The 2018 Triumph Street Triple 765 RS was officially launched with two other variants last August.
While we know that the Street Triple 765 RS is a perfect track day weapon, how it performs with everyday riding is also being considered.
The 2018 Triumph Street Triple 765 RS is priced at RM66,900 (basic price with GST).
It was late last August when Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia officially launched the latest generation naked bike series, the 2018 Triumph Street Triple 765. The media test ride was conducted at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) to allow some media members to have a go on what the bikes are all about. (more…)
Prices for the XR range begins from RM 56,900 (basic selling price with 6% GST) but hurry, offer lasts until July 2018 only!
Humans are resistant to change by nature. Despite some of us propounding to accept change, we tend to fall back to what we’re familiar with. We go on doing the same thing day in day out but when something unfamiliar comes along to disrupt that equilibrium, we resist, we fight, we rant on Facebook. Like Linus in Peanuts, we keep running back to our security blanket.
One of them was me, especially when it concerned motorcycles.
I loved sportbikes. No, I didn’t mind stretching my arms out, plopping my gut on the tank and offering my bum to the sky gods. To me they offered something familiar: Front tyre feedback, gruesome cornering angles and the exhilaration of blowing everything on the road away.
Then, one day, a few motojournalists and I joined the Ratpack on a ride to Khao Sok National Park in Thailand. The centrepiece of that ride was the then new 2015 Triumph Tiger 800 XRx and Tiger 800 XCx.
They may have won accolades the world over, but I was a little sceptical if I would like it. Because, truth be told, it wasn’t my security blanket. But I sucked my thumb and kept quiet.
You may have remembered the 2018 Triumph Tiger 800 XR lineup’s launch hand-in-hand with its brethren the XC range, along with the Bobber Black and Speedmaster in Bukit Tinggi. (Please click here for our report of the event.)
To recap quickly, the XR line-up consists of the base XR, XRx, XRx LRH (Low Ride Height) and range-topping XRt. The XC range consists of the XCx and flagship XCa.
We’ve tested the 2018 Triumph Tiger 800 XCx (please click here for the full review) and fell in love with it, and we tested the 2018 Triumph Tiger 800 XRx later as it’s more road-oriented than the XCx. As such, the XRx has cast wheels instead of laced spokes. The front is a 19-incher, compared to 21 on the XCx. Suspension is duly shorter with 180 mm front and 170 mm rear travel compared to 220 mm and 215 mm respectively, hence the XRx has a 810 – 830 mm seat height compared to 840 – 860 mm on the XCx.
Other than the rolling stock, both bikes are virtually the same except for the shorter “beak” on the XRx.
It had been some time since I last rode the Tiger 800 XCx and I sighed a relief when I got on the XRx. I was Linus and this was my security blanket. The seating position felt the same although the handlebar felt a little more forward due to the smaller front wheel. Additionally, both my feet could reach the ground comfortably.
A short press on the starter button awoke the bike with a deep vroom. Just a little throttle and I was on my way.
The XRx flicked around lightly on its contact patches like Muhammad Ali (Allah bless his soul). It didn’t take much time to grow acquainted to the bike and I was cutting through traffic effortlessly.
The throttle, clutch, engine, transmission combination worked so smooth even butter has lumps. All I had to do was focus on getting through traffic and let my hands and feet work subconsciously, because the Tiger 800 XRx (and XCx) took the load off me. Besides that, the twin headlamps were large and bright and they had the psychological effect of presenting a much more authoritative presence to other road users.
We were now returning from Khao Sok. It was my turn on the Tiger 800 XRx (before the XCx). I was resistant at first. But 30 minutes into the ride, something changed. I smiled in my helmet. I started to wave and signal thumbs up to the Ratpack riders.
Just as what the XCx did, the XRx induced insomnia in me. Somehow, parts of me, not limited to the heart and brain, had just wanted to go riding. It’s like this little voice that kept going on and on like a bad track, “Let’s ride. Let’s ride. Let’s ride.” Earplugs didn’t work on this one (unlike for the wife’s nagging).
So again, I got up at 5am and went riding.
There’s something eerie about the Karak Highway before dawn. A light mist hangs a few metres above the road and everything seemed to be out from a scene in Insidious. (Man, I’ve to stop watching scary movies.) Anyhow, a tap on the PASS/HIGH BEAM button bathed everything ahead in righteous light. It was just a boon for the sweeping corners of Karak.
This was where I could find the true distinction between the two Tiger 800s. As soon as the bike tipped over into the corner it was rock solid without a bounce or wiggle. I had the choices of either braking deeper or charging in harder into the corners – the Tiger 800 XRx conformed to both tasks without complaint. It didn’t have a slipper clutch but it felt way smoother than actually having one!
However, as stable as it was in mid-corner, it didn’t hesitate when I had to alter my line or direction. If you’ve the chance to test both bikes, they’d feel so much smaller than they seem.
The Genting Highlands road alternated between total darkness to total whiteness during these hours. Still, I didn’t have to worry much since the bike just took over, leaving me to actually enjoy myself even without full vision. I had so much fun I kept grounding the footpeg feelers on both sides. Had someone followed behind they’d surely be reminded of the fireworks on New Year’s Eve (sorry, Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia).
Then the rain poured down on us. In SPORT mode, the throttle felt as if my hands were connected directly to the butterfly valves, so I didn’t switch to RAIN. I just kept riding and riding, invincible against the rain.
