Web sites for these items:
Buy Again? Probably Yes
My Tiger is parked at the end of a carport, mostly shielded from direct
rain and sun, but exposed to wind, fog, and daily sprinklers. My parking
area at work is under some trees. The motorcycle cover is my garage. After
two years use, it has a couple of tears and some sun fading, but probably
still has two more years of useful life. I imagine it has the same plusses
and minuses as any other bike cover. The only thing I don't like is the
huge Triumph logo on it...I guess it
tells the thieves it's not a Harley and that they shouldn't bother with
it, but it's still pretty big.
I got this with the bike. I imagine that I will look at other vendors
when it's time to replace, primarily due to cost. Everything else being
equal, I'll buy another one.
Buy Again? Yes, Yes, Yes
I had not had these on any prior bike. They are now a mandatory
purchase for all future bikes. I got these with the bike and installed
them myself -- about a two-hour job, although I saved the original
grips rather than cutting them off, which took longer. Riding in the
Santa Monica
Mountains, which often have a twenty-degree (Fahrenheit) difference
between the valley and coastal sides, I often use these on evening
rides. Usually I start on the high setting for about five minutes,
then switch to low for the duration. I've kept it on high in
mid-thirty-degree conditions.
Downsides: No indicator light to let you know they are on. It looks
like there is a spot for a bulb inside, but The Triumph wiring diagram
does not attach anything to some of the connectors. The real problem
with this is that it's easy to leave them on, then forget the next
morning, and they do get uncomfortably hot before I notice and turn
them off.
Buy Again? Undecided
I bought these with the bike at a discount. Installed them myself,
about a two-hour job. Very pretty panniers IMHO. Left one is very
large, holds an XXL full-face helmet. The right one is odd-shaped to
clear the exhaust and won't hold a full-face helmet. Both can carry a
laptop, depending on the size of the case. Handles are large
and seem sturdy. Mounting arrangement is fairly unobtrusive.
I think the panniers are good, but I'm undecided whether I'd buy them
again. I anticipated doing a lot more touring when I bought the bike,
but they just haven't been used as much as I originally thought they
would. The price is high - I think list is $995 for the kit. By
comparison, H-D panniers are only about $850.
The panniers were very pretty for about two days. Then I discovered
the other drawback - they make the bike wider. I scraped up the right
side on a concrete block wall. Fortunately, being black, a repair with
shoe polish hid most of the damage.
All in all, I'd recommend these if you are going to do a lot of touring,
or tour two-up, but otherwise there are other options.
Buy Again? Yes
I had not had a tank bag before, and bought this with the bike. Tank
bags in general are very handy, and this ranks with the cover and heated
grips in usefulness. Don't make me decide between them! The bag is
fairly large, and sized to fit the sloping Tiger tank. The bag is oval
shaped, which hinders taking things like 8-1/2 or A4-size notepads and
binders. (My Franklin planner fits fine.) The bag is waterproof - tested
from the inside by a leaky bottle. It expands upwards to almost double in
size. The two main pocket zippers are sturdy, with good-sized pulls that
can easily be operated wearing gloves. The detachable map pocket is also
oval shaped to allow the most area, but maps need careful folding sometimes.
The zipper pull on that is much smaller and harder to use.
There's a little packet on the rider side which can be unzipped and used as
a fanny pack - I keep change, small flashlight, and earplugs in there, but
hothing delicate like glasses. The carrying handle is at the other end and
the natural tendency is to lower the tank bag onto the small pocket.
I would probably buy another Triumph bag if this one is lost or stolen. I
did not look at any alternatives originally, but the Tiger tank is plastic,
not metal, and that rules out most magnetic tank bags. The mounting kit
may allow some others to be used in the future.
Buy Again? Yes
I read of problems with the earlier Tiger center stand and didn't get
one originally. However, oiling the chain without a center stand is a
nuisance, so I located a used one for $75 and installed it in 2001. I only
use it for chain maintenance. If I had to pay the new price (about $200
IIRC) I'd consider alternatives. The 1999 onward model is a different
design from the earlier Tiger. I have not had any problems with the
stand scraping while cornering, but I don't corner that hard.
The entire weight of the bike is held by two shoulder Allen screws, and
there have been reports of these failing. I don't park the bike on the
center stand and have not had any problems yet, but it's something to
remember.
