Triumph Tiger 800

[Evomx971]

Originally Posted by markbvt

Seriously???

I'm 250lbs, and even packed for a two-week trip I don't need to crank the preload to max on the stock shock. Did you get the bike new? If not, maybe the previous owner put a softer spring on...?

--mark

Yep, I've had it at max preload from day one. Bought the bike new in April of '11 The Jesse set up is pretty heavy. I have around 13,500 on it now and I do think the spring was getting softer and softer...

[markbvt]

Originally Posted by Evomx971

Yep, I've had it at max preload from day one. Bought the bike new in April of '11 The Jesse set up is pretty heavy. I have around 13,500 on it now and I do think the spring was getting softer and softer...

Strange. I've got nearly 31,000 miles on my XC, and while both the forks and the rear shock have settled in a bit (ie, less harsh than new), the spring is definitely not too soft. I still have a fair amount of preload adjustment available if I need it, but so far I haven't.

And no, the rear end of the bike is not sagging excessively.

--mark

[soldierguy]

I'll chime in on the preload discussion...

Assuming there's nothing wrong with EvoMX's bike, it sounds to me like differences in perceptions and preferences. Sounds like EvoMX likes it a little firmer with very little sag, while others don't mind things a little softer with a little more sag.

I'm a little heavier than EvoMX (220 without gear), and had been running the factory preset of 24 clicks out on spring preload and 1.5 turns out on damping, and it seemed a touch soft to me. I've only got about 550 miles on mine so far and just reset it to 10 clicks out and .5 turns. Taking it out today to see what that does...I'm thinking it'll be a little firm and I may back off from that, but I'll know more today.

[fbj913]

Originally Posted by Evomx971

Yep, I've had it at max preload from day one. Bought the bike new in April of '11 The Jesse set up is pretty heavy. I have around 13,500 on it now and I do think the spring was getting softer and softer...

Triumph just warrantied my entire shock. It was totally blown out at about 15,000 miles

[browneye]

What: Road run and campout near the southern coast - Carrizo Plain, Pozo, Camino Cielo
When: January 19-20
Who: All Tiger owners are invited
PM: For details and meet up

Come join a group of about 25 southern California adventure riders for a weekend overnighter and adventure ride. There are enough of us Tiger 800 owners to forum our own ride group for this event. We meet for Breakfast in Ojai, head north to Maricopa, across Carrizo Plain near Bakersfield, then the back-way dirt route to Pozo Saloon for a burger, and camping at a local campground. We have firewood and beer being trucked in for an evening campfire and great stories.

Sunday we ride to the coast for brunch, and then make the trek over El Camino Cielo, a dirt ridge-route along the southern coast above Santa Barbara.

Friday night a handfull of us are camping out near Ojai to make it easy to arrive for the breakfast meet up.

It's a relaxed ride, do-able on road tires if you can handle smooth dirt roads. So roadies and XC's are fine, you just want to have some dirt experience.

Thanks for looking...PM for more details if you would like to join us.

Couple of pics from last year...

Carrizo Plain National Monument




Near Pozo:




On Camino Cielo Grade




Views from on top...above Santa Barbara, the Pacific Ocean

[fullmonte]

Originally Posted by fbj913

Triumph just warrantied my entire shock. It was totally blown out at about 15,000 miles

Good on them for doing the right thing. Are you happy with that Ohlins shock you recently installed? Were you able to get in on the Kyle racing ADV discount here in Vendors last month?

[fbj913]

Originally Posted by fullmonte

Good on them for doing the right thing. Are you happy with that Ohlins shock you recently installed? Were you able to get in on the Kyle racing ADV discount here in Vendors last month?

I haven't ridden it yet with the Ohlins. Too much snow

No I did everything through the dealer.

[fullmonte]

Originally Posted by fbj913

I haven't ridden it yet with the Ohlins. Too much snow

No I did everything through the dealer.

Ah man too bad about the snow, been looking forward to your impression of the shock. Dan Kyle was having an end of year sale on Ohlins units last month. Did you pay more than $943 from your dealer?