I soon came up to a fork in the road so I stopped since I didn’t know the direction. One of the riders who had been following me on his Speed Triple all this while pulled up beside me. He flipped up his visor and yelled, “You crazy ah?!! You were doing 160 km/h in the rain!!! In Thailand!!!”
I reached the First World Hotel, aimed for the Petron station and made a left turn onto a newly tarred road. It was very narrow and as sinewy as a clump of intestines. I stopped at the summit with the Triumph Tiger 800 XRx juxtaposed against the backs of mountains and hills in the distance, just as the horizon started to turn to orange.
And I did this four days in a row in the five that we had the bike.
My surroundings turned bright quickly from then on. I felt on top of the world everytime that happened because not only had I climbed the mountain in the dark and fog, but I had also done it on wet roads. The Tiger 800 XRx and XCx were never fazed by soggy roads.
A few more deep breaths of the fresh air and it was time to head back.
Taking it easy this time due to heavier traffic, I flicked through the LCD display. It was so easy to use with the new switchgear, joystick and menu system. Every bit of pertinent information was there, presented in easy to read format.
Back in the stifling traffic of KL, the Triumph Tiger 800 XCx continued to perform sweetly. It had gone from a daily commuter to a sport-tourer to a canyon blaster and back to daily commuter in supreme comfort without even having to touch a single ride mode switch, although it would’ve been so easy to do so.
It must’ve been a match made in heaven because the Tiger 800 had gone beyond what I had expected of any bike. My paradigm had been shattered, shredded and scorched. But I didn’t resist. I couldn’t resist.
I had loved adventure-tourers from that point on, and it was the Triumph Tiger 800 that was responsible for the change.
I have a new problem now. It’s no secret that I love the Tiger 800 XCx, but I’ve fallen in love with the Triumph Tiger 800 XRx, too. Especially the “White Tiger” such as this one we tested. The XCx is a superbly capable bike on both road and offroad, while the XRx is superbly capable on the road and can do some light offroading.
Why not both?
Oh dear.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATONS
ENGINE
Engine type
Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, inline-Triple
Compression ratio
11.3 : 1
Bore X Stroke
74.0 mm X 61.9 mm
Displacement
800 cc
Fuel system
Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection
Maximum power
94 bhp (70 kW) @ 9500 RPM
Maximum torque
79 Nm @ 8050 RPM
TRANSMISSION
Clutch
Wet, multi-plate
Gearbox
6-speed
CHASSIS
Front suspension
Showa 43mm upside down forks, 180 mm travel
Rear suspension
Showa monoshock with hydraulic preload adjustment, 170 mm travel
The Triumph Street Triple S one of three models in the new Triumph Street Triple (765) range.
It is meant for the daily rider who wants a simpler motorcycle.
Simpler does not mean less entertaining.
“It’s same-same but different,” said Joseph when we spoke about something which looked uncannily alike yet there’s were some differences that we couldn’t quite put a finger on.
The flagship Street Triple RS is the king of the 765cc street fighter, boasting fully-adjustable Showa forks and Ohlins monoshock, radially-mounted Brembo M50 Monobloc front brake calipers, quickshifter, 5 ride modes including TRACK Mode, lap timer and full-colour TFT display, besides 121 bhp from the engine.
The “middle” Street Triple R model, features fully adjustable Showa forks and monoshock, Brembo 4.32 Monobloc front brake calipers, no quickshifter. It’s equipped with the TFT display, however there is no TRACK mode and lap timer. The engine puts out 116 bhp.
The Street Triple S has standard non-adjustable Showa forks, preload-adjustable only Showa monoshock, two-piston Nissin front brake calipers and an instrument cluster carried over from its Street Triple 675 predecessor. It has only two ride modes, ROAD and RAIN. The engine is tuned to produce 111 bhp.
While it’s easy to see off the S as an “entry-level” model, it’s actually meant for riders who want an everyday bike without the fancy stuff. But does it mean the bike is “compromised?”
The Street Triple S’s seat height is a little lower than the RS’s, allowing me to place both feet securely on the ground without needing to move a cheek off the seat. The seating position puts you in a nice sporty crouch without being uncomfortable and all the controls are within reach of your fingers and thumbs.
Accelerating through the gears, there’s an additive warble from underneath the tank and howl from the exhaust, but it’s totally quiet when cruising at a steady throttle at any speed.
Speaking about acceleration, the Street Triple S turns out to have a much direct, rawer feel to it. Twist the throttle aggressively and you’re rewarded with an almost beast-like forward charge.
To overtake another vehicle, just roll up on the target and give the bike some throttle. The Street Triple S will howl forward without hesitation. Keep the gas on and the bright blue shift lights illuminate one after another until the fifth one comes on, all blinking unison. Time to hit another gear – blam! It goes in immediately without ponder. However, you don’t have to blast through the gears if you’re lazy. You could let the revs drop to just above 2000 RPM in sixth gear and the bike will still pull hard at the twist of the loud grip.
When it came to handling, the Street Triple S reminded us clearly beyond doubt of how the Street Triple lineup had been imbued with great handling from the very first model. The bike was composed yet ready to go anywhere you wished it to. It felt like riding a 250cc bike with three times the power. You’ll soon be entertaining yourself with picking your way around traffic, chucking the bike into sharp corners and flying through the long ones. Although shod with Pirelli Rosso Corsa tyres, it’ll be just as happy when riding through the rain – the tyres didn’t slide once – although we rode in ROAD mode.
