avoid the inevitable, BigTig took a big hit and both the front and back rims were severely bent causing it to lose all the air in both. The front ended up with a 6 inch long crack. This happened 37 miles east of Tok where the tow company admitted that the same pothole has been very profitable for them. A GSA the day before ended up with a broken frame. Long story short, a friend contacted me that evening after I posted my woe on FB and told me that he had a crew working in Alaska that were about to come home and that they could pick the bike up and bring it to me. Unbelievably fortunate.
The stretch of highway from the Canadian border to just east of Tok was the worst section of road I rode on in July 2022. I came back on the Too of the World Highway and I thought it was in better shape. What I think is ironic is I remember seeing a road sign in Alaska naming this stretch of highway Veterans Memorial Highway. If I remember correctly, that’s not really a proper tribute because the highway is in bad shape.
Great info from you. I'm a 68 yro solo rider. I've never been on a long ride though. I see you don't have the upper crash bars. I would recommend them seriously. I've dropped mine 3 times and one of them would have been EXPENSIVE without the bars. I'm prone to go some places that most normal (smarter) people don't try. It's a challenge to pick up and getting harder every day. Love your video on the Alaska trip. I always run 87 gas and have had no problems with my Tiger or my Tenere. The next time you take a trip and want someone to go with you let me know.
HI Craig, right there with you on tire change. I departed Boston on a trip to Oregon and back. Tires were real good on departure. On return trip we laid over a few days in Sturgis, to ride Black Hills and service bikes. There are MC dealers everywhere. My rear most likely would have made it home ( GL1800, BTW) but "probably " doesn't work for me, Cardinal rule is don't skimp on tires and brakes. I got a new rear in Sturgis and was glad I did.
I moved that same trip from Homosassa Florida to Toke Alaska I did it on a Goldwing pulling my camper trailer all I can say that was one fantastic ride. If anyone gets a chance to do it added to your bucket list you’ll never regret it.
Jeez man that’s not dirty. I’m back from a one month trip from ireland to Morocco. It took a two hour wash to clean it. Great video. Great trip. Well done.
I had the dreaded slave cylinder go out on my GT Explorer and with no replacements available in the world, my local dealer reached out to Magura (the supplier for Triumph Tiger 1200’s) and put on one of their other slave cylinders to fix my bike. It no longer has the stainless braided line going into the slave cylinder and now has a steel rod for the plunger assembly for the slave cylinder. 3,000 miles on it and it is working like a factory clutch should. Just putting this out there to potentially help another rider out.
Your TH-cam video made me mind up for purchasing your exact bike. I have so many questions but will slowly digest everything you said. Thanks for the great adventure. Writing this from Chilliwack BC Canada.
Glad your home safe and had a great trip. Good customer service is super important. Mistakes will happen, there's no way around it. It's all about how the business deals with it. It sounds like your dealer made things right. Good on them.
Holy moly, guacamole, 51 days, 12,000+ miles WOW.. hold on I gotta get my gin and tonic kickback and watch the video. Well done. I really like the rock ‘n’ roll music with the details, that is what I’ve been waiting for, and just in general to hear about your trip. Thank you for the scoop on the Evo Tech Bar ends, Wind Rider seat cover, and tires. Well done glad you made it home safe. Time to get out in the garage fix me another cocktail, and get ready for the big ride in two days. Peace out, looking forward to more scoop on your trip.😎😎
I went up there in 1970 before the road was paved had to stop several times to clean the mud off the engine to keep it from overheating the only other problem was the drive chain i think i went through 3 of them cb750 Honda my buddy was on a r60 bmw only problem he had was some carburetors trouble
Have been following your daily trip updates and was waiting for the after trip summary. Not disappointed. I'm looking for a Tiger but it will have to be an older one. I rode my buddy's 800 and immediately started looking for a Tiger. Looks like the Tiger 1200 is a thirsty beast. A 800 Tiger gets just under 50 mpg average in 18000 miles. You said you were a little concerned running over 20000 miles before valve adjustment. I adjusted valves on my buddy's 900 Legend at about 70000 miles when he had a starting problem. 2 or 3 valves were slightly out of spec but not tight enough to cause the starting issue. I'm thinking Triumphs have better engines than Hondas. I'm ready to switch to Triumph. We started talking about an Alaska trip but not sure if either one of us can do it. We are in our 70's and both have health issues.
Glad the Triumph did better than the K1600! Great update on how the bike performed! I’m going to order that seat cover for my XR, gets so hot here in the summer and I think it will do the trick!
I really enjoyed your video. I also have a 23 GT Explorer and haven't had any problems with it. I can't believe you change your tires with all that tread left on them. I only have about 3500 miles in my Tiger with the original tires so I would love to get some Mission tires for mine but haven't got the funds yet. I agree with you on the TFT and how you have to get through the steps to change or to look at something. I just barely figured out how to change it to Off Road mode. One time I could not get it to go back to trip distance. It was stuck in riding modes. Looking forward to your next video.
Still curious about the bike cover you used and how small it packs down. Also whether you use any security devices on the bike such as a disc lock or alarm?
I run the same tires on my GS. I’ve put 7500 miles on them and they still have a lot of tread. They are by far the best tires I have had. Can’t say enough about their performance. I have been off road with them as well and they do fairly well. Glad you’re back and I look forward to more videos on your trip.
@@southeasternnomad Not too bad. It is a 50/50 tire so you will get some noise but certainly not like a knobby tire. I had Shinkos before and they were much more noisy. I also got about 5000 miles out of those.
I just bought a used, 2014 Tiger 800 and I love it. The guy had multiple bikes and this bike had only 1700 miles on it. I’m itching to do a long distance ride but have no idea where to go. 😮
Come to Arizona in the summer to develop your toughness. The clue is to soak your T shirt under your perforated jacket, drink lots of water and consume 2 gms of vitamin C every couple hours.
@@bseidem5112 thanks for the tip. I think I’m going to start by visiting friends and family as destinations. I have family in Louisiana, Tx and FL. See how that goes and take it from there.
I'm preparing for a solo trip to AK on my Tiger 800 so thanks for this vid. I have to say my only gripe about the Triumph is that finding and ordering parts seems to be a real pain compared to my Japanese bikes. After finally finding a few small parts I needed to replace on the luggage mounts I ordered them a week ago and apparently still haven't shipped so I'm going to have to do some hillbilly engineering before I leave. Glad to see a real review on the seat cover too. I've been bombarded with ads for it, but this is the first credible review I have seen on it.
You're right about the dash, i have a 17 trophy with the analog dials & lcd dash. I ride with the lcd displying distance to empty, average mileage and air pressure . There has to be away to rearrange whats on these fancy dashes .
Great review/debrief! I also changed to Puig windscreen, and the voight risers on my 2019 Tiger. I went all in with a Russell Day Long seat. Ps. I love the saying "never pass gas in the north!"
Those tires look good, i have a 23 1200 and the stock tires are noisy around 70, are they quiet, asking because I will be looking at replacement soon. Thanks.
Good to know everything went well with the bike. I have the same bike, same year. How was the wind blast? What earplugs did you use? Also, I totally agree with the odometer and TPS annoyance. I plan on getting the Wind Rider seat cover. Welcome back home!
Wind was not bad with the larger screen. I have Ear Peace ear plugs. If anything they block too much making it hard to hear the comm. I just got a new set with different filters, will do a review in the future.
