Just test rode a Tenere and Triumph Explorer 1200 back to back

[Stridercal]

I'll just leave this here...

http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/features/2014_04RawHydeCV.pdf

When i wrote the above, i was actually much harder in my first drafts, and it was edited down for civility.

TL;DR- The Tiger 1200 is a joke unless you are looking for a road-only bike. if you are, there are still much better options.

 

[GrahamD]

Thanks Stridercal.

I'd just like to say thanks for actually taking the bikes off road and not testing them all on the freeway at 180KPH. ::008::

 

[twinrider]

TL;DR- The Tiger 1200 is a joke unless you are looking for a road-only bike. if you are, there are still much better options.

I loved the Tiger 1200 when I road tested one, thought it was much more fun than the smooth but fairly weedy Tiger 800 and never had any delusions that this 265 kg machine was an offroad bike so its dirt performance, wasn't a consideration. Comfortable riding position, sharp handling and a powerful, turbine smooth, incredibly flexible motor that pulled high gears at really low revs without complaint, making shifting optional on twisty roads -- 3rd gear does it all! ::024::

What I didn't like was the constant through the dash to turn off the TC every time I started the bike.... Put a damper on the wheelie fest. And it's overpriced where I am, same as a LC GS but lacking electronically adjustable suspension. Looking forward to seeing the next generation though....

 

[eemsreno]

A friend of mine had an Explore and traded it off for a H.D.
The new owner here in Iowa went on his first trip with it and the engine blew. 35,000 miles.


Well this is not how I expected my first trip on the Tiger to end up. Was about 50 miles from home and bike started leaking oil, lost power and died. Looks like a blown head gasket possibly more damage... Dropped it off at Struthers for them to look at tomorrow

Well just heard from Struthers Bros the engine if shot, he said there is a hole in the front of my motor and he had pieces of my piston he can show me.

 

[twinrider]

Bummer, maybe Triumph will step up to the plate and do a goodwill repair.

 

[eemsreno]

It was not two years old yet so still under warranty

 

[Checkswrecks]

I'll just leave this here...

http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/features/2014_04RawHydeCV.pdf

When i wrote the above, i was actually much harder in my first drafts, and it was edited down for civility.

TL;DR- The Tiger 1200 is a joke unless you are looking for a road-only bike. if you are, there are still much better options.

I remember that article. Particularly liked this telling line:
"

In fact, most of the press quickly came to fight over the keys for the big Yamaha

"

 

[Koinz]

I'll just leave this here...

http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/features/2014_04RawHydeCV.pdf

When i wrote the above, i was actually much harder in my first drafts, and it was edited down for civility.

TL;DR- The Tiger 1200 is a joke unless you are looking for a road-only bike. if you are, there are still much better options.

Good write-up. I think it's fair and balanced. They're all good bikes in the own right.

 

[Koinz]

A friend of mine had an Explore and traded it off for a H.D.
The new owner here in Iowa went on his first trip with it and the engine blew. 35,000 miles.


Well this is not how I expected my first trip on the Tiger to end up. Was about 50 miles from home and bike started leaking oil, lost power and died. Looks like a blown head gasket possibly more damage... Dropped it off at Struthers for them to look at tomorrow

Well just heard from Struthers Bros the engine if shot, he said there is a hole in the front of my motor and he had pieces of my piston he can show me.

Damn, Maybe it should be called an "exploder"

 

[Donk]

I owned a '13 Explorer for 10,000 miserable miles. I was a loyal Triumph owner, had a bunch of 1050s both Tigers, Sprints, and Speed Triples. The 1050s were great bikes. The Explorer was a decent bike in concept, junk in execution(no pun intended). The motor was noisy, the bike plagued by recalls, engine heat was tough on the legs, and it didn't handle particularly well. I will say it was comfortable. My bike was one of the ones that had a service bulletin on the head. Basically Triumph would replace the head any time I requested it. The S10 is smoother, handles better and generally a lot more fun to ride. Hard to quantify but every time I got off the Explorer I was thinking, "I hate this bike, what junk" and every time I get off the S10 I'm thinking, "I love this bike, best bike I've ever owned".

 

[twinrider]

The S10 is smoother, handles better and generally a lot more fun to ride. Hard to quantify but every time I got off the Explorer I was thinking, "I hate this bike, what junk" and every time I get off the S10 I'm thinking, "I love this bike, best bike I've ever owned".

The one I tried must have been built in the middle of the week. It felt much smoother than my S10 and its 20 pony advantage really showed as the RPMs rose.

 

[ExTriumphExp]

I owned a '13 Explorer for 10,000 miserable miles. I was a loyal Triumph owner, had a bunch of 1050s both Tigers, Sprints, and Speed Triples. The 1050s were great bikes. The Explorer was a decent bike in concept, junk in execution(no pun intended). The motor was noisy, the bike plagued by recalls, engine heat was tough on the legs, and it didn't handle particularly well. I will say it was comfortable. My bike was one of the ones that had a service bulletin on the head. Basically Triumph would replace the head any time I requested it. The S10 is smoother, handles better and generally a lot more fun to ride. Hard to quantify but every time I got off the Explorer I was thinking, "I hate this bike, what junk" and every time I get off the S10 I'm thinking, "I love this bike, best bike I've ever owned".

