KIWI RIDER NOVEMBER 2020 VOL1 | Page 36

by a couple of kilo ’ s , the ball-park dry weight is 195kg . Add around 15kg if the 20 litre fuel tank is full , and a few more kg for other fluids , for a ride away weight .
RIDING Right , so before I get bogged down in too many more details ... I better go for ride . Immediately after getting on I felt the seat height was lowish and checked to see where it was set . It was actually in the high position , so shorter riders looking for an adventure-styled machine should find a happy home with the Tiger . The seat is even a little narrower at the front aiding getting your feet down too . The bars are a reasonable stretch away even with quite a rearward sweep ; I imagine this will have shorter riders sitting well
towards the front of the seat . For tall riders , leg room could be better . Moving off , the engine is feels far punchier down low . It pulls strongly and very smoothly from idle to about 6000rpm . Up to this point the engine is quick , engaging and entertaining . It ’ s also where the majority of riding is done , be it on the highway or the tighter roads . Above 6000rpm the power keeps pulling and rising until the 10,000rpm redline , but not as effortlessly and vibration certainly creeps in the more the revs rise - the bars are not rubber mounted . On balance the engine is great and definitely better for the bulk of riding , but not as rev happy up top as the old 800 engine seemed to be . Riding along in Sport mode with the
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