2016 Triumph Tiger 800 XCx - LONG-TERM TEST WRAP-UP

Time flies when you're having fun. Seems like just the other day we got our Triumph Tiger 800 XCx, and already Triumph North America is wanting the British-built adventure-tourer back.

By the time I got my hands on "my" long-term testbike, it had 5,575 miles on the clock and a fairly fresh set of Avon TrailRider tires courtesy of the British firm sponsoring the Cycle World Adventure Rally. While those tires worked great on the road, they honestly weren't much of an improvement over the stock Bridgestone Battle Wings and were likewise biased 90 percent on road/10 percent off. That seems an odd choice for the supposedly "off-road-ready" model in the expansive Tiger 800 range, thus I was actually glad that 4,000 miles later the Avons were toast. That's far less than the 6,000 to 9,000 miles the manufacturer claims those tires should last, which we'll attribute to occa­sionally running lower air pressures off road and then neglecting to bump them back up. Our bad.

The Avon folks told us they had a new 70/30 tire called the TrekRider coming out, but because we couldn’t wait any longer we levered on a set of Continental Twinduro TKC80s ($97.62 front, $171.76 rear). The benchmark German ADV knobbies literally transformed the bike, making it infinitely more fun in the dirt while only marginally less capable on the pavement. The Contis appear to wear quickly but in our experience continue to work well until the knobs are worn to mere nubs.

The Tiger 800 received electronic cruise control for the 2015 model year, and as much as we appreciated having that on long freeway drones, we didn't appreciate it deactivating whenever a square-edged bump jarred our right wrist. To reduce that sensitivity, we installed a clever Kaoko bar-end throttle lock ($136.95 from Twisted Throttle). Adding a mechanical cruise control to "fix" an electronic cruise control doesn't sound like the brightest idea, but it's just dumb enough to work.

The only other aftermarket accessory we added was a HeliBars Handlebar Relocation Adapter ($129). This nicely machined aluminum spacer raises the bar 1.25 inches while moving it 1.125 inches rearward. Installation requires rerouting various cables and wires, but the instructions are very thorough, and the result is a much more comfortable riding position whether seated or standing—especially for taller riders like me.

We never quite reached the 12,000-mile valve-adjustment interval, thus we can’t comment on how difficult or expensive that procedure might be. We did change the oil, though, which was straightforward. We used a K&N oil filter ($15.50) that features a hex head drilled for safety wire. We wondered if that might interfere with the accessory steel oil filter guard that came on our testbike, but it slipped right on. We also installed a washable and reusable K&N air filter ($59) and in so doing discovered how time-consuming it is to remove the gas tank and the various pieces of bodywork attached to it. Interestingly, we read in an online owners’ forum that Uni makes a foam pre-filter that is said to help keep the main air filter clean. But a) that doesn’t fit the XCx model (something to do with its shock preload adjuster); and b) it’s actually made by an Australian company that goes by the same name as the familiar American firm.

One complaint we couldn’t remedy concerned the electronics. While we applaud the Tiger’s suite of rider aids (ABS, TC) plus variable (and customizable) ride modes, we boo its defaulting to Road mode whenever we shut off the ignition. That caught us out a few times in the dirt, fortunately without incident. Near the end of the Tiger’s stay we connected it to the Mickey Cohen Motor­sports computer and discovered that the software was three (!) states of tune out of date. It’s worth checking in with your dealer once in a while to get the latest updates.

The only other thing that bugged us was how much effort it took to lift the XCx up onto its centerstand, particularly with muddy boots. You almost need to jump on the foot pedal to muster up enough leverage.

Overall, we greatly enjoyed our time with the Tiger 800 XCx. When this long-term test began, we asked the question, "Lightweight adventure-tourer or heavyweight dual-sport?" Twelve months and 10,000 miles later, we'd go with the former. As capable as the Tiger is off road, it's simply too big and heavy to be considered anything less than another product of Range Rover Syndrome. Yet having said that, it's much lighter and more manageable than a Tiger Adventure 1050 or BMW R1200GS, which is a big part of its appeal. The performance and soul-stirring sound of its three-cylinder engine seal the deal.

DON CANET
The lithe Tiger is adept in the urban jungle with its perched view negotiating traffic. The panniers proved indispensable for the odd adventure-packed grocery run, and my gal raved about the posh long-travel suspension, roomy passenger pillion, and grab handles.

JEFF ALLEN
The majority of my time on our long-term Triumph was spent carving up twisties in east San Diego County. But my ADV bike preference leans to the more off-road-capable offerings. So with its buttery smooth engine and roomy ergos the 800 XCx made it impossible to resist the dusty jeep roads. Even two-up!

MARK HOYER
I do like the "odd" nature of the Triumph three-cylinder engine. And 800cc is the right size. The Triumph's sweet engine and smooth, usable power are what I enjoyed most. Bonuses were low-effort steering and enough dirt capability for relaxed exploring.