Craig, good to see and your Triumph look no worse for the wear! Excellent start to what should be some awesome debriefs. On the highway at 70-80 mph (4-4500 rpm) I am getting mid to upper 40s per gallon ... but my air filter is clean!! Guess the big takeaway is to have any service scheduled about a month before the trip. Allows time for the service and follow up if there are problems after the service. Ya, the dash/tft is pretty poor. C'mon Triumph, offer an update! Ned in SC
I did the key west to prudhoe bay trip back in 2013. Riding partner had a 2013 Explorer launch edition. It did well the whole trip accept the RDS... range deficiency syndrome. Needed a extra tank. His bike made it over 100,000 miles till the frame broke. Had the usual problem's that the dealer took care of..They don't call it the Exploder for nothing.. Last I heard he has a 2015 1200 tiger explorer..
I ran into the same thing on my Alaska trip with the trip meter. It wasn't until I got home at around 8500 miles when I figured out that 9999.9km was where it stopped. 2023 Rally Explorer.
I bought a 22 Royal Enfield Himalayan last year. Planned on just riding locally in South Carolina where I live. Now I'm looking for more long distance. My parents and sister lives in Fort Fairfield Maine and my Daughter lives in Austin Texas. The Himalayan is comfortable enough to ride long distance, but not at higher highway speeds. My Motorcycle dealership sells Royal Enfield, Triumph and Indian brands. I'm only 5'9" and the Triumph 1200 is so tall. Even the 900 is a pretty tall bike. I've looked at the BMW 1250 adventure low suspension and it's a perfect height for me. I like the service Intervals of the Triumph. BMW gives you the first service free which is nice. I'm not ready to buy yet , just looking at all the options. I'm just looking for large tank and didn't realize the Triumph had a 8 gallon like the GS1250 Adventure 7.9 gallon. I didn't ask if they made a low suspension like the BMW does.
I am 5'9" and handle the bike just fine. You do need to learn to ride without needing to flatfoot. There is a low seat, but no low suspension option or way to lower it as far as I know.
@@LivingOffTheSlab it's Fall Bike Rally in Myrtle Beach. I stopped at my Triumph/Indian/ Royal Enfield dealership. They have a 23 Rally Adventure 1200 and I sat on it. I see what you mean. I am on front half of my feet or I just put one foot down and I'm good. I am not sure if yours has the larger fuel tank, but it's the width of a GS1250 Adventure. It feels really comfortable in the sitting position. This bike has the low seat option
The TMMs did great on my trip north. The ALCAN chip seal just eats the TKC-80s up! I would have changed my tires out too the stars aligned. The shop had the tires, could do it right then. It was a no brainer.
Glad the bike did well! Mine only has 2600 miles on it, went to get gas last weekend and the little pull tab popped, and I couldn't open my gas cap :(. Found out the only way to get around this is to take out the six Allan bolts holding the assembly in, (thats what the Allan wrench under the seat is for). Dealer submitted a warranty claim and I am waiting to hear back. Hopefully a one off. Pretty big inconvenience if on a trip, especially with a tank bag (bracket removed until I get my new cap). I want to get the bar ends but they are constantly out of stock. Was on a notification list... got a text at 5:30 in the morning a week or so ago, went online a half hour later (as soon as I saw the message) and sold out already. Had to start the process all over. Wish Evotech had a different system (like let me buy the damn things and just send them to me when they come in stock).
Thanks for the debrief on the bike. She's definitely on my list if the Vision ever dies. I had a laugh at your concern about brake pads. I get about 8k miles out of the Vision front pads and half that if I go to a track day. 12k miles sounds pretty good to me. 😂
Not sure if I mentioned it but I had to get rid of my 2023 Tiger 1200 GT, the clutch went a couple of times as did the transmission which needed to be replaced as well as it leaked oil but only when it was moving. Not sure if it was the mechanics (had 4 different ones) didn't know how to work on it (all were Triumph Dealers) or it was just a lemon. Too bad as I really liked that bike. 100% agree with you on all the other things like the Puig Touring screen, TMM tires and the screens. So...where are we off to next year?
I took my GT PRO to the South of France (from the U.K.) obviously not the same kind of distance you just covered, and can report similar the bike ran really well. The dashboard, seat & screen are the worst performing components on these bikes, I changed the screen to a WRS unit and added Puig winglets to replace the stock items. I use a wild ass seat cushion (the mid model with gel & air) and the dash I just put up with it’s definitely not the best. When the temps hit around 39/40c it didn’t matter what I was wearing it was too hot for comfortable riding (swamp arse etc), a great review I’d love to try a North American tour but the expense of hiring a bike (for me) would make it prohibitive, maybe I could ship mine over there 🤣. Great review thanks for sharing 👍🇬🇧🇺🇸
I feel like my '08 GS is the sweet spot for tech. Basic rider aids like ABS/TC, but just a digital display that I can cycle through with one button on the bars, and another on the dash to cycle through mileage and both trip meters. And analog tach/speedo. I'd never bother learning how to utilize modern displays. I agree about tires. My trip last month was only 5k, but coming home through WY/UT/NV at high temps on a fairly worn rear tire was running through my mind regularly. I guess I could have stopped at Cycle Gear in SLUT or Reno, but I was close enough to home to chance it. I've got a new tire waiting, but I think I'll just run the old one until my next trip.
One question I have now when bike shopping (adding your comment on trip odo and how easy it is to find it) is how hard is it to get plastics off and how sturdy are the plastics connectors? Some bikes have crappy connectors that seem easy to break. How sturdy are your plastics connectors?
So far so good. Getting the side panels off is a bit of work, but once you have done it, it goes pretty quickly. I did a video on how to do that. th-cam.com/video/7eti5zYZzfo/w-d-xo.html
great video. One question, What Wind Rider seat are you using? They list the 900 seat cover on their website, but they replied to my question that they do not have a cover to fit my 2023 1200 GT Explorer.
Great revue Craig. Sounds like a great trip! I think you’d like the trip meter on the Indian FTR 1200 better! Also no valve adjustments. I get new brake pads every year on the Vic, they’re inexpensive and ditto on the tires. Sooner than later especially on 2 wheels. What day were you in Spokane? I was at a Best Western owned motel in Post falls the 1st. Fri. in August on my way back from Beartooth Pass. Hey Im honored that you’re wearing my last name on your T-shirt😁, Great vid. Ride well & Ride on🍻
I put a Puig Windscreen for a Tiger 1200 on my Yamaha FZ-07 .. until I had to tip over in my shop while moving my bike from the wrong side in my shop. The Puig Windscreen shattered to I went back to the Mostad. That was the frame I used for the Tiger windscreen.
I was concerned about gas on my trip to Alaska, but it was never a big concern. I have a 6.2 gallon tank, but my LT gets a fair bit better mileage than your Tiger. I get 50+ on the 55 mph roads and 40 at 80 on the interstate. I think I averaged 46 on my Alaska trip for the 10,500 miles. There was one stretch of 170 miles between gas stations and it was a cold, wet and windy day and I was getting less than 40 MPG that day, but even so, I was only a little less than 1/4 tank when I got to the next station. I found road conditions and gas availability to be much better than I expected on the road to Alaska. The ride was no problem at all on a heavy street bike. Now, we didn’t go north past Fairbanks. Going up the Haul Road would be a different story.
I am surprised with the fuel mileage. My Super Ten averages 49-52mpg and it doesn't matter if we are 2 up or just me. I have been looking at moving to the tiger or the Ducati but it's hard to move away from the S10 because it is a great all around bike.
