Triumph Tiger 1200 (2024 - ) review

This generation of Tiger 1200 first launched in 2021, its combination of Multistrada V4 sportiness and GS-style shaft-driven refinement putting it somewhere between the Ducatis and BMWs dominating the sector. With the powerful 1,160cc T-plane triple engine, chunky tubular steel frame, distinctive Tri-Link rear suspension configuration and full suite of modern rider aids there was certainly a lot going on, this 2024 update addressing early complaints of lumpy low-speed engine response and helping Triumph keep pace with the Ducati, BMW and equally distinctive rivals like the Moto Guzzi Stelvio and Harley-Davidson Pan America.

Whether you go for more road-biased GT or gnarlier Rally the riding position on the Tiger 1200 is, as you’d expect, suitably tall, commanding and upright in the adventure bike style. Like its rivals, this is a big bike best suited to taller, more confident riders who can handle the weight, the standard seat height on the GT adjustable from 850mm to 870mm. If that sounds a bit lofty there is a low seat option taking 20mm out of that, the nifty Active Preload Reduction system lowering it by the same when engaged. This is a big help for flat-footing it about at low speeds, and appreciated even by your six-foot tester. Once under way the seating position is very comfortable, the 2024 Tiger 1200 also getting slightly higher pegs than before for improved clearance but not so much as to have you feeling all scrunched up on a longer run.

We’ll dock a token point for the fact the Tiger 1200’s size can make it somewhat cumbersome in low-speed manoeuvring and parking situations, but it’s no worse than others of its type. Beyond that it’s an incredibly versatile machine, its toughness as suited to the daily grind as it is long tours and even off-roading in the more extreme Rally spec. The screen and bodywork provide decent weather protection, if perhaps not quite as effective as a GS or aerodynamically clever as a Multistrada. But there’s enough to hide behind if the going gets sporting. The optional three-piece luggage set looks suitably tough and is very quick and easy to take on and off as required – we ditched the topbox and ran with panniers only for the cleaner looks and still had plenty of carrying capacity for a night away with work clothes and spare set of riding kit. The 30-litre tank on the GT Explorer we tested also saw us to well over 200 miles between fills, even at an enthusiastic cross-country pace

Even the lightest Tiger 1200 is knocking on 250kg, so it’s a big lump of motorcycle. But on a par with rivals. The 1,160cc triple is well up to the job as well, the low-end response now smoother thanks to increased internal inertia and pulling as hard from low revs as it does when the peak 150 horsepower arrives at 9,000rpm. If not quite as racy – or powerful – as a Multistrada V4 it at least has greater bandwidth than most other rivals, and makes a great noise into the bargain. It’s enough to make progress feel suitably effortless when you want to cruise, and exciting when you feel like pressing on a bit. While it’s a lot of bike to haul down from bigger speeds the chunky Brembo Stylema front brakes are well up to the job, and supported by switchable cornering ABS.

Triumph knows how to make bikes handle, and even a big, heavy and tall one like the Tiger 1200 is well up to getting a wriggle on if it takes your fancy. Again, a well-ridden Multistrada V4 probably has the edge in this regard but at real-world road speeds the Tiger works with the road rather dismissing it as the Ducati can. GTs have 200mm of suspension travel to the 220mm on the Rally, which is plenty for dealing with the lumpy roads we enjoyed on an extended run through the Pennines and into the Scottish borders. A little more trad in its set-up than a GS, the chunky 49mm forks and Tri-Link rear end combine bump-swallowing ability with real composure, the big Tiger staying straight and level even when braking hard. Sure, a Tiger Sport 800 will dance rings around it on a properly twisty road. But the 1200 is a very satisfying machine at any speed.

No bike at this level is going to be cheap to buy or run, and you’ll soon be tipping over 20 grand by the time you’ve added a few extras. You could end up spending a lot more on the Ducati or BMW, or save a bit by going for a Moto Guzzi Stelvio or KTM 1290 Super Adventure. At least shaft drive means one less consumable component to worry about if you do big miles.

Anecdotally the T-plane triple hasn’t been without its wobbles, but Triumph has seemingly addressed them in this 2024 model year update. Overall, the Tiger 1200 feels built tough, as well.

A two-year warranty is nothing special but Triumph has a range of after-care options like service packages if you want to keep it in the system. The 10,000-mile/annual service interval is, at least, generous and suggests faith in the toughness of the engine and other parts.

The Tiger 1200 has all the tech you’d hope for in a modern premium adventure bike, while playing this side a little quieter than BMW or Ducati. Interaction with the TFT screen is relatively intuitive, and it was easy to pair a phone via the dedicated app and score turn-by-turn navigation on the screen. True, you’ll need your phone on the bars if you crave full mapping but we got along fine without. If we’re being critical the graphics already look somewhat dated compared with some rivals, the screen also slow to boot up when keying on. Other than that the kit you want is all included, semi-active suspension, quickshifter, cruise control, six rider modes, cornering ABS and traction control and more all standard.

At this level you’re buying as much with your heart as your head, which is good news for the Tiger 1200 given the emotional appeal of that triple engine and tough, up-for-it attitude. Ducati and BMW fans might consider the Tiger a little crude in tech and gizmos but we rather enjoyed the straightforward mechanical honesty, and fact you can appreciate its talents without losing yourself in endless menus and baffling tech. And if that means less time faffing and more time riding count us in!