Tiger 1200 vs GS1250 Review - At last!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ต.ค. 2024
- At last I've been able to get my hands on the new Triumph Tiger 1200 to carry out a detailed review and compare it to the BMW R1250GS. Is the new Tiger a GS beater as Triumph claim? Stay tuned to find out my opinion on the subject...
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I pick up this same bike today for testing. I like that Triumph has the option for the 21 inch front wheel for serious off roading, but have the GT version for folks who want to primarily ride on the highway. I filmed the GT Pro already, huge fan of this new Tiger.
Thank you for the ride review. The new Tiger is very exciting. All of the comparisons to the GS are very helpful. I definitely want to try the tele-lever front suspension on the Beemer. All of my conventionally suspended motorcycles have had some brake dive - so I'm used to it. However, the tele-lever sounds nice for all-day touring on the highway.
I'm so pleased you've also noticed the weed smell more these days, I was just saying this the other day!
Yeah not good is it - I have no issue with it in private but not driving under the influence…
@@TheMissendenFlyer I couldn't agree more
Current GS owner and past explorer owner, test road GT Pro, exceptional engine, fork dive was intolerable, better in many ways to the GS, but as a package the GS can’t be beaten
Fork dive depends on your suspension settings.
Just bought a 1200 GT Pro
I traded my Rocket 3 for it and I’m completely in love with my Tiger
I don’t know how I ever got along without a quick shifter, it’s buttery smooth
I’m 5’ 7” so I have the seat at the lowest setting. I can touch the balls of my feet on the ground, but I do mount the bike with the kickstand down lol
The Rocket had allotta front end dive under hard breaking so, I don’t notice any on the GT Pro.
I’ve already forgotten about the Rocket
I LOVE my Tiger 1200 GT Pro
P.S. I’ve always had a thing for Triumph LOL
Me too....
I've been a Triumph Tiger owner for ten years now, Gen 1-3 love them because of the engine as well as being great bikes. I waited three years for the new 1200 to come out but cannot get on with the new engine. Didn't like it on the 900 so bought a Gen 3 800 XCA new for a great price hoping to trade it in for the new 1200 but no way. I do notice the vibes at around 75-80 mph, really notice them after riding the old triple for so many years. I've ridden the new bike for nearly a day now trying to ignore them but I can't. Why oh why change it when most people will be just touring on it baffles me. On the 900 maybe as people will go off road much more on the smaller bike but not the 1200. Just bought a GSA instead. How daft is that! Not me buying a GSA, but Triumph putting me on one...
I totally agree with you, I tested the new triumph 1200 Gt pro and the vibrations on that thing are too much, the BMW r1250gsa is much smoother :-)
@@josephmt0927 Totally agree, After 17 years on Triumphs, I truly hate the T plane engines & it's intrusive vibrations, it's an evolutionary route I will not take, what's worse is the Speedie 1200RS motor is a peach by comparison ! Most Tigers will be used in Tarmac, so why spoil it for those 5% that go off-road ? After all if we wanted a GS we'd simply buy a GS !
Nice to see the Rally version being tested even though it might not be your preferred model! I hope that brake dive can be reduced by playing with the suspension (wonder if it has a "braking support" option in the settings)... as someone who likes a sporty ride now and then that dive would do my head in. Can't wait to see what the new generation of GS/boxer brings to the table!
Hi Andy,Another straight and honest review which I really enjoy about your videos.
I would like to hear a review of the 1200 GT Pro and how it compares with its smaller brother,the 900 Gt Pro.
Happy riding 😊
Trick for when you get a long travel suspended bike with a bit of front end dive...skim your rear brake a little, as you slow down slow down with the fronts. It'll help control the chassis a bit and limit the dive.
GS for me... on my second one now, totally brilliant go anywhere bike (and no fork dive - which I think you have to live with one for a while to fully appreciate that.... Its one of the undesirable things I always immediately notice on any other bike now ) Plus I value the 3 yrs warranty which is a must for me on these increasingly tech bikes. You are right, the margins between all these adv tourers are getting finer but for me the BMW is "just right". Hope the new one has mirror integrated indicators which I think all bikes should have.... ? I like the Tiger though and no doubt it will be a success, the big triple motors pull like a freight train ! Pipes out of fork tops looks a bit ropey ...
I’m definitely with you on this one. The big thing with the GS is the “living with it” factor. This for me is the big deal with GS’s and always has been. The more you ride it the better it gets. The more things you use it for, the better it gets. Commute, running errands, doing the food shopping touring, whatever and that’s where it really wins out for me. Arguably the Triumph should be better at everything, it’s come out 4 years later. So bench mark the opposition, make your new bike 5% better on everything and you have a winner. It’s good to have choice, though I hope that BMW don’t get sucked in to the power and weight battle. Power near max rpm means nothing to me, big torque at 5000rpm does. I’ll take the few kg penalty for telelever front suspension, it’s something that keeps the GS different. In fact I personally wish they still had the old style indicator switches, miles better 😂
Yep, 3yrs warranty. Just enough to cover the rental crowd, and let the used market owners pick up the (expensive) pieces.
Triumph bikes now also have a 3 year warranty
@@hollowaysteve So let’s say the “rental crowd” as you call it get rid of their bikes after a 3 year PCP. Chances are that they will be sold back to the dealer for another PCP perhaps. If that’s the case then in BMW dealers at least, that bike will be sold with a 2 year approved used warranty so that bike will have been covered for a total of 5 years in this use profile. There will likely be an option to purchase another year though arguable whether that’s worth it as some items are not covered. I assume it will be a similar story with Triumph. So while there will be some cases for sure that do not fit this profile the 3 year PCP bikes will often fit it
@@timwhite3250 Exactly. So as I say. The rental crowd are covered
Just done a test ride on a 1200GT Pro, didn’t notice any vibes to write home about. Mirrors were clear and steady at all the speeds I tried. Quick shifter was excellent, as was the comfort. Sat nav,? Triumph scored an own goal here in my book by not fitting a bigger screen with a proper sat nav display. When touring I like to see the layout of the road ahead, which turn by turn does not display. Met a bloke at the dealers who thought the same, he had a Tom Tom fitted to his 1200 gt pro. Another option would be to enable control of a stand alone sat nav from from the joystick controller, but in most cases once you set the destination that should be it. But that’s nit pickin. It’s a nice bike.
