Triumph Tiger 1200 vs 900

[croyde]

Anyone own both? or ridden either one?

The 900 is much cheaper than the 1200 but is the bigger engine one worth having at its premium price?

I've ridden the 1200 and liked it, even started to warm to the new lumpy triple engine but £16000 plus

Then to add to the confusion there is the Tiger 850 Sport.

Considering I'll be mainly using it for commuting. Currently all London but soon could be 20 to 40 miles of motorway then London gridlock.

Be nice to get some ownership feedback as my eyes are going after months of YouTube reviews.

Cheers.

Looking at 2021 onwards, do like the latest 1200 GT.

[Wacky Racer]

To be fair, I haven't ridden either, but if you can afford it go for the 1200.

However, being sensible the, 900 will have more than enough power for long distance motorway cruising.

[NSR500v4]

I have just recently bought the 900 Rally Pro, i like the 900, the 1200 is a bit heavier, do you need the 1200? If not go for the 900 and save a chunk of change, both great bikes with plenty go in them, i traded an MT10 against it and dont miss the extra grunt at all.

[GSA_fattie]

one is chain driven, one is shaft

if you can put up with an oiler or a rattle can every day (whcih really isn't that much of a pain) then the cheaper 900 - its a lot of bike

but then so is a 950 duke and a ktm unless your heart is set on the trumpets

[croyde]

Uho, yep! just been looking at vids of the latest 950cc Monster

[stu67]

Been looking at a new commuter myself (when am I not looking?) I would have thought one of the larger Adventure bikes are a bit unwieldy to snake through London traffic? I've currently got a SV650 for the commute and it's quite good at getting into those small gaps as it seems really narrow. I've got a Moto Guzzi V7 and even that winds me up when I use it for the commute as the bars seem slightly wide. Don't they do a small tiger 600 or something that's meant to be a good crossover?

[GM182]

I've just bought a 1200 Rally Pro. Only done 200 miles so far due to weather and family commitments but I am enjoying it. I have done one commute into central London and it was fine but if I was going to do that regularly I think the lighter weight of the 900 would be advantageous.

I went for the 1200 as am intending on taking a pillion on longer trips from time to time so felt I would need the extra grunt with a 60kg passenger plus luggage. And I just wanted a 150bhp bike.

[LFB531]

stu67 said:

Been looking at a new commuter myself (when am I not looking?) I would have thought one of the larger Adventure bikes are a bit unwieldy to snake through London traffic? I've currently got a SV650 for the commute and it's quite good at getting into those small gaps as it seems really narrow. I've got a Moto Guzzi V7 and even that winds me up when I use it for the commute as the bars seem slightly wide. Don't they do a small tiger 600 or something that's meant to be a good crossover?

I've got an older 1200 Explorer and it's amazing where it can go in traffic, it's certainly not as lithe as a Deliveroo special but I rarely feel stuck.

[croyde]

On my Autumn tests last year I did find the 1200 Tiger pretty easy in London traffic but plenty of the same gaps had me hesitating on a BMW 1250GS test.

Hence why I've now scrubbed the BMW off my short list, that and the cost.

I did like the F900XR tho, apart from the rock hard seat.

[anonymous-user]

INHO The 1200 is comfortably destroyed by its competitors and is not cheap enough to offset this. The 900 at least has a bit of a go. The 900 motor is a gem, and the setup is great.

[chappj]

I bought the 900 rally pro last year for commuting duties (100 miles/day) having previously owned GSA 1200/1250’s for years.

I originally opted for the 900 based on cost and size. I’ve now ridden 8k miles and continue to be impressed by its versatility. I haven’t missed the power of a 1250 and find wind protection to be similar. I think the 900 is less desirable to be stolen than the 1200 or GSA (well that’s my hope at least).

The main gripes are smaller petrol tank (it is actually quite annoying to fill up every other day) and chain drive (I tend to only clean/lube every 1500-2000 miles so I assume lifespan won’t be optimal).

I haven’t ridden the tiger 1200 so can’t offer a comparison other than my rationale above.

Some people comment on the vibrations, but I personally don’t find it that bad.

[TimmyWimmyWoo]

I’ve ridden both quite a bit. The 900 is noticeably lighter and a bit more manageable (though still tall if you go for the off-roady one). The 900 feels about as well finished as the more expensive 1200 from memory - it doesn’t feel like a budget option (unlike the 850).

The 1200 is lots faster obviously, but in my experience quite vibey at 75mph (fine at 70!), and top heavy though I’ve only ridden the Rally model with the Explorer tank option. If it was my money, I’d buy a KTM 1290 Super Adventure S, which I did. Got mine for £12500 with 400 miles on it ex-demo, which is cheaper than some Tiger 900 models and is a billionty times more exciting. Not that you always want excitement on your commute.

In your shoes, I’d get the 900 with plenty of toys on it.

[Tardigrade]

croyde said:

Considering I'll be mainly using it for commuting. Currently all London but soon could be 20 to 40 miles of motorway then London gridlock.

The 900 will be amply powerful for this, and usefully lighter/slimmer.

[Bob_Defly]

If you're going to do any off-roading, get the 900, it's easier to pick up.

[SteelerSE]

A year on have anyones opinions changed with more miles? 1200 vs 900..?

I'm thinking similar thoughts and the sheer size of the 1200 is giving me pause. I'm only going into London once a week but want it to be manageable. Also the weather protection on the 1200 looks much better.

[KTMsm]

Not particularly relevant to your use but I came across this video some months ago and was shocked how well the Tiger 1200 did

https://youtu.be/uJEUxMik8J4?si=mLM6KqfqpkAAxHL8

[GSA_fattie]

KTMsm said:

Not particularly relevant to your use but I came across this video some months ago and was shocked how well the Tiger 1200 did

https://youtu.be/uJEUxMik8J4?si=mLM6KqfqpkAAxHL8

why are you "shocked"?

i have a 1250 gsa and a tiger 1200 having had to part with the H2 SX (wrist pain)

I’d rather be on the tiger and that's after 58000 on a GSA
you can’t festoon it with aftermarket trinkets like you can the GSA/GS - but it is in every way more than an equal match for a GSA or a GS and better in some areas as a standard bike

it’s just a marketing thing with BMW

[KTMsm]

GSA_fattie said:

why are you "shocked"?

i have a 1250 gsa and a tiger 1200 having had to part with the H2 SX (wrist pain)

I’d rather be on the tiger and that's after 58000 on a GSA
you can’t festoon it with aftermarket trinkets like you can the GSA/GS - but it is in every way more than an equal match for a GSA or a GS and better in some areas as a standard bike

it’s just a marketing thing with BMW

I'd have thought my username would give away that I wasn't comparing it to the overweight and dull BMW



I assumed it was yet another tourer dressed up as an adventure bike so I was shocked at it's abilities and speed off road - although I accept that almost no one would ride it like that

[Biker9090]

Sat on the 1200 and it felt massively top heavy

[SteelerSE]

I went to a dealer and sat on one and it feels OK. My Crossrunner is heavy already so I didn't notice a big difference. The 900 did feel much thinner though.
I'm quite torn between the two.