The suspension on both ends were suppler that the RS’s, but big bumps and deep holes will produce big jolts. At the track, the standard setting had the footpeg feelers touching down early, but on the streets, it took very, very committed (read: high speed) cornering to have them sniffing the tarmac.
Last but not least, the Nissin brakes were strong although they required a harder squeeze further into the stroke.
To wrap up, the Triumph Street Triple S is a great commuter and weekend canyon blaster despite being devoid of the flashier stuff. In skilled hands, it’ll punish plenty of bikes out there when the road goes less than straight. Furthermore, the Street Triple S is rider friendly and practical for many uses, too.
The 2018 Triumph Tiger 800 XCx was just launched earlier this month (March 2018).
Although it appears not much has changed, Triumph had performed some amazing updates.
The Triumph Tiger 800 XCx is priced from RM74,900 (basic selling price incl. 6% GST) but the road-centric and entry-level Tiger 800 XR is priced from just RM56,900 (basic selling price incl. 6% GST).
Other than reading about motorcycles and technical literature, I love science fiction or sci-fi, in short. I used to love thriller novels but I’ve since discovered that sci-fi forces us to take a hard look at ourselves in the face of our fascination with technology.
There are many great works. Ted Chiang comes to mind – he who wrote “The Story of Your Life,” which was made into the seminal movie “Arrival.” But even more profound and important were the literatures penned by the late astronomer Carl Sagan. It was him who wrote the story, “Contact” which became the basis of the movie of the same name, starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey.
In that book which details the impact of man receiving a message from the extraterrestrials, there was one important line which has become a favourite quote for physicists and astronomers including Professor Michio Kaku and Neil deGrasse Tyson in describing the technological parity between “them” and us.
We were fortunate to ride the new Triumph Tiger 800 XCx prior to its launch at The Greatest Triumph Malaysia Grand Dinner at Bukit Tinggi recently and the early impressions bowled every motojournalist (including us) off their feet.
We missed the Tiger 800 XCx so much since that first ride. There was something about it that was so inviting and endearing. Could it be the confidence it exudes? The look? The sound?
The Tiger 800 XCx lineage is one of my personal favourite bikes, ever since riding the 2015 model to the Khao Sok National Park in Thailand with the RATPack. I just couldn’t believe how good it was at the time and even up until recently. I started to wonder how Triumph could ever better it with the new, fourth-generation model. In fact, I was worried if the Tiger 800 had reached its zenith.
Triumph did it. They just did it. They went ahead and made the Tiger 800 even better than an already splendid bike.
For starters, Triumph did a great job of making the new bike look fresh and attractive without resorting to a Korean plastic surgery. It drew in admiring looks everywhere we parked. Although looking vastly similar to its predecessor, there were many differences throughout. There’s a huge and adjustable transparent windscreen, new 5-inch colour TFT screen adopted from the Street Triple RS along with the switchgear, updated cruise control (only one switch), LED Daytime Running Light (DRL), Brembo brakes, recalibrated WP suspension, Triumph Comfort seats, and a new exhaust.
New seat compound and construction for exemplary comfort
The real updates in the engine and chassis, however. In fact, Triumph revised, updated or replaced 200 items in these areas alone.
The new Tiger 800 XCx seemed a little taller than before, possibly due to the thicker new seat. Nevertheless, reaching the ground wasn’t difficult as the bike has a narrow waist and the sidestand was easily within reach. The seating position was slightly more relaxed as the handlebar has been moved 10mm backwards to bring it nearer to the rider.
Just look at that quality
The TFT display was easy to read in all lighting conditions and scrolling through the menus was intuitive. It took us only 5 minutes to learn.
Every data you need right there
You feel you’re fully involved with the bike as soon as you grab that handlebar and start riding. Every input is taken care of smartly, instantly.
New switchgear adopted from the Street Triple RS. The cruise control is updated
The reworked WP forks made the bike feel extremely stable when coupled to the the 21-inch front wheel. Because of that, the front wheel seems to create an invisible groove in the road. The bike not only goes where you point it, it follows that line to millimeter perfection. It made the previous edition’s front end feel “flighty.” However, due to my height which located my weight over the rear, the front felt a little heavy to turn in and stiff when hitting bumps. Decreasing the compression damping by just 3 clicks – not full turns, but just click, click, click – transformed the Tiger into a large super-flicklable and fluid trail bike. Despite of that, it remained supremely stable whether it was travelling in a straight line, or scratching its footpegs when on its sides. If there’s ever any doubt about having a bike with a 21-inch front wheel, the Tiger 800 XCx tears those doubts into ribbons.
Suspension are still WP but fully recalibrated
And it was darn fun to ride. I’m never a morning person, but I found myself waking up at 4am just to prepare to ride it up to Genting Highlands to catch the first rays of the sun, three days in a row.
She’ll be coming ’round the mountain
I’ve never liked riding on the Karak Highway in the dark either, but the Tiger 800’s headlamps threw so much light down the road it startled even sleepy truck drivers. And I haven’t even touched the high beam and foglights yet! Rider confidence stems from the ability to see where he’s heading and those lights helped even through the thick fog as I headed up the mountain at 5.30am.
The larger windscreen is fully transparent, now adjustable and stable at high speeds. The lights are super bright!
Anyone knows just how bumpy and treacherous the Genting road is. The Tiger 800 XCx didn’t care whether if there were bumps, potholes, some sand, damp surface, paint strips – it just kept going. The ability of doing these things was disconcerting at first, but once it sets in, all you need to do is to stop worrying and have fun.