Be nice to learn your thoughts when you get a chance to ride the GT Pro. My dealer lent me one when my bike was in for a service. I was able to take it on my normal route to test. It gave me a chance to play with the settings. I found the sport mode a little to abrupt and snatchy but liked the firmer suspension set-up. So I just dialled up the suspension settings in road mode. This reduced the brake dive and I had the the benefit of a less sensitive throttle. In practice, I’d probably leave the bike in this set up for 90% of my riding, or set this up in the rider-configurable mode. The bike I had did have the vibes but I generally pass through them on the A and B type roads that I typically ride, so not a deal breaker. I didn’t gel with the T-Plane motor initially and think the previous generation configuration would suit my road riding needs better. However, after a few hours I started to befriend the T-Plane mill and enjoy it’s character; it really does have 2 personalities and is fun transitioning through them. I’m only 5’7” and the 850mm seat height was manageable but on my limits, I’d probably opt for the low seat (830mm) which also adds heating. Resale value is something I look at so a low mileage second hand one might be the wise choice. My Triumph dealer is very close and is good. The closest BMW dealer is 4 hours away. This last point could be the deciding factor and pull me towards a new Tiger. We’ll see. Thanks for the review Andy.
Thank you for your thoughts!
👋 hello everybody..
I can perfectly understand why so many bikers love and buys the Bmw Gs 1250 but for having tried many times that motorcycle my feelings were that even though it’s a very multi qualified bike it gave me no goosebumps or smile riding it…
I had more pleasure riding the Triumph Tiger 1200 probably because of the sound and how the power of the 3 cylinders are giving to the rider and to be honest the looks as well of the Tiger is more my taste.
✌🏼
Fair enough! The Tiger does have a great engine I agree….
Great video.
I had a test ride of one of these a few weeks ago and thought it was great.
For me, it was a tie between the Tiger 900 and 1200. I decided to go for the 900 primarily because of the cost.
I did a test ride on the GS as well, however, I didn't like it that much. Pretty much everything was great with it but the one thing I found that put me off was the Boxer engine. Not that the engine wasn't great as an engine, it's just I kept hitting it with my size 14 feet.
Because it's right there in front of you and sticks out quite far there was nowhere to stretch out your legs. So after just a 40-minute ride, I felt my legs cramping and had no easy way to give them a little stretch.
I've very excited to get my new bike, the end of July feels like forever away.
Hi ...would just say...the tank range and mpg is not so good on the ducati v4s....quite a consideration when travelling....the bmw gs is noisy engine wise when pulling up at junctions etc. I know I've owned 5 of them....the triumph for me 6'2" is nicer all round ...getting mine delivered today...:-) Good channel by the way.......
I have size 15s -You can just about stretch out your legs under the cylinder if you are careful n ot to touch the road!!
Helpful comment. BMW reliability issues, the loud engine noise I've heard about and the vulnerability of those cylinders make me tempted to not even bother test-riding a GS.
@@craigfinnegan8534 If you're worried about mechanical noise I would recommend an Energica or Zero.
Size 15, 6ft6in. Never had a problem with cylinder heads on a GS as the footpegs are quite far back. The R18 is another matter.
Good to see Chops… pointing out the obvious with Mavis’s help. 👍
Is a very difficult task to overcome the current GS 1250. But it is a sign that other brands are getting closer👍🏻👍🏻
And ore expensive than the GS too
I dont think the triumph is close enough to the GS really in terms of riding experience, build quality or design, it is a good effort but given a choice anyone with any sense would have the GS
@@chrischristofis8501You’re maybe right. And in the next year, with the iteration of the GS , Its expectable big development on the bike in general and tech improvements from BMW 👍
Im sure the reliability servicing and spares and even the design and performance id have the tiger. They seem better finished than some hondas like the africa twin especially somewhere like scotland where fasteners etc rust. I really like those big triumph triple engines.
Great review, I was at the factory visitor centre in Hinckley this morning and these tigers look lovely up close.
I just traded my 1250GS for a GT Explorer. After the first 1k miles, no regrets, and no issues with fork dive... perhaps your example was adjusted to have v. soft front suspension or perhaps it's just the Rally versions that suffer more. Agree with you about the TFT, GPS integration and the joystick. Here, I think BMW was better. Other than that though, I think the GT Explorer wins. I guess the next GS will have built-in GPS display like the RT. A backward step IMO.
Nose dive is easily avoided for sure, just a case of setting the suspension correctly and using the right braking technique.
Tell me how you can brake without transferring weight forward and maintaining suspension movement on conventional front forks?
@@nikoscosmos Balance it with some rear braking and check you've got the suspension set up correctly in the first place
@@DanTube2010 with conventional front forks it will always be a compromise of increased compression dampingas and reduced suspension travel as the weight transfer will always go down the forks from the headstock. With anti dive geometry the weight transfer will go directly to the front wheel and suspension travel won't be used up. In practice a well set up bike is fine for its intended use but I prefer my BMW anti dive system. 😉
@@nikoscosmos Of course the front will dive if braking hard for say an emergency stop. Even your GS will dive an inch or so in that situation.
What I should say is that nose dive is easily avoided in controlled situations when you know that you're going to stop well in advance.
