I rode a 2017 Tiger 1200, and I liked what the bike had to offer for a road adventure bike that you could take on some easy trails. I don't mind the weight, so to speak, but I just don't like how top heavy they are, especially when you have loaded panniers. If they made the center of gravity lower in the frame, and placed the panniers lower too so that the bike would be more balanced.
Great vids and content. Currently have my T120 & Super Ten up for sale. New Bikes on my horizon = Tiger 1200, 800, 1290SAS.....maybe AT 1100 maybe. But still need to ride a 1250GS to get that out of my system. I really want a Adventure bike that has down low torque of the T120 and suspension travel and handling of my Super T.
If you test drive a lot and research a lot, you go blind to gs 1250. I did a lot of research and i must warn you, the GSA is the best but is also the most expensive to maintence/cost. Just a quick comparrison Tiger 1200 - eletric windshield - more strong shaft drive - individual heat seats on the xca/xrt - Sound if you are into that Gs/GsA 1200 - Shiftcam *this is a real game changer* - Easier to manuver - Even the GSA full tank is lighter than the Tiger, and because how the engine is maded is much easier to manuver - Bmw connect is better than what tiger offer. *sistem integration with comunicator/gps to the bike tft display - Much more agile and i must say better comfort seats. I did both test ride, my love was with tiger sound, but even with less HP there is no bike with that many torq than gs 1250. And is more comfy also. If you get a GS adventure. Them u have a motorcycle that can easy ride for 600km without stop. GS with shiftcam can do near 25kmL mark. That is the tiger 800 mark.
@@jackchristodoulou197 Hahaha, almost like that. Im right now on the market to buy a new mortocycle for travelling. After i test drive i want a gs 1250 but maybe i will get a used s1000XR instead, to spend more money on travelling and help a friend of mine get her a cb 500x. Not rich enough to make everything i want :)
@@ThorVeras Thanks for the info! Currently I'm drawn to the KTM 1290SAS, but the Tiger1200 was always on my list. I shall ride the GS to be sure all is right in the world too. :)
Thumbs up for the great looking bike review, weather here in Virginia is 85 degrees (close to 30 C) and sunny. My current bike weighs 900lbs (408kg) so I don't see the Tiger 1200 as heavy, although I don't go off-road with mine, but honestly how many people that buy the Tiger actually go off-road that often, if ever, or a GSA for that matter. Also, I'd buy the 1200 over the 800 just for the shaft drive to eliminate the chain maintenance. I really love the looks of the Tiger though more-so than other Adventure bikes. Personal opinion, but its the right opinion, because its mine :)
Nice chips there . I remember having some a year or two back. As for the bike, I do wonder why Triumph don't make a faired touring bike anymore like the Sprint. Touring is lots of miles, and wind protection just looks so useful. Not sure I'd ever want a heavy adventure bike to take off road. When you drop them , you have to pick them up .
Have had two of them, an xr and an xca, but my age and their weight means that I now have a tiger 800 xca. Only complaint other than the weight would be the backlash in the shaft drive. The bevel drives could be quite noisy!!
I was just finishing up some work and getting ready to get on the bike to go out for my Friday Fish & Chips 😆 and here your video pops up. Dang even got the same cloudy weather here is So Cal. I miss getting my fish and chips in a paper cone. One question where in England is that desert mountain road, that looks like fun. LOL
It may be cloudy but i bet its warmer than 6 degrees C! That's about what it was when I filmed this back in January. That desert mountain road is a little shortcut i know ;)
It's definitely a good bike, but too heavy I think. It's not ideal when you have to overthink where you stop, pull over, park etc due to the bulk or weight of your bike. Great video as ever Tony!. Cheers, Steve
You know.... it irritates me beyond belief when people say, "this bike is so heavy." The bottom line is - if you are a small guy or not very strong... DO NOT BUY A BIKE THAT IS HEAVY and a bike you cannot handle! It's a very simple concept. Heavy to you may not be heavy to me. For instance... when you've ridden a full-dress Harley Davidson that is close to 1000 lbs... and you get on a Triumph Tiger 1200 that is 580 lbs - the Tiger literally feels like a bicycle! To me, I was actually shocked how light the Triumph Tiger is because my last 3 bikes have weighed HUNDREDS of pounds more than the Tiger 1200. So it's all in perspective. Someone who is used to riding a 500cc motorcycle and gets on a Tiger 1200 will think it's a heavy beast. It's all subjective. Bottom line is don't buy a bike that's too tall or too heavy if you physically cannot handle the bike.. not to mention it's dangerous. Also, compared to my 2015 Yamaha FJR1300 the Tiger 1200 feels like a feather.
