TRIUMPH TIGER 800 XC (2015 - on) Review

Smooth and controlled. Excellent torque. Comes alive above 5k revs.

Well made and sturdy.

Heated grips. (Like) Low version has no centre stand. (Dislike) Bridgestone tyres OK, Continental Trail Attack 3 (replacement) superb!

No faults or rust etc.

Love this bike I am 6ft 1 and 90kg so not a small chap - the XCA was the choice for the slightly wider handle bar set and the height inn the seat. It performs well in curves and i have never felt unsettled on it. Brakes are good and sharp but i am not a hot head wildly breaking approaching corners but confident they would bring me to a halt quickly and the ABS is some comfort if that ever happens

triple engine is a delight - but like other tigers it gets hot quick and the way the air displacement is worked out it is on your legs - smooth silky acceleration and when opened up it does deliver

Great build but i hat the fact that the spokes are not stainless steel - why surely this would not be super expensive to do in the factory. Paint finish, frame and all other elements have worn well over my 2 years of having it

Not a daily rider so servicing is not going to be an issue, mine doesn't seem to use oil and i have changed plugs, air filter and other parts myself - once you are confident at taking the tan off the rest is easily accessible and straight forward.

with the XCA you get everything, i changed the screen as i am taller for a higher touring screen got the panniers and top box - bike is wide when loaded

A absolute gem one of the best engines ever made

Just switchgear issues

Dealer service costs are absolutely ludicrous and too frequent but far better than my Kawasaki. But I do minor services myself and use a independent for major work

Just great fun to ride

Have found that the after sales service from triumph not as good as I hoped with faulty finish on the exhaust

Chassis is excellent. The XCX suspenders are adjustable and once set up works very well to keep the bike on a line in the corners and deals with the potholes and overbanding well. The 21 inch front wheel and 90/90 tyre have limits on the road, it's by no means a sports bike, but it can be thrown about with little input as long as you respect the those limits. The brakes let it down slightly as though they have good initial bite they feel a little wooden once applied.

Better off road than you'd give it credit for. Coming from a twin I was surprised at how well it was off road. On road it's got good pull, a nice midrange and well spaced gears but feels busy at motorway speed. The 3 maps are useful, road for road and off road makes the ABS turn off which is a bonus.

Nothing has gone wrong for me in 2000 miles of ownership and this has included a few miles on gentle green lanes.

Yet to have the big 24k mile service but I expect that as I do around 10k miles a year my costs will stretch to minor service and tyres. I expect to get 30-40k miles out of a chain and sprocket (I use gear oil rather than chain lube to avoid grit sticking to it), and an oil service every 2-3k miles is all I really need to do. Occasional brake pads but I'll fit those myself.

Never thought I'd like cruise control but appreciate it on long runs, the dash works well but the clock could be bigger. The self cancelling indicators are useful as is the various trip meters, average MPG and miles till empty indicators. More than I really need but nice to be able to choose. Traction Control and an ice indicator are very welcome. The ability to turn this off is a blessing off road.

No complaints, the roads near me are terrible, the wp suspension handles them brilliantly

For a bike of this type it’s just wrong, no grunt, it’s a revy mid rangey thing and personally it’s I’ll suited, begs to have it’s neck wrung rather than, as you’d expect on a bike styled like this, having drive from tick over

Spokes on the wheels are not stainless steel, they rust easily, nothing has fallen off.

Mot and a short service just cost me £185 from the local bike shop, the long service to do the valves is £450-£600 depending on who you use, best option appears to be a very well known mobile triumph specialist

It’s just wrong for the bike, it’s all mid range and revs, this is not supposed to be sports bike, playing with selectable maps does nothing to improve this, good engine just mis matched

A great tourer I’ve travelled to Europe and Africa, done 36k miles and have done over 500 miles in a day.

Smooth triple engine is a treat.

No problems ever in 36k miles.

The second year service is quite expensive at £700.

Cruise control, didn’t think I’d use it but use it all the time. Original tyres didn’t last long, 8k miles but the replacement Michelin Anakee 3 last 15k a set.

Ride quality is good although I am a heavyweight so have stiffened up the suspension slightly. The brakes and ABS appear to work as they should but I'm not really a heavy user. The front end seems to dive quite a lot but I reckon that's just the long travel suspension.

The engine is very flexible and has a nice racy tone at the top end but is a bit washing-machiney lower down. Triumph have been quite clever with the gearing and throttle which makes it easy to get to a wide open position (you needed double jointed wrists on my previous Triumph) and the gearing makes it feel pretty responsive and nippy.