Great review Andy. Got a friend who is volunteering for the Blood Bikes in his retirement. As a requirement he has had to do the Advanced Institute of Motorist's test. The one thing that has shocked him is how little his instructor uses the front brake. Firstly the back brake doesn't unsettle the bike and secondly back brakes have got so good that for everyday use they are more than adequate except in emergencies. Apparently many police bikes get corroded front discs through lack of use. Trying it on my Tiger 800 and the fork dive disappears!
Yes very true!
Great review. Considering the average height of males for a large part of the world's male population is 5ft 9.5in (176cm) or under, I can't work out why manufacturers have ridiculous seat heights like 875mm. I'm average height and there's no way I would take a bike that tall off-road or even feel comfortable around town.
I'm 100% with you on that.
Why I swapped my GSA for a V2 Multistrada, 820mm seat height and narrow, great for those of us with a 29” inside leg😆
I'm 178 and roughly 75kg. I couldn't imagine wrestling one of these walrusus off road. At the weekend I looked at an Africa Twin. I could just about get tip toes on the floor. To make matters worse, a lot of the weight seemed high up.
In the distant past I had a kick start DR650 with barely legal knobblies. Compared to previous Elsinore and RM 250s, I soon learned the value of light weight off road. Previous trails that I hadn't even thought about left me absolutely knackered on the DR.
For me, I'd be looking at some form of sport tourer and a small bore dual purpose or dirt bike. Horses for courses.
Buy what ‘ Fits ‘ you & be done with it…
I'm the opposite, I'm 6ft 3 so 875mm becomes about the minimum comfortable seat height. This is a win for me with the Triumph.
If every bike had a seat height ideal for the 'average' person, I would never find a bike I'm comfortable on. We need these variations in the market. It limits my choice as it does yours, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
I’m an old school Triumph and Norton guy,60’s vintage.I’ve never owned an adventure bike, but I wish Triumph great success for their offerings.I anxiously anticipate offerings from the revived Norton, and now BSA,which is also very exciting.I hope they due justice to the marque(s),which,(in my mind), represented the pinnacle of the motorcycle industry at that time in history.The torque, acceleration,and the smell of raw gas combined with the heat was the recipe for a love affair for the old British bikes.Same can be said for my old MG’s and Mini Cooper S.Thanks TMF for all you do to keep us informed on everything motorcycle.👍🏻👍🏻
It really is my pleasure! Thanks for watching!
Well done Andy, I’ve been waiting months for this and it didn’t disappoint. Shame they didn’t give you a GT.
Yes it was, I did ask!
@@TheMissendenFlyer no it’s a rally pro not a gt.
Indeed, I asked for the GT but was told one wasn't available and got the Rally pro as shown here.....
@@TheMissendenFlyer oh I do apologise Andy. Interpreted your comment as you saying that it was a gt but of course you meant that it was a shame. Again apologies
GS riders seldom nod, because they are deep in concentration, trying to identify the source of that new knocking sound that wasn't there yesterday ;-)
Sadly BMW score very low on the reliability scale and the cost of any repair is , shall we say in polite company , excessive . To ride, the BMW may be a little better. To own, I vote for the Tiger.
Thank you Andy. Yet another balanced, honest, informative review.
Great comment…I’m still chuckling
I've heard so many bad things about BMW reliability I'm tempted to not even bother test-riding one.
Spot on! The fact is that GS remains the bike against which all adventure tourers are compared. There are certainly reasonable decisions made by buyers to choose another bike over the GS but it is the best vehicle on the market, certainly for your typical rider. While excelling as an adventure tourer it also still qualifies as perhaps the best large displacement all-around motorcycle in the world.
I did note that Kinga of "On Her Bike" is starting a tour of Australia on a Husqvarna Norden, which she sounds quite excited about. It's a bike that we don't hear of much and it will be very interesting to see how it works out. It's important to note that it is a variant of the KTM 890. Good on Triumph for challenging BMW but the big Beemer is still the bike that all of the others are trying to best.
Yes agreed - thanks for watching!
Maybe the KTM 1290 is the nearest contender
The old saying, “ Imitation is the ultimate form of flattery “
Having owned a gsa 1250 now for the past year, I understand why so many are sold. It’s an amazing machine. The boxer twin reminds me of my old 911’s I used to drive.it has character. The handling is in stark contrast to its appearance.The build quality impeccable and yes they hold their value.
Nothing against Triumph.They make beautiful bikes too.Now own a 2004 rocket 3 too and it has that Same quality feel I mentioned... suggesting it will last a lifetime.Their in-line 3’s have character too. I just think that they could have made the tiger 1200 more distinctive in appearance... just as Harley have done with their pan America ❤
Keep up the good work Andy,
Thank you for your video’s
Thank you for watching and stopping by Tivor!
Imitation?
Great review.I've ridden the 1200 GT Pro and rode a GSA a few years back. Now completely confused on which one to get. BMW deal is very attractive and the Triumphh dealer has matched it .... the Triumph seems to be winning. I'm jumping off a ZZR1400 and had a VFR1200 Crosstourer before. Decisions, decisions! Just not sure which one.....help!!
Which one did you buy mate …are you happy with your descion 🙌🙌
Great Review as always. Loved the LCR clip at the end! Great fun. Also, turns out I am very skilled at video pausing. I had no idea! I totally agree btw.
Well done! A new skill mastered!
Really good review of how the bike feels to ride 👍 Wouldn't want the more off road TE though, a hard packed track is as offroad as I'd go, or 99 % of would be owners I dare say !
Totally agree Nick - thanks for watching!
Hi Nick, you just reminded me of when a friend of mine and I rode up to the Scottish Borders and into Kielder , great place and scenery. We both owned Tiger 800's back then and my pal had bought the spoked wheel version, I forget the model, mine was the road version. Anyway, we noticed lots of gravel tracks and I said, shall we give one or two of them a go and he said, oh I don't fancy going off road !! It was hardly off road, we did go on a few of these gravelly tracks and the bikes performed impeccably. There was always in the back of my mind, what if I drop this, it's probably going to hurt and it could be expensive !! I certainly wouldn't want to take a £17k bike off road. Cheers.
