My Bike Upgrade

Yes, I got a new bike. After owning the Tiger 900 for 15 months and 25,000 miles (including the trip across the USA), I decided to start looking at a bigger bike and settled on the 2023 Triumph Tiger 1200 Explorer.

So why the change? Honestly, it is a bigger bike and since I am very tall, it seems to fit me MUCH better. I seem to spend less off road and more on road than I anticipated and after that cross country trip, I really enjoy riding long distances (but am not convinced that a touring bike is for me).

Here is the run down on the bike. First, the engine is much bigger. 900cc to 1200cc (93 hp to 147 hp). The weight is also a bit more as it went from approximately 475 lbs to 529 lbs. Those are the most obvious specifications. So what about the rest.

The bike is wider but has a lower center of gravity. With an increased gas tank to almost 8 gallons, it does not seem as top heavy as the 900. It just feels more stable. The other major difference is the shaft drive. That's right, no more chains to lube and clean and adjust.

One subtle difference is the radiator venting. You cannot tell by looking at it but it now vents AWAY from your legs. If you have ridden a 900, the hot air can get quite warm on your legs. Now I may miss that warmth in the winter months but overall, a huge improvement.

Another nice difference is the auto adjusting suspension. No more having to make manual adjustments for load. It is all automatic - all the time. The seat seems to feel more comfortable as well. Could be my imagination but time will tell. I have not put enough miles on the bike to make that call yet.

The bad news is that I need to put on new racks for my panniers, new gps mount, new handlebar guards, and new engine guard bags but it is all worth it. This bike should hopefully give me many years (and miles) in the future.