Launch: Triumph Tiger 800XRx

If I needed reminding that Victoria's famed Great Ocean Road (GOR) isn't overly sportsbike-friendly, I got it recently on the media launch for Triumph's new Tiger 800XRx — the top-spec road-biased version in the British company's updated and expanded range of 800cc adventure bikes.

The GOR's still magically sinuous, of course, but it's quite bumpy and sketchy, which just isn't ideal for bikes with minimal suspension travel. Of course, you can grin and bear it on the R1s and CBR-RRs of this world, but why would you want to when you can do the same job, in much the same haste and far more comfortably, on an adventure bike.

Okay, so I'm getting a little old and potentially fragile, but the XRx presents a far more wide-ranging case for those types of situations – and with the 19-inch front wheel there's also the added ability to get off the main thoroughfares and go poking around on some dirt roads. And if you want to go touring, Triumph can accommodate with a plethora of accessories.
That's why Triumph Australia believes the 800XRx could potentially match sales of the more off-road focussed 800XCx as they make their way into the increasingly competitive adventure bike landscape. That hasn't been the case over the last four years with customers favouring the old Tiger 800XC over the standard Tiger 800 by a ratio of about 2:1.

I'm a shameless 800XCx fan after the recent media launch of that bike (review here), but I can certainly understand why the 800XRx could become an equally attractive proposition — 90 percent of adventure and/or touring riders don't need anything else. And at $16,590 (plus on-road costs), it's also $1100 cheaper than the 800XCx.

The Tiger 800XRx joins the local market with competition ranging from the BMW F 800 GS ($16,690) to the Honda VFR800X Crossrunner ($14,499) and the new Yamaha MT-09 Tracer ($14,999). Other than the F 800 GS, the other two bikes have cast wheels like the 800XRx, but it's in the level of electronics that the Triumph easily trumps them all. The 800XRx has cruise and traction control and riding modes as standard, which are not available on the other bikes — or are an option. Most of that is due to the wonders of full ride by wire technology.

This is also an opportune time to also make mention of the base 800XR, which retails for $15,099 but without the choice of three riding modes like the 800XRx, and only with the capability to switch anti-lock braking and traction control on or off. Meanwhile, just like the 800XCx, anti-lock braking and traction control can be switched between 'Road', 'Off' or Off Road' on the 800XRx, and it also has a choice of three separate riding modes — Road, Off Road or a customisable Rider setting.

As well as the more sophisticated electronics packages for the 'x' models, they also have additional add-ons such as more advanced trip computers, auto-cancelling indicators, a centrestand, handguards, a plastic radiator guard and additional 12V power socket. The XRx also gets an adjustable screen over the XR — about the only real omission from the XRx equation is heated handgrips as standard. They are available as accessories and were fitted to a couple of the touring-leaning launch bikes.

Triumph Australia's capacious new corporate headquarters in Melbourne's are only a stone's throw from the Princes Freeway to Geelong and the gateway to the GOR, so our first experience of the 800XRx was at 100km/h in top gear for about 80km.

At that speed, the 'distance to empty' figure is seemingly stuck in a time warp: if you were riding at that that sedate mark all day, even with a pillion and luggage bursting at the seams, you'll see over 400km from the 19-litre tank. Triumph claims up to a 17 per cent improvement in fuel economy for the 799cc in-line triple, which has received a number of updates including new fuel injectors, new cam profiles, valve springs and gearbox components from the Daytona 675, and a cam chain tensioner from the bigger Explorer 1200.

The power curve is beautifully linear and there's ample torque, so the XRx doesn't miss a beat on the freeway — or really anywhere for that matter. Triumph claims 79Nm at 7850rpm, and 95hp at 9250rpm, with a 10,000rpm rev limiter.

We didn't use a lot of it on the freeway, but the gearbox is now velvety smooth, with a real sportsbike-like feel about it.

Once we reached the GOR at Torquay and turned off the cruise control, it became quite noticeable how much the sharper the XRx is through the bends compared to the XCx. It isn't quite comparing like for like though, as the launch XCx was fitted with Metzeler Karoo road-legal knobbies — squirm city on sealed roads — compared to the road-based Pirelli Scorpion boots on the XRx.

However, put the rubber issue aside and the XRx's numbers tell the story: it has a shorter wheelbase, more aggressive rake and trail, it's 5kg lighter, and has the 19-inch front wheel compared to the XCx's 21-incher. You can simply ride the XRx harder and more confidently through the twisties — which is not meant as an indictment on the XCx, which is the ultimate all-rounder.

The XRx doesn't have as much ground clearance as the XCx either (by 40mm), so you'll be wearing away the hero knobs on the footpegs pretty quickly. If Marquez was riding, they wouldn't last 10 minutes….

The lower seat height on the XRx — it can be set at 810 or 830mm — is purely a function of the revised suspension, with the model maintaining the Showa kit from the previous Tiger 800, which is only adjustable for preload on the rear. There's a 43mm upside-down fork with 180mm travel, and the travel on the rear is 170mm. On the 800XCx, the equivalent figures are 220 and 215mm.

There's also an accessory seat available for the XRx, which is 20mm lower again.