Great review Andy! Not sure who that hansom chap was towards the end though 😁
I considered the 1200 but I was more impressed with the 900 Rally Pro. I preferred the weight and look of the 900 and I liked the TFT so I parted my money for the 900.
Absolutely agree Andrew and I went in exactly the same direction. Love my 900 Rally Pro!
@@martinlegrice1414 same same. love my 900 RP. even more than my outgoing 1250GS. smoother, lighter, smaller. triumph hit it out of the park with it imo.
Can’t hack the vibes from the T plane cranks on the Tigers that I’ve ridden, play hell with my shoulders. Fork dive was a niggle on the Africa twin that I once owned.
Sticking with my BMW.
Hi Andy - great review. I bought a 1250GS, and one of the the deciding factors was the 3 year guarantee on the GS. If I am on tour in Southern Italy and I break down... I call BMW, they come and get me and try to repair the bike. If it takes a day or so, they put me in a hotel, if it takes longer, they fly me and the missus home to the UK and then fly the bike back and deliver it to me. That is a serious amount of support and service..... how does the Tiger match up ?
The Triumph also has a three year warranty
Yes good point on the BMW breakdown service - not sure if the Triumph one is quite as comprehensive but may well be (I'm sure someone can tell us)....
Wouldn't you rather have a bike that doesn't break down in the first place?
@@TheMissendenFlyer my Trophy Broke down 1 month old I had to pay the tow to the dealership and they sent me a check in the mail. But that was a Canada, someone forgot to tighten the stater cable must have been a Monday or Friday 🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️ great review TMF just loving my new T120 gold line it’s just awesome. Only taken the Trophy SE out a couple of times. Needed to take the burden of the Trophy and share the work load 😁😁 ride Safe Andy have a great weekend👍👍thanks for all the videos and work effort on them.
"I got a whiff of cannabis there!"
I know that's a rotten thing for a driver to do, but you made me giggle when you pointed it out.
My mate has the previous model and tbh I prefer its looks over this one, swingarm looks awful and I dont know if it was just the microphone but it sounded like a bag of nails, I would miss the triple howl of the old one, I'll just keep my own gs1200. Glad you done this great video to show that newer isn't always better 😎🏴
Thanks for watching Brian!
I have heard the same comments from some friends who own the previous Tiger. A nice engine messed up.
The perfect touring engine messed up 😔
Guys the front dive is not a disadvantage... the rally version its off road oriented... thats why it has also 20mm more travel...
These bikes have become seriously expensive. It's an impressive machine for sure, but it runs too hot for the Indian climate, GS has a massive advantage there.
The old 1200 defiantly didn't. It would over heat left right n centre. I had one. Awful
@@DaveDayve new ones are water cooled 👍
@@christianolsen9781 part oil, part water
It's an English rust bucket what do you expect.
No, no. Triumphs around here have been gaining a robust reputation for quality. Better than Honda.
Too many choices!! Thanks for another great review.
Great review, you really can’t go wrong with either the GS or the new Tiger 1200.
About fork dive: I test rode a GS, and the lack of fork dive when breaking into a corner FREAKED ME OUT! I could not FEEL the front and didn't like that at all. Why do people like non-fork-dive so much? How do you feel front grip, etc.?
All that said, neither the GS nor this is my type of bike. I'm too weak to handle this much weight!
Good work as per usual!
Cheers Casper!
I think I'd prefer the 900 rally pro. The extra 30+kgs is a deal-breaker for me. The GT Pro 1200 may be a different story.
Yes I think I prefer the 900 over this - their lightness is a real plus point...not to mention the height.
I've had two T900RP's. One of the best bikes I've ever owned.
I haven ridden and reviewed both. I found the GS to be perfect. I did everything well. But it didn’t put a smile on my face. The Tiger was good but not perfect. But the way it rides put a big smile on my face. I had loads more fun on the Tiger. For grin factor I would pick the Tiger (personal preference) but you wouldn’t be disappointed with either.
Yes maybe, if I wanted out and out grins I'd go for the Multistrada though....
@@TheMissendenFlyer yes I agree with that. Had a play on that as well. 👍
I love all the flagship adv bikes. They all look equally good too. But since the T7 exists…I feel like I could make it work for every situation.. Plus it would beat all of them off-road easily. I think my fancy phase has worn off. I love electronics but do I need them? Ehhhh I’m not too sure. Great review Andy!
I looked at the T7, really light half the price and I would have got one but then I found it uses tubed tyres, not something easy to fix at the roadside
@@prep4evac you can switch them to tubeless 😀
On my Tiger 900 Rally Pro Evotech Performance have a solution that puts the Sat Nav exactly where the movable bar is.
It perfectly positioned so you do not need to take your eyes off the road.
I am sure they will develop something similar for the 1200.
Nice review TMF. Seems like a great bike & a big improvement on its predecessor but the GS is evidently a tough nut to crack. With regard to the suspension & dive, can this not be firmed up & tuned out fairly easily with the semi-active settings, or dare I say a manual adjuster somewhere?
Maybe somewhat but not to the extent that the BMWs telelever prevents it - for me, that's quite a big deal because of course these big ADV bikes have so much suspension travel.....
@@TheMissendenFlyer Interesting, thanks. Could be worth checking out the other version(s) of this new Tiger at some point in the future then maybe.
Its a shame you cant choose the firing order for when your on road, i love the triple too and have the 2014 Tiger800, the smoothness (turbine like whistle) of the engine is a big deal for me.
Great review Andy the first one I've seen where it's actually compared to the GS . I test ride the 900 rally pro and the dive on the front really put me off I tested 1200 gt pro and found the front dive not to bad , but the vibes on the bars gave me numb finger tips and it had a really snatchy throttle.