I Completly agree with Donk on this, check out my screen name. And byr the way Koinz if you check out the Explorer forum its even been refered to as an Exploder on there by disgruntled owners. One owner admitted a Mechanic at a Triumph dealer ship was the first person he heard use the Exploder name.
After just completing a tour through France, Switzerland & Italy to Sardinia & Corsica & back I can confidently say that the S10 is a far superior bike in all round terms. Sure the Exploder is faster in a straight line but any clown can jam the gas open in a straight line, if you want that buy a Vmax. The S10 is in a differnt league to the Exploder in terms of handling & ride comfort. The Explodrs suspension is just plain harsh & rough, the S10 floats over bumps & handles way better than the Exploder.
A lot of my issues were caused by the dealerships piss poor attitude & lack of attention, not to the fine detail but even the obvious they just didnt carry out a PDI on one bike (replacement Tiger Sport) & sent me out on a brand new bike with no oil in the engine, or the redidue from the rolling road test in the factoy. With 60 miles on th clock my Tiger Sport had to go back to the factory for a new engine!
Yes you might say im biased due to the crap time i had with Triumph but i genuinly feel the S10 is a better bike all round.

::003::

 

[Koinz]

I Completly agree with Donk on this, check out my screen name. And byr the way Koinz if you check out the Explorer forum its even been refered to as an Exploder on there by disgruntled owners. One owner admitted a Mechanic at a Triumph dealer ship was the first person he heard use the Exploder name.
After just completing a tour through France, Switzerland & Italy to Sardinia & Corsica & back I can confidently say that the S10 is a far superior bike in all round terms. Sure the Exploder is faster in a straight line but any clown can jam the gas open in a straight line, if you want that buy a Vmax. The S10 is in a differnt league to the Exploder in terms of handling & ride comfort. The Explodrs suspension is just plain harsh & rough, the S10 floats over bumps & handles way better than the Exploder.
A lot of my issues were caused by the dealerships piss poor attitude & lack of attention, not to the fine detail but even the obvious they just didnt carry out a PDI on one bike (replacement Tiger Sport) & sent me out on a brand new bike with no oil in the engine, or the redidue from the rolling road test in the factoy. With 60 miles on th clock my Tiger Sport had to go back to the factory for a new engine!
Yes you might say im biased due to the crap time i had with Triumph but i genuinly feel the S10 is a better bike all round.

::003::

That's funny, I just liked how it rhymed, but if the shoe fits

 

[twinrider]

I Completly agree with Donk on this, check out my screen name. And byr the way Koinz if you check out the Explorer forum its even been refered to as an Exploder on there by disgruntled owners. One owner admitted a Mechanic at a Triumph dealer ship was the first person he heard use the Exploder name.
After just completing a tour through France, Switzerland & Italy to Sardinia & Corsica & back I can confidently say that the S10 is a far superior bike in all round terms. Sure the Exploder is faster in a straight line but any clown can jam the gas open in a straight line, if you want that buy a Vmax. The S10 is in a differnt league to the Exploder in terms of handling & ride comfort. The Explodrs suspension is just plain harsh & rough, the S10 floats over bumps & handles way better than the Exploder.

My tester must have been very special. It handled as well as my S10 in tight twisties and the turbine-like engine had way more power in the upper RPMs. ::26::

 

[scott123007]

My tester must have been very special. It handled as well as my S10 in tight twisties and the turbine-like engine had way more power in the upper RPMs. ::26::

I'm with you on this Twinrider. The jury's still out on his bike's dependability, but my buddy has an Explorer and I would much rather ride it on road than my S-10. Just as comfortable, equal or better handling, smoother, and will absolutely leave my S-10 for dead in the power department.

 

[Checkswrecks]

I've been on a couple now and really liked them as road bikes and could see why people buy them. Like KTM, I've been through Triumph ownership and don't trust them for now.

 

[twinrider]

I'm currently carefully testing the KTM waters. Have had a 350 EXCF since September. 5700 km on it now, no issues yet knock on wood and it's a blast to ride offroad. Stonkin' motor, awesome suspension and light. It's one bike I don't have to throw money at to fix what the factory didn't do right. ::26::

I also like how KTM is pushing the boundaries with its adv bikes, the other makers will have to up their game and we'll reap the benefits.

There were things I didn't like about the TEX but the engine and handling weren't among them. Just overpriced in my market for the suspension and electronics package. I'm watching with interest what Triumph does to the next generation. Hopefully they'll bring the reliability up to snuff compared to their other models, which seem to have been pretty trouble-free (which seemed to amplify the shock of the TEX's issues).

 

[Donk]

I think the Explorer was rushed to market and built with a lot of outsourcing but not much QC. Triumph has been left for dead in the electronics department and I don't see them catching up ant time soon. As I've said elsewhere, the decline of the British bike industry, Round 2!

 

[cosmic]

And what about the new S10??

 

[Donk]

And what about the new S10??

What about it? I love my '14ES