Considering a Tiger 800XC

[Colotrooper]

I am a new member but don't yet own a Triumph. I am currently considering a Tiger 800XC. After a 30 year break from street riding, I bought a Suzuki Vstrom 650 adv a couple of years ago. It is a great bike and has been especially good for me as I got back into riding. However, at this point I am looking for something with more power as well as being more suitable for dirt and gravel roads. The Tiger 800XC looks like a great bike and is my leading choice at this point, with the new BMW F800GS Adventure being second choice currently.

The Stromtrooper forum has been a great source of information on Vstroms so I am hoping for the same here as I consider my new bike. Thanks in advance.

 

[TheWelcomeGuy]

Welcome to TriumphTalk!

Hello Colotrooper and welcome to TriumphTalk

Please try and keep this thread as your introduction thread. If you have any bike related questions please post them in the appropriate forum area as you will get a better response from all.

We also run a monthly photo competition so you may want to have a look at this as it is great fun all round Forum: Photo Competition

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If you have any further questions please feel free to contact CarlS or DaveM

Enjoy your stay and have fun

 

[CarlS]

Welcome to the forum from and 800XC rider in the Sunshine State. You certainly live in some great riding country.

I had wanted a good dual sport for several years and I just could not find one I really liked. I tried the 800 GS several times; but I knew it would not do for the long highway trips I take. When I heard about the coming 800XC, I decided to wait until I could try one. The local Triumph dealer is also the BMW dealer and I was able able to try the two bikes back to back. For my needs and my style of riding, the 800XC won hands down. That is not not to say that the 800GS is not a good bike.

Here is the initial thread about my 800XC started when I purchased it: https://www.triumphtalk.com/showthread.php/12475-My-2012-Tiger-800-XC

 

[Colotrooper]

Carl, thanks so much for the welcome. You hit on my reason for wanting a new bike - all the great Mt. Riding we have in Colorado. Have ridden most of the paved roads and a few passes on my Vstrom, but it just really is out of place on the dirt roads and passes. The dealer I just went to has offered rides on both the XC and the gs,which I will take him up on just as soon as my travel schedule keeps me in town for a good weekend. I have read the first couple pages of your post, but work is calling so the rest will have to wait until this evening. Later.

 

[CarlS]

You are very welcome. Are you letting work get in the way of your play?

Let us know when you take your test rides. I would give slight edge to the 800GS off road; but the two bikes are very close off road. At my meager off road skill level, that slight edge does not make a bit of difference to me. The capability of the XC off road far surpassed my off road ability and I have had it in some pretty rough places. The on road capability of the XC far exceeds the 800GS. The triple engine is so smooth and the torque curve is almost perfectly linear.

 

[hemibee]

Welcome to TT from Southeast Texas.


Sent from somewhere using Tapatalk

 

[Colotrooper]

Howdy Mr. Hemibee, bet you are still enjoying great riding weather, where we are expecting snow tonight and tomorrow.
The older I get the less I like Winter and I absolutely hate snow! Someday may give serious consideration to moving South. I have to get one of my three boys to move there first so I will have a fighting chance of convincing my bride of 31 years to go with me.

 

[hemibee]

Yes Sir, not to rub it in but the year round riding is great, but you have to be very careful as some times the temps drop down to freezing.

You are thinking right, get the Mrs.'s a reason and the move will come along shortly.

 

[Colotrooper]

I am now the proud owner of a Tiger XC! Picked it up yesterday from original owner. Only had 1150 miles on it. Rides super smooth and it has just the extra power I was looking for over my 650 Vstrom. Was planning to ride home to Colorado but unfortunately of all weeks for the weather to turn, this had to be it. No way to escape Texas without hitting snow or worse, freezing rain. Don't want to "break"it in literally. So, had to put it in storage and will return when the stars align and the weather cooperates long enough for me to get it home. Or, I get impatient and drive back with my truck and get it. Not exactly sure but have to be back to work on Monday so I was out of options and am waiting for my plane home as I write.

Oh well, that's the way it goes sometimes. Didn't want to be a hero and force it. Feels good to know it is there just waiting though.

T.

 

[keystiger]

Congratulations!!! We need pics of course.
I was going to agree with Carl that the BMW might be a SLIGHT bit better offroad, but the Tiger is better everywhere else and the sound and extra HP seal the deal.
Plus who wouldn't rather say they ride a Tiger instead of a GS??????