The brake calipers and discs are now all Brembo. Good progressive bite
What I truly appreciated, though, was Triumph’s emphasis on giving their bikes exceptionally smooth throttle response. I went through all the modes – SPORT, ROAD, RAIN, OFF-ROAD and OFF-ROAD PRO – none of them was snatchy from off-throttle, mid-throttle, rolling off the throttle and even snapping it shut. The engine is now more responsive, yet not abrupt. Amazing.
Did we say we loved the seat? So did the pillion
The throttle character is true for all Triumphs but it was extra special on the Tiger 800 as the engineers have removed the backlash gear in the transmission.
It may be an adventure bike, but it could really corner
The previous Tiger 800 felt like it had a slipper clutch when it didn’t, giving it a good amount of engine braking together with smoothness as you go into in a corner with the throttle off. On the new Tiger 800, on the other hand, the mix of engine braking and “freewheeling” was spot-on, as if the transmission has a computer-controlled back-torque limiter. Only thing was it didn’t. Kudos, Triumph!
The Tiger 800 XCx is pretty frugal on gas so you won’t be opening this much
The updates to the engine gives the Tiger 800 the tiger’s gallop anywhere in the rev range, in any gear. The power was just smooth, linear, predictable. Never once did it threaten to charge ahead with the rider flailing behind. A predictable power delivery is the dream of every rider, including the pros (critical for the pros, actually), because how can one enjoy a bike that has its own mind when you crack the throttle open?
You could see a timing chain inside the oil sight glass. How cool is that?
When I took it easy on the first trip up, I didn’t even have to go lower than 3rd gear through the sharpest corners, in ROAD mode. On the second trip, it was SPORT mode on Karak Highway and ROAD mode up Genting. The weather was clearer and I managed to hustle the bike through the curves much faster than I thought possible for an adventure bike. On the third morning, it was SPORT mode all the way. The XCx just hammered into, through and out of the corners like a sportbike with high handlebars, but with the benefit of not needing to worry about the whatever road condition.
We also got around to testing it in the dirt, with the help of “Foreman Oh” Kah Beng at his Most Fun Gym motocross and off-road riding school.
The living legend – “Foreman Oh” Kah Beng
He first went out in OFF-ROAD PRO, which switches off traction control and rear ABS, and leaving the front ABS on. He went straight to performing powerslides, riding it through a corner on the berm and jumped. He came back in and set the ride mode to OFF-ROAD, which leaves all intervention on. He was amazed, “The traction control was never intrusive, it only felt like the engine was holding back slightly but it didn’t cut you off. It’s crazy!”
Round a curve on a dirt berm
On handling, “The bike has a great balance and footing – somehow nimble and stable at the same time. That’s not something which is easy to achieve. Plus, the narrow waist gives you the ability to hold it with your knees.” It’s the testimony of Triumph’s emphasis on handling rather than outright power.
OKB powersliding the Tiger
The new, shorter first gear also helped heaps when we circled around a set of pylons by slipping the clutch, instead of using the throttle.
See how OKB’s upper torso is above the fuel tank? That position puts more weight onto the front tyre
When you stand up on the pegs and look down, all you see is the TFT screen, while the tank and triple clamp disappear from sight. It means that the bike has placed your upper body over the tank hence weight onto the front tyre – that’s the ideal riding position for riding off-road. But while standing up is mainly done off-road, it should also be done on the road when you encounter obstructions or rough roads. This bike’s riding position is there to help you with that.
The Tiger leaps!
That’s the Triumph Tiger 800 XCx. It’s so good when you ride it on the road that you forget that it’s also very capable in the dirt; and it’s so capable off-road that you completely forget about how good it is as a road bike.
City commuting, long-range touring, long-range adventure, weekend canyon carving, the Tiger 800 XCx does it all
I’ve tested bikes that I just rode from A to B, plus a bit more for shooting duties and parked them up. The Tiger 800 XCx, conversely, due to the combination of a finely designed seating position, superb windscreen, awesomely comfortable seats, and confidence just keeps begging me to go out riding. We received the bike with 673km on the odometer. It read 1550km when we returned in after 5 days, 4 nights. I couldn’t help staring it for god knows how long when I do park it up, either.
Anything negative? The handlebar buzzed around 5000 RPM, but we soon got used to it and it “went away” since it wasn’t upsetting.
I’d better stop here as I’d just keep heaping superlatives on the Triumph Tiger 800 XCx, if I continue. I’m really tempted to call it “The Best Adventure Motorcycle” but the only thing keeping me from doing so is its brother and bigger cat: The Tiger 1200, which we’ve yet to test. At this moment, though, it is the best middleweight adventure motorcycle, bar none.
Oh yes, what’s that poignant Carl Sagan quote? “The artifacts of a sufficiently advanced extraterrestrial civilization would be indistinguishable from magic.”
Wait, how’s that relevant since the Triumph Tiger 800 XCx is very Earthly in origin? It’s so good it’s almost magical that it might as well had been made by an advanced alien civilization.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE
Engine type
Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, inline-Triple
Compression ratio
11.3 : 1
Bore X Stroke
74.0 mm X 61.9 mm
Displacement
800 cc
Fuel system
Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection
Maximum power
94 bhp (70 kW) @ 9,500 RPM
Maximum torque
79 Nm @ 8,050 RPM
TRANSMISSION
Clutch
Wet, multi-plate
Gearbox
6-speed
CHASSIS
Front suspension
WP 43mm upside down forks, adjustable for compression damping and rebound damping, 220 mm travel
Rear suspension
WP monoshock with piggyback reservoir, hydraulic preload adjustment,2 220 mm travel
The Triumph 3HW was one of Triumph’s motorcycles produced for the military.
