FEATURE TRIUMPH TIGER 900 GT PRO / TIGER 900 RALLY PRO
It's not every launch where you get back at base so pumped up that you feel obliged to indulge in a rolling burn-out for all and sundry to see. With some brands, that kind of antic will get you barred from future tests faster than a pisshead can down a pint, but that's how my day in the saddle of Triumph's latest and greatest Tiger 900 befittingly came to an end. In my defence, after arguably one of the best rides I've had in recent years, hitting the trails high above Malaga, I simply wasn't thinking straight, drunk on adoration for this absolute beast of a bike. But before I go reasoning my tyre-shredding antics any further, I should properly introduce this protagonist. It only seems like yesterday I was out in the north of Spain performing similarly daft antics on the then brand-new Tiger 800, some 13 years ago. That bike was a blast, but it was also a mere foundation for what soon followed, when the bigger, more powerful and smarter Tiger 900 hit the scene in 2020, improved in practically every way, and especially so in the engine department thanks to the aforementioned bigger displacement and integration of what Triumph calls its T-plane crank – a means of altering the firing order and consequent performance of the triple. The end result was more torque, more character, and more than 45,000 units sold. The Tiger 900 hasmore nips and tucks than a page three model. Aesthetically, the Tiger is looking sharper than ever, while its seat is now flatter than ever, and its new-look lights are brighter than ever. Even the 'bars have been given a good seeing to, now specially damped to reduce the vibes from the 'characterful' triple motor – and they're 15mm closer to the rider on the Rally Pro we were set to ride. Dozens more details were delivered during the bike's overview, most of which also applied to the more road-focused Tiger GT being launched simultaneously, but the message was clear: the bar had been raised and I couldn't wait to savour what was on the cards.