I wouldn't swop my Tiger 800 for one. Nothing wrong with it, if I did long-distance touring on sealed roads maybe. Triumph's adventure pegs need a longer adventure gear lever
I had one i thought it was going to be my last bike purchase, after doing the nc500 on it and it trying to kill me with the notorious wobble i came to the conclusion it bored me, i felt like a 70 yr old GS1200 rider, got home sold it and purchased a multistrada now iam 21 again love it.
Don't forget the spray for the chain 😂😂 what a waste! Change a beautiful complete bike, solid built, for few more horse power... But ok.. at this level all bikes are great! Only depending on individual taste! Ride safe. Greetings from Portugal
@@GalambaPortugal solid bike I will remind you of that comment when the rear part of the frame is rotten and you have to replace the whole bike because its not removable, mine was a year old and it was rusting where the exhaust bolts on, they handle like crap and have a wobble problem, Google it.
@@dillonthestaffy511 not the 2018 model for sure! But if you want to point problems the GS is refered in a lot of TH-cam comments as a box of problems! Starting with the shaft... Seems it gets rusty inside and breakes!!! Dozens of comments from brazilian youtubers and others point that fact that already caused accidents... The Ducati multistrada is also pointed for having bad materials namely the plastics... Some youtubers point out other problems like the TFT and the ekectronics... But ok 😉 i guess it's a mater of luck... Some youtuber Said that at this level all bikes are great... Ride safe
Had an earlier explorer and tried this one. Improvements in some areas but complexity where it wasnt needed in others. Tft is fine but way too many buttons and distractions...the old screen was fine and buttons intuative. Less so on the new one. Windshield is brilliant. Weight is still a massive problem and despite saying it goes away on the go....try it loaded up with a pillion. It doesnt go away at all at low speed and makes slow hairpins and tight corners frought. Just hauling it off the stand when loaded needs huge effort. Suspension is improved but the old one was pretty good to begin with. I traded mine for a gsa. The gsa is better in just about every area. More comfortable and stable at slow speed. Easier to handle and pulls harder at low revs. Better handling and stopping too. Lights are better and switchgear more intuative. If you have 17k to burn the gs is still the one to beat. Its light years better to ride. Both bikes have reliability foibles. You pays your money and makes your choice.
Thanks for the feedback. Yes the Beemer has the advantage with that boxer engine carrying the weight much lower. I rode 2018 GSA and liked it, even though I thought i wouldn't. Maybe there is a reason Triumph dealers in the UK have more used 1200's on the forecourt than 800's. I'd like to get gold of the new 1250 GS to test....
@@mancavemoto the 1250 is a cracking good bike. Better imho than the feisty multistrada 1260 I test road which I hated. Peaky...wanted to run wide...no bottom end grunt and the enduro version was stupidly tall. 1250 feels more nimble and flickable with useable power everywhere and great handling. Those calling the gs....any of the watercooled ones, bikes for 70 yr olds clearly have never ridden one. I wanted to hate the gs....instead it turned out to be the best bike I've owned in 35 yrs biking.
@@ReferenceFidelityComponents i own the Tiger! Never would change it for a BMW... Everybody rides BMW... But only gentlemans ride a Triumph 😉 greetings from Portugal
I rode a BMW GSA for a few days and absolutely hated it. Clunky, hate the low motor - I thought the controls were difficult. Would never buy. Love the Tiger 1200 though.
