TRIUMPH TIGER 800 XRX: PREDATOR ON THE PROWL

We ride the outgoing Triumph Tiger 800 XRx and figure out why it is one of the best-selling Adventure-Tourers in our country.

- KARAN SINGH BANSATTA

TIGER has been a name associated with Triumph Motor-cycles for a long time now. In fact, the first one can be traced back to the 30s! So a name that has been around for 80+ years brandishes a lot of pedigree and heritage. And the one in discussion here is a worthy candidate for that name the Triumph Tiger 800 XRx.

Without diving too much into the history of the Tiger (which is a lot!), we’ll just like to mention that the initial Tiger models were ‘standard motorcycles’ and the first one that set the stage for the modern-day Tiger was perhaps the Tiger Trail that came out in 1981. That was perhaps the model that introduced the Tiger as a dual-sport model.

It was followed by Tiger 900 and Tiger 1050 that further solidified the Adv-Touring image of the range. The 900 and 1050 were succeeded by the 800 range and the Explorer or 1200 range. And for 2020, Triumph has introduced the new Tiger 900 which is set to replace the 800. But before we bid adieu to the 800, we took one out for a… farewell ride of sorts.

Despite being a middleweight which can be intimidating for newer riders, the Triumph Tiger 800 XRx is the proverbial good kid. A sweet engine, comfortable ergonomics, road bias with a hint of off-roading rowdiness, and the rugged looks- it is a machine you fall in love with instantly. The dual characteristics really grow on you and evoke that ‘Explorer’ in you.

Talking about the engine first, it is an 800cc, liquid-cooled, triple-cylinder engine good for 95 bhp and 79 Nm of torque. Talking about what that feels like out on the road, it is buttery smooth, torquey from the get-go and sounds like a symphony.