2019 Triumph Tiger 1200 Review, First Ride

The Triumph Tiger series needs no introduction. The last generation of bikes were good enough to create some serious buzz in the Indian market with great pricing. The new generation came with 200 changes and all in a positive manner and took the bikes to the next level. India launch happened at good pricing and they instantly became more approachable. Sales continue to grow, Triumph does great in the adventure and seems unbeaten. Triumph was kind enough to lend us a bike for some amount of time and feel exactly what all the fuss is all about. We already reviewed the Tiger 800 is great detail and Tiger 1200 is a borrower of the same platform with changes. Let’s discuss them.

The headlamp is larger, the LED DRL are the signature design highlight. The side fairing and overall larger motorcycle grabs even more attention. The signature LED tail-lamps are on offer as well. Large suspension travel on both ends and a huge fuel tank means pure business. It ends up looking rugged and premium motorcycle that can do it all and it does. Ergonomics are the most comfortable and very roadster like with ofcourse more comfort on offer. Upright riding position high ground clearance and yet a low seat height of 835 mm and 855 mm means anyone over 5’8 can can pilot this motorcycle with ease in any situation.

The Tiger 1200 gets Adaptive cornering lighting, Adjustable full-colour TFT instruments, Ride-by-wire throttle with up to 6 riding modes such as ‘Road’, ‘Rain’, ‘Off-road’, ‘Sport’, ‘Rider programmable’ and an all-new ‘Off-Road Pro’ riding mode for a much more advanced off-road set-up, with ABS and traction control turned off. Illuminated backlit switches and 5-way joystick optimised for ease of use.

Triumph Shift Assist for seamless up and down gear changes without the use of the clutch is on offer. Keyless ignition, All-LED signature lighting, LED main headlight, tail light, indicators, Daytime Running Lights (DRL), and auxiliary lights are on offer. Electronically adjustable screen, Cruise control, Heated grips, Heated rider and pillion seats with independent controls for rider and pillion are on offer. There is also an USB & 12v power sockets to charge up your devices.

When it comes to riding, the engine is now lighter and the whole motorcycle is also lighter by 11 kgs. The first two gears are shorter, the power is delivered more quickly thanks to a faster spinning engine. The motor makes 144 PS and 122 Nm of torque. Still, the power, most of it is made on the top and mid-range making it a good bike on the road and great bike to have fun on the off-road section.

The instant torque like its European rivals is missing but that makes the Tiger easier to live with and learn on. Quickshifter is here for up and downshifts along with hill hold assist making it even more easier to ride the motorcycle. Braking was great with excellent progressive power and good bite the lever.

The clutch is light enough and 6-speed gearbox is slick too. Cornering ABS is on offer with the normal ABS to keep things safe and they adjust according to riding modes. Adjustment is also a part of suspension which is electronically controlled which adapts according to payload and riding conditions. Ride quality in return is great too despite the underlying stiffness.

The Tiger 1200 continues to be a good on-road bike but the off-road hardware means it isn’t the sharpest like a sport touring machine. The tyres helped us get good grip on the road and the off the road they were not the best because of the bias towards road use. Overall, a docile motorcycle despite 250 kgs of metal, plastic and cushion.

2019 Triumph Tiger 1200 Review, Verdict

The Tiger 1200 is a great motorcycle to live with on a daily basis with the added comfort on offer over the previous version. The new motorcycle has become more docile and refined in all areas making it a tempting deal considering the pricing the is now good value too. Since its an all-rounder as it can go continent crushing, daily commuting (if you really want to), off-roading as it has all the safety and comfort aides plus competition rivaling performance. The Tiger 1200 continues to make more sense every time and this version fortifies that tradition.