@@jblue1299 please man 😉 when you ride you don't feel it! When you're stoped ir moving slowly... Just open your legs a litle bit 👍 this bike is a beauty tech and smooth to ride... The best! That heat thing is quite acepteble... Ride safe!
I was hit and almost brought down this week by a frikin pigeon. The fucker flew out from the verge as I was about to ride by probably startled by the bus I was following. First it flew one way then the other back to me. I thought it was going to hit me full on the visor but I managed to duck a tiny bit and tilt my head forward and it hit snacked me hard on my left forehead and bit of my visor of my helmet. I momentarily saw stars and it felt like this is what being thumped by Mike Tyson must feel like. Fortunately I kept my bike upright, VFR, and didn't fall unconscious and crash as it was a big bang on my helmet. I was riding at about 50mph. Fortunately it didn't do any damage to my helmet well nothing I can see. Wiped the imprint of the feathers off my visor when I got home. I hope the impact killed the fecker as it really shat me up. I hate pigeons. Rats with wings. That Tiger 1200 looks a grand tourer. Triumph have clearly aimed it at the GS1250 but I feel the GS will be a bit lighter to manoeuvre and certainly easier to pick up if it was dropped. The Tiger 1200 looks a bit tall and top heavy in comparison. I prefer the looks of the GS1250 or KTM 1290 SA.
Damn, glad you're ok, it's surprising what the impact can be like from a relatively light bird. It hit a pheasant at about 40mph recently and it almost ripped my spotlight off. Its more nimble than I was expecting, but it does carry its weight quite high. I'm not sure on the looks of the GS personally, but i have ridden a 1200gsa for a short run and really enjoyed it
That is a beutiful bike, but to big and to expensive. Its not as smooth as the GS to ride, but it looks a hell of a lot better than the GS. Ride safe..
Southwold (I knew what I meant). Took 2 seconds from the start of the video. I've always made the mistake of trying to get fish and chips on a Monday :/
Would definitely make a comfy tourer, and there's a lot on it, but fierce competition, certainly at that price point. Multistrada 1260s, R1250GS Rallye TE, KTM super adventure S plus change, Super Tenere Raid.......
yep, couldn't face an extra large haddock portion (to give you a clue it wouldnt have fitted in the top box!) ;) What country are you in, not sure if the question mark denoted that you don't know what scampi is?
Wow motorcycles, plus history, plus local tourism. Your review has us looking at flights to the UK. Thanks
Thanks Frank, even in that weather? 😂 Glad you liked it there may be more of that to come
I rode a 2017 Tiger 1200, and I liked what the bike had to offer for a road adventure bike that you could take on some easy trails. I don't mind the weight, so to speak, but I just don't like how top heavy they are, especially when you have loaded panniers. If they made the center of gravity lower in the frame, and placed the panniers lower too so that the bike would be more balanced.
I had two Triumph 1200s with 50k miles on them and the weight when you are going slow is a HUGE deal. Especially loaded and riding two up.
I have the 1200 xrt 👍 since may... I'm so in love!!! Such a great bike 👍 probably the best in the world 😉 good rewiew! Greetings from Portugal
Thanks Miguel, glad you are enjoying it
Great vids and content.
Currently have my T120 & Super Ten up for sale. New Bikes on my horizon = Tiger 1200, 800, 1290SAS.....maybe AT 1100 maybe. But still need to ride a 1250GS to get that out of my system. I really want a Adventure bike that has down low torque of the T120 and suspension travel and handling of my Super T.
Don’t sell the T120 you regret it like I did and brought new one 6 months later
If you test drive a lot and research a lot, you go blind to gs 1250.
I did a lot of research and i must warn you, the GSA is the best but is also the most expensive to maintence/cost.
Just a quick comparrison
Tiger 1200
- eletric windshield
- more strong shaft drive
- individual heat seats on the xca/xrt
- Sound if you are into that
Gs/GsA 1200
- Shiftcam *this is a real game changer*
- Easier to manuver
- Even the GSA full tank is lighter than the Tiger, and because how the engine is maded is much easier to manuver
- Bmw connect is better than what tiger offer. *sistem integration with comunicator/gps to the bike tft display
- Much more agile and i must say better comfort seats.
