Is Triumph's new Tiger 900 the best all-round adventure bike of 2020?

Chris is a freelance journalist who has been riding bikes and writing about them for over 30 years.

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I don’t mind admitting to a bit of patriotic bias and happiness whenever Triumph makes a great new bike. That seems to be the case with just about everything that the Brit firm currently produces. It’s on a roll, and the new range of 2020 Tiger 900 adventure bikes looks like extending that.

There are six of them in total, based on two main versions, the GT and more off-road-biased Rally models. We tried the top-spec GT Pro (£12,800 at launch) and Rally Pro (£13,100) in Morocco, both on and off-road, over two and a half days.

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What is the Tiger 900 and how is it different from the 800?

They 900 range is made up of completely new bikes, with development work beginning before the launch of the outgoing 2018 Tiger 800. Consider any item on the bikes, be it the engine, frame, electronics, styling, dash or even airbox, and you’ll discover it’s a new component. All those new bits add up to a restyled, better-equipped bike with 10% more engine power and a 5kg reduction in weight.

But it’s the 95-horsepower, three-cylinder engine that boasts the biggest change. Not only has its capacity been increased to 888cc, its ‘T-plane’ crankshaft has been reconfigured to give an uneven firing order, or big-bang effect. Aimed at providing a better throttle response at very low rpm, increased torque, and a better sound, it should also give the bike some extra character.

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More CCs, more fun

That’s evident from start up with an off-beat engine note aping that of a twin-cylinder motor to some degree. And as soon as you pull away, the keener, more immediate pull is also obvious. I really like the manners of engines like this, with singles, V-twins, and big-bang Yamaha motors always floating my boat thanks to their sharp response making them easier to command. Strong, high-gear accelerations are another virtue of the revised triple and its potent mid-range.

I started with the best-specced road-based model, the GT Pro, which emphasised its versatility by feeling at home on the broad variety of road routes, several of which effectively became off-road thanks to the Tarmac running out. It’s very easy to manage and the overall balance of the bike is really impressive. That gutsy engine, impressive handling, suspension and brakes, and other key features like the advanced electronics, comprehensive 7.0-inch TFT dash, excellent comfort, and realistic tank range all combine to make the Tiger a real pleasure to ride.

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Details like the excellent quick-shifter, selection of useful rider modes, very easy to adjust screen (protective enough to allow visor up riding at 100mph), and superb switchgear and instruments all help further boost the admiration, as does the mobile phone, sat nav, and GoPro connectivity. Riding the bike a fair bit harder revealed the 900 was good enough for a bit of sporty stuff, further adding to its versatility.

Let's off-road!

The more off-road-biased Rally Pro model is also impressive, though feels a bit different. A fair bit taller, it isn’t quite as easy for me to get aboard, and its longer travel suspension feels noticeably softer. The Rally Pro doesn’t have the electronically adjustable rear shock of the GT Pro, or some of its other luxuries like heated seats. Even so, within a short space of time I felt happy on it, and glad to push the 900 harder thanks to its very communicative feel and feedback. Its larger 21-inch wheel didn’t hamper the steering, and though not having quite the same ultimate grip level of the GT, thanks to 50/50 dual purpose tyres, it’s still good enough to get a hurry on and feel safe doing so. Ride quality is commendable too.

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Off-roading on the Rally Pro the next morning did feel a bit tough in places. I’m not always a fan of adventure bikes when it comes to tackling trickier, lower grip terrain. And until I got used the Tiger, it did feel a bit weighty and ungainly at times, especially in sand. But once we’d left some of the more challenging routes behind and spent the greater part of the rest of the day on more straightforward gravel surfaces, I got a good feel for the Rally Pro. Whenever we came across any of the more testing sandy sections or rockier gradients I coped much more happily. It’s just a question of getting accustomed to the Tiger’s massive capability really, though that’s definitely assisted by the very impressive Off-Road, and Off-Road Pro rider modes (2 of the 6 available on this bike) which help keep the bike under control.

Mind you, that still didn’t stop me toppling off the Tiger at one point. Obviously I forgot to select the talent button.

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Cruising isn't bruising

The next day’s run was done back on the GT Pro. I consisted of 100-mile dual-carriageway trip, where average speeds were a lot higher, followed by some slower, but hectic battling through the congested city streets of Marrakesh, and the Tiger took it all in its stride.

This was all I needed to end the launch with complete affection for the Tigers. There doesn’t seem to be much they can’t do, and do well.

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In the case of the Rally Pro, perhaps the biggest compliment I could pay it is that I could’ve happily ridden it all the way down to Morocco from the UK, enjoyed the off-road trails we travelled along, and ridden all the way back home again. The GT Pro could have certainly coped easily with the road trip as it too is such a great mile-eater.

Verdict

I wouldn’t mind owning either one of these superb, real-world all-rounders. They might not be that cheap, but given what they can do, and how well-equipped they are, they have to be seen as good value, and really great bikes.

They’ll be in the dealers by early April, along with the lower spec £9,500 Tiger 900, £11,100 Tiger GT and lower LRH models, and £11,700 Tiger Rally.

Tempted by a Tiger?

There are a bunch of second hand predecessors to the new model for sale right here.