Triumph Tiger Trails – Off-Road Training Experience

Triumph Tiger Trails

The Triumph Tiger proved its mettle off-road by conquering the worst of terrain

Motorcycling in India has for long been all about commuting with a very limited number of people actually turning to two wheels for leisure, that is however changing. When you talk about riding just for fun, most would picture a full-faired sports bike in their minds but there is another category which is not just in high demand in India but also seeing a great prominence the world over, the adventure motorcycle. Looking at the trend, Triumph expanded its Tiger range earlier this decade with its Tiger 800 being sold in India in 4 variants, we sampled the off-road ability of this British bike at the Triumph Tiger Trails at 19 degrees North in Aamby Valley recently.

The day started off with a class room session where ace rallyist Vijay Parmar explained the participants about the importance of riding gear, how to stay safe and one of the most important things while riding for long – water (the lack of it makes you lose focus thereby reducing your attention). The different kinds of riding gear and why off-road needs dedicated enduro gear was also highlighted by him. Post this, we headed to the motorcycles.

There were four different challenges with around 34 participants, split into 4 groups as there were around 9 bikes, ranging from the base XR to the top of the line XCa. Triumph also showcased the recently launched Tiger Explorer XCx which is powered by a bigger 1215cc in-line 3 engine and rivals the Ducati Multistrada 1200. Before we started the first challenge, we set about on foot to gauge the terrain and understand where exactly we were riding. This helped us to clear sharp stones en route our obstacle.

Before we set about, the settings on the bikes had to be changed which meant turning off traction control, getting into rider mode while keeping ABS turned on. The front suspension on the XCx and XCa are adjustable, they are WP units while the XR and XRx use non-adjustable Showas. Triumph’s support team set a lower tyre pressure for an increased contact patch and we set about by first doing a series of cones which would help us get a good hold on the motorcycle.

Off-roading is never about speed, it’s about patience, practise and confidence

Once the cones were passed, there was a downhill obstacle to clear, the trick here was to look where you wanted to go and not look down at all as that would inundate you. One had to throttle hard here to gain good momentum while those who failed to get on the gas had Triumph’s support team push them as they wheel-spinned the motorcycle in glory. One needs to stand when doing such obstacles because gripping the tank gives you better control of the bike, it also results in better centre of gravity and lets you see further ahead.

Next up was a short but fun obstacle, crossing a stream. Here we just stood up, got the Triumph Tiger in first gear and kept good enough momentum to cross through, splashing water and looking all cool in the process. While this seemed easy, it really wasn’t because there were rocks and slush in the water which was making it slippery to cross through. However, the Triumph Tiger is equipped with a host of electronics and I kept my traction control on, so when I was in the stream, I could feel the wheel slipping but the electronics were kicking in to keep things under control.

It’s best to have a light hold on the handlebar in order for the bike to make its own way on a slushy terrain

Post this was the biggest challenge of the day. An almost 400 metres off-road excursion, filled with slush, stones, grass and of course it was raining, so it was wet. Vijay Parmar did it like it was a cake walk, the others not so. One had to turn right and then turn left and gun it all the way up a slope which was all slushy from the start. Thus you had to carry a lot of momentum which seemed difficult as before you turned, the loose mud had already caught you. The trick here is to leave the handlebar loose, most of us tend to hold it tight, thinking we are in control.

So why do you keep your hand loose on the bars, simple, you let the motorcycle take its course. Now by leaving, I don’t mean going hands-free but being a little light with your hold on the handlebars. With most of us not being able to clear this, Triumph closed this route and opened an alternative one to go up the hill. While coming down, one had to be careful because it was very slippery and when you put your foot down, you lose hold on the rear brake so applying the front brake doesn’t really help.

The last obstacle, which was another easy one, was crossing the stream which was slightly deeper than the stream we crossed before. Here again, it was all smooth, first gear, standing up on the pegs, looking far ahead and keeping constant throttle to maintain momentum, you don’t go too fast, neither do you go too slow, the speed has to be just right to do it comfortably. With that done, it was the end of a fun filled adventure day, we not only learned a lot but also put all this in practice.

Triumph is the leader in the adventure motorcycle segment in India, it has sold around 850 Tigers which speaks a lot about the popularity of this bike. Not only is the Triumph Tiger very capable off-road, it is also an apt tourer, munching miles effortlessly, that gives it two very big USPs. Of course, the thing I love the most about this bike, it’s the inline-3 whistle. The 800cc motor gives is terrific performance and that coupled with its off-road abilities, makes it a motorcycle apt for our roads. Triumph is offering training to riders which is a great way for the British brand to cement its leadership in the adventure motorcycle segment.