It served throughout the Second World War.
This particular example belongs to celebrity Wak Doyok.
You’ll never know what kind of treasures will show up at the dealerships of classic motorcycle marques. Well, Triumph Motorcycles is the world’s second oldest motorcycle manufacturer, after all.
We were picking up the 2018 Tiger 800 XCx from Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia in Petaling Jaya for testing and review, when we spotted a “baby blue” vintage motorcycle sitting in the cargo bay of a 4×4 pickup. Imagine our surprise when it turned out to be 1940s Triumph 3HW, belonging to the popular celebrity Wak Doyok!
The Triumph 3HW wasn’t only a vintage bike but it had a significance in the history of motorcycles.
When World War II broke out in September 1939, the War Office requisitioned (sapu habis, in local speak) Triumph’s entire stock of civilian motorcycles. Triumph, based in Coventry at the time, went on to develop the 3TW specially for the military.
But on the night of 14th November 1940, the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) conducted a bombing raid on the city and devastated the Triumph factory along with the production of the 3TW. Many records of Triumph motorcycles since its heydays were also destroyed.
Triumph converted an oil foundry in Meriden, Warwickshire and started producing two single-cylinder motorcycles – the side-valve 3SW and the overhead-valve 3HW. The 3HW was based on the Tiger 80 sport roadster.
The 3HW’s rocker boxes were cast integrally with the cast-iron cylinder head, as opposed to the Tiger 80’s separate aluminium allow rocker boxes. The engineers resorted to cast iron as aluminium was in short supply.
Being more powerful than the 3SW, the 3HW eventually saw service in dispatch duties and general liaison for the Royal Navy in North Africa, India and Greece. In fact, the Greek Army used the bike from 1942 all the way to 1952.
The 343cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine had bore X stroke dimensions of 70mm X 89mm, a compression ratio of 6.7:1, and produced 17 bhp at 5200 RPM, pushing the bike to a top speed of 115 km/h.
Wak Doyok’s bike here shows the 3HW serial number stamped on the crankcase, but the fuel tank/instrument cluster could’ve been replaced with a 3H Deluxe model’s. Regardless, it’s still one awesomely beautiful motorcycle. Watch this video of Wak Doyok riding the bike, posted on 29th September 2017. Thank you Wak Doyok for letting photograph your bike!
Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia baru-baru ini telah melancarkan secara rasmi lapan buah model yang baru: Bonneville Bobber Black, Bonneville Speedmaster, dan enam buah varian Triumph Tiger 800.
Kami telah berpeluang untuk menunggang uji motosikal Bobber Black, Tiger 800 XCX dan Tiger 800 XRX.
Model Tiger 800 XR kini ditawarkan pada harga istimewa RM56,900 (harga asas beserta GST).
Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia had just officially launched eight new models: Bonneville Bobber Black, Bonneville Speedmaster, and six Triumph 800 variants.
We had the chance to test ride the Bobber Black, Tiger 800 XCX and Tiger 800 XRX.
The Tiger 800 XR is now offered at a special price of RM56,900 (basic selling price incl. of 6% GST).
Life probably couldn’t get any sweeter than this. Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia launched not just one, but eight new models at one go: Bonneville Bobber Black, Bonneville Speedmaster, and Tiger 800 XCX, XCA, XR, XRX, XRX LRH (Low Ride Height), XRT variants.
The launch coincides with the Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia’s Grand Dinner at the Berjaya Bukit Tinggi resort area. Some 400 Triumph owners attended the event, in addition to us motojournalists.
Please click on the link below for our coverage on the event.
Motojournalists gathered in the early morning to sample the ensemble of new bikes – Bonneville Bobber Black, Tiger 800 XCX and Tiger 800 XRX. We rode from the Colmar Tropicale Convention Center down to the first security check point and back up to the Colmar. Each journalist was assigned a certain bike on the way out and exchanged for another for the return trip.
Anyone who’s ridden up and down Bukit Tinggi will attest to the challenging nature of the road. The lanes are narrow, the corners are sharp, bad road condition in certain sections and there are parts where dirt has been deposited by heavy rains. It’s a real good place to test the handling characteristics of any bike.
Image courtesy of PR Kraft
Although the test ride sessions were brief, it was enough to draw some preliminary verdicts as we’ve ridden the previous models, a few for more than 500km. However, rest assured that we’ll run extensive tests and reviews in due time, so stay tuned!
Let’s get to it.
BONNEVILLE BOBBER BLACK
First and foremost, the Bonneville Bobber Black isn’t the successor to the massively popular Bonneville Bobber, which happens to be the best-selling model in all of Triumph’s 30-year history.
The “original” Bobber launched for 2016 was already a wonderful bike by all means, featuring modern attributes such as ABS, traction control, Ride-by-Wire throttle, torque assist clutch among others. The highlight of the Bobber is of course the floating rider’s seat. One word sums up the Bobber’s styling: Attitude.
The Bobber Black, however, takes it further. Triumph calls it, “Darker. Meaner. Stronger.” therefore the stance is now more muscular and aggressive.
The 19-inch front wheel has been replaced with a 16-incher, shod with 130/90-size Avon Cobra tyre, specifically developed for the bike. To support the larger tyre, you’ll massive 47mm diameter Showa cartridge forks (like those you’d find on a high-end sportbike) vs. 41mm conventional ones on the Bobber.
