Triumphrat

Billy Balthorpe · 12-12-2012, 03:30 PM

I bought an 885i Tiger about a month ago and i love it. But, as usual i want to try to make it better for as little money as possible.

Now then, when i put the front brake on it dives like a U boat in depth charging season, i reckon that buying the Hyperpro progessive spring kit will sort that out (about £116 for the kit from ebay), yes?

What about the rear shock? Is the Tiger 955i shock the same as the '99 Tiger 885i? If so is it the same until the 1050 came out, or does it change at a certain year?

Is the rear subframe the same on the 885i and the 955i to enable me to fit the pannier frames and panniers from a 955i?

I'm not sure about the spoked rims and front wheel size (i prefer 17" rims), ive heard its possible to fit cast wheels from the Triumph range to the Tiger, which ones fit and how much work needs to be done to make them fit properly?

I've seen some pictures of 885i/955i Tigers with screens that are quite a lot taller than mine, can anyone point me in the direction where one of these tall screens can be bought?

Where is the battery? Yes, i know i could probably find it eventually, but knowing where it is, and what tools are needed to get at it, is always a bonus in the cold. The bike is turning over a little slowly and i want to get a good charge on it just in case they are prone to starter clutch failures. Are they prone to starter clutch problems?

When is the bike supposed to stop? If the bike is ticking over in neutral and i put the sidestand down should it stop the engine? Sometimes mine does and sometimes it doesnt, sometimes it doesnt stop the engine untill i flick it back up, which is annoying. I suppose the answer here would be to bypass the sidestand switch? Does anyone know where the plug for the switch wire is located? I know on a Blade it is under the seat.

Well, thats about it for now, if i think of any more i'll post up.

NORTY FLATZ · 12-12-2012, 07:24 PM

If the engine is ticking over in neutral with the sidestand down, then that's normal. It should run until it's outa petrol. Now, shift into 1st or 2nd, and it should kill instantly.

Tiger-G · 12-13-2012, 06:28 AM

Hi,

I'll answer a couple of your questions:

The front end on Tigers' of that age are a bit soggy. After all, it is a "Big Trailie". It's supposed to have long travel suspension for off road capability, as well as having on road characteristics.
Putting progressive springs in will make a difference. The fork oil may not have been changed in a while, so an oil change may also deal with the problem. I changed the oil rating on my forks this year and it made a difference. They tend not to dive as much when braking, but the ride is firmer. Just use the search function for your answer.

The (lack of) wind protection on a Tiger is legendary. There's loads of posts on here about it. Again, a search will help you. You can buy a Triumph OEM high screen that will help, depending on your height ??

The battery is under the seat, directly behind the fuel tank. Access is easy, and if you have a 12volt accessory socket on the bike, you can charge the battery directly from there, if you have the right connectors. The battery is held in with a rubber strap, so if you are removing it, just unscrew the terminals and remove the strap.

Hope some of that helps. Keep us posted on how you get on