A BMW GS alternative? Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Explorer long-term review update

Ponder this: why don’t you see more Tiger 1200s on the road? Perhaps you do, but I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled while living with Triumph’s flagship adventure bike over the past few months, and I’ve been left baffled at how few big Tiger riders I’ve given a cheery wave too as they’ve passed.

I’ve seen countless big GSs on my travels, along with plenty of Africa Twins, Multistradas, and KTM Super Adventures, but I can count on one hand the number of Tiger 1200s I’ve come across.

Needless to say, my observations are purely anecdotal and shouldn’t be used to draw any worthwhile conclusions about Triumph sales figures. But my surprise at not having seen more Tiger 1200s in the wild stems from the fact it is an outstanding motorcycle.

In fact, it ticks every box if you’re looking for a large capacity adventure touring bike that’s designed to cover big distances in comfort.

A shaft drive for ease of maintenance: tick. A mile-busting 30l fuel tank: tick. A commanding ‘king-of-the-road’ riding position: tick. A powerful engine that’s both fierce and composed depending on your mood: tick. All the technology and creature comforts you could want or need: tick, tick, tick… OK, I won’t labour the point.

But honestly, I can’t think of a feature that the Tiger 1200 GT Explorer I’ve been living with over the winter is missing for someone like me who enjoys touring on large capacity adventure bikes. It even has backlit switchgear (take note BMW) and suspension that lowers when you come to a stop to help you get on and off.

A big machine for big adventures

Sure, my GT Explorer is a road-focused machine with its 19”/18” alloy wheel set up, but if you really want to take a 250kg-plus motorcycle onto the dirt, you can opt for the Rally Pro model with its larger 21” spoked front wheel and 20mm more travel from the bike’s excellent electronic suspension (220mm compared to 200mm). But in reality, most UK Tiger 1200 riders will be sticking to paved adventures, and it is on the tarmac that the bike excels.

OK, so there’s no denying it is a huge motorcycle, and its weight can catch you out while manoeuvring at low speeds (I admit I’ve come close to dropping it more than once while pushing the bike around my driveway). But I love the commanding road presence the big Tiger provides as I barrel along the motorway, and once those tyres warm up, it’s really quite impressive how agile a bike of this sizes feels on twisting roads.

So, if the Tiger is this good, why haven’t I seen more prowling the UK of late? A big reason will be the fact that in price, spec, and performance, its main rival is the BMW R 1300 GS and GSA. Both models are outstanding bikes that are also shaft drive and which have maintained an iron grip on adventure bike sales for years, not to mention that the demand for secondhand 1250 and 1200 GS remains as strong as ever.

But the Tiger 1200 is more than a GS alternative. It is a seriously capable motorcycle in its own right from a prestigious manufacturer. It will cross continents in style and comfort, put a huge smile on your face during weekend adventures, and even polish off daily commutes with ease.

But, sadly, it’s also a bike I need to give back to Triumph soon as its loan period is almost over. To those of you who have bought a Tiger 1200, I salute you. You have a made an excellent choice.

Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Explorer specs at a glance

Price: From £18,695

Engine: Liquid-cooled, 12 valve, DOHC, inline 3-cylinder

Capacity: 1,160cc

Power: 148bhp at 9,000rpm

Torque: 130Nm at 7,000rpm

Gears: six-speed

Final drive: shaft

Front suspension: Showa 49mm, semi-active damping USD forks. 200mm travel.

Rear suspension: Showa semi-active damping monoshock, with automatic electronic preload adjustment. 200mm travel

Front brake: Brembo M4.30 Stylema monoblock radial calipers, OC-ABS, twin 320mm floating discs.

Rear brake: Brembo single piston caliper, OC-ABS, single 282mm disc.

Tank capacity: 30L

Seat height: 850/870mm

Front wheel: 19” cast aluminium, 120/70R19

Rear wheel: 18” cast aluminium, 150/70R18

Weight: 256kg (wet)