Triumph Tiger 900   by Michael Kamrad & Troy Johnson

Triumph's Tiger Well, Good-o! Gather around you cheeky monkeys; Simon has a ride for you. Jolly old England is back on the motorcycle map, and your options as a rider just got better. We ran the Triumph Tiger over some curvy county roads last summer. On both asphalt and gravel the Tiger opened our eyes to its sure-footedness, and it had at least one of us thumbing through the info packet searching for the list price. England is a country known to keep a stiff upper lip, and the Britons did not let us down with the 885cc three cylinder power plant. We have said it before, and we will say it again&emdash;Triples are fun! "Oh, Jeeves, bring 'round some big torque...and keep some revs on hand for later." The Tiger gave us real world power from stop sign to red line. Dib dib 'n' all that, what good is the motor if you don't have a suspension of kindness to go with it? Do not fret, Nigel. The lads and lasses at Triumph were thorough. The Tiger responded quickly to rider input, stopped on a dime and ate all the road we could feed it. Most notable were the Tiger's feline-like characteristics. This bike could leap, bound and run hard. The riding position (straight up with wide bars and lots of leg room) was a joy for those of us who spend much time putting long miles in on sportier road bikes. Hard saddle and tail bags are options that turn the nimble back road Tiger into a cushy freeway tourer with plenty of room for a favorite passenger. The finish is worthy of the Queen herself. The Tiger looks like its name. Beauty, speed, grace&emdash;it is all there with a superior build quality. This is a bike that has manners approaching those of a sport bike, a comfort level unmatched by anything that can be ridden as hard, and the ability to survive an off-road excursion of some substance. We both give it a thumbs-up. Check it out if you're in the market for "...something completely different."   TRIUMPH TIGER 900 Engine Type: 885cc DOHC in-line three cylinder, liquid cooled Bore & Stroke: 76 x 65mm Compression Ratio: 10.6:1 Carburetion: 3 x 36mm flat slide CV Transmission: 6-speed Clutch: Wet, multiplate Front Suspension: 43mm forks Rear Suspension: Monoshock with remote reservoir Front Brake: 2 x 276mm floating discs with 2 piston calipers Rear Brakes: 1 x 255mm disc with 2 piston caliper Front Wheel: 36 spoke alloy rim, 19" x 2.5" Rear Wheel: 40 spoke alloy rim, 17" x 3.0" Front Tire: 110/80 19 Rear Tire: 140/80 17 Wheelbase: 61.0 inches Dry Weight: 460 pounds Seat Height: 33.4 inches M.M.M.