Triumph’s top-of-the-line adventure bike is lighter and more powerful than before
The new Triumph Tiger 1200 has been officially launched in the Malaysian market by the brand’s sole distributor, Fast Bikes Sdn Bhd. The adventure-touring bike is offered in two variants, the road-focused Tiger 1200 GT Pro and the all-terrain Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer, priced at RM115,900 and RM130,900 respectively.
Both the GT Pro and Rally Explorer share the same 1,160 cc triple-cylinder engine that makes 150 PS at 9,000 rpm and 130 Nm of torque at 7,000 rpm, representing an improvement of 9 PS and 8 Nm over the previous engine. Power is routed to the rear wheel via a six-speed transmission with a multi-plate, slip and assist clutch.
The unique T-plane engine features a new lightweight shaft drive and an uneven firing order that results in improved acceleration. Speaking of lightweight, Triumph claims the new Tiger 1200 is more than 25 kg lighter than the previous model, and up to 17 kg lighter than its closest competition.
In addition to the engine, both variants are equipped with the same Showa semi-active suspension system that comprises 49 mm USD front forks and a rear monoshock. That said, the suspension provides different levels of travel – 200 mm on the GT Pro and 220 mm on the Rally Explorer.
The difference doesn’t end there. The GT Pro, being a road-biased derivative of the Tiger 1200, is fitted with 19-inch front and 18-inch rear cast aluminium wheels, while the off-road ready Rally Explorer comes with 21-inch front and 18-inch rear spoked wheels.
The smaller wheels give the GT Pro a seat height of 850 mm in its lowest setting and 870 mm in its highest. Meanwhile, the Rally Explorer’s seat is set at 875 mm from the ground, which can be adjusted by 20 mm to 895 mm. What’s more, the GT Pro has a 20-litre fuel tank, 10-litre smaller than the one on the Rally Explorer.
Electronics-wise, both variants are equipped with Road, Rain, Sport, Rider-configurable and Off-Road riding modes. However, the Rally Explorer gets an additional Off-Road Pro mode that turns off ABS and traction control.
