The all-rounder champion

 

By Réhann Coetzee

 

In 2007, Triumph replaced their dual-purpose 955i Tiger with the 1050 Tiger. The 1050 made no bones about its aim to make short work of long distances and corners – on tar. It was not a dual-purpose adventure bike and with its 17-inch front wheel didn’t pretend to be either.

The Tiger 1050 was in fact a lovely all-rounder – a spirited commuter with great handling and also an excellent tourer, although the panniers weren’t exactly huge or of a practical shape.

In 2013 it was renamed the Tiger Sport and it got some styling updates and suspension upgrades. The bike I have just tested is the 2018 model and this has an updated engine too. Where in the past the Tiger 1050’s engine was a less enthusiastic version of the Speed Triple’s 1 050cc engine, the current 93kW engine feels as if it could be straight out of its naked sibling.

The throttle response is quicker, now with ride-by-wire technology. Power delivery is crisper and the (also new) traction control’s operation becomes evident quite often when pulling away or accelerating a little enthusiastically. Fortunately, the traction control can be adjusted and the ABS can be switched off – strange for a road bike. The bike also has three rider modes: Road, Rain and Sport.

The single-sided swingarm is also new and looks just like the Speed Triple’s.

The seating position is upright and comfortable and the higher passenger seat means the pillion has a better view of the road ahead. The 1 050cc triple-cylinder engine offers a lovely compromise between a free-revving sports bike and the torque characteristics of a lower-revving adventure bike.

The instrument binnacle is probably where the designers could have done more to update the bike, but the instrumentation is clear and easy to read. Apart from the rider modes, the bike now also has speed control, which is a must-have for staying out of trouble over longer distances. Because very few bikes give the kind of feedback that this one does when you start riding faster…

Testing the Tiger Sport was like getting reacquainted with an old friend. As the former owner of two Tiger 1050s, it was interesting to see how the (now relatively old) design has been updated, although the bike still creates the same stir in the rider.

The windscreen, now tinted, has been redesigned and can be adjusted to five positions.

The exhaust – and its sound – is new and although it isn’t particularly pretty, it does make a beautiful noise when you ride harder. The single-piece seat has been slightly redesigned and the material has white stitching. The Triumph logo has been embossed into the seat, as well as on the rear of the redesigned mirrors.

The Tiger Sport is a very comfortable bike. The engine is a gem and pours out power effortlessly. If you don’t want to ride dirt roads, this is as close as you can come to a proper all-rounder. And the price is just ridiculous. This must be the best value for money on our market. And if you speak to Rob or Matthew at Triumph, you might be able to buy this demo unit for even less.

Go ride the Tiger Sport. It will open your eyes to triple-cylinder engines.

Technically speaking: Triumph Tiger Sport

Engine: 1 050cc, in-line 3-cylinder, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, liquid cooled

Power: 93kW @ 9 475rpm / 106Nm @ 7 000rpm

Gears: 6 speed, chain

Fuel tank: 20 litres

Seat height: 830mm

Tyres: 120/70/17 front, 180/55/17 rear

Brakes: 4-piston 320mm double disks (front); 2-piston 255mm single disk (rear)

Wet weight: 235kg

Price: R164 000