How did you like the Trailmax Missions on gravel and/or on the Dalton, especially in wet weather? BTW, I have a BMW GS and got 18,000 miles on the Trailmax Missions (95% road/5% gravel)
Enjoyed the review and am envious of the trip. Any big mysterious drops in gas mileage crossing the Dakotas? Also, and this is not intended as a slam on Peter and Steven... but did you prefer the solo trip vs. when the three of you made the journey? I imagine pros and cons both ways. BTW, I now have 50,000 miles on my ST and still love it. Would love to go back to Alaska or Newfoundland solo but at age 73, my wife has shared her concerns.
Hey Richard, hope all is well! The wind was not that bad on this trip, so the only drop was going 80 mph. I have a video coming out on Sunday about the differences in this trip vs the last. Overall I was happier and feeling better this time around. That has to do with how I approached it more than anything. As you mentioned, there are pros and cons to traveling with a group vs. alone.
Hi Craig, I've run those tires on my Tiger 900 RP. Rear has 14k and is probably good for another 2-3k miles. Front was shot at about 10k, but with a 21" front wheel I didn't expect to last as long. One of my riding buddies has the 1200 GT Pro. He gripes about the dash, as well. We just did a trip around the Great Lakes and the bike would stumble when starting occasionally. Did the air filter change in Spokane fix that problem for you? Also, he's experiencing a bit of oil consumption. Did you have to top off oil at all on the trip? Thanks (Love your channel BTW)
Hi Craig! Congratulations on the ride! How do you feel about the Tiger compared to the Super Tenere'. I'm really curious. And....I have to know.....why didn't you get an R1250 GSA?
The Tiger is a modern bike with a lot more HP and tech. A better bike all around. So far it is at least as reliable as the Tenere. After my experience with the K1600 I was not willing to get another BMW. Also, I wanted to purchase from my local dealer.
Speaking of short attention spans, mine is longer than most these days apparently as I don’t watch TH-cam shorts and missed your trip. I remember you talking about trip preparation, and then you went silent. 😁
Just curious, Since you couldn't get a new air filter did you clean your old one ? I have cleaned air filters with compressed air ,blow the grit and dust from the inside out works pretty good. I have a bunch of motorcycles and have had to improvise on occasion.I currently have 4 motorcycles on the road. my biggest issue in life is deciding which one to ride on any given day. 2004 Goldwing, 2003 Buell xb9s, 82 CX-500, 72 Cl-350 , hmmm decisions decisions 🙃🙂
I have put 20,000 miles on a Super Tenere with TMM. They had another 3000miles in them easily but front was getting very noisy. Unbelievable tire wear.
I will do a separate video on gear, but overall it did great! It did however get very dirty. I will show you all of that in the equipment video (in a couple of weeks).
Liked the video surprised me your only 5ft 9 , you look taller, my inside leg 30 ish + a bit ,that’s USA inseam, possibly Canada,I’m a fraction over 5 / 9. I’ve been looking at a Tiger 1200 in 🏴, I was wondering if you are on tip toes , I heard you mention it’s difficult if on a bit of a leaning angle
The funny (or sad) thing is that the Gen2 (2016-2017) Explorer had ALL that information at sight!!! It's one of the reasons that i don't think to "upgrade".
I almost bought a Tiger 1200. I am glad I bought the Tiger 900 GT Pro. I am 5’ 11” but at age 73, I am tired of the heavy Harley Davidson HOG’s, and sitting on a Triump 1200 felt a little too big for me. The 900 works great for me. I road my 900 GT Pro in July from Texas to California. The only issue I had was that the seat was a bit on the uncomfortable side after each 200 miles or so. I think I am gonna look into the Wind Rider Seat Cover The Tiger 900 was getting about 46 to 49 miles per gallon The only thing I will do different is not ride my bike to California in the summer again. I was visiting my daughters and where they live temperatures were from 108 to 115 degrees.
You would have easily made it home on those tires. I tend to run mine down pretty far, but I also bought a spare rear rim for my LT early on so that I could put on new tires before I leave on a trip and then swap when I get back to finish wearing out the previous tire that I figured might be sketchy to make the full trip. I never found a good deal on a spare front rim or I would have bought one of them, but they aren’t as nice as the rear since the rear doesn’t have the brake disk attached to it.
I ran into the trip mileage limit on a trip. I never determined it was due to the km conversion. I ride from fuel stop to fuel stop. I always had the fuel status screen up. I rarely changed the display setting. The motorcycle shop had a hard time finding the odometer reading for a state inspection. So the UX definitely could be better. Also... not trusting that shop to do service on the bike!!!
I have been working with Mom's for 15 years and they have always done me right. They should have had the parts for a scheduled service, but not throwing them under the bus for this.
Thanks for all the details! One thing really shocked me: 12K miles same rear tire on 1200cc bike??? Either the tire technology advanced quite far in last 15 years or you're very light on the throttle ;) 15 years ago I daily rode BMW K1200RS and had to replace my rear tire every 4-5K mls, the front one lasted twice longer.
I changed the tires at 8500 miles, but, I could have gone 12k miles on them. It of course depends on the tire, the bike,and how you ride, but many tires now a days can go 10 to 12,000 miles safely.
@@LTVoyager That's why I suspected that you are very light on the throttle :) I used to having fun on my bikes so every time stared from the traffic light "as fast as possible, as slow as necessary". Upgraded my Yamaha 900cc to BMW 1200cc and found that my rear tire lifespan dropped from 9K mls to 4-5K max. I used BT-020 most of the time.
Hey Craig going to Dirt Daz in NH on wednesday with my two sons John and James 28 and 24 i'm 59 and still making memories They still want to hang out with me 😂
I frequently replace tires "early." Too many things can go wrong as tires approach the wear bars and that's just not something I'm willing to bet on far from home. "Far" being relative to the individual.
I don't know why, we don't see more of them about. I have the GT PRO version, and think it's a wonderful machine. Could be, the new version, is still considered to be a little green, by riders. Only time will tell.
100% with you on the dash, for a bike made to do mileage on its a joke. Sure all the stuff you need is in there its just not easily accessible and the guy at Triumph who thought it was a good idea to hide it so deep in the menu should beout of work. Triumph's of old always had a tray at the bottom of the dash you could customize with your preferred info so you could just scroll through with the joystick.
Submenu's are sent by the devil 🤣 I don't know of any repair shop this side of 'The Pond' that orders parts in advance of a service. I guess in similar circumstances you could ring them a couple of weeks ahead of the booking, explain the situation and get them to order any parts you need in advance. I'm with you on tires, skimping on tiires is false economy, (IMO) especially in that situation. Very informative and honest review as always 👍 Anyone with an attention span of less than 26 minutes is in the wrong place 🤣👍
You are correct, it is very common practice not to order parts ahead. I take responsibility for not calling a few weeks out to make sure. I will be doing that next time, as I did for my service on the road.
@@LivingOffTheSlab I used to work on a (car) service desk as part of my job (not a main agent) and not having the parts instock was one of the things I used to look out for 'in advance', especially on a Saturday, when most suppliers closed at lunchtime (back then) I would think it's very difficult to keep everything 'off the shelf' these days with many dealers selling so many makes and models.
My 2023 rally pro...I have the same gripe on the display....so much wasted room, I would love to have engine temp/oil temp and odometer always displayed along with TPMS info (which I haven't yet added). The Tiger 900 Rally pro that I owned prior showed ALL the info in one of the screen options...whomever Triumph hired to do the newer TFT's needs to be sent to HD or some other crap company. You would think a firmware/software update could easily be done to remedy this. ON TOP OF ALL THIS IS ITS DANGEROUS TO TAKE ONE'S EYES OFF THE ROAD GOING THROUGH ALL THESE STINKING MENUS!... I love the bike otherwise so far.
Great video, Craig. Glad you made it home without issues. I ended my 50 days, 11.5K trip in Tijuana, where I left the bike for a couple of months before continuing south. Thanks for the Lolo Pass tip; I truly enjoyed that ride, despite the 110 degrees 😅. It was great to meet you on the road.
Sluggish to start could mean a valve or 2 is too tight. I’d say it needs an adjustment! I’m surprised it gets the same or worse gas mileage than a compact car! I would have expected at least low 40s worse case.
@@LivingOffTheSlab certainly something to keep in mind when I upgrade as I’m considering a 1290 adventure. I’ve been touring on a “small” bike (KTM790) and it gets mid 50s for MPG. The Tiger is a beautiful motorcycle. The Tiger 900 has been a consideration for me as well. Thanks for the great videos!
I'm from Montreal, when riding in remote places I always carry 2 x 1.75 gallons roto pax gas containers on the top of my top case SW Motech on my Suzuki v strom 650 , i carry for 2 bikes my wife doesn't carry any on her F700gs....Once i was entering Canyon lands N.P. UT... And there was this couple wavering at me as if I was a Martian...and I stopped they had seen my 2 roto pax on top of my bike ...they were out of gas with their 2 1200gsa big tank plated with 2 plates from Germany...they had spent the week and camping in the N.P. I ended up giving them my 3.5 gallons...they were almost kissing me .. One other time near Valdez AK I got to the mom & pops gas station and it was closed...a paper sheet on the gas tank said gone fishing for the day. It was 2.p.m. One other time on my way to Chasasibi,Qc James Bay a gas station was close for about 6 months....my Zumo had not indicated that to me....I carry the roto pax empty and only fill them in remote areas...
Ok I don't typically weight in on comments - but to the critics that are crapping on you for tire replacement and providing you with their "tel-tire-health status reports" from looking at your posts - I would quote Bobby Cunningham "... in the pen.." (bobby was a reining horse trainer) - thus, when the critic is in the 12K pen for two months then their argument is valid to THEM at that time. Short of that it's all noise. I also do what you do and play it safe and SMART when doing long distance traveling.
you have money, you spend when it's not needed. More power to you. There was absolutely nothing wrong with those tires at 8500 miles. Again, more power to you.
When you press the home button, you are taken to the last menu or page you viewed. This is the work around for easily getting to trip meter. If I want to then see the tpms, I have to navigate several clicks deep and then back to the trip meter.
The TPMS system remians active no matter if you are actively monitoring it. Meaning. You don’t have to have it on display. It will alert you if your tires are low. Or you could check the TPMs before starting your ride for the day. Then view the maintenance so to have that information available with the press of a single button. Also, the native TPMs sensor will need to be replaced after a few years. This can cost upwards of 500 dollars US…. I went with a much more cost effective system… cost all of 35 dollars. The batteries can be easily replaced and works with my cell…. And should the system ever fail… I won’t have to deal with dealer delays to fix the issue.
@@xm65 I am aware the tpms is active when it is not displayed and that I can bring up any single page by first navigating to it and then using the home button. Why should I have to do that? Obviously we disagree about how the display should work. Appreciate the input.
@@LivingOffTheSlab Looks like they went for smartness/beauty instead of usability, strange that this would be the choice on a touring motorcycle where you spend hours in the saddle every day.
I enjoyed your daily briefings, and there are few things better than finding out you picked a great bike to do your trip with. I will be riding up to Prince Rupert in October if the weather holds up, so I look forward to your trip recaps.
I'm from Auatralia and are a mature age motorcycle emthusiasts(74) and I ride a 2017 Triumph 1200 XCa. And it's uncanny that all your LDR (Long Distance Ride) practices and anologies are exactly the same as what I embrace. Luv Ya Videos.
@@gerrydempsey4443 my 17 trophy has the same engine, amazing bikes
Hi Craig. Thanks for the great Alaskan series. I am now 75 but you brought back some great memories of when I rode my 750 Honda to Alaska in 1976, the USA bicentennial year. At that time, from Dawson Creek to the Alaskan border, there was over 1200 miles of dirt road. About 10 million pot holes and when it was raining it was deep and slippery going. It was the adventure of my life and I appreciate you bringing it back to me. By the way for those that might be interested, the 1971 Honda 750 ran flawlessly but I did need to replace the rear shocks when I got to Fairbanks. Thanks again for the great video.
Wow, Ive driven that old Alcan. But not on a 750 . Thats great!
My son still has my79 -1100 Special that I bought in 79, it runs but has 110k on it.
Drove the updated version of the Alcan a couple years ago. Great hwy but not the same experience.
Glad you made that ride! Take care,
Ride well and Ride on!🍻
@@jeffpalmer5502 If the 79 -1100 Special is the Yamaha, that would be incredible, as I still have my 1979 Yamaha XS1100F that I bought new in 1979. It still runs strong and just like new. Never even fallen over. Anyway, thanks for the kind words and Ride safe.
Boppy
@@boppyj yes it’s a Yamaha. I have a 78 down in my horse paddock my friend Brian Brown that runs the logging out of Ketchikan left it with me 20 years ago. I haven’t ridden it for about 10 years, a friend of mine down the road found a 78 with 500 original miles on it. It looks showing perfect and he just went through the carbs and tires and, all the rubber is roadworthy
10:34 Wind Rider Seat covers on sale for the next 48 hours (9/29). 50% off and they are kicking in another code for an additional 15% off. I just ordered the covers for my GoldWing. Less than $90 for the entire order
Craig, you are very balanced- so, this is an INCREDIBLE assessment by you. What an awesome brute of a bike, and- what a benefit of all your long distance miles prior too this 12,000 mile + trip.
I did my trip to Alaska in early July on the same blue 2023 GT Explorer (aka BigTig). On the day that I separated from the group to head back home in Virginia, I hit a large frost heave that hid a deep pothole on the other side. With no way to avoid the inevitable, BigTig took a big hit and both the front and back rims were severely bent causing it to lose all the air in both. The front ended up with a 6 inch long crack. This happened 37 miles east of Tok where the tow company admitted that the same pothole has been very profitable for them. A GSA the day before ended up with a broken frame. Long story short, a friend contacted me that evening after I posted my woe on FB and told me that he had a crew working in Alaska that were about to come home and that they could pick the bike up and bring it to me. Unbelievably fortunate.
That road was horrible. Glad you made it back!
The stretch of highway from the Canadian border to just east of Tok was the worst section of road I rode on in July 2022. I came back on the Too of the World Highway and I thought it was in better shape. What I think is ironic is I remember seeing a road sign in Alaska naming this stretch of highway Veterans Memorial Highway. If I remember correctly, that’s not really a proper tribute because the highway is in bad shape.
Great info from you. I'm a 68 yro solo rider. I've never been on a long ride though. I see you don't have the upper crash bars. I would recommend them seriously. I've dropped mine 3 times and one of them would have been EXPENSIVE without the bars. I'm prone to go some places that most normal (smarter) people don't try. It's a challenge to pick up and getting harder every day. Love your video on the Alaska trip. I always run 87 gas and have had no problems with my Tiger or my Tenere. The next time you take a trip and want someone to go with you let me know.