Ps I'm a triumph fanboy but having tested the GS last weekend I think the bm just takes the win because of the triumph vibes. I just wish triumph had put the 1200 speed triple engine into the gt models and T-plane into the rally models
Yesterday, I went to a local dealer that carries both BMW and Triumph motorcycles and these two bikes were on display next to each other. These bikes are extra-large!
May feel faster when you wind it up but gs still has more bottom end and midrange. Honestly was underwhelmed by the tiger after all the hype. If I wanted a hooligan adventure ktm would win.
I know you may not like all the electronics, but thats one of the reasons why they are expensive as you can tailor the ride to suit. It has much less dive and more power in sport mode although a firmer ride. I really like it and I had a GS
Well done as always. For me, everything comes in 2’s. First midlife crisis my wife and I had involved cars. Survived that and sold off all those toys, but learned a ton. Now that 7 of our 8 kids are grown and gone, we’ve found motorcycles to be a MUCH cheaper option than cars (Insuance, gas, actual cost are all MUCH lower). While I do tend to “research”, we love all things Triumph. For me, everything comes in 2’s.
My wife is NOT a passenger. She loves to ride. So when I bought my T120, she got her Bobber. But here in middle America, we’ve got wind, long roads, but plenty of highway and distances from almost anything. And while our bikes are funds and practical for work purposes (mine is practical), the Tigers are in our future. The 1200 is a great ride and at 5’10”, in the normal seat height, it was not terrible for me. And after test riding an Indian Roadmaster and a Challenger, even a Tiger 1200 feels light and easy to move around. I found the Tiger GT Pro to be exactly what I hoped it would be: an easy bike to ride for road trips to other states in the USofA. They handle wind wonderfully, and are so comfortable. I’ve only test ridden, but as a true fan of all things Triumph, I have zero desire to nitpick when the Tiger is a great bike.
My wife, who is 5’7”, found the 1200 a bit tall even after doing the under seat adjustment that lowers the stock seat another 20mm. As much as she loves big numbers on her engines, I have her at least open to testing out the 900 GT Pro to see if it fits her a bit better. One way or another, she’ll figure it out.
We met a 74 year old woman who was riding her 2018 Tiger solo from Connecticut to Washington state. She was 5’6” at best and had the LH version which she just loved. She adapted and found a way, because the product is great. Here in the US we definitely have more Triumph dealers than BMW which helps make the decision easier if you want a relationship with a good dealer.
We will be riding 1200’s and 900’s on Tuesday and hopefully at least decide what she’s going to be comfortable on, that fits her best.
We love our Triumphs and I’m grateful for a partner who loves riding. She rides more for pleasure, and I ride as much as possible (including for work….it’s amazing how much I can carry with four bags on my 120)….but buying in 2’s means trusting the dealing to take care of us…they are going to make 2 sales every time we buy…so we have to have a relationship we both enjoy. Our local dealer also happens to be a hangout for the Triumph and RE owners.
Appreciate the Rally review….the nose travel is a funny thing to complain about….it’s one of those things that a person adapts to….kind of like riding a horse with a different feel…you don’t change the horse, you adapt and work together.
Thanks for the long comment Michael - I'm still trying to get my head aroud 8 kids!!!! Crikey!!
@@TheMissendenFlyer it is blended but we had the kids full time. Had to find fun activities to keep us saine….I’ve had teenagers since 2007…..yeah, I’ve had my fill of teenagers…..keep two wheels down and keep on motoring! I’ve got mates in Bicester and Sunderland with family in Scotland….me and the misses look forward to an eventual trip to visit, run with my mates, ride some Motorcycles, and see some of those roads for ourselves!
Keep on riding!
I've been waiting for your review on this bike...Nice one..having been an owner of 1250gs for 2 1/2 years swopped it for a tiger 900 gtpro and I'm still loving it. Purchased it last Nov and nearly 3000 miles on the clock. Its great. Connectivity is of no importance to me. Few vibes at 70 ish but as you say not obtrusive. Wouldn't have that sort of heavy bike again. 900 around 40 kilos lighter and plenty of power. Take care.
Yes I love the 900 - I would seriously consider that (or the 850 Sport) if/when I come to buy another adventure bike....
@@TheMissendenFlyer I think if i was buying again would probably just have the gt with optional centre stand saving around £1900. 👍
I find myself living vicariously through your reviews. Even if I could decide which bike to buy I can't afford one until next year.
I have a 2020 XCa Desert Edition (off-road focused) that I do an occasional green lane or gravel road with. I bought it not for ADV but for the posture and power and comfort. I needed speed, agility, road presence, real 2-up, and strapped on bags, all in a "standard" posture. The 2020 and 2021s were lighter than the previous gens, and the 2022/23 is even lighter. My only complaint is the faffy fiddly joystick. Mine has the arrow exhaust (came with) and the non-t-plane sound under load (a long pull in 3rd gear) is absolutely glorious. The lesser weight is a plus, although being 6'3"/190 I don't struggle with the 2020's weight. I'll take a 2023 for test ride, though.
I traded and am waiting for my Tiger 1200 GT Explorer to come in hopefully this month. I will definitely have the first one in New England! Great video Sir!!! I think comparing the GT version to the GS would be a better comparison.
🙌👏👏👏👏👏🖖👌✌🤙👍👋🙂
I agree but I can only work with what I can get!
Yippee! At last your giving us your inside leg measurement which gives us a real way of judging seat height. Thank you
I can assure you it's not the first time - and not sure it's my inside length, but my trouser leg length.....
Delighted that that the equilibrium hasn’t been disturbed, and I can go about my day knowing the GS is still the best! Great review Andy... love the Chopsy insert!
Well done for watching to the end...he also has a review on one of these coming up soon, just sayin' ;0)
Much waited for review, which didn't disappoint. Having just got back fron a 2,200mile trip to Spain and Portugal on my 800 XRx, to be honest, the only time I'd wished for the bigger bike was the mile munching from Edinburgh to Plymouth and back.