Additionally, there are now dual disc brakes clamped by Brembo calipers. The Bobber Black also sees cruise control added to it which is actuated is by a single button. The headlight is now fully LED with Daytime Running Lights (DRL).
The other distinguishing features of the Bobber Black are the blacked-out theme: Fuel tank, side panels, fork tubes, exhaust, engine, handlebar, levers, wheel hubs and so on.
The original Bobber with its 100/90 front tyre would of course feel more flickable around Bukit Tinggi, but the Bobber Black was surprisingly almost as good too. The brakes were a little on the softer side in the initial pull but they do get progressively stronger further into the lever’s stroke. I suspected that the brake pads haven’t bedded in fully yet.
The front suspension was predictably awesome as it soaked up road irregularities and didn’t dive like a submarine under hard braking. They didn’t pogo back up when the brakes were released, either.
The rear mimics a hardtail, but that’s the key word: mimic; for it felt natural. It worked well over all road surfaces, except deep depressions and potholes, but it’d probably be worse for other bikes (except the Tiger, of course). By the way, the name “Bobber” eludes to the chopped styling, not the bike “bobbing” up and down – which the Bobber Black and Bobber never did.
Triumph left the 1200cc, liquid-cooled, 270o crank, HT (High Torque) engine alone. It performed brilliantly, punching the bike out of corners, while Triumph’s trademark linear throttle response gave you the confidence to crack open the throttle sooner. All the while being serenaded by a deep, throbbing exhaust note.
Want a factory custom which exudes all the style and character, plus good handling? Look no further than the Bonneville Bobber Black. Oh, I almost forgot: There are more than 300 items in Triumph’s accessories catalogue to fully bling out your Bonneville, so get bobbing today.
TIGER 800 XRX, XCX
We loved the previous Tiger 800.
We had ridden the previous Tiger 800 XR and XC versions on many occasions and it was our favourite 800cc adventure-tourer, by far. It was well-rounded in its performance, filling a wide range of riding styles and needs. It was so good that we wondered how Triumph could actually improve on it for the new model.
Well, it wasn’t just a facelift, that’s for sure. Not Triumph. Uh-uh. The Hinckley, UK-based manufacturer poured in more than 200 revisions just to the chassis and engine. That’s not including changes, upgrades and revisions to the componentry, bodywork, ergonomics.
Starting from the front, the Tiger 800 now has a new windscreen which is adjustable for five positions. That’s not all, as the screen is now mounted on four points, instead of two to eliminate buffeting at the top. It is now a one-handed operation. Additionally, wind deflectors below the screen channel wind away from the rider.
As for rider ergonomics, the handlebar is now 10mm closer to the rider. Standing on the footpegs to simulate off-road riding, all we saw was the instrument cluster. This is a good aspect of an off-roader, meaning that the rider could put more weight onto the front tyre.
The seat had felt much more comfortable than before, since seat compound is new, with a “3D mesh technology.” The rider’s seat is also adjustable for two heights.
Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia had prepared both XRX and XCX versions for the media on this occasion. As such, both bikes had the new 5-inch, fully-colour TFT instrument panel, a la Street Triple RS. The panel displayed every bit of information a rider would need, including a fuel range metre that ran down to zero, instead of annoying us with the number of kilometres travelled from whence the low-fuel warning began (found on other bikes). The TFT display also has an Auto Contrast feature which adjusted its brightness according to ambient lighting.
Since the TFT display was similar to that of the Street Triple RS, Triumph had also transplanted the hand controls to the Tiger 800, putting everything within easy reach of the rider’s thumb. Switching riding modes or toggling through the data is through a 5-way joystick. The rider no longer had to reach forward into the instrument cluster to change settings.
The cruise control has similarly been revised, now without an ON/OFF master switch.
Moving downwards the front brakes are Brembo items. They were progressively strong but not grabby. Grabby brakes are the last thing you want if you’re riding off-road.
The 800cc, inline-Triple engine has been revised with a more mass centralized cooling system, lower 1st gear ratio, lighter and freer flowing exhaust, lighter alternator, and the removal of the backlash gear in the transmission.
Where the Tiger 800 differs are the intended usage, which consist two versions: The road-oriented XR and the adventure-oriented XC (Cross Country). Each version is then split into further sub-variants depending on the level of accessories and equipment.
The XR lineup consists of four models: The base XR, the mid-tier XRX, the XRX LRH (Low Ride Height), and flagship XRT. The XR range uses cast 19-inch front wheel and 17-inch rear, instead of the spoked 21-inch front and 17-inch of the XC range.
The base XR gets all the new changes except for the Brembo brakes, TFT display, cruise control and riding modes, although it does have ABS and traction control.
The middle XRX version has 4 ride modes, cruise control, full colour 5” LCD, LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) and turn indicators, switchcubes and 5-way joystick, Brembo front brakes, 5-position windscreen and aero deflectors and handguards.
The bells and whistles version with fully-adjustable Showa front suspension, all-LED lighting, backlit switches, 5 riding modes, additional 3 LCD screen styles and auxiliary LED lighting is the XRT.
On the XC side, the base XC model had been eliminated and so had the XCX LRH. The lineup now starts with the XCX as the base model, instead.
Triumph Motorcycle Malaysia revealed that the manufacturer is looking to expand their influence in the off-roading world, hence the Tiger XCX and XCA have been given a few important updates.