HI Craig, right there with you on tire change. I departed Boston on a trip to Oregon and back. Tires were real good on departure. On return trip we laid over a few days in Sturgis, to ride Black Hills and service bikes. There are MC dealers everywhere. My rear most likely would have made it home ( GL1800, BTW) but "probably " doesn't work for me, Cardinal rule is don't skimp on tires and brakes. I got a new rear in Sturgis and was glad I did.
I moved that same trip from Homosassa Florida to Toke Alaska I did it on a Goldwing pulling my camper trailer all I can say that was one fantastic ride. If anyone gets a chance to do it added to your bucket list you’ll never regret it.
Jeez man that’s not dirty. I’m back from a one month trip from ireland to Morocco. It took a two hour wash to clean it. Great video. Great trip. Well done.
I had the dreaded slave cylinder go out on my GT Explorer and with no replacements available in the world, my local dealer reached out to Magura (the supplier for Triumph Tiger 1200’s) and put on one of their other slave cylinders to fix my bike. It no longer has the stainless braided line going into the slave cylinder and now has a steel rod for the plunger assembly for the slave cylinder. 3,000 miles on it and it is working like a factory clutch should. Just putting this out there to potentially help another rider out.
Regarding tires..... the less tread, the greater the ease for puncture. I like your idea about changing them out a bit early.
I had a 900 GT Pro and did long trips as well. Fantastic machine.
Your TH-cam video made me mind up for purchasing your exact bike. I have so many questions but will slowly digest everything you said. Thanks for the great adventure. Writing this from Chilliwack BC Canada.
Great review. I have a Super Tenere so loved the review from that previous trip north.
Me too. Actually that review was a contributing factor in my decision to buy a ST!
Glad your home safe and had a great trip. Good customer service is super important. Mistakes will happen, there's no way around it. It's all about how the business deals with it. It sounds like your dealer made things right. Good on them.
Holy moly, guacamole, 51 days, 12,000+ miles WOW.. hold on I gotta get my gin and tonic kickback and watch the video. Well done. I really like the rock ‘n’ roll music with the details, that is what I’ve been waiting for, and just in general to hear about your trip. Thank you for the scoop on the Evo Tech Bar ends, Wind Rider seat cover, and tires. Well done glad you made it home safe. Time to get out in the garage fix me another cocktail, and get ready for the big ride in two days. Peace out, looking forward to more scoop on your trip.😎😎
This is a brilliant overview of your adventure!! Glad you’re home, safe and somewhat sound!👍🏼✌🏼😁
Great report on the bike and how it did on your Alaska trip. Thanks for the great video.
I went up there in 1970 before the road was paved had to stop several times to clean the mud off the engine to keep it from overheating the only other problem was the drive chain i think i went through 3 of them cb750 Honda my buddy was on a r60 bmw only problem he had was some carburetors trouble
Have been following your daily trip updates and was waiting for the after trip summary. Not disappointed. I'm looking for a Tiger but it will have to be an older one. I rode my buddy's 800 and immediately started looking for a Tiger. Looks like the Tiger 1200 is a thirsty beast. A 800 Tiger gets just under 50 mpg average in 18000 miles. You said you were a little concerned running over 20000 miles before valve adjustment. I adjusted valves on my buddy's 900 Legend at about 70000 miles when he had a starting problem. 2 or 3 valves were slightly out of spec but not tight enough to cause the starting issue. I'm thinking Triumphs have better engines than Hondas. I'm ready to switch to Triumph. We started talking about an Alaska trip but not sure if either one of us can do it. We are in our 70's and both have health issues.
Glad the Triumph did better than the K1600! Great update on how the bike performed! I’m going to order that seat cover for my XR, gets so hot here in the summer and I think it will do the trick!
I have been following your 'shorts' during the trip. This debrief was excellent, great job. Champion cheers
Love that you did this, thanks for this video. My first thoughts were, so glad to see a Triumph bike again & your comments on the seat. 😊
I really enjoyed your video. I also have a 23 GT Explorer and haven't had any problems with it. I can't believe you change your tires with all that tread left on them. I only have about 3500 miles in my Tiger with the original tires so I would love to get some Mission tires for mine but haven't got the funds yet. I agree with you on the TFT and how you have to get through the steps to change or to look at something. I just barely figured out how to change it to Off Road mode. One time I could not get it to go back to trip distance. It was stuck in riding modes. Looking forward to your next video.
Still curious about the bike cover you used and how small it packs down. Also whether you use any security devices on the bike such as a disc lock or alarm?
I just posted a video that covers your questions.
I run the same tires on my GS. I’ve put 7500 miles on them and they still have a lot of tread. They are by far the best tires I have had. Can’t say enough about their performance. I have been off road with them as well and they do fairly well. Glad you’re back and I look forward to more videos on your trip.
How is the noise ? I had some Anakee Wilds on last year and they were Very Loud. I got about 5k miles out of them. Thanks
@@southeasternnomad Not too bad. It is a 50/50 tire so you will get some noise but certainly not like a knobby tire. I had Shinkos before and they were much more noisy. I also got about 5000 miles out of those.
I just bought a used, 2014 Tiger 800 and I love it. The guy had multiple bikes and this bike had only 1700 miles on it. I’m itching to do a long distance ride but have no idea where to go. 😮
Come to Arizona in the summer to develop your toughness. The clue is to soak your T shirt under your perforated jacket, drink lots of water and consume 2 gms of vitamin C every couple hours.
@@bseidem5112 thanks for the tip. I think I’m going to start by visiting friends and family as destinations. I have family in Louisiana, Tx and FL. See how that goes and take it from there.
Glad you're back dafe boss!!!!!
EPIC trip & video! Looking forward to see the rest. Keep making these video reports!
👍
The more videos I watch of your Triumph makes me want to trade in my Goldwing. I’m digging that bike more and more
That's quite a statement!
Sounds like you had a successful trip.
I agree with your assessment of the dash. Looking forward to more videos.
I'm preparing for a solo trip to AK on my Tiger 800 so thanks for this vid. I have to say my only gripe about the Triumph is that finding and ordering parts seems to be a real pain compared to my Japanese bikes. After finally finding a few small parts I needed to replace on the luggage mounts I ordered them a week ago and apparently still haven't shipped so I'm going to have to do some hillbilly engineering before I leave. Glad to see a real review on the seat cover too. I've been bombarded with ads for it, but this is the first credible review I have seen on it.
You're right about the dash, i have a 17 trophy with the analog dials & lcd dash. I ride with the lcd displying distance to empty, average mileage and air pressure . There has to be away to rearrange whats on these fancy dashes .
Great review/debrief!
I also changed to Puig windscreen, and the voight risers on my 2019 Tiger. I went all in with a Russell Day Long seat.
Ps. I love the saying "never pass gas in the north!"
Those tires look good, i have a 23 1200 and the stock tires are noisy around 70, are they quiet, asking because I will be looking at replacement soon. Thanks.
Yes, I found them to be quiet. Engine and wind is louder.
Good to know everything went well with the bike. I have the same bike, same year. How was the wind blast? What earplugs did you use? Also, I totally agree with the odometer and TPS annoyance. I plan on getting the Wind Rider seat cover. Welcome back home!
Wind was not bad with the larger screen. I have Ear Peace ear plugs. If anything they block too much making it hard to hear the comm. I just got a new set with different filters, will do a review in the future.
Craig, good to see and your Triumph look no worse for the wear! Excellent start to what should be some awesome debriefs.