I did both test ride, my love was with tiger sound, but even with less HP there is no bike with that many torq than gs 1250. And is more comfy also.
If you get a GS adventure. Them u have a motorcycle that can easy ride for 600km without stop. GS with shiftcam can do near 25kmL mark. That is the tiger 800 mark.
@@ThorVeras sounds like you about to sell your house and right kidney to buy a 1250gsa
@@jackchristodoulou197 Hahaha, almost like that.
Im right now on the market to buy a new mortocycle for travelling.
After i test drive i want a gs 1250 but maybe i will get a used s1000XR instead, to spend more money on travelling and help a friend of mine get her a cb 500x.
Not rich enough to make everything i want :)
@@ThorVeras Thanks for the info! Currently I'm drawn to the KTM 1290SAS, but the Tiger1200 was always on my list. I shall ride the GS to be sure all is right in the world too. :)
Thumbs up for the great looking bike review, weather here in Virginia is 85 degrees (close to 30 C) and sunny. My current bike weighs 900lbs (408kg) so I don't see the Tiger 1200 as heavy, although I don't go off-road with mine, but honestly how many people that buy the Tiger actually go off-road that often, if ever, or a GSA for that matter. Also, I'd buy the 1200 over the 800 just for the shaft drive to eliminate the chain maintenance. I really love the looks of the Tiger though more-so than other Adventure bikes. Personal opinion, but its the right opinion, because its mine :)
Can't argue with that. What you ride?
I have the red korosi 1200👍 what a beauty 😍
Looking at a used one and watched your review again. Perfect call on the windscreen. Why does it feel so heavy? Damn I want some fish 'n chips now.
😂
Nice chips there . I remember having some a year or two back.
As for the bike, I do wonder why Triumph don't make a faired touring bike anymore like the Sprint. Touring is lots of miles, and wind protection just looks so useful.
Not sure I'd ever want a heavy adventure bike to take off road. When you drop them , you have to pick them up .
Yes, the Tiger sport is the closest to that now. Maybe theres a sprint replacment coming?
Have had two of them, an xr and an xca, but my age and their weight means that I now have a tiger 800 xca. Only complaint other than the weight would be the backlash in the shaft drive. The bevel drives could be quite noisy!!
Nice choice of bike ;)
I was just finishing up some work and getting ready to get on the bike to go out for my Friday Fish & Chips 😆 and here your video pops up.
Dang even got the same cloudy weather here is So Cal. I miss getting my fish and chips in a paper cone.
One question where in England is that desert mountain road, that looks like fun. LOL
Ha!
It may be cloudy but i bet its warmer than 6 degrees C! That's about what it was when I filmed this back in January. That desert mountain road is a little shortcut i know ;)
@@mancavemoto
Just a bit 😁 right now its cloudy with a bit of drizzle at 8:00a and 62°F thats 08:00 and 17°C here in Southern California.
Cheers.
It's definitely a good bike, but too heavy I think. It's not ideal when you have to overthink where you stop, pull over, park etc due to the bulk or weight of your bike. Great video as ever Tony!. Cheers, Steve
You know.... it irritates me beyond belief when people say, "this bike is so heavy." The bottom line is - if you are a small guy or not very strong... DO NOT BUY A BIKE THAT IS HEAVY and a bike you cannot handle! It's a very simple concept. Heavy to you may not be heavy to me. For instance... when you've ridden a full-dress Harley Davidson that is close to 1000 lbs... and you get on a Triumph Tiger 1200 that is 580 lbs - the Tiger literally feels like a bicycle! To me, I was actually shocked how light the Triumph Tiger is because my last 3 bikes have weighed HUNDREDS of pounds more than the Tiger 1200. So it's all in perspective. Someone who is used to riding a 500cc motorcycle and gets on a Tiger 1200 will think it's a heavy beast. It's all subjective. Bottom line is don't buy a bike that's too tall or too heavy if you physically cannot handle the bike.. not to mention it's dangerous. Also, compared to my 2015 Yamaha FJR1300 the Tiger 1200 feels like a feather.