Great video. I truly enjoyed it. I was able to pair my iPhone with ease. Thanks for taking your time to make these videos.
Glad I could help!
Been in a relationship with my GSA from New since 2008... could never see myself cheating 💚
I test rode the Tiger and then the GS & GSA on the same day. I went with the GSA with the following reasons taken into consideration. Tiger: Could hardly hear the engine which I prefer to do, throttle felt snatchy (like from 0 - 10 was missing 1 and 2 and went straight to 3), engine heat was higher, foot pegs sticking into my calves, reservoir for rear suspension in exposed location, Triumph dealership customer service/care lacking (test ride bike given with a bent and loose gear change lever). GS/A: Both had more than enough power and handling, as comfortable if not more so than Tiger, ergonomics all round better for my height (6' 1") ... and I went with the GSA as the width is actually no wider than the GS (and only a couple of inches wider around the tank height than the GS, but more importantly the GSA felt no heavier with an extra 10l of fuel and bike weight - both riding and man-handling. The cherry on the top was the fantastic service/care of the people at BMW Motorrad. I am very very happy with my purchase!!
Congrats on the new bike jay!
As a owner of both the 1250 GS and the tramp tiger 1200 GT pro I can say the two bikes are very similar in ergonomically, handling, and electronics. Both have excellent quick shifters and handwarmers I just don’t get warm enough. Don’t get me started on that. The GS has a tractor for a motor, whereas the tribes not quite that, but it’s close. Let me tell you when you give it the beans it Goes fast! Is it better than the GS in my opinion? No, but it’s a great Combination for the garage
interesting,i had an 1200 explorer for the years now a r1250 gsa hp jurys out to be honest yet to find anybody who has taken the new triumph out at [night] have you ? if so the triumph headlight does it work or will one need to buy a pair of denali driving lamps.
Never been an adventure bike fan. I've got a few mates who have a R1250 GS. But good golly that Triumph is such a gorgeous looking bike. This might've changed my mind on ADV bikes. Awesome Review as always
Nice review. I think a GT Explorer might suit you better. Lower seat and all the toys. The gearbox and quickshift are streets ahead of the gs. Quickshift is smooth in every gear including 1st.
Agreed!
Beautiful bike for sure! I have always loved Triumph motorcycles. My problem is the nearest dealer is almost 2 hours away. I’m not sure why Triumph went with that crank , the sound could be much better. And those brake reservoir’s. Ugh! I do love the brakes, Stylema’s are amazing. They should be on the GS. Seat height is the major concern for me. I don’t tippy toe. Way too dangerous. Awesome video ! Best!
This might be a better bike, but old one looks so mutch better. Nice review sir
Toby 750 I went with the Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer and it’s an awesome bike, especially off road.
@@jesseonamotorcycle l belive you there, as l do not like the looks of this new 1200 (personal prefrance) l love the cockpit, its just sutch a nice place to be in. Congratulation on a new bike mate 🇳🇴☕😊. If l do end up with on some day, it will be the GT version as l commute all year around and spokes in salt is a nightmare to keep clean😄 Rides safe.
Let's be honest, none of the bikes in this class are rolling works of art. How they work is far more important than how they look, and the new one works so much better by any measure.
You can twiddle knobs at the front to adjust suspension dive I believe.
Your review (along with one other) is the one I've been most looking farward to. I can cast aside how tall you find it as I'm over 6ft tall and fork dive due to you being so familiar with a GS and it being the rally with its longer travel suspension, but I'd be interested to know what setting it was in, it may have been on the soft side ( but would I'm sure still dive somewhat under braking, like all bikes with a conventional setup do). I'll take what you say as a Gs rider as glowing praise for the new Tiger, and part of me, as a Tiger owner, prays the new tiger never overtakes the Gs in the sales chart, I kinda like that when I park up its one of one not one of ten in any carpark. You'll never out Gs a Gs but will take same same but different.
Found your channel by chance. Really enjoyed the small print! Great reviews, in the market for a bigger bike and your opinions and thoughts help. Great content!!
Welcome aboard!
Let's hope Triumph do a Tiger Sport 1200 with a buttery smooth triple.
And a low seat height - then I'd have another close look!
Your reviews are absolutely the best! Thank you good Sir.
You are very kind!
Hey… I recently noticed that my BMW branded brakes on my gs 1200 (2010) we’re actually BREMBOS. Brembo is stamped on the inside of the caliper…
Also, tie some string around the camera stuck to the mirror, then if it detaches it will dangle rather than hit the road…. Great review…
Cheers!
You and me both Andy regarding phone connectivity. Was frustrating with KTM and Triumph so opted for separate Garmin XT sat nav. Good to see Chequers road open at last.
Yes about time!
Thank you for the compliment on the Pause skills!!
Well done!
Cheers!!😜
Currently riding a Tiger 1050, which I have owned for last 10 years. Did a ride round IOW for bank holiday with wife pillion, felt decidedly knackered when I got home, need more comfort. Started compiling list of replacement bikes, this, well the Road orientated one, is on that list. Trouble is watching your vids I am now thinking that in my dotage the Goldwing looks very inviting.
I love a GoldWIng me (post 2018 only of course! Not those hideous things that came before.....)
Great review Missenden Flyer! 👍🏻
As an ATAS MT owner, I'd say the new Africa Twin feels lighter/more nimble than the 1250GS (with a 24.8L tank). It has a more feature-laden TFT display with CarPlay, which makes using Google Maps a joy. The touch-screen is an interesting feature, which admittedly felt like a bit of a gimmick at first, but over time was convenient to use with the gloves on. The slow speed fueling/throttle mapping is incredible, and although it makes only a 100-odd HP, the power delivery makes for a brisk pace when necessary. It runs on 91 RON E10 (recommended by Honda) which is a must for a country like India where the availability of premium fuel is scarce. For someone looking for a liter class adventure bike to use off-road OCCASIONALLY (this use-case feels like a sin even as I type it :D), the ATAS MT/DCT makes more sense than this Tiger 1200 Rally Pro. Find the Tiger 1200 GT line to be the more interesting proposition, with it's 19/18 setup. Looking forward to test-ride both variants!