Reliability has been fine so far with the exception of the Tiger badge behind the screen being blown off and a very annoying rattle from the dash that I managed to cure with a piece of foam. Some of the parts (chain adjusters, a water pipe casting, the ABS ring on the brake disks) look a little furry but more frequent use of a Scottoiler spray on the engine and wire wool on the brake parts seems to be doing the trick.

Mine was bought at the beginning of the riding season after the release of the new model so I ended up paying full price for it. It's on a PCP deal so the payments are affordable but I'm yet to decide whether I'll keep it. The daily running cost are fine; insurance is £160 and I average about 62 mpg.

Brilliant. Cruise control is a fabulous addition. Heated seats and grips work well and are often too hot. ABS, traction control, spotlamps, fully adjustable suspension, the flat screen, trip computer, clock and temperature readout are very useful and the illuminated switchgear is a nice touch. Panniers and a top box were an expensive addition but have proven very useful.

Ride quality is excellent but I am not convinced on brake power and the stock windshield for highway riding. Some button locations for the CC and hazard lights are not very ergonomically. Also the ride mode can only be changed when standing still.

You have to like the 'washing machine' sound in low revs but higher up it gives a nice roar even with stock muffler

No problems to date

Service and parts are expensive

Because its an older bike it doesn't have some more modern stuff but most of that is more cosmetically anyway

Great ride quality, the XCX has fully adjustable suspension and with some tweaking you can get a great ride whatever load you are hauling. And its worth tweaking it. My only gripe is that the rear suspension is a fiddle to adjust, and dirty. You need a long 5mm hex and a screw drive to adjust preload and rebound, you get on your knees and get grubby doing this! I now keep a ratchet with a long extension under the seat. The settings in the manual are a good starting point. Once tweaked the bike just floats over even the rough, scarred surfaces of Scottish Highland roads, even when fully loaded with panniers and holdall. I've never felt uncomfortable with its ability to stick to the road. The grip with both the tyres I've had exceeds my ability to corner fast so thats good enough for me! That said, this is NOT a nimble bike, especially when loaded. It doesn't want to change direction! First time I did an overtake I just moved my hips to pull back in like with my previous bike... it didn't budge... Needs a bit wrestling through the twisties. That said, its fun to wrestle with. I do find it top heavy which can make slow speed manoeuvring 'interesting', I have to make sure I've got a good spot to put my foot down when coming to a halt, but its probably no different to most tall bikes in that regard. You need long-ish legs, however the seat is adjustable and there is a low version. Brakes seems good, they've stopped me so far! Its a narrow front tyre though so I don't know how good it would be on a full emergency stop from speed. Comfort? Seat gives me two hours (the XCX version has a 'comfort' seat apparently) before numb bum sets in. I actually find the choice of underpants is crucial (no one ever tells you this!). I bought Rox bar risers as I wanted the bars higher and closer to me. In stock configuration I found my arms were getting a bit tired after a while. Wind? The stock screen is awful for me at 6ft and I replaced it with a Givi Airflow within a few hundred miles. That helps but there is one problem: The shape of the fairing around the tank directs the air at your groin and chest at speed and can provide uncomfortable buffeting, especially when its cold. I usually ride with a tank bag which deflects this enough to make it comfortable. I find that in rain that the only part of me that gets wet are my lower legs, arms and helmet so it does a pretty good job of shielding you. I've never taken a pillion on the bike.

The engine is superb, incredibly smooth in acceleration. There are no jerky changes in power, its pretty linear all the way. You can ride everywhere at 2-5000 revs but when you want to bring the noise just drop a cog and get it about 7000 for the real power and fun to begin. Despite its size it can fly when you want it too, overtake with ease at all legal speeds, even when fully loaded. Unloaded Im pretty sure you can get the front wheel of the ground quite easily!

The Build quality appears excellent, though mine drinks some oil. A quick tour of the forums shows this isn't unusual. However other than that I've no issues with how its put together. However, the stock screen is awful and I replaced it very quickly with a Givi Airflow. The stock screen just blasts your ears and buffets your head (I'm 6ft). I've seen no real corrosion or tarnishing. Mine lives outside under a cover and appears largely unbothered by this, though it hasn't seen a winter yet. I've ridden it hard, 7800 miles in 5 months and I don't clean it often. So far its been 100% reliable.

