Motorcycle.com

My Last Bike

Seventy years old and have owned so many motorcycles in my life can't even remember the number. Had gotten out of biking about 10 years ago and really didn't intend on getting another at my age then. Something changed my mind about a year ago and so I went down to my local Triumph dealer (had owne...d a Trophy back in the 70's and like it). Wound up purchasing a Bonneyville T100. Liked it OK but found it a little small for what I was used to as last bike owned was a sport touring BMW. Went back in a couple of months ago and, at my dealer's suggestion, took a ride on a Black 2008 Tiger. The seat height (I'm 5/10" with a 31 in inseam) seemed a little high as guess I have shrunk a bit in my old age. During the test ride, mostly country roads, I fell in love. This bike has to be the all purpose bike of all time. Wound up riding along with some teen agers on their crotch rockets and felt right at home. Dealer allowed me to keep the bike overnight so I took the Mrs. and off to the twisties and turnies. Never had so much fun in my life. The remarkable triple engine and the ergonomics, not to mention the great Nissin brakes literally blew me away. Was "cruising" later down U.S. 77 in Central Texas and happened to look at the speedo and was hitting 85mph. Good thing no smokies around. I went in the next day and bought it. Now have about 1500 miles and still going strong. Enjoying it more all the time now that I'm getting more used to it. More power than I need and no problems with clutch, tranny, or anything else for that matter. The only negative is the lighting system. Very poor lights for night time driving but intend to remedy that by adding the HID system. Otherwise just having a ball in my old age. My daughter and son in law in Florida ride a Harley Ultra Classic and joke about their 70 yr old Dad on a crotch rocket. El Tigre roars!
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1 day, 750 miles, only the smile muscles ached...

I have had a 1050 tiger for 6 months now, and she comes out whatever the weather for any excuse, although I dont do the miles I used to (parenthood and all that)

Being a brit and creeping toward 40, I like the thought of riding british steel, and am immune to the "old-man bike" image that... the unknowing may have, but there is something about this bike that is fundamentally British; the eccentric over-engineered but effective build, the quiet businesslike way she goes about normal riding, the football hooligan attitude when you are having a serious playtime, the undeniable fact that this engine IS the modern equivalent of the RR Merlin, or the way you feel like a Lancaster pilot on a bomb run when you heave into a fast sweeper, no bull, these images are direct from the saddle and not just some words I came up with here at my desk.
So tiger and I have just returned from
a 1500 mile round trip to the south of france, a trip I did on a zx6r last year, and what a difference.

I can still walk!

I had overfull givi panniers, big ones, 3 of them, and still got 175 miles to a tank, rarely dropping into double figures on the great and empty french motorways, no numbness anywhere, no aches despite a duff ankle, early arthritis, and 2 ruptured discs in my lower back. The 6r was unbearable after each hour on a long riding day, it is a good bike, but not for distance.
This is a tallish, heavyish bike, but it all just adds to the fun when you are on a good road, the height gives you presence, the weight gives stability, and none of it detracts from the handling or the fun, a little bigger, a little softer, but still as good as I am ever going to need, and I'm no slouch.
I have tried other tourers like the cbr11, fjr, zx14, or even triumph trophy, and this tiger is my weapon of choice, every time.

Good Bits-
power
comfort
handling
style
exclusivity

Bad Bits-
Seat height while shuffling
Headlight adjustment in corners

I am an average bloke, 5' 11", and would not want shorter legs, but peddling backwards out of a parking space is not what a bike is about, and not a reason to turn one down. Take one for a spin, ride relaxed but with purpose, and it all makes sense, not the constant wide eyed frenzy of a sports bike, but a smooth rapid progression from turn to turn, would make a great police bike too i guess, dammit
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