RIDE REVIEW I 2023 TRIUMPH TIGER 1200 RALLY EXPLORER & 1200 GT EXPLORER
P110
don't want to have to stop every
time the surface changes. You
could leave it in Off-Road mode,
but if it's raining and you're on
twisty tarmac, it's nice to have
the protection of all that ex
-
pensive lean-sensitive ABS and
traction control when you've got
147 horsepower under your butt.
That said, once in Off-Road Pro,
I pushed the windscreen down
to its lowest position and got
after it.
The motor, with its unique 1-3-
2 firing order, wants to be ridden
differently than the rival GS, and
that's a good thing if you like to
ride aggressively, but as to be
expected, the stock tires quickly
met the limits of their capability.
However, after I stopped to let
a bit of air out of the tires and
backed the aggression off just a
touch, the bike was a dream to
ride off-road.
The Showa semi-active
suspension and the 21-inch
front wheel make this bike a
much better off-road machine
than the GS. The conventional
fork provides more feedback
and precise steering than the
Telelever suspension found
on the GS. It also clears large
obstacles like logs and deep
ruts better, thanks to the 21-inch
front wheel.
Turning the bike by sliding
the rear—with the rear brake
and under power—feels natural.
I think the Triumph engineers
nailed it regarding the overall ge
-
ometry of this bike. Even when
the Rally 1200 sits on its center
stand, the bike's stance looks
ready for some serious off-road
fun. The motor is fantastic, and
the power delivery is linear, but
again, the bike really wants to
be ridden aggressively, and
while it has more low-end torque
than the previous Tiger, you do
need to have good clutch and
Even when sitting still,
the Rally 1200 looks ready for
some serious off-road fun.
