Triumph Tiger 900

The Triumph Tiger 900 GT broke into the scene a few years ago and was immediately hailed for its accessibility. It was lighter, relatively compact and far easier to manage than the burlier Tiger 800 that it replaced. Some aficionados did cry foul when Triumph replaced the Tiger 800’s sports bike-like inline-triple with a new, T-plane crank three-cylinder engine. But, once you taste that engine, you’ll be hooked. I know because I was. Cut to 2024 and I’m astride the updated Tiger 900 GT. Have they enhanced the ‘Tiger’ experience or is the recipe ruined?

Adventure motorcycles, in my opinion, are difficult to design. You see, there’s always a fight between form and function when it comes to these motorcycles. Even with these constraints being around, I think the Triumph Tiger is a good-looking motorcycle. The new bike gets revised bodywork around the fuel tank and radiator shrouds. It adds more edginess to the motorcycle’s appearance and I love it. Ditto for the beak and slim LED headlights.

Perhaps the only area that I still feel is a bit of an afterthought is the tail section. A larger LED tail light or some bodywork would add some visual mass. But, this is not a deal breaker in any way. On the whole, the bike is a head turner and I like the new colour on our test bike. Subtle yet eye-catching.

As for the quality of the materials used and the fit and finish, there is very little to complain about. While the paint quality is good, the switchgear is tactile and the plastics appear to be of a durable grade, our test bike did suffer an issue with the front turn indicators. After riding the bike in the rain, the lens cover was fogged up and later on, one of the three LEDs stopped working.

The Triumph Tiger 900’s 888cc, inline-triple engine is one of the most characterful engines out there. I don’t say so loosely. While I will elaborate on this further what must be noted is that this engine makes 13 per cent more power at 106.5bhp. It is paired with a six-speed gearbox that has a quick shifter.

Also new for 2024 is a new 7-inch TFT display with Bluetooth connectivity as standard. The display is bright and informative and the menus are easy to navigate. That said, the animations and transitions between menus could've been smoother.

The bike gets four ride modes - Road, Rain, Sport and Enduro - as well as lean-sensitive ABS, traction control and more. As a package, the Tiger 900 GT is very well equipped and all of this comes together to offer an entertaining ride.

The moment you are seated on the Tiger 900 GT, you feel cosseted in comfort. The new bike gets wider, more supportive seats and a handlebar that’s placed within easy reach. A new damper helps reduce vibrations to quite an extent.

This inline-triple engine, as I’d mentioned earlier, is characterful and doesn’t mind being revved. But the interesting bit is that it feels torquey from the time you begin rolling forward. I stuck the bike in Road mode during most of my time in the city and the engine felt tractable and responsive. Even riding at 20-25kmph in third gear was possible with no signs of protest from the engine. This makes it quite easy and stress-free to ride the bike in traffic as one doesn’t need to change gears often.

What was also commendable was the heat management. The split radiators do a fantastic job of keeping the engine from overheating and even in peak Mumbai traffic with the sun beating down hard, the Tiger never overheated. You do feel a warm stream of air thrown on your legs when the radiator fan comes on but it isn’t bothersome.

Switch the settings to an open road, select Sport mode and the Tiger comes alive. There’s a nice surge post the mid-range and the sound coming off the exhausts just makes the whole experience more enjoyable. This is, by far, one of the best-sounding adventure motorcycles in the market. This Tiger truly roars and I lost count of the times I held on to gears, sometimes unnecessarily, to keep the revs and sound at a high volume. Guilty as charged!

The performance of the Tiger 900 GT is enough to keep seasoned riders entertained whilst not scaring the living daylights out of the newbies. Even in Sport mode, the power delivery is measured with a great feel from the throttle letting you judge inputs correctly.

Cruising at highway speeds feels effortless since the Tiger has the legs for the long haul. With enough wind protection for my 5ft11inch frame, I see no issues with spending hours and hours in the saddle with an effortless engine beneath me.

What also helps is the Marzocchi USD fork and monoshock which are very easy to adjust, especially at the rear with the remote preload adjuster. Once dialled in, the suspension offers a comfortable ride over most of the imperfections that Indian roads throw at you. However, what the cherry on top of this cake, for me, is the handling.

This is a 219kg motorcycle but all that heft seemingly disappears when you flick this bike through traffic, as if the bike has shrunken around you. Put the bike in the corner, and the bike just tips in predictably. No drama, no unnerveiness, nothing. It truly is remarkable to see an ADV handle this way and I think that also goes a long way in helping riders new to such bikes get comfortable rather quickly.

The bike will also handle most of the off-road trails that you will encounter, including trips to Spiti. That said, one has to be mindful that the GT gets road-biased tyres and these won’t be appropriate in slush, muck or what have you.

As for the brakes, the Brembo Stylema callipers are good enough for the most part. However, I wish Triumph would’ve used a Brembo master cylinder instead of the JJuan master cylinder as it doesn’t offer a sharper feel while braking. Perhaps the next model year update could feature this.

The updates to the Tiger 900 GT have enhanced and improved the motorcycle in almost every way. The engine is easily one of my favourites out there and the ease with which the Tiger handles Indian road conditions earns it additional brownie points. At a starting price of Rs 13.95 lakh, ex-showroom, it is also competitively priced. However, it is slightly pricier than the newly launched BMW F 900 GS, its closest competitor. It is also more capable off-road with its tubeless wire-spoke rims while costing less. What’s also pricey is the service and that’s something one must consider before purchasing a big capacity ADV.

Nevertheless, the Triumph Tiger 900 GT is a very versatile motorcycle that’s easy to adapt to, especially while graduating from a lower-capacity motorcycle. Its friendliness and the lovely engine are what make it worth taking a look at.

Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi