Triumphrat

Hungry J0e

(subject should be Tiger 1050 Questions!)
Hello! I am the happy owner of a '99 Thunderbird Sport, which has taken me many miles across the US. Unfortunately the old battle-axe is no longer cutting it as a multi-miler. I moved to Japan for a couple of years, putting the Triumph in storage, and owned a Ducati ST2 while I was out over there. I've recently moved back to the States and have been knocking the cobwebs off the TBS. I must be getting older because I miss some things about the Ducati, like wind protection, and find my knees are killing me after only an hour of riding the TBS.
I enjoy long distances travels/multi-day trips, putting up to 1000 miles a day, and like to have something pretty sporty although I don't need a superbike. I'm also interested in ABS and integrated luggage is a plus. Looking at Sport Tourers, the Sprint was originally on my list, although frankly I'm not crazy about the looks. The owner of the local Triumph shop pointed me towards the Tiger... he said hands down it is the superior sport tourer vis a vis the Sprint.
I'm seriously giving the new Tiger some thought and am looking for some feedback. I'm looking for a great all-rounder... being able to eat up miles of pavement is a must, and being a decent commuter is a plus. I'm 5'10" so I'm a little worried about the Tiger's height but am an experienced rider. The paint on the '99 TBS was fantastic, are the newer Triumph's keeping up the standards? Also would appreciate any opinions on the integrated luggage vs. soft throw-overs as well as the ABS system!
- Hungry J0e

Rincewind

Hi Joe. I upgraded from a Thunderbird and am quite happy. Yes, the Tiger has all of those good qualities that you listed.

I'm 6' and I don't have a problem with the seat height - I can even flatfoot it on both sides at this point. I can't imagine going back to a short bike like the Tbird now.

I think the big point with the Tiger 1050 vs the ST2 or the Sprint is that the Tiger has a fair bit less wind protection overall.

To me the paint on my Tiger is equal to the level of finish of my Tbird.

I don't have the ABS, so no comment there.

I have a Givi topbox instead of the OEM luggage. I'm quite happy with that, and I'll add some Givi sidecases in the future.

playinthestreet

Joe,

I too am 5'10", about a 30-31" inseam. I can't flat foot the Tiger but am close enough so as not to cause me any concern. I've had 2 ST's, a 99 and an 05, and while both good bikes I'm more comfortable on the Tiger. The wind protection is somewhat reduced on the Tiger but better than I expected. Windscreen issues (noise and buffetting) were present but I've solved them with a CalSci +9 screen. That's an individual "thing" and there are plenty of threads here regarding different screens. I've got the factory hard bags and have had no trouble with them.

I'm well satisfied with the Tiger, haven't had any of the niggly issues some have had, and would highly recommend it.