Buy Again? Yes
This is a dorky-looking piece of plastic which keeps streams of mud and water off the bike and rider's back. I installed it with the panniers. Most sport bike riders don't like the look, I think, but it's very useful IMHO.
Buy Again? Yes
This is actually less useful on the Tiger than the rear extension, since the triangular exhaust shield gets most of the front wheel gunk. Be careful not to drill the tire when installing!
Buy Again? Yes
I did not have these when I dumped the Tiger trying to push start it
when the battery failed, so I have an ugly scrape on the tank as a result.
But I did have them on when my daughter overshot the driveway and hit
the Tiger with her car...no damage except for mud.
Installation is not as straightforward as the web page instructions might
appear, but not excessively difficult. A torque wrench is recommended and
a special Torx socket is essential. I also strongly recommend a universal
joint 19mm socket (3/4" works too, and is more generally available in the
US).
These are probably the best alternative for the Tiger. The Jack Lilley --
Thomas Meyer Sturzbügel look to be a little less obtrusive, but also
appear to provide less protection to the engine cases. Since these are
magnesium on the 99+ Tigers, I'd rather have less risk of a magnesium
fire.
I have heard that the Thunderbike crash bars may ruin the crankcase in
some crashes, as they bolt to the engine on the bottom. I guess this
could happen if the lower part of the crash bars hit an immovable object
but the rest of the bike didn't.
Buy Again? Yes
Motorcycle Consumer News (www.mcnews.com) did a review of flip-up
helmets, and that's a better reference if you are considering this.
They rated the Nolan the best buy. I'm sold on mine.
Plusses: Flip-ups are very convenient. The Nolan has good
venting. It seems well made so far (two years). Definitely easier
when wearing glasses.
Minusses: Flip-up shields are, in general, noisier than regular
full-face helmets. I wear earplugs on any longer rides. And the
rotating face piece is less protection than a conventional full-face
helmet with a fixed chin piece. The Nolan is not easy to open with
one hand -- it can be done, but you need large hands and practice.
Note: The Nolan latch needs to be firmly shut on both sides. It's
best to use both hands to do this, or push down firmly on the left and
then the right sides with your left hand. I suspect that this was a
factor in the Fran Crane incident. Fran was a well-known long-distance
rider who wore a Nolan. (The rest of this is second-hand reports and
personal speculation, so take this with a grain of salt.) She crashed
at night a couple of years ago during an Iron Butt rally, survived the
crash, but had facial injuries. While being treated at a hospital in
Utah, she was given the wrong IV medicine and died. Lawsuits ensued
and further details were spotty AFAIK. To me, this is a pretty clear
case of medical malpractice, but many Iron Butt riders blamed the
Nolan helmet. Personally, I suspect that Fran was in a hurry -- not
unlikely on an Iron Butt rally -- and that she closed the lid while
underway and didn't set both latches. I guess we will never know.
But set your latches firmly.
Finding gloves that fit my XXL plus hands is usually not easy, and [Begin Rant Mode] the prevalence of Chinese gloves is making sizing even smaller than in years past.[End Rant Mode]
Buy Again? Yes
I bought these at Brown Motor Works in Pomona in late June 2002. Worn for about four months now. Pluses:Available in real sizes! Mine were 12s. They have decent ventilation - small holes in sides of fingers, plastic mesh back. Sensitivity for small tasks is fair. Minuses: Short gloves, but all summer gloves are. I'm not sure how good the ventilation compares to other summer MC gloves - since the Tiger has hand guards, they're in a relatively low airflow position, and I have to move them out into the airflow. Made in Vietnam, may matter to some people, and I won't wear them if I ever go to Rolling Thunder. Designed by a company in England whose name I've forgotten. The elastic gore above the thumb helps when putting them on, but could have gone a little further. Velcro to fasten, no wrist strap, but that's a common characteristic of the other summer gloves I've see. Not cheap ($79, I think), but worth the money to me, and as well made as any gloves I've seen. Look for discounts at the big MC shows. Click for picture. Web Site
Buy Again? Yes
Bought at the same time as the Summer gloves above. Pluses: Real sizing, not what passes for XXL. Very warm. Generous gauntlet allows me to wear it over my Triumph Trophy jacket, whose cuffs dwarf every other pair of gloves I own. I've only worn these about five times, once over the 580 through Livermore and the San Mateo Bridge at 1:00 AM; probably about forty degrees, and the gloves worked well. Also used them for several So Cal fall nights, no problem. Rode in light rain and they were dry, but it wasn't much of a test. They have a reflective side panel, always appreciated. Minuses: the lining is a soft, light cotton, and I don't know how it will fare over the long term. Silk glove liners will probably resolve that. The insulation is good, but feels bulky when putting on the gloves, and I always have to adjust them to get a comfortable fit. This may work better over time. Can't speak to protection, but the palms seem heavy enough. The black, blue, and silver color scheme is not my favorite, but it's not too overpowering, and better than most of the Power Rangers (TM) styling of other gloves. Sensitivity for small tasks is, well, forget it, you are taking the gloves off to get out your credit cards. I was considering wired heated gloves, but these will probably work fine in conjunction with the Triumph heated grips, and are $60 to $100 cheaper. At $62 (I think I paid more), these are a relative bargain anyway. As with the summer gloves, made in Vietnam. Click for picture.