On the highway at 70-80 mph (4-4500 rpm) I am getting mid to upper 40s per gallon ... but my air filter is clean!!
Guess the big takeaway is to have any service scheduled about a month before the trip. Allows time for the service and follow up if there are problems after the service.
Ya, the dash/tft is pretty poor. C'mon Triumph, offer an update!
Ned in SC
Fantastic! Did the air filter fix the starting issue? I am looking at getting a 900 tiger in next couple years.
Haven't changed it yet.
Glad you back. Man if I knew you were in Spokane I would of ridden up to meet you.
I did the key west to prudhoe bay trip back in 2013. Riding partner had a 2013 Explorer launch edition. It did well the whole trip accept the RDS...
range deficiency syndrome.
Needed a extra tank. His bike made it over 100,000 miles till the frame broke.
Had the usual problem's that the dealer took care of..They don't call it the Exploder for nothing.. Last I heard he has a 2015 1200 tiger explorer..
I ran into the same thing on my Alaska trip with the trip meter. It wasn't until I got home at around 8500 miles when I figured out that 9999.9km was where it stopped. 2023 Rally Explorer.
I really like your channel. Keep it up!
I bought a 22 Royal Enfield Himalayan last year. Planned on just riding locally in South Carolina where I live. Now I'm looking for more long distance. My parents and sister lives in Fort Fairfield Maine and my Daughter lives in Austin Texas. The Himalayan is comfortable enough to ride long distance, but not at higher highway speeds. My Motorcycle dealership sells Royal Enfield, Triumph and Indian brands. I'm only 5'9" and the Triumph 1200 is so tall. Even the 900 is a pretty tall bike. I've looked at the BMW 1250 adventure low suspension and it's a perfect height for me. I like the service Intervals of the Triumph. BMW gives you the first service free which is nice. I'm not ready to buy yet , just looking at all the options. I'm just looking for large tank and didn't realize the Triumph had a 8 gallon like the GS1250 Adventure 7.9 gallon. I didn't ask if they made a low suspension like the BMW does.
I am 5'9" and handle the bike just fine. You do need to learn to ride without needing to flatfoot. There is a low seat, but no low suspension option or way to lower it as far as I know.
@@LivingOffTheSlab it's Fall Bike Rally in Myrtle Beach. I stopped at my Triumph/Indian/ Royal Enfield dealership. They have a 23 Rally Adventure 1200 and I sat on it. I see what you mean. I am on front half of my feet or I just put one foot down and I'm good. I am not sure if yours has the larger fuel tank, but it's the width of a GS1250 Adventure. It feels really comfortable in the sitting position. This bike has the low seat option
@@JohnDavis-ol7qg Yes, I have the explorer tank.
BTW I immediately ordered the seat cover for my Honda CTX700N! It looked great on your bike and your comments really helped!
Moms in Foxboro is great. Got my Indian there. We're neighbors... I'm in Medway MA.
Love your channel. We are similar age. I can relate to many things you talk about.
The TMMs did great on my trip north. The ALCAN chip seal just eats the TKC-80s up! I would have changed my tires out too the stars aligned. The shop had the tires, could do it right then. It was a no brainer.
Agree completely on tires. I always change them early. Not worth the risk of getting that last mile out of a tire.
Glad the bike did well! Mine only has 2600 miles on it, went to get gas last weekend and the little pull tab popped, and I couldn't open my gas cap :(. Found out the only way to get around this is to take out the six Allan bolts holding the assembly in, (thats what the Allan wrench under the seat is for). Dealer submitted a warranty claim and I am waiting to hear back.
Hopefully a one off. Pretty big inconvenience if on a trip, especially with a tank bag (bracket removed until I get my new cap).
I want to get the bar ends but they are constantly out of stock. Was on a notification list... got a text at 5:30 in the morning a week or so ago, went online a half hour later (as soon as I saw the message) and sold out already. Had to start the process all over. Wish Evotech had a different system (like let me buy the damn things and just send them to me when they come in stock).
I bought the SW Motech Hand guards and they come with the heavy bar weights. Works good.
Thanks for the debrief on the bike. She's definitely on my list if the Vision ever dies. I had a laugh at your concern about brake pads. I get about 8k miles out of the Vision front pads and half that if I go to a track day. 12k miles sounds pretty good to me. 😂
Not sure if I mentioned it but I had to get rid of my 2023 Tiger 1200 GT, the clutch went a couple of times as did the transmission which needed to be replaced as well as it leaked oil but only when it was moving. Not sure if it was the mechanics (had 4 different ones) didn't know how to work on it (all were Triumph Dealers) or it was just a lemon. Too bad as I really liked that bike. 100% agree with you on all the other things like the Puig Touring screen, TMM tires and the screens.
So...where are we off to next year?
Seems like this was one hell of a good ride... with a great machine. 👍
Much better experience on your Tiger than your BMW. Glad you’re home safe and congrats on a successful trip.
Yes, for sure...Thanks for hanging with me at the beginning of this trip. One of the highlights!
@@LivingOffTheSlab Was great being able to tag along and be a small part of your journey.
Did you ever find out what happen to the lights? I'm thinking of buying a set.
I think I got water in it while cleaning the bike with a pressure wash.
I took my GT PRO to the South of France (from the U.K.) obviously not the same kind of distance you just covered, and can report similar the bike ran really well. The dashboard, seat & screen are the worst performing components on these bikes, I changed the screen to a WRS unit and added Puig winglets to replace the stock items. I use a wild ass seat cushion (the mid model with gel & air) and the dash I just put up with it’s definitely not the best. When the temps hit around 39/40c it didn’t matter what I was wearing it was too hot for comfortable riding (swamp arse etc), a great review I’d love to try a North American tour but the expense of hiring a bike (for me) would make it prohibitive, maybe I could ship mine over there 🤣.
Great review thanks for sharing 👍🇬🇧🇺🇸
Thanks 🤠👍🏻 I need to try the Tiger. 😊
I feel like my '08 GS is the sweet spot for tech. Basic rider aids like ABS/TC, but just a digital display that I can cycle through with one button on the bars, and another on the dash to cycle through mileage and both trip meters. And analog tach/speedo. I'd never bother learning how to utilize modern displays. I agree about tires. My trip last month was only 5k, but coming home through WY/UT/NV at high temps on a fairly worn rear tire was running through my mind regularly. I guess I could have stopped at Cycle Gear in SLUT or Reno, but I was close enough to home to chance it. I've got a new tire waiting, but I think I'll just run the old one until my next trip.
One question I have now when bike shopping (adding your comment on trip odo and how easy it is to find it) is how hard is it to get plastics off and how sturdy are the plastics connectors? Some bikes have crappy connectors that seem easy to break. How sturdy are your plastics connectors?
So far so good. Getting the side panels off is a bit of work, but once you have done it, it goes pretty quickly. I did a video on how to do that.
th-cam.com/video/7eti5zYZzfo/w-d-xo.html
great video. One question, What Wind Rider seat are you using? They list the 900 seat cover on their website, but they replied to my question that they do not have a cover to fit my 2023 1200 GT Explorer.
They do not. They had me measure my seats and said they had one that was close. It is a GS model. Speak to their customer service.
Great revue Craig. Sounds like a great trip!
I think you’d like the trip meter on the Indian FTR 1200 better! Also no valve adjustments.
I get new brake pads every year on the Vic, they’re inexpensive and ditto on the tires. Sooner than later especially on 2 wheels. What day were you in Spokane?
I was at a Best Western owned motel in Post falls the 1st. Fri. in August on my way back from Beartooth Pass.