Apart from the main features of the XRX, the XCX features 5 riding modes, including the new “Off-Road Pro” mode. In this mode, traction control is switched off as is the rear wheel’s ABS. The front wheel’s ABS remains active. This feature allows the rider to lock the rear wheel while still allowing for maximum braking pressure in the front tyre to retain the ability to steer the bike. It’s most useful to lock and drag the rear wheel while heading down a steep off-road slope, besides sliding the rear wheel around a turn in the dirt.
Also standard on the XCX are engine protection bars, aluminium sump guard and radiator guard.
As for the XCA, it shares the XCX’s features with a few additions. There are 6 riding modes, including one which is programmable by the rider; all-LED lighting; a total of 6 screen styles in two themes; and heated grips and seats.
So, what do these massive number of changes yield in the new Tiger 800?
The new engine sounded different from the outset. Whereas the previous bike’s exhuast sounded a little muted, the new bike’s was boomier. The engine is now quieter too.
The seating position felt similar, but the arms don’t feel so stretched forward. The previous Tiger 800 had been supremely flickable and that trait has been brought forward to the new model. However, the newer bike felt more stable, planted and suspension action was “tighter” when quick-flicked into a corner. Changing lines in the middle of corners were done even without being a concern to the rider. Think it and the bike does it.
Most tall bikes with long travel suspension don’t enjoy being trail-braked into corners, especially those with “manual” suspension. But not the new Tiger 800. You could be as aggressive as you want but the bike never seemed fazed.
Fueling was superbly linear and the engine revs up. But it was the availability of torque everywhere in the rev range that was truly additive. So much torque in fact that I just left it in 4th and 5th gear while riding around Bukit Tinggi. 3000 RPM in 5th gear equaled 60 km/h, but the bike could pull cleanly off from below 2000 RPM without juddering.
The third-generation Tiger 800’s engine was really smooth for a three-cylinder, but it’s even smoother on the new bike. Besides that, it felt like the bike had a slipper clutch although it didn’t, due to the removal of the backlash gears. Consequently, corner entries and midcorner attitude was super smooth.
Those confidence-inspiring traits were what endeared us to the third-generation Tiger 800, but the new bikes are absolutely even better now. It wasn’t only us who found the new Tiger 800 amazing, for every motojournalist gushed over them.
The new Tiger 800 is set to take the world by storm.
As a footnote, Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia is currently running an introductory promotion for the new Tiger 800 XR. It’s priced at a mouthwatering RM56,900 (basic selling price incl. of 6% GST) so hurry over now for a test ride.
Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia (Fast Bikes Sdn Bhd) has just launched the 2018 Triumph Bonneville Bobber Black, Speedmaster & Tiger 800.
Eight new bikes consisting of the Bobber Black, Speedmaster and six Tiger 800 variants are now officially available.
The new 2018 Triumph models are available from RM56,900 to RM79,900.
Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia has officially launched their latest models for this year which includes the 2018 Triumph Bonneville Bobber Black, Speedmaster and Tiger 800 range. The bikes were unveiled earlier tonight at Bukit Tinggi, Pahang. There are a total of eight new bikes for this beginning of the year where the Tiger 800 range alone consists of six new variants. (more…)
Triumph Motorcycles’ Chief Commercial Officer, Paul Stroud, was in town recently.
He was present during the official unveiling of Triumph supplying engines to Moto2.
We talked about Triumph Motorcycles’ support to Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia, Moto2 and other plans to grow further.
As you may already know, Triumph is turning over a new page in their storied history when all Moto2 teams start using their engines beginning the 2019 season. To come from just a handful of bikes when John Bloor resurrected the brand in 1983. to where it is now, with almost every new model winning an award or accolade is no mean feat.
The first bike from the “new” Triumph at Hinckley. 1991 Triumph Trophy 1200.
If you’ve ever been to the Triumph Motorcycle dealerships in Malaysia (in Petaling Jaya, Penang, Johor Bahru, Kuching), you could tell that it all boils down to the hard work of dedicated individuals as part of a greater team to put the brand on the Malaysian and international motorcycle industry’s map. In fact, it was also due to this type of philosophy when we visited Triumph’s factory in Thailand (it manufacturers the bikes, not assemble).
But what makes Triumph tick between the principal and local distributor? When YBhg. Dato’ Razak Al-Malique Hussein, the CEO of Fast Bikes Sdn. Bhd. a.k.a. Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia asked if we’re interested to interview Paul Stroud, the Chief Commercial Officer of Triumph Motorcycles, we said “Yes” before Dato’ could finish his message.
First and foremost, please refer to the link below on Triumph sealing the deal to be Moto2’s sole engine supplier, and that’s Mr. Stroud during the presentation.
Interviewer (INT): Is this your first time in Malaysia? Paul Stroud (PS): Yes, this is my first time in Malaysia, representing the company (Triumph Motorcycles). We have a team of people including a Regional Manager who works with the rest of the world’s sales division and visits Dato’ Razak on a quarterly basis.
INT: Do you like what you see in Malaysia? PS: Yeah, absolutely. The dealership here in Malaysia sells more than 200 motorcycles per annum so that puts it into the Top 20 internationally. They’re doing a great job and that’s one of the reasons why I’m here.
INT: What do you see the potentials in the Malaysian market? PS: I can give you that answer in another 3 to 4 hours’ time (laughs). We’ve seen tremendous growth here. We’ve launched 19 new motorcycles in the last 2 years, and we honestly see some good opportunity for Dato’ Razak and his team at Triumph Malaysia. We already do well and it’s really about how do continue to grow our sales here in this great country.