Rant:Why doesn't BMW let all dealers sell apparel? I mean, Brown Motor Works is a fine dealer, but the apparel retailer approval process seems to be too much for smaller BMW dealers, and I had to drive 60 miles to buy these.
Buy Again? Probably Yes
The Tiger has a buzz in the handlebars at some engine speeds. The Olympias were available in XXL, and fit me, albeit snugly. The gel pad does its job. I've had them just under two years at this point. The Velcro cuff fasteners are losing some of their grip. The wrist is very tight, although that's a safety plus in some ways. The leather is thick enough that sensitive tasks (removing a credit card from a wallet) may take some care. The cuff is a little skimpy. But gel gloves in XXL are not very prevalent, so these will probably stay in the inventory.
Buy Again? No
Bought cheap through E-Bay. A big disappointment. Sizing said XXL, but was maybe XL. Thin leather, good sensitivity for fine tasks, but I worry about crash abrasion survival. The finger length was problematic - I could not form an "L" with my thumb and fingers. Power Rangers styling. These may be OK for some people, but try them on first.
Buy Again? Yes
The Olympia and AlpineStars gloves were unlined, so I got some silk glove liners from Wintersilks -- about $10. These make the gloves a little warmer, and much more comfortable for long rides.
Buy Again? Yes
This was reviewed on www.motorcycle.com and that says more than I can. This is a heavy textile jacket. Waterproof (not tested yet by me outside of drizzles). No ventilation -- it's too hot for Southern California most of the year. But a great jacket for adventure touring in foul weather. Bought on E-Bay for $100, not made by Triumph any more.
Buy Again? Probably Yes
Got on E-Bay for about $20. Not tested in heavy rain yet. This appears to be the Rainman pant. Web Site
Buy Again? Probably Yes
I got this at the Long Beach Motorcycle Show in 2001. Very handy for cold mornings. There is a mesh nose area for breathing. It tends to fog up the helmet a little more than usual. A little small for me, but lots of things are. Definitely worth considering, cheaper than Aerostich, but try one on if you are a big guy first. About $17. www.schampa.com
Buy Again? Yes
I found a pair of 12D Fast Lanes in the Recycler and bought them for $37. A steal...but they are red/white/blue, not quite the subdued tones needed for office wear. I will buy a regular pair one of these days. There is a review at www.motorcycle.com Web Site
This covers items which don't otherwise fit anywhere else. Time for a new taxonomy?
Buy Again? Yes
The Triumph Tiger seat has many detractors. I was fine with mine at first, but over time the foam has compressed and it's not as comfortable as when new. A round trip to the San Francisco area from Los Angeles in August had me literally in pain. I couldn't spring for a Corbin seat, so I rode down to Saddlemen and got one of their gel seat pads. After two further round trips, I recommend these to anyone who has seat issues. The gel pad was not what I expected - it's sort of a green hardened vaguely sticky Jello-feeling slab about 1/2 inch thick. It has a synthetic sheepskin cover which probably helps with comfort and ventilation, but still felt hot for me. (This was in the San Joaquin Valley of California, hot and occasionally humid.) Their web site indicates that the pad can be heated or cooled ahead of time, which I'll try someday. The pad doesn't remove the pressure points entirely, but it does reduce the worst of the pressure. I'm still not at Barcalounger levels of comfort, but this is definitely an improvement.