Hey Im honored that you’re wearing my last name on your T-shirt😁,
Great vid.
Ride well & Ride on🍻
I was in Spokane on July 16th.
I put a Puig Windscreen for a Tiger 1200 on my Yamaha FZ-07 .. until I had to tip over in my shop while moving my bike from the wrong side in my shop. The Puig Windscreen shattered to I went back to the Mostad. That was the frame I used for the Tiger windscreen.
Liked the bike review!
I was concerned about gas on my trip to Alaska, but it was never a big concern. I have a 6.2 gallon tank, but my LT gets a fair bit better mileage than your Tiger. I get 50+ on the 55 mph roads and 40 at 80 on the interstate. I think I averaged 46 on my Alaska trip for the 10,500 miles. There was one stretch of 170 miles between gas stations and it was a cold, wet and windy day and I was getting less than 40 MPG that day, but even so, I was only a little less than 1/4 tank when I got to the next station. I found road conditions and gas availability to be much better than I expected on the road to Alaska. The ride was no problem at all on a heavy street bike. Now, we didn’t go north past Fairbanks. Going up the Haul Road would be a different story.
I am surprised with the fuel mileage. My Super Ten averages 49-52mpg and it doesn't matter if we are 2 up or just me. I have been looking at moving to the tiger or the Ducati but it's hard to move away from the S10 because it is a great all around bike.
I never got anything near that on my Tenere. The computer often said more, but actual measurement was in the 40 range
How did you like the Trailmax Missions on gravel and/or on the Dalton, especially in wet weather?
BTW, I have a BMW GS and got 18,000 miles on the Trailmax Missions (95% road/5% gravel)
I didn't do the Dalton, but on the gravel construction sections they did great even in the rain. I did not get into any heavy mud.
Enjoyed the review and am envious of the trip. Any big mysterious drops in gas mileage crossing the Dakotas? Also, and this is not intended as a slam on Peter and Steven... but did you prefer the solo trip vs. when the three of you made the journey? I imagine pros and cons both ways. BTW, I now have 50,000 miles on my ST and still love it. Would love to go back to Alaska or Newfoundland solo but at age 73, my wife has shared her concerns.
Hey Richard, hope all is well! The wind was not that bad on this trip, so the only drop was going 80 mph. I have a video coming out on Sunday about the differences in this trip vs the last. Overall I was happier and feeling better this time around. That has to do with how I approached it more than anything. As you mentioned, there are pros and cons to traveling with a group vs. alone.
And by the way, Cathy says this is my last long trip...we shall see.
Hi Craig, I've run those tires on my Tiger 900 RP. Rear has 14k and is probably good for another 2-3k miles. Front was shot at about 10k, but with a 21" front wheel I didn't expect to last as long. One of my riding buddies has the 1200 GT Pro. He gripes about the dash, as well. We just did a trip around the Great Lakes and the bike would stumble when starting occasionally. Did the air filter change in Spokane fix that problem for you? Also, he's experiencing a bit of oil consumption. Did you have to top off oil at all on the trip? Thanks (Love your channel BTW)
They did not change the filter in Spokane. That is part of the major service. No oil consumption for me. Thanks!
Hi Craig! Congratulations on the ride! How do you feel about the Tiger compared to the Super Tenere'. I'm really curious. And....I have to know.....why didn't you get an R1250 GSA?
The Tiger is a modern bike with a lot more HP and tech. A better bike all around. So far it is at least as reliable as the Tenere.
After my experience with the K1600 I was not willing to get another BMW. Also, I wanted to purchase from my local dealer.
Speaking of short attention spans, mine is longer than most these days apparently as I don’t watch TH-cam shorts and missed your trip. I remember you talking about trip preparation, and then you went silent. 😁
Just curious, Since you couldn't get a new air filter did you clean your old one ? I have cleaned air filters with compressed air ,blow the grit and dust from the inside out works pretty good. I have a bunch of motorcycles and have had to improvise on occasion.I currently have 4 motorcycles on the road. my biggest issue in life is deciding which one to ride on any given day.
2004 Goldwing, 2003 Buell xb9s, 82 CX-500, 72 Cl-350 , hmmm decisions decisions 🙃🙂
No, that is a big job removing the tank I did not want to take on so close to leaving.
Thumbs up also same for Palmer T
Hi there. Why don't you have a better bash plate for your triumph?
I bought it mostly for road touring not off road riding.
Sliding the bars rearward? Is that a factory capability?
It is, but you will have to add riders with the Explorer version.
I have put 20,000 miles on a Super Tenere with TMM. They had another 3000miles in them easily but front was getting very noisy. Unbelievable tire wear.
How did the Aerostich do and how filthy is it?
I will do a separate video on gear, but overall it did great! It did however get very dirty. I will show you all of that in the equipment video (in a couple of weeks).
I'm curious about the "fun factor" when you compare the Tiger to your Super Tenere.
The Tiger has much more in the tank...pun intended.
Liked the video surprised me your only 5ft 9 , you look taller, my inside leg 30 ish + a bit ,that’s USA inseam, possibly Canada,I’m a fraction over 5 / 9. I’ve been looking at a Tiger 1200 in 🏴, I was wondering if you are on tip toes , I heard you mention it’s difficult if on a bit of a leaning angle
Yes, I am on my tip toes if I try to put both feet down. Works much better to one foot it
@@LivingOffTheSlab cheers 👍
The funny (or sad) thing is that the Gen2 (2016-2017) Explorer had ALL that information at sight!!! It's one of the reasons that i don't think to "upgrade".
I almost bought a Tiger 1200. I am glad I bought the Tiger 900 GT Pro. I am 5’ 11” but at age 73, I am tired of the heavy Harley Davidson HOG’s, and sitting on a Triump 1200 felt a little too big for me. The 900 works great for me.
I road my 900 GT Pro in July from Texas to California. The only issue I had was that the seat was a bit on the uncomfortable side after each 200 miles or so. I think I am gonna look into the Wind Rider Seat Cover
The Tiger 900 was getting about 46 to 49 miles per gallon
The only thing I will do different is not ride my bike to California in the summer again. I was visiting my daughters and where they live temperatures were from 108 to 115 degrees.
Look at Russell Day Long seats too. The best seat I ever used.
I like the 900, but I don't want to dress the chain every time I ride it.
You would have easily made it home on those tires. I tend to run mine down pretty far, but I also bought a spare rear rim for my LT early on so that I could put on new tires before I leave on a trip and then swap when I get back to finish wearing out the previous tire that I figured might be sketchy to make the full trip. I never found a good deal on a spare front rim or I would have bought one of them, but they aren’t as nice as the rear since the rear doesn’t have the brake disk attached to it.
I ran into the trip mileage limit on a trip. I never determined it was due to the km conversion. I ride from fuel stop to fuel stop. I always had the fuel status screen up. I rarely changed the display setting. The motorcycle shop had a hard time finding the odometer reading for a state inspection. So the UX definitely could be better. Also... not trusting that shop to do service on the bike!!!
I have been working with Mom's for 15 years and they have always done me right. They should have had the parts for a scheduled service, but not throwing them under the bus for this.
You don't need a clean air filter at cranking speed. You might need new Spark Plugs..
How do you not have any Boston accent?
Not from here.
Thanks for all the details! One thing really shocked me: 12K miles same rear tire on 1200cc bike??? Either the tire technology advanced quite far in last 15 years or you're very light on the throttle ;) 15 years ago I daily rode BMW K1200RS and had to replace my rear tire every 4-5K mls, the front one lasted twice longer.
