Triumphrat

beemmer

I am looking at replacing my 88 R100GS with a 06 Tiger. The GS went 100K and took me to the Arctic circle twice. After 25 years of riding and chainsaws, I had carpel tunnel surgery on both hands. How does the Triumph triple compare to the boxers vibration wise? What is the engine rpm at 60 MPH? I test rode a 900 speed about 10 years ago and liked the broad power band, but don't remember how smooth the engine was. I see some people change the front gear to a 19 tooth. What is the stock gear? How much does the 19 tooth drop the cruising rpm by?

blacktiger

I can answer this precisely because my bike previous to the Tiger was a 1991 R100GS.
Now, I'd had my GS twin plugged and gas flowed etc. to stage 1 tune which made it a lot smoother than standard. At 4000~5500rpm my GS was very smooth. It returned 50mpg (UK) and was very nice to ride WHEN it was going and not needing a g/box rebuild or something. I sold it on at 63000 miles.
The Tiger matches it for smoothness but is that smooth right through the revs. It'll pull (smoothly) from below 1500rpm right to the red line @ 9500. It doesn't have the instant punch that a big twin has but because you have such a range of revs to use it is easier to ride.
I have even put a 19t front sprocket on and not really noticed any difference in performance it gives 55~60mpg with a tank range of 240 miles BEFORE the warning lamp comes on using it normally. I have had 260 miles @65mpg on a reasonably fast cruise accross France. All done below 6000rpm.
Now, on standard gearing you get :-
50mph@4000rpm
75mph@5000rpm
90mph@6000rpm
The 19t front sprocket changes that to :-
55mph@4000rpm
80mph@5000rpm
95mph@6000rpm
As standard it's actually similar to the R100GS but the Tiger red lines at 9500 instead of 7500 of the BM. So, the Triumph is less stressed as a percentage of it's max.
Something that needs adding here is that the Triumph speedo is accurate. The BM's is not. Checking by GPS, 80mph showing on the BM was actually 73~75. So take that into account when you compare.
One of the important things for me is that I've done 34000 miles on my Tiger now and it's been trouble free. My GS was, by this mileage, on its second drive shaft and had a gear box rebuild. Even the first chain & sprockets on the Tiger lasted 33000 miles with a Scottoiler fitted!
No contest mate. Get rid of that old nail.


[ This message was edited by: blacktiger on 2006-04-02 09:44 ]

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H
'02 Tiger955i in black.

beemmer

Thanks for the info. I remember the triple kept reving where the boxer would be floating the valves. The GS is in the paper tomorrow. I think I will like the chain drive. A $400 drive line every 45K is ridiculous. The last trip to Alaska I met two Canadians with GS's, both had their drive lines go out. One guy bought a new one in Fairbanks, the other guy was broken down in Whitehorse and was building a shipping crate to sent it home.

I remember the triple kept reving where the boxer would be floating the valves.

JRO

I never had a Triumph before, but I think you will be happier with one. I also came from a BMW, and no one is as glad for the change.

If you've had carpal-tunnel problems, however, the Tiger does vibrate the handgrips, some. At about 80mph, you'll start to feel a slight buzz that will never get much worse. Anything under that, and you'll never feel a thing.

Tassie_Tiger

Not sure where BlackTiger's rpm/mph figures come from. On my standard '05 Tiger at 100kph (approx 62mph) the engine is spinning at just a touch over 4,000rpm.

I also came from a BMW R1150RT to the Tiger, and there is no way I would go back to a Beemer. The Tiger is heaps more fun to ride, and fuel economy is not an issue as I still get about 5litres/100km.

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Roger Harvey
Hobart, Tasmania

tyrebyter

I came from a BMW K75S to a Speed Triple and later a Tiger. It was the right move.

blacktiger

Yeh! Sorry that first one should read 60@4000rpm. It's 15mph/1000revs

[ This message was edited by: blacktiger on 2006-04-04 14:23 ]

__________________
H
'02 Tiger955i in black.