Minuses: The attachment for the seat cover is a two-hook strap with Velcro, which connects to the seat edges. You then set the gel pad to mate with the velcro. The pad was most comfortable for me towards the back of the seat, which is higher. When I dismounted, I often knocked the pad off the seat with my boot or knee. (It's about 3/4" higher than the seat.) I'll put this down to a getting-used-to-it issue, but you do have to concentrate on it.
Also, some people have issues with sizing - I went to their plant (call ahead) and was able to avoid the doesn't fit - wrong color - not for my bike syndrome which so often mars Internet purchases. Tina and Chuck took care of me, though. If you're not in Southern California, try folding a paper bag to the size of seat pad you're considering and see how it fits. (Saddlemen also do various MC shows, check their web site early in the year.)
I am going to spring for a Corbin seat sometime, or possibly one of the Meyers, and that is the real long-term solution. (Saddlemen has a fairly extensive line of complete seats, mostly for cruisers, and I'd certainly consider them if they had one available for the Tiger, other than a custom job.) However, as an interim solution, especially considering the comparative cost, I'm pleased with this. Web site (Note: www.travelcade.com was taken by some travel agency.)
Buy Again? Yes
Another piece of new gear I tried on my Bay Area trips was the Triumph Techno Holdall - list about $80. (Picture) I'd gotten this at the Triumph Across America event in Pasadena as an impulse purchase. It's a little under a foot square, with two zippered side pockets, and two end pockets which can zip off. One of these includes a diagonal velcro strap and can be used as an over-the-shoulder dispatch bag for small loads. This holds a lot of stuff: I took three pairs of Dockers pants, two pairs shoes, five long-sleeve shirts, six sets of delicate undergarments, seven pairs socks, full toiletries kit, sweatshirt, three extra T-shirts (2 long sleeved), spare heavy jacket and gloves, portfolio, Franklin planner, three books, and some other stuff I've forgotten. I left the six maids a-milking and seven lords a-leaping at home, but this thing holds a lot of stuff. It's a bit too long for the Tiger passenger seat and rack by about four inches with one of the end packs removed, but not excessive. It doesn't have any external hooks or tie downs, so I grabbed the entire household bungee collection to secure it. It's not waterproof. It does provide a little support for the lower back; this trip was less tiring, and I think this helped. I'm going to experiment with the packing to see if I can improve this.
Getting on the bike with this, Saddlemen gel pad, and the largish Triumph tank bag requires some contortions. Oh well, I need the exercise.
Besides holding a lot, it doesn't make the bike wider as panniers do. This made splitting lanes much less stressful. Also, while there was a little of the high-speed weave some other Tiger riders have noticed with the top box above 90 MPH, it arose slowly and was easy to control - no white knuckles at all. This is highly recommended - I'm suspecting the panniers are going to be relegated to two-up riding at this point.
Buy Again? Yes
This is a little plastic gizmo which snaps onto the right edge of the throttle. You may then use the outside edge of your right palm to maintain a throttle setting, rather than continuing to hold the whole grip. Definitely less stressful on the right wrist. Highly recommended. Installation is a snap, literally, and the cost is at least $100 below most other cruise-control type accessories. The only negative is that it tends to slide down a bit when driving on roads on which you vary your throttle setting often. Ten bucks or under. Definitely recommended, especially for long rides on the slab. Web Site
Buy Again? Yes
Works fine, no complaints, bike not stolen yet. Comes with a little fabric carrier, which I have mounted on my Tiger rack to hold the lock while riding. The bag is showing signs of wear, and the lock is going to outlast it. Bought new for about $17. Web Site
Buy Again? Yes
I only ride a few miles to work, and normal commuting is often not enough to keep the battery charged. The logistics of my parking place prevent use of a battery tender, which would be the solution for most people. I had several problems until I replaced the battery, and added this gizmo at that time. Basically it's a little switch, which I have sticking out from the passenger seat. You press a button and get a red or green light. This gives me an early warning -- the Tiger still starts when the red first appears -- and I can charge the battery, or take a long ride. The connector also looks like it will attach Gerbing or Widder heated gear, although I haven't tried it yet, and the fuse is only 3 amps. About $12. Web Site
Buy Again? Yes
This is the best motorcycle magazine in the US IMHO. Unbiased, tests a lot of gear, and tells it like it is. I think it has fewer bike tests than the majors, but more gear tests. Web site
