It’s not the first type of bike that I’d jump on, but the new Triumph Tiger 900 has proven to be an impressive piece of motorcycle. A lot of people thought that the 800, in all it’s forms, was all we’d ever need. So seeing that the capacity had been upped for this year was a bit of a surprise for some of us. While they had been making these things for a decade with a newer model available from ’14 and a host of sub models being introduced in ’18, the 900 is a completely new bike.
Once again there is a choice of model derivatives and the one we had on test is the ‘Rally Pro’. Like a lot of machines in its class, this is a bike that most riders will immediately feel at home on. With an adjustable seat height, we had a choice of either 870mm or 850mm, and suite of electronic rider aids. On the road the bike feels bigger than its 900cc badge would suggest which was always the clever thing about the old 800. They were so much of "all you ever needed" that riding the companies bigger 1200 seemed unnecessary.
Once off the blacktop and onto the looser surfaces it gets even better. The new bike was developed with a wider set of bars. It also has a bigger set of rider pegs that sit just that little bit further back. This allows the rider to ride standing up with a more neutral and therefore more comfortable stance.
The other thing that’s really well done is the new motor. While it’s still a triple, the firing sequence has been changed thanks to a new crank. Now pots one and three fire close together while two fires after a small gap in the sequence. There are lots of technical reasons, including engine smoothness and simple drivability, why this works better than the 800. The simple fact is that it feels much better to ride and that can’t be a bad thing!
The chassis has been reworked with better ground clearance. Details like a split radiator and removable sub frame promise some forgiveness if it all goes a bit wrong when demonstrating our new found off road skills. The gearing, too, is improved and practical things such as taking off from the lights as well as rolling over takes are much more comfortable. The 100 ponies on tap also help!
The screen is a TFT affair and while there are a number of modes to choose from, the bike reverted to the standard setting once the ignition was switched off. Heated grips and a phone charger come as standard. As does ABS, the cornering sort, tyre pressure monitoring, engine bars and a sump protector. The ability to up spec is huge with a great big accessory list to choose from.
