Kawasaki Versys Forum banner

Test drove a tiger 800 and XC

7K views 27 replies 16 participants last post by  RickySpanish 
#1 ·
Blah, boring, the Versys twin is WAY freaking better!
The triple drones on and on, super annoying engine, intake whirring never goes away, the way the engine makes power is sterile! For all you versys lovers longing for a tiger, forget about it. I do have a triumph twin, and much prefer it (scrambler), sold my V but may buy a 2011 soon or a xr1200, both bikes are way superior to a triumph tiger IMHO
 
#27 ·
The torque curve and power deliver on the 800 is flat, smooth and progressive. there is no lurch or 'kick in the pants'. Quite simply the engine has been so well developed it doesnt' have a supposed 'sweet spot', it doesn't really reward 'digital riders' (ie full on / full off). It takes a while to get used to the effortless acceleration and smoothness of the triple, as any change in bike / car does. I do notice Im going through the same corners at higher sustained speeds as the chassis makes you feel confident without over confidence setting in.

it can make you a lazier rider, not having to work the gearbox as much to overtake.

After nearly 2 years on a Tiger 800 compared to the Versys the one thing I miss is the vibey 'roughness' of the the Versys. To em the Versys has an air of an eager puppy, lots of noise, lots of action but not a great deal actually happening. On the Tiger you don't get that noise, vibration and other puppy like attributes, just smooth power delivery all over the rev range

Aside from that, for me, the Tiger does everything the Versys does, just that bit better. build quality a lot more so in my books.

But make no mistake the engine in the Tiger is a gem, so willing and flexible.

But its not that big a step change from Versys to Tiger800. Quite a few people seem to have gone from 650's such as the Versys to the Tiger, quite a few from the 1050 Tiger and sportsbikes.

Knowing what I know now would I have bought the 800 back in 2011?
..probably. the only reason I say probably is that I'd be tempted by the 1200, but the 800 still ticks all the boxes as far as Im concerned.
 
#4 ·
Can't say I agree as I throughly enjoyed my demo ride on the Tiger XC. I found the triple engine to be superb and so much nicer than an IL4. It's not quite as smooth as an IL4, but smoother than a twin. The whine of the engine is addictive and the power it has is plentiful. I still bought the Versys mind, but that came down to two over-riding factors. Cost and fun.
 
#5 ·
I have ridden the triples and have the Concours but the feel of acceleration is greater on the Versys even though the Connie blows it's doors off (if it had doors). I love the fell of acceleration that can only be found in the twin motors IMO. The triples are a compromise between the twins and I4s and are real nice engines. I would have bought the Sprint ST over the Connie had it been a shaft drive instead of chain.
 
#6 ·
Too each his own, the twin is my preference, the triple has power but it is not for me sirs ;)
I don't need a video, I heard and felt it on two back to back 40 minute test rides........
 
#8 ·
Viva la differance
 
#10 ·
The smoothness of a triple is one of its draws in my book. I've heard adjectives like "sterile" used to describe the V4 in my ST1300, which rivals any motorcycle engine for smooth power delivery.

I like to keep in mind what Larry Grodsky said about the character of motorcycles: "What the Italians call character the Japanese consider design flaws and the Germans deny to their graves." Not sure how the English and their Triumphs figure in, but I think we could extrapolate and say "ride what you like."
 
#11 ·
Upgrading to an explorer in a couple of months. Test rode one a couple of months ago. Fell in love with the triple right out of the gate. The 138hp 88 ponds of torque blows away anything but an ms. Sorry to say good bye but the v is going out on the market in afew days.
 
#13 ·
dont worry canyonwlf... alot of these guys probably have not ridden it and are reacting to what they are thinking it will feel like. And we both probably THOUGHT it was going to feel that way.

"sterile" is a nice way of saying that the triple has no balls. It makes power the same way the Vstrom does...linear. It isn't lacking in power. It just doesnt have that same snap that the versys has.

In other words...if you are easy on the throttle with the versys, you probably wont care.
But if you like to crank it and pull out of corners all hot and bothered like (lol), then you will be unimpressed with the triple...cause it wont do that for you.

thats not to mention all the other flaws, like the rear passenger pegs go straight to the frame so whenever you drop it, YOU HAVE BENT YOUR FRAME.
and the fact that there are still a bunch of them that just shut off inconspicuiously on the ADV forum.
and the fact that the XC delivers the image of being offroad worthy, but the lower linkage is highly damageable in the position that its in


with all that said, I have thought about it....but i think i am going to eventually move toward a F800gs or a ktm990 adventure (used of course)
 
#17 ·
The KTM, well...I need a ladder to get on that thing. I watched a guy ride 2-up with his wife all weekend, but he was 6 feet 2 and she was not much bigger than a top case and a helmet. It's a super-impressive bike, with high build quality, but wow...you better be tall.

I've sat on the XC a few times and the ergo's are great. I look forward to a test drive on one next year. I am looking for something more dirt road worthy and 2-up friendly. I wouldn't rule out the XC at all.
 
#19 ·
well dave you must be the exception, but I still can't see how you would think it had the power that you would expect from an 800.

its not like we are making this up,,, ever single review of both the 800/800 XC says the same thing. If you are trying to do any sort of offroad or quick manuevering, you have to wind-out the engine. Its not like the power isnt there, its just much higher in the RPMs than you'd think. There is no grunt to it.

If you are thinking of getting something in between a "sport tourer" and a versys, then the Tiger is perfect. It has a great linear powerband, but I like the power to come on strong right at the bottom, cause i might have to get over something on a trail/curb/etc.
 
#21 ·
I will add that having owned a street triple I was probably expecting a similar exhilarating experience! I did love the triple in the street triple and I'm a triumph guy, had quite a few speedmasters 865cc, I was underwhelmed by both Tigers however
 
#23 ·
I've test rode both the 800 and the Explorer. Now, my opinion is probably lacking as I have a very short riding span, less than a year. But, I was out on my V when I swung by the Triumph dealer. They invited me for a test ride. The 800 did not impress me, the acceleration I felt was not as "xhilerating" as my V. I'm a big guy, 5'11 250, yet under hard off the line acceleration, I can make my self lite headed on my Versys. Tried it twice with the 800 and didn't feel it, for a $12,000 bike. Then rode the Explorer, better power (it's a 1200cc), definetly a bigger bike, but really can't justify the more than double price tag. I've ridden a V-strom 1,000 and felt that for the money I would buy it before the 800 and maybe even before an Explorer as 200cc is not worth a $10,000 mark up for the features.
 
#25 ·
I've 'swapped' rides with friends, and then tried a Triumph (1100???) and a Duc Hypermotard (???).

Both were pretty nice - loved the ABS brakes on the Triumph, and the power on BOTH. But, I felt like my V handled better than the Duc, and, despite the power being "intoxicating" on BOTH, I KNOW that I should stay away from 1000cc+ machines.... On my Bandit 1200S I would (at least once a year) - 'pin-the-throttle' - and that's a recipe for jail time....:thumbdown:

I've decide that 650cc is more than enough for me.
:goodidea:
 
#26 ·
One of my riding buddies has both 800's, and he let me ride them before I purchased the Versys. The Triumph is definitely a lot faster than my V, and the guy has put lots of miles on both bikes with no mechanical issues at all. However, after trying his bikes, then test riding a Versys, I knew it was what I wanted within a very short time. And yes, I found the intake noise on the Triumph very annoying.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top