Rode Tigger 800s

[Big Dave]

Nice. Very nice.

For those familiar, it's a 955i reincarnate and made look spiffier.

Holeshot has demos.

[Eddieb]

Most informative bike review I've read all year.

[Monstaman]

Holeshot has demos.

Kinda like MCN.

Nice. Very nice.

I wish you wouldn't type so fast cos I am a slow reader

Serious Big Dave, any more info or is it a shameless plug for Holeshot?

[Devil]

I have had 10 mins on the 800 (not the xc) and... well... i'm not going to review it.

Once they're both run in, i'm going to jump on the XC for a decent stint as i'm seriously considering one.

[Gremlin]

Once they're both run in, i'm going to jump on the XC for a decent stint as i'm seriously considering one.

Why am I not surprised?

BD is evidently just trying to wick up some interest...

[AllanB]

This is a good example of the current global recession - even Big Dave is being economical in his use of words.

[Big Dave]

Hadn't written them yet. Have now.

More a thanks to Steve for letting us use the bikes. The press machines are coming from the second shipment.

http://kiwiridermagazine.blogspot.co...ph-tigers.html

[Big Dave]

Got the ABS prices right now too. Same link

[Devil]

Not giving too much away there Dave!

My initial disappointments were buzzing through the bars, soggy throttle response and first gear too tall.

However, that was a brand new bike that had barely 100km on it and needed a couple of tweaks. I'll be giving it a second chance.

[Big Dave]

Not giving too much away there Dave!

My initial disappointments were buzzing through the bars, soggy throttle response and first gear too tall.

However, that was a brand new bike that had barely 100km on it and needed a couple of tweaks. I'll be giving it a second chance.

Noticed no buzzing and I was happy with gearing. Ross said the hardcore will think it's too high. I don't. Only thing I didn't like was the windscreens - but I don't like windscreens - not worth mentioning again - and they are easily removed. Everything else on the XC was just dandy.

[.chris]

Hadn't written them yet. Have now.

More a thanks to Steve for letting us use the bikes. The press machines are coming from the second shipment.

http://kiwiridermagazine.blogspot.co...ph-tigers.html

We all knew there was more coming, shame you only took the XC up north head, I think I had the XC a bit more in its zone (a bit of gravel and a quick side track).

Great series of pictures, I only managed to take a couple with my little camera in this thread

From Triumph Tiger XC Demo Ride

I agree with your comments about the first gear being a bit high, but I wonder how much you could gear the bike down, as it did cruise at 100km in 6th gear at pretty low revs, so you could down gear it quite a fair bit without too much road issues.

You also said "The XC did turn slightly slower than the 800 as it is fitted with a 21” wire front wheel – as opposed to the 17” Mag wheels of the roady version...." but the road version has a 19inch front wheel.

[Big Dave]

" but the road version has a 19inch front wheel.

Yeah I spotted that probably as you were reading it. Typo - Fixed taaa.

[Crisis management]

I'm off to Holeshot to give it the dyed in the wool KTM owner unbiased look over then.






I must practise my superlatives, fat, too roady, slow, to much plastic......

[young1]

I'm off to Holeshot to give it the dyed in the wool KTM owner unbiased look over then.






I must practise my superlatives, fat, too roady, slow, to much plastic......

Waiting, waiting, waiting, for your unbiased opinion....

[Crisis management]

The things I do when I'm supposed to be working....

Epic failure, it's not available in orange, there was no point in looking any further and I declare it an utter disaster, not worthy of consideration by any real adventure rider.





Ok, a bit more info then...I had a short ride, city streets & motorway and I'm usually on something more like a trail bike than a road bike, so here goes.

Has a bash plate, plastic mounted off brackets to engine, looks ok.
Looks very easily damaged in a fall, wide tank & radiator so needs crash bars, proper handguards (not just plastic).
No centre stand?
Pillion pegs are high, didn't look too comfortable.
Looks wide at the rear with the muffler sticking out, add luggage and?

Seat to pegs was good but a long stretch for me to the bars (like the old Tiger) and I never felt comfortable, interestingly enough standing was better and you could get over the headstock easily. Slow speed (standing) turns were good the rear brake allowed good feel and figure of eights were easily achieved in a standard road width, conversely it felt a bit top heavy at speed and far more like a road bike, not as flickable as I am used to.

Things I liked:
I could get both feet on the ground.
It feels light enough.
Nice engine & gearbox.

Things I didn't like:
Ergonomics, didn't work for me sitting.
Underslung exhaust, low clearances.
No centre stand.
No adjustable clutch lever position (worked ok with ok feel but I must have small hands or something)


Overall, looks like a capable gravel touring bike, which is what I expected, but I am disappointed with the ergonomics, I wouldn't buy it simply for that. Looks expensive in an off........

and it's not orange