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The Tiger XRx delivers power very smoothly all out
Performance – The whistle from the inline-3 800cc motor is to die for. The power delivery is so linear through the band that the engine feels alive even at 2000 RPM. The powertrain is revv friendly and pulls strongly to its redline, feeling almost sports bike like, crossing the double top with relative ease. The output numbers sound really good for this powerplant but it is the traction control that ruins the fun sometimes. There are 3 levels of traction control while we road it mostly in the road mode, switched it to the off-road mode a few times while did not engage the programmable mode at all. The road mode wouldn’t let you skip a beat while the off-road mode allowed some amount of sliding in the slush.
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Off the road you can have a bit of fun too
Linear power delivery and an amazing engine sound, the Tiger is desirable
While the electronics did their job, the tyres had to do theirs and the Metzeler rubber on our test bike performed really well on road. Off the road, the tyres weren’t of any help at all. At one point of time, even the traction control went mad as we were in the road mode playing along in the slush. The sequential seamless shifts of the gearbox are like a cherry on the cake. Not a single mis-shift and a decently weighed clutch is the perfect match for the engine. We thought that the Tiger being a smaller capacity engine wouldn’t drink much but the average fuel consumption was considerably lower at 18 km/l. Maybe the extra fun off-road was the reason for that.
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It’s better to slow down with deteriorating terrain as it can handle that too
Riding Dynamics – As I mentioned the ergonomics were spot on except for the distance of the handlebar from the rider. The arms stay stretched and it does not really help much. The width of the tank is just enough for the rider and the bike feels thin while riding. The Tiger XRx weighs over 200 kgs and it can be felt when you ride it sanely. But with determined riding, the Tiger keeps you engaged and it’s always fun pushing a little towards the redline. The electronics do generate good amount of confidence while the Tiger feels more like a smaller bike which has grown into a bigger bike with more matured dynamics. Perform a little cornering and you will be amazed by the compact nature confidence it inspires.
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Get the traction right because it’s just slip and slide
The XRx is road focused but doesn’t really mind with some off-road adventure
The front USD suspension does the job really well and the monoshock at the rear is good too, giving the bike a very good ride quality even on our bad roads. But off the road, the setup isn’t the best coupled with the road tyres and alloy wheels, the Tiger XRx is a gem on the road, not really off it. The front tyre is smaller but thicker than its elder siblings which makes braking much more confidence inspiring. The 308 mm dual discs at the front with the 100 section front tyre generate good amount of feedback for proper braking. And coupled with the switchable ABS and 255 mm rear disc with 150 section tyre at the rear, the bike stops when you need it to stop.
