Author: Bryn Davies

Triumph has announced that its Tiger range will be getting a serious update for 2018, with the Explorer moniker of the 1200 being dropped.

Following on from the British company’s teaser trailer, which was released last week, Triumph has lifted the lid on the extent of the upgrades to its Tiger 800 and Tiger 1200, and the two bikes have had serious makeovers.

The Tiger 1200 has been on a diet and, along with its Explorer branding, has lost 10kg in weight thanks to over 100 refinements to both the engine and the chassis, which should see it weighing in at 248kg. The result is a machine that looks noticeably slimmer and more athletic than its predecessor.



The Triumph Tiger 1200 XCA

The 1200 will have, according to Triumph, the “highest level of state-of-the-art technology ever on a Tiger”, and it’ll come complete with six riding modes, one of which will be Off-Road Pro (available on XC models). An up/down quickshifter will make an appearance, while the cruise control has been updated and the dash has been remodelled with a full-colour TFT screen, backlit switchgear and keyless ignition all featuring.

Along with the technological updates, the new Tiger 1200 will have new wheels, an updated bodywork style and new colours.

Triumph Tiger 1200 XRT

A source, who as ridden the machine and has asked to remain anonymous, spoke to us about the new Tiger 1200 and said: “The Tiger 1200 went on a strict diet and lost a lot of weight, mostly in the fly wheel and cam shaft. Expect the new engine to rev quicker and the whole bike feels like it’s taken a double shot of Redbull”.

Meanwhile, the Tiger 800 has seen no less than 200 upgrades to the chassis and engine, with Triumph claiming that these changes will make the machine more capable off-road, while being more comfortable to ride at the same time.

Triumph Tiger 800 XCA

Off-road traction, low-speed manoeuvrability and acceleration have all been improved on the Tiger 800 thanks to a shorter first gear, and Off-Road Pro has been added as a riding mode to XC models. Like the 1200, the 800 will feature Triumph’s new 5″ TFT dash, updated cruise control, and backlit switchgear with a five-way joystick.

The 800’s engine has also been refined, offering 95bhp which is said to provide a more responsive and sporty feel, and the sound has been enhanced thanks to exhaust revisions.

Triumph Tiger models available

Both the 1200 and 800 Tigers will be available in a variety of specs, in a similar ilk to how the old Explorer and Tiger 800 were categorised. Each family of 1200 and 800 Tigers will comprise of four road versions (XR, XRx, XRx low, and the range-topping XRT), while the off-road models will carry the XC, XCx and range-topping XCA markings.

Those short in the leg will welcome the seat height of the XRx low, which brings the saddle down to 815-835mm on the 1200 and 760-780mm on the 800.