Enjoy your new Kitty.

 

[CarlS]

Congratulations on your new XC. You are going to love that bike. 1150 miles is still brand new; the previous owner must not ride very much. Too bad the weather did not cooperate and you had to leave it in Texas. If it were me, I'd be heading back with my truck at the first opportunity!

 

[hemibee]

Congrats on the Tiger purchase.

NOW I know why the weather has turned so bad. . . We don't like it when Tigers are being relocated out of the State.



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[Colotrooper]

Congratulations!!! We need pics of course.
I was going to agree with Carl that the BMW might be a SLIGHT bit better offroad, but the Tiger is better everywhere else and the sound and extra HP seal the deal.
Plus who wouldn't rather say they ride a Tiger instead of a GS??????

Enjoy your new Kitty.

Hey KeysTiger! What's a BMW?

 

[keystiger]

Exactly!

Welcome from a founding member of the the League of Insane Tiger Riders.
Have a looksie around the forums here----you'll see what i mean----
Welcome to the insanity.................
I think yer gunna fit in very well

 

[Colotrooper]

Congratulations on your new XC. You are going to love that bike. 1150 miles is still brand new; the previous owner must not ride very much. Too bad the weather did not cooperate and you had to leave it in Texas. If it were me, I'd be heading back with my truck at the first opportunity!

Carl, Only a small scratch on the tank from a tank bag and a rusty chain. Houston weather/air is tough on a bike. Only pic I got was one of the previous owner next to the bike waving goodbye. He was not too happy selling it for sure, but still recovering from bicycle accident breaking both wrists requiring surgery. (I will try to post the one picture I took). BTW, the glove is for lingering nerve damage he has.



Whoa! Sorry about the size of the picture. Can't figure out how to resize. Working from iPad and not computer.

 

[hemibee]

You bought it in Houston? I know you don't know me but you could have stored it in my garage until you made it back down to pick it up. Unfortunately or fortunately, depends on which one of us is looking at it, the weather sucks so bad it would have the same miles on it when you picked it up as when you dropped it off.

 

[CarlS]

Carl, Only a small scratch on the tank from a tank bag and a rusty chain. Houston weather/air is tough on a bike. Only pic I got was one of the previous owner next to the bike waving goodbye. He was not too happy selling it for sure, but still recovering from bicycle accident breaking both wrists requiring surgery. (I will try to post the one picture I took). BTW, the glove is for lingering nerve damage he has.



Whoa! Sorry about the size of the picture. Can't figure out how to resize. Working from iPad and not computer.

That explains the low mileage. Those bicycles are dangerous! Sorry to hear of his injuries. I hope he recovers fully and the nerve damage heals.

You bought it in Houston? I know you don't know me but you could have stored it in my garage until you made it back down to pick it up. Unfortunately or fortunately, depends on which one of us is looking at it, the weather sucks so bad it would have the same miles on it when you picked it up as when you dropped it off.

You just want to try out an 800XC! . Seriously, that is a nice offer.

 

[Colotrooper]

You bought it in Houston? I know you don't know me but you could have stored it in my garage until you made it back down to pick it up. Unfortunately or fortunately, depends on which one of us is looking at it, the weather sucks so bad it would have the same miles on it when you picked it up as when you dropped it off.

No offense hemibee, but the freeways in Houston aren't anything to write home about either. Combine it with the lousy weather and it was definitely pretty hairy just riding out of town! It seemed like riding on an LA freeway. Passed one guy who was weaving back and forth in the fast lane who had his iPad propped up in the steering wheel. Nothing like surfing the net while doing 70 in the fast lane, in the rain! Couldn't get my GPS working so I was working with paper map in the rain trying to avoid all the tollways. Finally just got off before I got killed and dead reckoned my way out of town.

Thanks for the offer of the garage use. I'm sure you would have kept up the maintenance and the tank full if you did happen to take a ride just to keep the battery well charged - despite what Carl says.

BTW, it was a hard choice to give up the ride, but in listening to the news, I think I choose the right option in avoiding all the ice in Northern Texas. Heard of lots of accidents and several fatalities due to the ice. Too bad right at the start of the holidays. Hopefully no riders involved.

Thanks again for the nice welcome guys.

 

[hemibee]

I have to agree with you about the Houston freeways, I hate them. With the weather the way it is, you made the right decision, maybe not the enjoyable one but the safe one.