Triumph New Zealand has officially launched the 2019 Tiger 800 and 1200 model range to the New Zealand market.
The 2019 Tigers, which were presented to members of the general public and media yesterday, feature a host of upgrades over the 2018 model range, not in the least the addition of Triumph’s brilliant TFT interface as standard on all models.
The 800 range starts at $23,490 with the Tiger 800 XRX, which features alloy wheels and the 94hp 800cc inline triple that is shared across the entire Tiger 800 range. Forks are non-adjustable 43mm USD Showa units with a Showa monoshock with hydraulically adjustable preload out rear which is also shared across the range. The XRX, being the road-biased entry into the range, does not feature the adventure bike inspired beaked fairing up front.
The road-biased Tiger 800 range tops out with the $26,590 Tiger XRT, which swaps the Showa forks out for units which are adjustable for rebound and compression damping and includes more features to the TFT user interface and full LED lighting – including extra rider modes and daytime running lights.
The more adventure capable XC models – which start with the XCX at $24,690 and tops out with the XCA at $26,990 – swap out the alloy wheels for spoked units, with the front wheel, upped from 19-inches to 21-inches, while the rear wheel remains at 17-inches in diameter.
The XCA features even more off-road goodies, including billet aluminium pegs and radiator protection over the already impressive list of added off-road equipment featured on the XCX.
The Tiger 1200 range, just like the 800s, enters the NZ market with the XR as its base and is priced from $24,990.
The new Tiger 1200 (note, the Tiger Explorer name has been dropped for the 2019 model year) is all around lighter than the previous models, with the XR models shedding 2kg while the XC models drop a whopping 11kg!
The Tiger 1200s, except the entry XR model, all feature Triumph’s TSAS electronically adjustable suspension – which utilises 48mm WP forks and WP monoshock – as well as cornering ABS and TCS, and keyless ignition.
First impressions of the new Tigers are good, with Triumph clearly upping its game to keep at the pointy end of what riders in the adventure touring class have come to expect.
The bikes do feel lighter, and the addition of the TFT interface we first saw on last year’s Street Triple range is a welcome addition over the dated clocks Triumph had featured for the past decade.
We only rode the 800 at the launch and the leap in additional amenities from the base model to the top spec XCA is incredible, with the WP forks on the XCA leaps ahead of the base Showas on the XRX.
The engine, as with all Triumph Triples, is a peach and the addition of an Arrow accessory pipe to the XCA made the experience all the better.
