Triumph Tiger 800 XR, XC review, test ride

So XR or XC?

Despite being an adventure bike, the Tiger 800 has been a motorcycle with a slight fetish for tarmac. Staying on the black stuff was very rewarding and the XR, which will be coming to India for the very first time, is the more everyday adventure bike of the two. Firstly, at its lowest setting the 810mm seat height, makes the 216kgs of motorcycle easier to manage. Then the 19” front wheel also lightens the steering and sends it lunging into corners.

The XC, in keeping with its adventurous leanings uses a larger 21” front tyre and spoke wheels for off-road duties. At 840mm, the seat height is considerably higher than the XR as it packs plenty more suspension travel. While the suspension travel is unchanged from the earlier XC, the new bike uses hardware from off-road specialist WP. Yes, KTM’s sister concern.  The little bit that we rode in the dirt showed that the XC has found a new suppleness and ease with which it can deal with sharp bumps that off-road journeys throw at you. The top of the line XCx gets engine guards and an aluminium bash plate as well.

On the road, the XC impresses further. Its corner entry is a bit more measured, but that only made it more enjoyable and, unlike the XR, the mid-corner bumps were shrugged off by the XC. The icing on the cake is that the new higher handlebar offers a far more upright seating position that won’t tire you even on long journeys.