Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro 2024 Review

It’s now 14 years since Triumph first released the Tiger 800, with the model bearing all the hallmarks of the British company’s engineering prowess and attention to detail.

As numerous manufacturers have learnt over the years, putting all the adventure dots together isn’t a walk in the park. However, the Tiger 800 was, quite simply, a stunning entry into the middleweight adventure market, with the company’s smooth-running and powerful inline triple a huge part of the wonderfully fun and tactile experience. It was gold standard, if not the best in class.

That was the start of a 10-year evolutionary process – although the naming conventions did become a little clunky as new on- and off-road variations of the Tiger 800 came into the mix – before the Tiger 900 platform was released to mark the start of the new decade.

And now the advancement has continued with the updated second-generation Tiger 900 range – and it’s as streamlined as it gets in terms of offerings with two road-biassed models, the Tiger 900 GT and Tiger 900 GT Pro, joined by the Tiger 900 Rally Pro.

In terms of the KISS (Kiss It Simple Stupid) principle, it’s one I am very agreeable with! And, of course, there is a strategic element, as traditionally most adventure pundits have made a beeline straight for the top-shelf off-road biased offering anyway; Triumph’s simply playing the crafty consolidation card.

The British company has focussed on performance, capability, comfort and styling improvements across the triumvirate, with the might of the 888cc T-plane triple enhanced even more with 13 per cent more power and a smidgeon more torque – now accessible even lower in the rpm range in a nod to more flexibility. It does docile as well as thrilling better than ever.

The 2024 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro retails for $25,950 ride away, which puts it in the premium pricing Tiger 900 basket compared to the Tiger 900 GT ($21,850 ride away) and Tiger GT Pro ($24,790 ride away).

You don’t have to be Professor Allan Fels to decipher the pricing model, either: what you see is what you get. And the value proposition is compelling: six separate riding modes, all-LED lighting, illuminated switches, quality Showa long-travel suspension, Brembo Stylema brakes, cruise control, heated seats for rider and pillion, screen/seat adjustability, Triumph Shift Assist, a new seven-inch TFT screen with smartphone connectivity, turn-by-turn navigation, spoked wheels, engine bars, adventure footpegs, and two auxiliary power sockets.

The safety suite doesn’t push frontiers – no radar-enabled cruise control, collision warnings and blind spot detection – but there is tyre pressure monitoring, a new rapid deceleration warning system which flashes the rear indicators to warn other road users, and permanent ‘marker’ lights.

There are more than 50 accessories across every conceivable adventure subset, including luggage and one that Triumph is spruiking hard: a brand-new Akrapovic silencer as the first pillar in a new strategic partnership.

New liveries are Carbon Black/Sapphire Black, Ash Grey/Intense Orange or our test unit’s Matt Khaki Green/Matt Phantom Black, while the beak, cockpit and side panels are the main styling updates.

The power and torque gains have certainly helped to set a new benchmark in refinement for Triumph’s brutally efficient 888cc triple, both on tarmac and dirt.

The extra power kicks in at about 7500rpm compared to the predecessor, with the new claimed peak now 108hp (79.5kW). That makes road riding more spirited, while the extra torque (up 3Nm to 93) hits maximum at a lower 6850rpm.

Combined with the faultless fuelling and beautiful throttle connection, it’s a cinch to settle into a metronomic rhythm, whether it’s churning through traffic at slow speeds or pushing hard in the dirt where tractability is the main calling card. Means less fatigue, as well, so you and your passenger (well looked after with those massive grab handles) can really pump out the miles. There’s a remote preload adjuster, too, to accommodate varying loads with the flick of the wrist.

Even in the most aggressive Sport mode, slow-speed riding is silky smooth, but there are always the Road and Rain modes to fall back on. And across the whole spectrum, the bi-directional quickshifter is an absolute peach, even when the powertrain is under mild strain.

