Owner - Steve Harrison
Bike - Tigger
Details - 885cc '99 model of Triumphs enduro style triple.
Tiger, looking cool at the TT
Towards the autumn of 2000 I was getting the urge to change bike again. Suzi2 had done 30+k miles and was in need of serveral bits and pieces, new shock (worn out), new chain & sprockets, new disk (my fault), new tyres (ditto) and a major service. All this added up to enough to justify looking for a new bike.
The ever increasing amount of speed cameras meant it was getting impossible to really get my jollies on the RF9 without risking severe points so I decided I needed somethng that would handle round the twisties and yet still be capable of taking me away touring.
I had been fancying a big trailie for a while, either a Tiger of BMW GS, and as these fitted the bill perfectly I decided to take the plunge. A '99 model Tiger had been lurking in M&S Newcastle for a while complete with hard luggage and mainstand - both extras on a new bike - so I asked the man what the RF would be worth in part ex. Surprisingly enough he gave a number a couple of hundred more than I was expecting which is always nice - perhaps they hadn't spotted the knackered shock and disk. A deal was struck which would include the fitting of a Scottoiler.
When I picked the bike up the ride out of Newcastle was terrifying. I was so high up I was in danger of getting altitude sickness and going into a corner I felt like I was falling off the top of the world, the forks seemed to dive alarmingly on the brakes and it seemed gutless.
Over the next few weeks I started to adjust to things. The
height is good cos I can see over hedges and things, cornering is
brilliant once you get used to it although tiggers don't like you
changing your mind mid-corner. The suspension is brilliant and on
a bumpy back road or twisty "A" road capable of keeping
with most sports bikes, it's also smooth enough to make mile
munching a doddle. The brakes do dive if you grab a handfull but
on a bike like this the back brake is far more usefull than any
sports bike and I find myself using that a lot more. And power
wise, well it's only 80(ish) horses moving a big lump so it's
bound to fell slow after the RF (mind you RF9's are as fast as
fuck), but once again plenty for real world stuff.
The only times I've really missed having 120+bhp where in
Scotland (but Martin got busted so perhaps it's a blessing really)
and on the Isle of Man over the mountain.
Performance wise I've seen 110mph on the clock but that seems
to be about it, I seem to get about 50-55mpg and the fuel warning
light comes on at 200miles with about a 5 litres left. I sure
steady pootling will see more than that and severe thrashing less.
The tyres are Mitchelin T66X's and are lasting about 6000 rear
and 7500 front. Combined with the good quality suspension they
stick like sticky things in the dry, although they are not as
secure as good sports bike tyres in the wet - so avoid scratchin'
on rainy days.