Good review, the smell of that food has me hungry now!
😉😂
What jacket are you wearing?
Good review, however the price is way to high but I'd chance a low mileage second hand
It’s an RST pro Paragon 5, there’s a link in the description
Thumbs up for the dripping
ha! cheers
Thanks for the review. Out of interest, what jacket are you wearing?
Thanks, it’s the RST Paragon 5, there’s a link to it in the description 👍
Of course there is another Tiger on the market as well, theTiger Sport with the 1050cc engine
Thats true...
I wouldn't swop my Tiger 800 for one. Nothing wrong with it, if I did long-distance touring on sealed roads maybe. Triumph's adventure pegs need a longer adventure gear lever
I agree, and yes they do, thats why i'll be fitting an SW motech Shifter in the next few weeks
I had one i thought it was going to be my last bike purchase, after doing the nc500 on it and it trying to kill me with the notorious wobble i came to the conclusion it bored me, i felt like a 70 yr old GS1200 rider, got home sold it and purchased a multistrada now iam 21 again love it.
Don't forget the spray for the chain 😂😂 what a waste! Change a beautiful complete bike, solid built, for few more horse power... But ok.. at this level all bikes are great! Only depending on individual taste! Ride safe. Greetings from Portugal
@@GalambaPortugal solid bike I will remind you of that comment when the rear part of the frame is rotten and you have to replace the whole bike because its not removable, mine was a year old and it was rusting where the exhaust bolts on, they handle like crap and have a wobble problem, Google it.
@@dillonthestaffy511 not the 2018 model for sure! But if you want to point problems the GS is refered in a lot of TH-cam comments as a box of problems! Starting with the shaft... Seems it gets rusty inside and breakes!!! Dozens of comments from brazilian youtubers and others point that fact that already caused accidents...
The Ducati multistrada is also pointed for having bad materials namely the plastics... Some youtubers point out other problems like the TFT and the ekectronics... But ok 😉 i guess it's a mater of luck... Some youtuber Said that at this level all bikes are great... Ride safe
Chop shop are owned by the same people and are just as good as thr one in the town .
wtf ! was looking forward to seeing a nice bit of Cod !! Scampi ain’t fish n chips lol, cracking big tourer but too pricey.
Lol I’m not a fan of Cod and the extra large haddock is about as but as me. Scampi was the easiest to eat too ;)
Had an earlier explorer and tried this one. Improvements in some areas but complexity where it wasnt needed in others. Tft is fine but way too many buttons and distractions...the old screen was fine and buttons intuative. Less so on the new one. Windshield is brilliant. Weight is still a massive problem and despite saying it goes away on the go....try it loaded up with a pillion. It doesnt go away at all at low speed and makes slow hairpins and tight corners frought. Just hauling it off the stand when loaded needs huge effort. Suspension is improved but the old one was pretty good to begin with. I traded mine for a gsa. The gsa is better in just about every area. More comfortable and stable at slow speed. Easier to handle and pulls harder at low revs. Better handling and stopping too. Lights are better and switchgear more intuative. If you have 17k to burn the gs is still the one to beat. Its light years better to ride. Both bikes have reliability foibles. You pays your money and makes your choice.
Thanks for the feedback. Yes the Beemer has the advantage with that boxer engine carrying the weight much lower. I rode 2018 GSA and liked it, even though I thought i wouldn't. Maybe there is a reason Triumph dealers in the UK have more used 1200's on the forecourt than 800's. I'd like to get gold of the new 1250 GS to test....
@@mancavemoto the 1250 is a cracking good bike. Better imho than the feisty multistrada 1260 I test road which I hated. Peaky...wanted to run wide...no bottom end grunt and the enduro version was stupidly tall. 1250 feels more nimble and flickable with useable power everywhere and great handling. Those calling the gs....any of the watercooled ones, bikes for 70 yr olds clearly have never ridden one. I wanted to hate the gs....instead it turned out to be the best bike I've owned in 35 yrs biking.
