Triumph 900 TIGER T709 2000 — Specifications

Imagine a trail bike that speaks with a Hinckley accent rather than a Hamamatsu one. In 2000, Triumph went back to the drawing board with its Tiger and offered a credible alternative to the Japanese behemoths sharing the big road-going trail segment. Priced at 9,740 euros, the T709 doesn't play the low-cost card; it embraces its status as an upmarket curiosity in a market dominated by twins.

Beneath the generous 24-litre tank purrs the famous in-house three-cylinder, here displacing 885cc for 87 horsepower at 8,200 rpm and 93.2 Nm delivered from 6,400 rpm. The raw figure may seem modest against a Varadero or an R 1150 GS, but this engine must be judged on the scale of sensations. With its 76mm bore for 65mm stroke and 11.3:1 compression ratio, the triple breathes long and delivers its cavalry smoothly, in a continuous thread of torque that recalls a grand tourer more than an adventure machine. Those looking for a kick in the pants will be left wanting, while those who swallow country roads in three bites will revel in this almost electric linearity. The downside comes from slightly short gearbox ratios, a flaw it shares with its Spanish rival from Honda, which sends the tachometer climbing faster than one would like on the motorway, despite a claimed top speed of 200 km/h.

The chassis resolutely plays the tarmac card. Tubular steel frame, 43mm telehydraulic fork with 240mm of travel, rear monoshock with 200mm of stroke, the whole shod with a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear. This setup clearly betrays Triumph's intentions; we're closer here to a raised grand tourer than to an off-road explorer. The rigidity of the package is felt from the first corners, the Tiger letting itself be thrown onto its side with an assurance one might almost expect from a roadster. Braking via twin 310mm front discs gripped by two-piston calipers does its job without flinching, even when it comes to slowing the 250 kg in running order, bearing in mind the scales read 215 kg dry.

At the controls, the rider's position is pleasantly surprising. The seat peaks at 820mm, reasonable for the category, and the handlebar falls to hand without imposing that Saint Andrew's cross posture typical of more off-road-oriented trail bikes. You ride the Tiger like a big standard, arms barely stretched, hips anchored, which makes it a formidable companion for attacking Alpine passes or devouring main roads. Compared to the Varadero, which remains the reference for long-distance travel thanks to a more enveloping screen, the English bike falls short on aerodynamic protection. The rider catches the wind on the torso beyond 130 km/h, a detail that counts when you're lining up eight hours in the saddle.

So who is this machine for. The hardcore tourer, the one who loads up the wife, the dog and the tent, will look more readily towards Honda or BMW. On the other hand, the contemplative rider who wants a versatile motorcycle, capable of handling the weekday commute and the weekend on twisty roads, will find in this Tiger a character that few trail bikes of the era know how to offer. The sound of the triple, the quality of the finish, the well-crafted dashboard, everything conspires to create an attachment that goes beyond the mere spec sheet. A choice of the heart as much as of reason, provided you accept its unapologetic biases.