Good to hear your thoughts Andy , Maybe see if you can borrow a 1250 gs again soon to make another comparison review. I’m sure you’re on the case 😊
Nice review as always….the one thing this bike doesn’t do well against the GS…is low and slow…when off-road. It stalls out compared to the GS when doing slow maneuvers….but outside that does a wonderful job…Triumph did a great job….it will be interesting when the New GS comes out and what improvements they make. BMW definitely has its work cut in their next upgrade to stay ahead of all this competition…..
Totally agree
The Triumph seems, to my eyes, more attractive than the Beemer (much slimmer, especially), though that could simply be because the GS' styling is becoming somewhat "long in the tooth" and has been copied so much.
I had to smile when you mentioned being able to smell things while riding that car drivers are unaware of. My sister once didn't believe me when I casually said I could tell if the driver in front of me was smoking (a cigarette).
Absolutely love every time your speedo goes blurry, though I can't imagine why that happens. ;)
Cheers Michael!
As always, an excellent review and very value added. I need to catch up on my monthly bike news vids so you can educate me on the new GS. Hopefully headed back to the US next year after 10 year stint in Japan so a new GS is on the top of my list (#2 is finally buying a house by the way!)
I had the same pairing issues with my GT Explorer; the problem is simple; your iPhone name is too long! I had to change mine from ‘Jonathan’s iPhone’ to ‘Jonathan’ and it works fine; a nice chap at Triumph admitted that if the iPhone name is too long or has special characters or spaces, the pairing fails! Nice of them to have not put that in their pairing documentation! Great video by the way….
Yes they should make that known!
Another excellent review Andy thank you. Although I'm not in the market for a new bike I always watch your vids as you know. I like to stay informed and keep up. Regarding cannabis driving, it's alarming isn't it and the same where I Iive. A worry indeed. I think they call it "hot boxing". There's an old BMW 5 series which parks outside our local Aldi. When the doors open there's a blue cloud which which wafts out - along with driver, wife and kids. Not good 😔 The heightened sense of smell when riding means you're always "tuned" to such things. Diesel fuel whiff and the associated rainbows on wet roads are always to be observed too 🤨.
Yes agreed!
Still got my XRT800 but this looks very tempting Andy. Ride safe mate another great review. T
Thanks for a good review Andy, I have had three GS and the previous 1200. Currently have the 900 Rally Pro. After 2 weeks of the Rally Pro I was missing my GS , particularly the low center of gravity, and smooth (non-tingle) ride and could have quite happily taken it back. After 6 months of ownership I have become acclimatised and prefer its narrower dimensions and off-road bias. Interestingly the fork dive is an easy cure by manually adjusting the forks to more road bias and when you go off-road reversing, to give you the spring back. Connectivity works fine to my phone, just make sure your phone connects to the bike and not your helmet direct, once done get the bike to connect to your helmet, and your off. I look forward to testing the 1200 , but is it worth the extra horses and electric fandangos ?, probably not.
I think I possibly prefer the 900 for the reasons you state there’s a lot to be said for a smaller lighter bike.
Time for a proper R90 G/S , smaller is more beautiful? Loved my R80G/S , next a GS1400 , where will it all end....
I just rode the 1200 GT Pro yesterday. I'm use to an R1150RT for reference. The fork dive was one of my concerns although I was pushing it much harder than I typically would. The suspension has a lot of adjustability. I'll be making adjustments today and trying again. Mirror vibrations at speed also caught my attention but I think I'm spoiled with the RT. The engine and handling are exciting!!! The wind screen was perfect up through very high speeds (the speedo also blurred for me). I'm 6'1. Suspension was great and kept poised through high speed bumpy corners. I'll be riding the GS along with the Tiger today to refresh my GS experience and compare directly. Bonus is the larger tank (+10L) Explorer model doesn't add a lot of size to the front unlike the GS. Triumph has a winner with this bike for sure.
Let us know your final conclusions?
@@TheMissendenFlyer Will do
@@TheMissendenFlyer I was not able to improve the fork dive with adjustments. Using engine and rear braking resulted in the major improvement. My final thoughts are the Tiger is more exciting to ride and the GS more comfortable. I'd rather have the Tiger on dirt as the narrow stance and suspension feels like dirt bikes I've ridden. It is also more "flickable".
I have to say you were bang on wit your bike review on the 1200 Rally Pro, I have had one for 4 days in Green, the knob for the LCD screen is a pain in the arse for sure. The biggest factor for me was the comfort level but the real negative point for me was the price, here in Germany is in the same price bracket s the new 1250 GS. It can cruise and purr at 186kmh but it is a petrol guzzler though. Can’t work out why a 20 ltr tank for a 1200 crazy
Glad we concur Graham - hope you enjoy the bike….
Regarding fork dive i noticed this bike has electronic fork adjust which you did not go into . Perhaps it might have different rider modes that may stiffen it up as my car has .
Greetings from Australia TMF , in regards to a few things in comparison between the two bikes - in Australia all GS 1250 models come standard with semi-active suspension and now heated seats , in the brake department the GS came with BMW branded brakes for a couple of years but now come with brembo brakes , I currently own a 2021 1250 GSA in the low suspension model ( a big plus due to me being vertically challenged ) and love everything about it - at the time the old 1200 tiger was too tall and too heavy form me and I did also like the multistrada 1200 but the service intervals and the lack of a shaft drive put it out of contention for me - and so I went with the BMW , I did own a 2008 tiger 1050 which was brilliant in every way and a great bike in its own right , if Triumph had the new tiger 1200 explorer at the time I was in the market , it would have been a very difficult decision to make , at the end of the day both of these bikes are world class and very closely matched .
As always another great review mate , it will be interesting to see what your final choice will be in the near future . Cheers.
I loved the old Tiger 1050 too - I had one, a 2009, great engine (but heavy!)
If there is one takeaway from this review its that Triumph have listened to feedback and dramatically improved their product. That can only be good for us all. What is also interesting is not only your comments but those of many others - Everybody appears to be waiting for the next bike before they make their minds up? The computer world used to be like this with everyone waiting for the newly announced super-duper turbo-nutter with added pizzazz only to defer their decision because another manufacturer announced the same but with bells on. Why not buy what’s available now and get the miles and smiles earlier?
Yes that is a good point Trevor - not to mention that older bikes can still be pretty good too (I'm thinking my late 2013 GS for example)....
I think Triumph have aimed at the BMW. Friends of mine with older Tigers don't complain about the weight of their
bikes but don't like the revised engine on the new model.
This Triumph is so good that it would come down to personal preferences I think. Dealbreaker could indeed be the seat height depending on your 'inseem' I guess, and the only real advantage of the GS would be that it doesn't dive as much under breaking, where with the Triumph the more rapid engine will be a plus for many people.
The GT version will have less dive!
@@grayjohn1906 That's good, and also I think that diving feels worse if the bike is too tall for you, like this one is for Andy.
@@brulaapgaapmeester8052 Yes agree! And with him going for lower seat option, less padding and more cramped seat to footpegs, so clearly a bike not matched to rider height in the case of TMF
Once you get the tech figured out. You can stiffen the damping and get rid of the brake dive. It takes 10 seconds. Those tourance front tires howl at 40-50 mph drive me nuts on my GTX
Great review, few things I picked up on is, 1st the tappets sound loud on this bike unless its the microphone just picking it up, might not be as bad living with it, and 2nd I live in South Yorkshire and a lot of our roads are abysmal!, good in a not a good way it seems its a country wide thing, some of the roads you was on I can not help thinking it was a good job you was on a ADV bike.
I took the 900 GT pro out yesterday and l got to admit l absolutely loved it! I have a tiger 800 and now all l have to do is try and convince the boss that l need one!….it ain’t easy!
Good luck with that Neil!
It is indeed amazing that you had to point out all that you did in “The Small Print”.
Few people have completely lost their chill!
Great videos as always and quite meaningful for me who is deciding an upgrade to a big adventure motorcycle.
Yes the small print just gets it of my chest - makes me feel better!! Good luck on your upgrade, lots of great choices out there...which way are you tending?
No doubt a great bike and it will eventually pan out to whether you prefer a Triumph or a BMW.
@@TheMissendenFlyer In order of my preference.
1. GSA
2. Tiger 1200
3. V4S
I'd swap 2 and 3 currently....close though, very close.....
Sorry Andy I did want a bit more on the electronics, they play a big part now on moden bikes and I like to know how easy it is to change modes etc. I would have liked to see the different riding modes too while you were riding to see if you could stiffen up the fork dive. Other aspects of the video were great as always, and I like your honest opinon.
Sorry Jason, case of CBA to read the manual!!
@@TheMissendenFlyer OK, no problem
@@TheMissendenFlyer I think that's a cop out. Rider modes are a massive part of modern bikes - they can't be ignored any more because they make a huge difference to feel and handling.
@@clemfandango9534 People need to decide if they're just making videos for fun or they genuinely want to help people to choose their next motorbike.
"Back in the auld days . . " you were either a BMW fanboy or NOT; it's good that you can appreciate the Triumph.
Personally I've always struggled to like BMWs although plenty of my friends loved them.
I like the fact that you can keep your reviews as objective as you do.
I try to Philip and I am a fan of most marques - I do own a Triumph as well as a BMW (and a Ducati, Honda, Suzuki and Royal Enfield so I try and stay brand neutral).....
LOVE the "small print". Right on point!!
Well spotted!
Great review. Nice to see you open it up a bit and ticking along at a higher speed than usual. The cyclops headlight looks a bit odd, as opposed to the previous model with the twin lenses reminding you of the Street Triple.
This is the second bike I'm not a big fan of, and yet you have me considering one. Being of long leg adventure bikes are always on my radar - for comfort. Fork dive: My 650L has a LOT - and I don't mind it. Non-issue for me. High pitched whine from straight cut gears ARE a deal killer for me. We all have our quirks. :D For the money, I think I'd look harder at a Goldwing though.
One of the reasons why I'm moving my Gen 3 800 XCA on, that straight cut gear whine!
You can do a lot worse than the new ‘wing!
I guess the braking dive is just a preference thing. Mine dives and I don't have a problem with it. Has never made me feel unsafe.
Regarding the phone sync problem. Try disabling any other Bluetooth apps on your phone before you attempt to connect via the Triumph app,
Yes might work, trouble is I need Bluetooth enabled so that my Apple Watch can talk to my phone, it’s a pain if the bike means I lose that functionality.
You should try and get a go on the smaller wheeled/lower seat hight GT, I suspect that's the model most will go far (at least those who can afford one!). Presumably some of that fork dive can be dialled out on the semi active suspension set up?
Spot on comment, seems to me Triumph really missed a trick, not supplying a GT version?
@@grayjohn1906 Absolutely, especially with Andy not being especially tall and comparing it with his 17/19 wheeled GS.
Nice review/comparison TMF! Wonder which one you are going to finally pick up😊 out of the trio.
My local dealer has these babies for a test ride. Will take a test ride this weekend. I am more inclined to try out the GT Pro since I am not and have never been interested in off road shenanigans.
Cheers
Yes the GT Pro is the one I'd go for too....
I’ll be replacing my 2015 Tiger Explorer XC in 2025, and this’ll definitely be on my shopping list. Always try and keep my bikes for at least ten years.
It;'s a huge improvement over the 2015 - you'll love it!