Sold My 800 Tiger Xrt. With a heavy heart I no longer own a triumph. I've had 8 various models over the last 20 years or so. I'm pretty sure my foreign touring trips are over. My riding buddy of many a year has retired from foreign touring so I'm billy no mates. I fancied something different with the emphasis more on sports than touring. Not being able to afford a new tiger 900, which would have fitted the brief nicely, I've changed to an MT 09 Tracer. It fills my needs nicely. I will look at buying a used tiger 900 in 18 months or so when used ones start to appear on the market in my price range. I'd love to stay on the forum as I've really enjoyed my time here. Hope that's okay. Regards John
By all means stay on. I haven't been back to Birmingham since 2017. Did an expat assignment there for 3 years in 2005. Lived in Solihull. Much has changed. Is the Wellington on Bennett's Hill still in business?
Stick around John, I did for the 2 years of not owning a Triumph & nobody minded! It's a shame your riding buddy retired, why don't you try meeting up with some on here that like to go abroad?
I think many of us would be interested to hear your Tiger vs Tracer impressions (as an owner of one and previous owner of the other). Stick around John.
I'm glad Gazzatriumph answered this for you Hobnail. I wouldn't know. Rarely go into Birmingham these days. Always hated Broad Street yet I went to loads of retirement and stag do's there back in the day.
Thanks BB. I may put the feelers out next year. I'm sure that with a set of throw overs on the back the tracer would make a great tourer.
Very early days johne. Wouldn't like to diss the tiger. It's a great machine given its design brief. Only criticism for me really is its complete lack of soul. That's something the tracer has in spades. The engines a peach. Strong from everywhere. I'm beginning to think that the speedo is out. Feels like I'm going 20 mph faster everywhere. The brakes are superb. Back to one finger braking, from any speed. Need to sort the suspension settings. It's too harsh for me. Can be skittish on small bumps, kicks me off the seat. But budget suspension seems to be well documented for the model. The handling is excellent. Just think of a line and you're there. The weight seems to be carried much lower down than the tiger making it very easy to tip it in. Reading back that sounds like too much praise for a yamaha. But so far I'm really impressed with it. Like a first date I'm sure I'll find the faults after we've bonded a bit more and the rose tinted spectacles are off.
Thats interesting mate. My son has the basic MT-09, I've ridden his many times when we've swapped bikes and its a bike I really like. I agree with your comments about the motor. I find throttle response a little twitchy in one of the rider modes, I forget which one, but the Tracer is a bike both he and I have on our radar as a potential future purchase.
There many on the forum that are up for touring in Europe. We have a trip to Spain this September (Spain 2020 thread). I would keep a watch out for threads appearing and post your interest. I think as you have already seen what bike you ride is not important on this forum
And you're part of it, @Johnjo! I'm late to this thread but wanted to chime in to echo others' sentiments. Please stick around. And enjoy that new Tracer.