How new Triumph Tiger 800 matches up to BMW F800GS

"Sitting on the seat and standing on the footpegs are two different things and changes the location of the center of gravity (cg), standing obviously higher than sitting." Thank you riverlife110! At least someone else has a basic understanding of mechanics.

Your explanation of the benefits is also spot on, it's the ability to shift your c. of .g relative to the bike, that gives you more control when standing up. It also help with absorbing the bumps when riding offroad. Standing obiously has no aerodynamic advantage, but this doesn't matter so much offroad. No point going further, but I just couldn't believe anyone was suggesting that your c.of.g could be lowered by standing up!

Sitting on the seat and standing on the footpegs are two different things and changes the location of the center of gravity (cg), standing obviously higher than sitting.  But why does the bike seam more stable while standing compared to sitting? I'll explain.

By sitting on the seat you are becoming part of the bike, you and the bike are one body thus moving the cg higher than if it was just the bike by itself.  Now by sitting on it you are less mobile on the bike, your body weight is in a more fixed position thus making the cg position more fixed. So when the bike starts to tilt it is harder to stop it.

Now by standing up your body weight is now being supported on the foot pegs, because there is no rigid connection between the rider and the bike it behaves like a hinge on the foot pegs. Because of the hinge connection and the ability of the rider to move around it changes the location of the cg based off of the location of the rider and bike. Now the rider has control of where the cg is located. So if the bike starts to tilt one why the rider can move their body thus moving the cg and bring the bike back upright. It is this ability to move the cg around while standing that makes the bike more stable.  

So by sitting on the bike you are less mobile, the cg is in a fixed postion thus making the bike tilt more easily. By standing on the foot pegs, your are more mobile, the cg is not fixed, and can move from side to side thus making the bike more stable.