Theres an initial 500 mile service at £100 and then Ive also run up to the first 6000 mile service which ran to £180. The OEM Bridgestone Battlewings lasted me 6000 miles (again the forums show this is typical) so it was new tyres, £240 on top of the service. I'm trying Anakee 3's this time as some riders have found these last longer. The Anakee 3's are great on the road but Ive only had them 1600 miles so no idea of longevity As for fuel efficiency, I get an average of 54 mpg on tours. Thats on a mix of roads and motorway. You'll comfortably get 220 miles out of a tank before the fuel gauge is vague enough to put the fear into you!

The XCX comes with rider modes (I just stick to standard), ABS, Traction control and Cruise Control. I actually like the cruise control, especially on long motorway trips. It's also useful for when you enter those 40mph zones, just pop it on a relax a bit before the next bit of fun! Mine came with Aluminium panniers (not top box) and they are great. The Triumph ones are essentially Givi rebranded. Tough as well, having dropped the bike on them. The only downside is they are wider than the handlebars, especially on the right because of the exhaust. This can make filtering tricky. The XCX comes with a centre stand. I find it isn't balanced very well and its difficult to get onto the stand... essentially impossible when its loaded. However this is my first bike with a centre stand and I might just be a big jessy. The Triumph heated grips are good and are integrated into the bike, I recommend them.

Front brakes are very long lasting

Great sound and super smooth

Extremely reliable. I found the standard Triumph chain needed replacement too frequently. Non-Triumph chain is better

Standard services are 6000 mile intervals

XCA is the top spec and is short of nothing. No doubt the one to have.

Cheap non adjustable forks and a rear damper that also feels like it was the cost not the quality that governed the rideability

Sounds like the proverbial bag of spanners when you start it from cold and leave it in neutral to warm up, not inspiring at all It may be derived from the Daytona, the close gear ratios show that, but the performance was very poor for a modern 800cc bike The main sound you heard from it cruising at high speed on the motorways is a whine like an electric motor Fuelling was OK, it could be a lot better though

Nothing stands out as being a bright idea, it's all just average at best Non adjustable forks make for poor feedback from the tyre The gear selection is poor and the ratios are too close, 1st is too high, top to low, so presumably the internal ratios are from the Daytona The screen is a joke, purely a styling exercise and looks it, very much an add on, the whole thing started vibrating as soon as I hit 72, the motor will take you up to 85 after that the screen acts as a wall and the steering starts shaking

Average, nothing special

Overall just about average The ABS is very poor, i managed to get the front tyre to squeal on a dry concrete road, so something is not right

Ride quality is very good, could do with a handle to adjust rear preload. Brakes have been replaced twice in 6000 miles (mostly 2up) so not brilliant but do a good job. I could ride around 3+ hours without needing to stop and the bike is the same pillion complains after about an hour

Best part of the bike, there is torque every where! What ever gear your in, however many revs if you twist the throttle it just moves. A slight vibration between 2-3000rpm but nothing to complain about

Have done 6000miles in one year, was told the breaks needed replacing at 1st service (600 miles) then again at 6000 miles. Head race bearing has failed being replaced under warenty, tyres need replacing and rust seems to be setting in on the headers and can.

Running cost are cheap but cost of service is extreme, this is done by a main triumph dealer so is going to be expensive.

Tyre choice for this bike has no off road use what so ever, wet grass gravel and mud. Basically anything other than tarmac should be avoided. Gadget wise, you couldn't wish for anything else maybe more wind protection from a bigger screen (option) I got the fog lights and top box (givi trekker outback with a triumph badge and the price bumped up) don't think you need anything else really

Brakes on the bike are very good tho if you are ridding fast on a twisty road after a few miles can feel the brakes get a little soft. As to the ride quality it is fantastic I am not a small guy 6,2 and have no problems going from one petrol station to the next some 200 mile plus away.

Power is nice on the bike lots of low down grunt for the road tho it's a little to high for playing in the mud. Sprocket choice is a massive thing depending on what you are doing. I have went 2 teeth bigger on the rear as it makes it easier off road and don't have to rev as much to start off if I have the wife on the back and the camping gear.

From owning the the bike four months I have no bike problems with the bike apart from the rubber Botha that hold the bash plate on they are to soft and break in two very easily I did replace them with new ones only to break them again. Have not hit bash plate off anything so not sure yet as to how I've broke them .

All goes through dealer so up to them really through I would not go near triumph in Dublin as they did not do a good job with first service.

The crash bars and bash plate are ok not fantastic the crash bars are ok for just the engine to no protection to the tank and plastics so would go for sw motech crash bars they cover the engine as well as the bottom of the tank and plastics. Bash plate is well made its self is a good plate tho the mounting bolts are cheap and need looked at I've replaced mine twice and both times they have broken from unknown reasons as the bash plate has not received a direct hit.