The Tiger’s proven 1200 engine encourages you to rev it through the range to the red line and it responds well to being thrashed.
The engine is also exceptionally smooth to the point that when it was idling at traffic lights, I had to check the tacho and blip the throttle to see if it was still running!
The chassis is an equal sporty match. It turns with the merest whiff of input. It’s stable enough and definitely quicker to turn than any other comparable adventure bikes.
To say I think it is sportier than a Ducati MultiStrada or BMW S1000 XR might sound like a bold statement – but I feel it to be true.
It’s also one of the best equipped for touring – hill hold assist, shift assist gearbox, shaft drive, electronically adjustable WP suspension, riding modes, heated grips, TFT dash, keyless start, cruise control, automatic hi/low beam and cornering lights! Not to mention heated seats and an electronically adjustable screen! These are two items some full-blown touring bikes don’t have, let alone other adventure bikes.
I overheard another test rider describing the 1200 XR T as the starship enterprise – and I can completely understand why people would use that term.
So, in brief, I would say the 1200 XRT feels like a cross between a fast adventure bike and a tourer – with a sports slant.
Perhaps Triumph have created a new category – the adventure sports tourer!
(Leonard Gingell)