INT: What do you look forward to on this trip? PS: The main purpose of the visit it to see the operations here, to get a better understanding of the opportunities that are open to the brand here. You can really only do that by actually visiting the country and meeting the people who are responsible for representing the brand.
Bikes Republic (BR): Triumph is working on mid-sized (400cc) bikes (with Bajaj). Do you see a potential for those in Malaysia? PS: Ultimately there’s opportunity but it’s very, very early in the development of that strategic partnership, so until we’re much further through… we’ve just signed the contract with Bajaj; we’ve signed the letter of intent, we’re working through the contract with them and then we’ll start to understand the opportunities for Triumph motorcycles made by Bajaj outside of India.
BR: Now that Triumph will be the exclusive engine supplier for Moto2, will that bolster Triumph’s sportbike family? PS: The sportbike market has been coming down since the recession and now internationally represents a very, very small part of the market, so I don’t see, honestly, our relationship with Moto2 effectively, genuinely, influencing the growth of that segment. But more interesting for Triumph is that it will take Triumph to a whole new range of customers who just don’t know about us today. We have great bikes like the Street Triple, Speed Triple, supersport motorcycles and without question our relationship with Moto2 will put those bikes on the map. That’s really exciting for us, to be honest, because we are have great bikes; we just need to tell more people about them. Our relationship with Moto2 will also give the bikes a whole new level of credibility and will give us exposure to a completely different customer grouping.
INT: Will Triumph ever be involved in MotoGP too? PS: It’s difficult to predict that but what I can share with you is the dramatic increase in traffic to our website when we announced the relationship with Moto2. Our website traffic, specifically to the Speed Triple over the weekend increased by more than 30%. On the Street Triple sales year over year, are up by 13-14%. It’s too much to connect these dots but it will certainly a lot of interest to the Triumph brand.
BR: With so many models being launched, is the production capacity being upgraded? PS: We have two centres of production – we’ve got one in Thailand, and one in our headquarters in the UK. We’ve plenty of capacity to support the growth of the Triumph brand. The overall production has increased in both plants because fundamentally the production is relative to the motorcycles that we produce in each of the plants. In the Thai plant we produce all the Bonnevilles, the Street Triples, and also the Tiger 800. Those models are growing and therefore production within Thailand has grown but over in the UK we’ve just launched the new Speed Triple, Tiger 1200 and therefore our production volume is also growing.
Dato’ Razak added at this point, “Triumph is very responsible. Their manager will come and visit us at least three times a year. It augurs well for the brand and customers, actually because there’s a real interest in how we are doing and how they can help us move forward, rather than just sell number; and now we have a very welcomed visit by Paul.”
INT: Are there any plans for Triumph to develop a bike based on your participation in Moto2? PS: In fairness of respecting the contract between Triumph and Dorna we’re really not allowed to do anything other than just to talk about our relationship but be sure that fundamentally we’ll be very proactive in promoting our support and engine supply to the championship.
INT: Is there a plan to run an official Triumph Moto2 team? PS: No, there’s no benefit in doing that because fundamentally our engine powers all of the grid. To be honest, if we have a team in the championship, other teams may question us why that was the case.
BR: How involved in Triumph Motorcycles (UK HQ) in working together with the distributors in different countries, in terms marketing, branding? Dato’ Razak: The kind of support we’re getting from Triumph is more than I would’ve imagined. We have a manager who’s interested to know what the market is like other than just pushing numbers. If Triumph were just pushing numbers I don’t think we’ll be sitting here today and chatting further because it’s an entire experience. This is the kind of support Triumph gives us.
In terms of marketing, of course we would like to see more brand awareness globally which they have taken a step forward with Moto2. That’s a major step forward and people are starting to ask about Triumph. So, that’s a major step forward but when it comes to where they (Triumph UK) are the competition is a lot bigger. You’re talking about an EUR80 billion company, for example, which we are taking on. We are taking on a company which is generating EUR80 to 90 billion a year – their marketing budget is huge. We can’t expect to get the same kind of marketing exposure, but we do our best, and I think what’s coming up from Triumph right now is more than what we expect and hopefully it’ll be more than what we expect (laughs).
PS: Just adding to that, the direct national contact works with Dato’ Razak and his team to try and help and facilitate, to move the brand, grow the brand in Malaysia. Also importantly to ensure where there are questions, where there are challenges, and that the company responds quickly to those challenges. The organization is here to support everybody within the team.
Looking from Dato’ Razak’s perspective is what’s critical to him. One form of support is that he has a constant stream of fantastic motorcycles from which to develop his business. As I’ve said earlier we’ve launched 19 new motorcycles in the past 2 years and I can’t keep up with all the 5-star reviews. Just recently we launched the (new) Tiger 800. That motorcycle had 5-star review after 5-star review. The Speedmaster, we just launched in California, that motorcycle (also) had 5-star review after 5-star review. The Tiger 1200 – they are Press in Europe that’s not in the UK – I’m hastened to add, found that motorcycle as the equal to the BMW R 1200 GS. So, that’s what we also bring to the partnership because that’s incredibly important because that gives ourselves a product platform which to grow and give our customers a wonderful experience.
INT: What’s the best-selling Triumph in the UK? PS: Tiger 800 range. The best-selling Triumph single model internationally is the Bobber.