The engine updates – new pistons (for higher compression), a new cylinder head, new camshafts and new (and longer) intake trumpets – have also improved fuel economy to eke more from the 20-litre tank. There’s also new silencer, as well, while the valve clearance service interval has now been extended out to 29,000km.

The Tiger 900 Rally Pro’s on-road prowess is impressive, even with the 21-inch front wheel and long-travel suspension, while overall comfort is enhanced thanks to the engine refinements, dampened handlebars and thicker seat. The screen offers decent protection, too – not in a bubble-type effect, but in the smooth airflow. Screen adjustment is a manual process, just like the suspension.

In my books, the T-plane engine does produce more vibes than the original triple, and on the open road that’s most felt around the 5000rpm mark. Not to the detriment of the mirrors, though, which remain buzz free.

A lack of feedback on the road can be common on adventure bikes with so much suspension travel and a propensity for the odd wallow, but the level of feel on the Tiger 900 Rally Pro is excellent and it just keeps wanting more – even allowing for the fact the test bike was fitted with more off-road leaning Pirelli Scorpion rubber wrapped around those tough-looking side-laced spoked wheels. The OEM rubber is Bridgestone Battlax Adventure.

Enterprising as it is on tarmac, the Rally Pro talents are best felt in the dirt where the two dedicated off-road modes (three if you want to setup the configurable Rider mode) provide options galore and the ‘sit-on’ type ergonomics make it feel it like a large dirt bike.

The steel tubular frame, which is a carry-over, forms the backbone of an agile chassis, and that’s best utilised on open trials to negate the high-ish weight – especially when there’s a full tank of juice. The chassis is completed by a bolt-on aluminium subframe.

The Showa suspension is supreme, especially tracking across uneven and sketchy ground, and standing is now easier with the bars moved back 15mm. If standing’s your normal caper, the rubber inserts are easily removed from the adventure-style footpegs.

Overall, it’s much more confidence-inspiring in dirt – the intangible which is the main hurdle for most riders to overcome in the loose stuff.

Multiple world enduro champion Ivan Cervantes certainly enjoys the Tiger 900 Rally Pro, with rousing class wins in major desert racing and open enduro events over the last few years.

Admittedly, there were some pre-activation nerves about the Brembo Stylema brakes in the dirt – based on not what they couldn’t deliver but how potent they actually are.

As it turned out, the concerns were unfounded as, although there’s a fair bit of initial bite – which gets the Showa forks straight – the level of modulation the system allows through the lever is spot on. The rear brake is one of the best I’ve used and brilliant to help settle the bike on twisty tarmac roads.

The Tiger 900 Rally Pro is arguably better than its predecessor on all performance and aesthetic metrics.

It’s not the type of bike that consistently takes your breath away; it’s more the brutal efficiency of how the whole package comes together that keeps the enjoyment and satisfaction at maximum levels.

There are no quirks, irritations or potential deal breakers – just a ripping motorcycle.

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, DOHC, 12-valve inline triple
Capacity: 888cc
Bore x stroke: 78mm x 61.9mm
Compression ratio: 13.0:1
Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 108hp (79.5kW) at 9500rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 93Nm at 6850rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Clutch: Wet, multi-plate, slip and assist
Final drive: Chain

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Tubular steel trellis with bolt-on aluminium subframe
Front suspension: Showa 45mm upside-down fork, fully adjustable, 240mm travel
Rear suspension: Showa monoshock, adjustable for preload and rebound, 230mm travel
Front brakes: Dual 320mm discs with Brembo Stylema monobloc radial-mount four-piston calipers, cornering ABS
Rear brake: Single 255mm Brembo disc with single-piston caliper, cornering ABS

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed wet weight: 228kg
Seat height: 860/880mm (20mm lower seat available as accessory)
Wheelbase: 1551mm
Fuel capacity: 20lt

OTHER STUFF
Prices: $25,950 ride away
Warranty: Two years, unlimited kilometres