It was only a matter of time until I started dreaming of another Triumph motorbike to add to my collection. Now, don’t get me wrong, Lucy, the Triumph Speed Twin 900 that I currently own, checks all the boxes for me. It handles beautifully. The power is intoxicating, and the look of the Lucy is lovely. Yet, I looked around my mother’s garage the other day, and thought, “I could move those two bicycles my mom has to the backyard, tarp them, and there would be space for another motorcycle.” Thus, the seed was planted, and I began searching Charleston Triumph’s website for ideas. I played around with the thought of owning another Bonneville, the classic P-Twin engine, but then I thought, how about a sports bike? I would be in my 50’s by the time I would be purchasing another bike, and the idea of owning a sports bike, in my middle 50’s seemed like a good idea, briefly. Yet, I soon realized a 50-year-old on a sports bike is kind of a bad idea. Plus, if I wanted to tour, say travel to California and back, a sports bike or Lucy might not be the ideal situation for me. So, I decided to take a hard look at the Tiger model of motorcycles by Triumph. The Tiger is Triumph’s adventure motorbike that Triumph has been making for over 20 years. If you are unfamiliar with the adventure class of motorcycles, it is a premium bike featuring all types of designs and capabilities to suit a rider who wants to travel far, on and off the road. This felt like the next step in my motorcycle career.
The thing about the Tiger models, especially the 900 and 1200, is that they are BIG BIKES. My first time seeing a Triumph Tiger 1200 I couldn’t get near the thing. I was scared to death. Yet, having a few months of motorcycle experience, owning a Triumph, and feeling more confident, I visited Charleston Triumph the other day and immediately hopped on a used Tiger 1200. I was extremely proud of myself for not hesitating and just diving into the moment. To see such a big bike, and then think you could ride this beautiful machine, I give myself a high-five for showing no fear. Impressive was my first thought. Not only did the 1200 feel amazing, but the suspension relaxed a bit as I mounted the 1200. Now mounting a big bike takes a skill. I had to readjust my tradition of just throwing a leg over a motorcycle, and gently angle my approach. But I did it!
The size and scope of this adventure bike is not for the weary type. You MUST want to ride this baby. Quickly I realized how large the fuel tank was and found out it was just over 7 gallons. 7 gallons of gas! On a motorcycle! Man, the mileage I could go on a Tiger 1200 got my heart singing. Quickly, I moved the handlebars around and the 1200, which weighs just about 600 pounds, felt light and nimble. So surprised was I. I took note of all the creature comforts. Cruise control, heated grips, heated seats, electronic suspension, various riding modes, large windscreen, and that is the just a small part of what is available on both the 900 and 1200 Tiger models. As one YouTube reviewer put it, “The Tiger 900 is the small SUV of the motorbike world.”
On my visit to Charleston Triumph, after sitting on the used Tiger 1200, I walked into the shop and made my way other to both the new the ’24 and ’25 900/1200 Tiger Models. Each model stood out. Each provided a window into a brighter future filled with long travels, twisty roads, dirt adventures, and seeing America from the comfort of a lovely Triumph. But what caught my eye was the incredible bright red paint job on the Tiger 900. This is where I really smiled. Seeing the bright red finish on the ’25 900, I felt my soul bounce with excitment. Now the ’24 Tiger 1200 was beautiful as well in matte green. Looking like a military convey, I definitely felt the tactical nature of this beautiful machine. But, man, there is something about a bright red paint color on a motorbike. Thank Ducati for that LOL.
Sitting on the 900 for the first time I found how much slimmer it was compared 1200. The fuel tank is about 5 gallons. The front wheel is a 19″ over the 21″ front of the 1200 and there is a chain compared to the shaft drive of the 1200. The ideal of having to care for the chain every 300 miles while doing a long tour feel short for me. But honestly how hard is it to carry a can of chain lube in my luggage and just stop and tend to the chain on the 900. Yet, a shaft drive on the 1200 really makes more sense for the distance rider at heart. Just ride baby! No chain maintenance.
Comparing the 900 to 1200 it’s really about what I would like to do honestly as a rider. Though I was attracted to the 900 is terms of visual appeal, the bright red paint job is so nice! But the 1200 is a pure bliss. And the price difference is about $4k between the 900 and 1200. My idea to tour the United States of American in the next few years by motorcycle, means riding backroads and highways in all weather conditions. Having a big meaty 1200 under me might be the way to go. And that 1200 sure is nice…as well as the 900 too. Just going to have to test ride them both to find out which one to go with.