[fbj913]

Originally Posted by fullmonte

Ah man too bad about the snow, been looking forward to your impression of the shock. Dan Kyle was having an end of year sale on Ohlins units last month. Did you pay more than $943 from your dealer?

No

[blacktiger]

Originally Posted by soldierguy

I'll chime in on the preload discussion...

Assuming there's nothing wrong with EvoMX's bike, it sounds to me like differences in perceptions and preferences. Sounds like EvoMX likes it a little firmer with very little sag, while others don't mind things a little softer with a little more sag.

I'm a little heavier than EvoMX (220 without gear), and had been running the factory preset of 24 clicks out on spring preload and 1.5 turns out on damping, and it seemed a touch soft to me. I've only got about 550 miles on mine so far and just reset it to 10 clicks out and .5 turns. Taking it out today to see what that does...I'm thinking it'll be a little firm and I may back off from that, but I'll know more today.

You're probably near to right with that setting. I'm a little lighter and use 15 clicks out from max. The acknowledged rule of thumb on sag with rider aboard is 1/3rd total suspension travel. So it should sink around 70mm from full extension. YMMV as always.

[marloweluke]

Originally Posted by fbj913

Triumph just warrantied my entire shock. It was totally blown out at about 15,000 miles

The rear shock on my Roadie lost quite a bit of it's rebound damping. When I told the dealer about it (800km away) he said he would have to take the shock out and examine it. I couldn't do that at the time because I was on a schedule, so I figured this was the excuse to buy a nice Penske aftermarket. The new shock is a great improvement. Suspension upgrades still seem to be the best performance improvement one can make. Three months later the dealer tells me my new OEM replacement shock is in so next time I am there they can install it. Weird, first they tell me they want to examine it, next thing I know they've ordered a new one.

[Johno33772]

Originally Posted by Evomx971

Yep, I've had it at max preload from day one. Bought the bike new in April of '11 The Jesse set up is pretty heavy. I have around 13,500 on it now and I do think the spring was getting softer and softer...

It all depends what you do with bike. The stock suspension was just too soft for how I was riding it. If you jump the bike with stock suspension...you'll think you just broke it in half. If you ride single track & ride 2 up in very rough/ sandy conditions the front wants to dive under in a turn, the rear shock is all are already 40% thru the stroke when I sit on mine stock....it was like riding a Chopper. I weigh 200' race A level & probbaly been places with the bike that Triumph never really intended it to go....the weakest link on the Tiger XC is the Suspension. Hyper pro was a cheap fix & I have the heavier rear spring than Evomx971. I am going to change the rear spring out to the same as Evomx971.
Ractech wanted way too much $ & the Hyperpro kit was the best $300 I have spent on the bike. Now I bike that feels "alive" no longer feels like a Slug offroad.

[burmbuster]

I weigh 170 lbs without gear. The forks are ok even without clickers although it would be nice to be able to adjust them for "2 up with luggage". To me, the shock is the weak link. I don't want to call it cheap but its certainly not the highest quality. The stock shocks range is ok for my weight however it does not give great feedback when riding. It does its job but it could be much better.
Did an owner questionaire last week from Triumph about the T800. One area of focus was on the suspension and its non-adjustability. Sounds like changes will be coming in the next year or so with the forks and the shock.

[swimmer]

Originally Posted by burmbuster

To me, the shock is the weak link. I don't want to call it cheap but its certainly not the highest quality. T
Did an owner questionaire last week from Triumph about the T800. One area of focus was on the suspension and its non-adjustability. Sounds like changes will be coming in the next year or so with the forks and the shock.

It's ok, you can call it cheap. It really is crap. I also mentioned my massive dissatisfaction with the suspension (front primarily) in the triumph survey.

[burmbuster]

Originally Posted by swimmer

It's ok, you can call it cheap. It really is crap. I also mentioned my massive dissatisfaction with the suspension (front primarily) in the triumph survey.

Well you know, suspension is an area that is highly subjective. If your 250 lbs plus luggage you should already know that, sooner or later, your suspension will have to be modified. So I guess my point is that the range of dampening and compression is fairly good across the board for most riders but the quality of components could have been better.