Because the XRx has the lower seat height than the XCx, its handlebar is also positioned 40mm lower, and the handlebar isn't as wide either: the XRx doesn’t quite need the leverage capability of its wire-wheeled sibling. But as far as general comfort is concerned, both are on a par.

Triumph knew the Showa suspension wasn't up to serious off-road play from the original 800XC, so that's why the XCx and 800XC have swapped to fully adjustable WP hardware. But for road and light off-road duties, the Showa suspension is perfectly adequate, and also helps Triumph keep costs down. You'd also have to be a fairly serious punter to out-ride the Showa suspension.

The XRx maintains the steel trellis frame.

I had the XRx in Road riding mode for most of the launch, which automatically sets the anti-lock braking, traction control and throttle map to the Road setting. On bitumen, 95hp is more than ample to 'play' with on a smaller and lighter adventure bike, with the power- and torque-to-weight ratios only slightly below that of the Explorer 1200.

The four throttle maps on the XRx — Sport, Road, Off Road and Rain — all arrive at the same bookend: 95hp. They are not fuelling maps per se, but instead control throttle aggression by varying the butterfly position for a given twist of the throttle. Road and Off Road are the standard throttle maps for the Road and Off Road riding modes — little surprise there… — while you can only commission the Rain and Sport throttle maps when you set the customisable Rider mode.

Shifting between the modes becomes second nature within minutes, while general navigation through the trip computers and general settings is straightforward as well.

The XRx launch wasn't just all about the GOR: we also varied things up inland, and one road was a particularly dicey affair thanks to a damp surface and lots of bark debris — those who like venturing into the back blacks under big tree-lined canopies will know what I am talking about. In such an unpredictable setting Road mode was activated, and with bike in third gear I got through it with a minimum of fuss: there really is something to be said for a flat torque curve and finely tuned mapping.

Apollo Bay soon beckoned for our overnight stop, while day two would present some more insanely fun inland twisties and a few dirt roads. We now knew what to expect from the XRx on tarmac, but the dirt was a new frontier. Pirelli Scorpions aren't off-road heavyweights, so we couldn't go 'ape droppings' like we did on the XCx launch, and the Sport throttle map is probably a little to spritely on a really loose surface.

Depending on your ability and confidence, you can have great fun in the Off Road mode on dirt tracks, or perhaps tighten it up a little in Rider mode by, for example, fully activating traction control and/or selecting the Rain throttle map. The choice is yours, which is the beauty of the XRx with its three separate riding modes — reason enough alone to spend the extra $1500 over the 800XR. But I'm a dirt fiend, and if you're happy with just the single riding mode the XR may be all you need. That's the beauty of Triumph's new four-bike range, though: you'll find a bike that suits your requirements and tastes.

Standing up in the dirt on the XRx didn't feel much different to performing the same activity on the XCx, although it did get a little nervous pushing through a small section of sand: I'd daresay the 21-inch front on the XCx would have devoured it.

A number of the launch bikes were fitted with aluminium top boxes and panniers, called the 'Expedition' range. It not only makes good on the adventure tourer moniker, but that's why Triumph is also targeting bikes like the new Tracer — and if you want to go even further than that sportstourers like the Honda VFR800F are also fair game.

The two Expedition panniers weigh a total of 11kg, hold 74 litres, are waterproof and can be removed from the bike in seconds to carry to your overnight accommodation. The Expedition top box holds 42 litres.

The Expedition kit is part of what Triumph calls its 'Adventure Luggage' pack, and there's also a Protection Pack (headlight protector, rubber tank pad, etc) and a Sports Pack (Arrow silencer, CNC machined bits, etc). For more information on the accessory options, click here
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All up, Triumph made about 42 changes to the new Tiger 800 range, including adding a dust-proof later to the throttle bodies, grime-proofing the suspension clickers, and lengthening the chain guard.  There's also revamped powder coating on the frame, while the radiator shrouds have been altered to facilitate better cooling — and it's a much better look as well.

The Tiger 800XRx is terrific value at $16,590. As much as I love the intoxicating power that the bigger adventure bikes provide, the middleweight brigade just has so much to offer — and the 800XRx now leads the way.

GEAR WORN ON TEST
Helmet: Kabuto
Jacket: Triumph Navigator
Pants: BMW ComfortShell

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 95hp (70kW) at 9250rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 79Nm at 7850rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Tubular steel trellis
Front suspension: 43mm upside-down Showa forks, 180mm travel
Rear suspension: Showa monoshock with preload adjustment, 170mm travel
Front brakes: Dual 308mm discs with Nissin four-piston calipers, switchable anti-lock braking
Rear brake: 255mm disc petal with Nissin twin-piston caliper
Wheels: Cast-aluminium rim, front 2.5 x 19, rear 4.25 x 17
Tyres: Pirelli Scorpion Trail, front 100/90-19, rear 150/70-17

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Rake: 23.9 degrees
Trail: 92.4mm
Claimed wet weight: 221kg
Seat height: 810/830mm (790/810mm with accessory low seat)
Wheelbase: 1530mm
Fuel capacity: 19 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: $16,590 (Tiger 800XR $15,099)
Colours: Phantom Black, Crystal White or Caspian Blue
Bike supplied by: Triumph Australia, triumphmotorcycles.com.au
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres