Featured Tiger 800 Tiger 900, My First Ride

Well, I popped into jack lilleys to ask a question about panniers and there was a guy just going out on a 900 rally. I started chatting to the salesman and he happened to mention that he happened to have a GT doing nothing on the forecourt and would i like to take it out. Stupid question, paper work signed, can we have it back in 2 hours please!
Well first off, that silly little headlight, in the days of increasing safety I believe the headlight is too small, it might be ok if both sides worked but it’s only one side unless on full beam, that’s when the fog lights don’t work, why?
The sound! Well it doesn’t have that lovely, yes I like it, triple whine, it really sounds like a twin, while standing there on the forecourt there was maybe a hint of it but once under way it disappears.
I tentatively ride off the forecourt and conquer the deep camber.
Pulling away, wow it moves, the power is instantly there, having an old bike with cables the fly by wire takes a bit to get used to and it gets a bit jerky at around 2.5 to 3k revs. unfortunately I hit traffic but find the front extremely light at slow speeds making it very easy to manoeuvre.
It’s quite a high riding position, you don’t sit “in” The bike like on my tiger but rather sit on it and the riding style feels a bit trailly, but I soon got used to it.



I’m heading towards the newlands corner area as I know the roads.
Well I took it round the country lanes and it’s nimble, handles the corners and sweeping bends really well,
It didn’t feel like an unknown bike at all, acceleration was smooth and responsive through the Rev range, brakes were confidence inspiring. I didn’t play with any of the modes, all was in normal.
It has the large tft screen so no squinting to read the speedo, control and buttons are dead easy to use, they’ve put the cruise control on the left cluster, they’ve also done away with the keyless ignition and gone back to the good old key, retro? Too soon?



The screen is small and I found there was a lot of turbulence around the helmet but I discovered it was adjustable and moving it up to the highest setting, this can be done manually whilst on the move but wouldn’t recommend it, meant I could keep my visor up to around 60.


The seat feels a bit narrow and maybe a bit too angled on the edges so long range comfort could be a problem.

Took it back on the motorway and it cruised comfortably at 80 in 6th easily and quickly getting to 110 with a slight twist of the throttle not as high revving as the 800. Quick shifter was used but I found it a bit weird, kept trying to blip the throttle which shouldn’t be done, something to get used to.
Got it back to lilleys and realised I was now quite enjoying the engine noise.
It definitely fills the gap between the 800 and the 1200 and is a Tiger “but not as we know it Jim”
Would I buy one? Yes if I had loads of money as I haven’t I’d wait a while, maybe go for a 2018 in the interim.
Got back on Tracey and she felt heavy and wooly but god I’d miss that triple whine!
Oh! and admin we’re definitely going to need a 900 prefix

 

There’s no chance! With no work in the foreseeable future I have to be very careful, plus they don’t do a blue one so my mrs would notice I’d changed my bike!!
And that saying “it’s easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission” is b*^%sh*t. According to her indoors it’s “your dead or you will be dead”

 

No problem Sandi, I would have made it more technical but as I have a bike with no bells and whistles it would have taken me more than 2 hrs to work what it all did.

 

I think these two get moved around the show rooms. Lilleys say their getting delivery of orders in the next few weeks but haven’t sold all their quota yet!

 

I’d be interested to hear any other test riders view on the seat as it might be just me, after all I only went in to ask if comfort seats had a limited life before they weren’t comfy any more. Maybe he thought I’d change my bike rather than go through the hassle of removing my seat and putting a new one on!

 

well if you can get one the same colour as your old bike she might never notice, just make sure they’re not on the drive at the same time.