hello, I am looking at a 2014 tiger 800 which has bought my eye on eBay, 13000 miles no service history but owner oil and filter changes my worry is 12000mile service not done which include valve clearances. can our members here tell me if this is a big deal I.E. do the tiger 800s usually require valve adjustments? I ask this as some makes require adjustments at service every time. and some never seem to come out of adjustments. I am hoping the tiger is the later. interesting to have some idea before I make an offer. thanks all.
Mine went to 24000 without adjustment it was a 2012 gen 1. at 13000 I'd say they should be ok, how many owners and other bits of lubrication around the bike that could be a concern, here's a service checklist you might find useful Oh and if it is a concern factor a service into your haggling PS check the rear suspension adjuster hasn't seized that's a common one
At 12,000 miles it shouldn't need any valve adjustments - but it might. You will never know unless you have it checked out. I would err on the side of caution and have it done. Factor in the cost of a 12000 mile service Muddy Sump's latest price is £420, a dealer will be more.
Hi Malcolm, the Tiger 800 is not a very high revving machine and owners don't tend to hit the rev limiter on a regular basis, I say this as most machines rarely require any valve adjustments until they reach a significant mileage and then a lot still remain within tolerance. I would ask the owner what servicing he carried out apart from an oil and filter change, it is easy for an owner to say it has been home serviced, however there is a lot more to a service, the 12,000 mile service includes throttle body balance, sensor checks, idle setting, suspension linkage strip and re grease, brake fluid change (requires ABS pump purging) and a heck of a lot more, (Crispy has attached a service sheet for your information, although this has since been slightly updated). A 12,000 Triumph service is about £750 and this includes the valve check, and adjustment is another £150 on top of that, therefore it is approaching the best part of a thousand pounds, a good independent workshop will cost a lot less however, and a good negotiating point, you don't say if you intend looking at the machine in person or buying on the description and photos, also a test ride is impossible if buying unseen, also you don't mention the location of the machine, if it is not within easy travelling distance then reach out to see if a forum member would be willing to view it on your behalf, someone may be able to assist, a while ago such a system was offered on the forum but I have not heard of any recent requests for assistance. It would never put me off buying a machine that has been home serviced, often self service by owners take a lot more care and attention, provided they have the knowledge and skills, inspecting a machine properly takes time, I always look at the chain and sprockets first, this quick visual check tells you a lot about how the owner looks after their bike, then work from front to back, rounded or damaged fasteners are another giveaway of poor maintenance and skill, wheels, forks, bearings, calipers (sticking) pad wear etc etc. Good luck with whatever you decide and ride safe all from an ageing Rocker.
Thank you so much for taking the time for such a detailed reply, I have since found a 2014 with 7700miles with only 2 owners and the last since 2016 and has a history which I should pick up on Sunday, again only seen pictures but can soon back away on the day as no monies have changed hands. seems good but at that mileage a bit puzzles why she had steering head bearings replaced at the last MOT. Thank You once again.