I changed the tires at 8500 miles, but, I could have gone 12k miles on them. It of course depends on the tire, the bike,and how you ride, but many tires now a days can go 10 to 12,000 miles safely.
I get 12K on the rear of my K1200LT running Bridgestone BT020s. I rode to Alaska and back, 10,500 miles, on the same set of tires.
@@LTVoyager Then it must be me.
@@Alex_556 Tire life depends on many things. Road surface, tire brand and type, proper balance and, most of all, throttle hand. 😁
@@LTVoyager That's why I suspected that you are very light on the throttle :) I used to having fun on my bikes so every time stared from the traffic light "as fast as possible, as slow as necessary". Upgraded my Yamaha 900cc to BMW 1200cc and found that my rear tire lifespan dropped from 9K mls to 4-5K max. I used BT-020 most of the time.
How did the 30000 mile service work out?
Good. I did a video about it.
Hey Craig going to Dirt Daz in NH on wednesday with my two sons John and James 28 and 24 i'm 59 and still making memories They still want to hang out with me 😂
Sounds awesome. Have fun!
I frequently replace tires "early." Too many things can go wrong as tires approach the wear bars and that's just not something I'm willing to bet on far from home. "Far" being relative to the individual.
I don't know why, we don't see more of them about. I have the GT PRO version, and think it's a wonderful machine. Could be, the new version, is still considered to be a little green, by riders. Only time will tell.
100% with you on the dash, for a bike made to do mileage on its a joke. Sure all the stuff you need is in there its just not easily accessible and the guy at Triumph who thought it was a good idea to hide it so deep in the menu should beout of work. Triumph's of old always had a tray at the bottom of the dash you could customize with your preferred info so you could just scroll through with the joystick.
Submenu's are sent by the devil 🤣 I don't know of any repair shop this side of 'The Pond' that orders parts in advance of a service. I guess in similar circumstances you could ring them a couple of weeks ahead of the booking, explain the situation and get them to order any parts you need in advance. I'm with you on tires, skimping on tiires is false economy, (IMO) especially in that situation. Very informative and honest review as always 👍 Anyone with an attention span of less than 26 minutes is in the wrong place 🤣👍
You are correct, it is very common practice not to order parts ahead. I take responsibility for not calling a few weeks out to make sure. I will be doing that next time, as I did for my service on the road.
@@LivingOffTheSlab I used to work on a (car) service desk as part of my job (not a main agent) and not having the parts instock was one of the things I used to look out for 'in advance', especially on a Saturday, when most suppliers closed at lunchtime (back then) I would think it's very difficult to keep everything 'off the shelf' these days with many dealers selling so many makes and models.
The dealer dosent have a wash bay?
My 2023 rally pro...I have the same gripe on the display....so much wasted room, I would love to have engine temp/oil temp and odometer always displayed along with TPMS info (which I haven't yet added). The Tiger 900 Rally pro that I owned prior showed ALL the info in one of the screen options...whomever Triumph hired to do the newer TFT's needs to be sent to HD or some other crap company. You would think a firmware/software update could easily be done to remedy this. ON TOP OF ALL THIS IS ITS DANGEROUS TO TAKE ONE'S EYES OFF THE ROAD GOING THROUGH ALL THESE STINKING MENUS!... I love the bike otherwise so far.
Great video, Craig. Glad you made it home without issues. I ended my 50 days, 11.5K trip in Tijuana, where I left the bike for a couple of months before continuing south. Thanks for the Lolo Pass tip; I truly enjoyed that ride, despite the 110 degrees 😅. It was great to meet you on the road.
Hey Francisco! Glad to hear you had a great trip and that you enjoyed Lolo pass. Great to meet you!
Sluggish to start could mean a valve or 2 is too tight. I’d say it needs an adjustment! I’m surprised it gets the same or worse gas mileage than a compact car! I would have expected at least low 40s worse case.
The Tiger gets low 40s, my Tenere got low 40s, BMW K1600, around 40. Higher rates of speed, they all drop into upper 30s.
@@LivingOffTheSlab certainly something to keep in mind when I upgrade as I’m considering a 1290 adventure. I’ve been touring on a “small” bike (KTM790) and it gets mid 50s for MPG. The Tiger is a beautiful motorcycle. The Tiger 900 has been a consideration for me as well. Thanks for the great videos!
I'm from Montreal, when riding in remote places I always carry 2 x 1.75 gallons roto pax gas containers on the top of my top case SW Motech on my Suzuki v strom 650 , i carry for 2 bikes my wife doesn't carry any on her F700gs....Once i was entering Canyon lands N.P. UT... And there was this couple wavering at me as if I was a Martian...and I stopped they had seen my 2 roto pax on top of my bike ...they were out of gas with their 2 1200gsa big tank plated with 2 plates from Germany...they had spent the week and camping in the N.P. I ended up giving them my 3.5 gallons...they were almost kissing me .. One other time near Valdez AK I got to the mom & pops gas station and it was closed...a paper sheet on the gas tank said gone fishing for the day. It was 2.p.m. One other time on my way to Chasasibi,Qc James Bay a gas station was close for about 6 months....my Zumo had not indicated that to me....I carry the roto pax empty and only fill them in remote areas...
Ok I don't typically weight in on comments - but to the critics that are crapping on you for tire replacement and providing you with their "tel-tire-health status reports" from looking at your posts - I would quote Bobby Cunningham "... in the pen.." (bobby was a reining horse trainer) - thus, when the critic is in the 12K pen for two months then their argument is valid to THEM at that time. Short of that it's all noise. I also do what you do and play it safe and SMART when doing long distance traveling.
Clearly whoever designed the dash menu/info does not ride, he must be from the marketing dpt, but it looks cool !
you have money, you spend when it's not needed. More power to you. There was absolutely nothing wrong with those tires at 8500 miles. Again, more power to you.
If you press the home page button the maintenance menu pops up… one button press and you will have what you are looking for. 2023 rp.
When you press the home button, you are taken to the last menu or page you viewed. This is the work around for easily getting to trip meter. If I want to then see the tpms, I have to navigate several clicks deep and then back to the trip meter.
The TPMS system remians active no matter if you are actively monitoring it. Meaning. You don’t have to have it on display. It will alert you if your tires are low. Or you could check the TPMs before starting your ride for the day. Then view the maintenance so to have that information available with the press of a single button.
Also, the native TPMs sensor will need to be replaced after a few years. This can cost upwards of 500 dollars US…. I went with a much more cost effective system… cost all of 35 dollars. The batteries can be easily replaced and works with my cell…. And should the system ever fail… I won’t have to deal with dealer delays to fix the issue.
@@xm65 I am aware the tpms is active when it is not displayed and that I can bring up any single page by first navigating to it and then using the home button. Why should I have to do that? Obviously we disagree about how the display should work. Appreciate the input.
I agree with you. Just pointing out there there is an extremely simple method to get around that problem. 👍🏻
On the dash, I think this is a big problem for manufacturers, it looks like the designers don’t ride motorcycles and therefore we have this problem.
It sure seems that way.
@@LivingOffTheSlab Looks like they went for smartness/beauty instead of usability, strange that this would be the choice on a touring motorcycle where you spend hours in the saddle every day.
I enjoyed your daily briefings, and there are few things better than finding out you picked a great bike to do your trip with.
I will be riding up to Prince Rupert in October if the weather holds up, so I look forward to your trip recaps.