@@ReferenceFidelityComponents i own the Tiger! Never would change it for a BMW... Everybody rides BMW... But only gentlemans ride a Triumph 😉 greetings from Portugal
I rode a BMW GSA for a few days and absolutely hated it. Clunky, hate the low motor - I thought the controls were difficult. Would never buy. Love the Tiger 1200 though.
Triumph has the heat problem with its adventure bikes, not gonna purchase until this is resolved!!
They are not the only ones, my KTM 1050 was terrible for kicking out heat
I live in Portugal and don't feel anything different about it... And summer os really heavy around here...
miguel galamba , summer in Texas is from 95 to 107 degrees.....heat isn’t a problem with most other bikes ....
@@jblue1299 please man 😉 when you ride you don't feel it! When you're stoped ir moving slowly... Just open your legs a litle bit 👍 this bike is a beauty tech and smooth to ride... The best! That heat thing is quite acepteble... Ride safe!
Just the adventure bikes ? My Speed Twin "fan" heats my lower legs. I guess I'll like it in colder weather :)
I was hit and almost brought down this week by a frikin pigeon. The fucker flew out from the verge as I was about to ride by probably startled by the bus I was following. First it flew one way then the other back to me. I thought it was going to hit me full on the visor but I managed to duck a tiny bit and tilt my head forward and it hit snacked me hard on my left forehead and bit of my visor of my helmet. I momentarily saw stars and it felt like this is what being thumped by Mike Tyson must feel like. Fortunately I kept my bike upright, VFR, and didn't fall unconscious and crash as it was a big bang on my helmet. I was riding at about 50mph. Fortunately it didn't do any damage to my helmet well nothing I can see. Wiped the imprint of the feathers off my visor when I got home. I hope the impact killed the fecker as it really shat me up. I hate pigeons. Rats with wings.
That Tiger 1200 looks a grand tourer. Triumph have clearly aimed it at the GS1250 but I feel the GS will be a bit lighter to manoeuvre and certainly easier to pick up if it was dropped. The Tiger 1200 looks a bit tall and top heavy in comparison. I prefer the looks of the GS1250 or KTM 1290 SA.
Damn, glad you're ok, it's surprising what the impact can be like from a relatively light bird. It hit a pheasant at about 40mph recently and it almost ripped my spotlight off. Its more nimble than I was expecting, but it does carry its weight quite high. I'm not sure on the looks of the GS personally, but i have ridden a 1200gsa for a short run and really enjoyed it
Fish and chips..haha... greetings from Greece...(really food)
bynightful Fish & Chips...food of the Gods 😉
20 litres of gasoline is around 14 kilos, not 20 kgs.
I stand corrected, thank you.
That is a beutiful bike, but to big and to expensive. Its not as smooth as the GS to ride, but it looks a hell of a lot better than the GS. Ride safe..
Sorry but for me it's not true. I had GS and a Tiger XCA. The Tiger is waaaayy more smoother than the GS...
@@keepersofthedeep oki, but that was just my experianse...
Southwold (I knew what I meant). Took 2 seconds from the start of the video. I've always made the mistake of trying to get fish and chips on a Monday :/
Close, and yep I’ve forgotten that too a few times
Sorry I mean’t close as in it was Aldeburgh ;)
@@mancavemoto Yeah. Got that, always get mixed up even though they really are totally different :D
Ur big brother, def a beauty but as u say ... pricey 😢
Would definitely make a comfy tourer, and there's a lot on it, but fierce competition, certainly at that price point. Multistrada 1260s, R1250GS Rallye TE, KTM super adventure S plus change, Super Tenere Raid.......
SCAMPI and chips? Thumbs up for going out in the rain; thumbs down for the ugly, heavy bike.
yep, couldn't face an extra large haddock portion (to give you a clue it wouldnt have fitted in the top box!) ;) What country are you in, not sure if the question mark denoted that you don't know what scampi is?