Everything You Want to Know About the 2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport (Except What It's Like to Ride)
Triumph drops its base Tiger 900 and replaces it with the 850 Sport
Triumph has announced its latest addition to the Tiger family: the 2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport. As the aluminum cast 19/17-inch wheel combo would suggest, the 850 Sport is a more road-focused version of the adventurous Triple, aimed at newer riders and/or simply riders who don’t feel the need for all of the fancy tech and high-performance bits and bobbles found on the other Tiger trims (and the associated cost).
What caused Triumph to discard its previous base model Tiger 900 for this new “850”? I’ll let the folks in Hinckley tell you for themselves: “We have identified that there is a significant customer base who are looking for a manageable and accessible option, where the price, package of specification, and performance all play a key part in their decision-making.
An example of this customer segment can be seen with the sales of the two different performance/specification options available with the BMW F750 GS and the F850 GS, where the F750 GS is potentially purchased in preference to the F850 GS for its more manageable set-up and performance, as well as its comparatively more accessible price. This could be the case for people who are buying their first big bike or adventure bike, where the appeal of maximum power and specification is not their main motivation.”
If that doesn’t tell you who the Brits are gunning for, I can’t help you. Triumph is clearly acknowledging the success BMW has had offering two similar models aimed at entirely different riders. The Tiger 850 Sport follows suit in that regard with an electronically detuned engine that is otherwise mechanically the same as the powerplant found in the Tiger 900s. For European riders, the new “850” will meet A2 licensing requirements making it available to a larger audience of interested parties.
Triumph says the new model will make 83.8 hp at 8500 rpm with 60.5 lb-ft of torque at 6500. That’s down from Hickley’s claim of 93.9 hp at 8750 and 64 lb-ft of torque at 7250 for the other Tigers. For reference, when we last had the Tiger 900 Rally Pro on the dyno it made 84 rear-wheel hp at 8900 rpm and 57.1 lb-ft of torque at 6300.
The price of the Tiger 850 Sport will be just over $500 less than the outgoing base model with a U.S. MSRP of $11,995. For an in depth look at the Tiger range, check out my First Ride review from last February. A quick recap of some of the things we’re happy to see still on the 850 Sport include the five-inch TFT display, Marzocchi suspension, and Brembo Stylema calipers. ABS cannot be disabled and is not lean sensitive, while traction control can be adjusted with the two included ride modes (Road and Rain) or disabled entirely.
Stylistically, the 850 looks nearly identical to the rest of the Tiger lineup – mostly because it is – however, the Sport receives two new color options: Graphite and Diablo red or Graphite and Caspian blue. The 850 Sport will also come with Triumph’s two-year unlimited mile warranty and service intervals of 10,000 miles. Expect to see this new model hitting dealership showrooms in late January 2021.
After testing the Tiger Rally Pro and GT Pro model in Morocco as well as spending some time on the Rally Pro here at home in California, we’re sure this latest addition to the streak will be an equally great motorcycle. Having the same “bones” as the previous 900s, the Triumph Tiger 850 Sport seems poised to be just that.
2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | Liquid-cooled, 12 valve, DOHC, inline 3-cylinder |
| Displacement | 888 cc |
| Bore x Stroke | 78.0 mm x 61.9 mm |
| Compression | 11.27:1 |
| Maximum Power | 84 hp at 8,500 rpm (claimed) |
| Maximum Torque | 60.5 lb-ft. at 6,500 rpm (claimed) |
| Fuel System | Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection |
| Exhaust | Stainless steel 3 into 1 header system, side mounted stainless steel silencer |
| Final Drive | O-ring chain |
| Clutch | Wet, multi-plate, slip & assist |
| Gearbox | 6 speed |
| Frame | Tubular steel frame, bolt on sub frame |
| Swingarm | Twin-sided, cast aluminum |
| Front Wheel | Cast alloy, 19 x 2.5 in |
| Rear Wheel | Cast alloy, 17 x 4.25 in |
| Front Tire | 100/90-19 |
| Rear Tire | 150/70R17 |
| Front Suspension | Marzocchi 45mm upside down forks |
| Rear Suspension | Marzocchi rear suspension unit, manual preload adjustment |
| Front Brakes | Twin 320mm floating discs, Brembo Stylema 4 piston Monobloc calipers. Radial front master cylinder, ABS |
| Rear Brakes | Single 255mm disc. Brembo single piston sliding caliper, ABS |
| Instruments | 5″ TFT screen |
| Length | 88.50 inches (2248 mm) |
| Width (Handlebars) | 32.67 inches (830 mm) |
| Height Without Mirrors | 55.51-57.48 inches (1410-1460 mm) |
| Seat Height | 31.88-32.67 inches (810-830 mm) |
| Wheelbase | 61.25 inches (1556 mm) |
| Rake | 24.6 ° |
| Trail | 5.24 inches (133.3 mm) |
| Dry weight | 423 lbs (claimed) |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 5.28 gallons |
Ryan’s time in the motorcycle industry has revolved around sales and marketing prior to landing a gig at Motorcycle.com. An avid motorcyclist, interested in all shapes, sizes, and colors of motorized two-wheeled vehicles, Ryan brings a young, passionate enthusiasm to the digital pages of MO.
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Wow, much less differentiated from the ADVs than expected. 19" front wheel, pannier eating high exhaust. Hardly deserving of a different model name. This reminds of compact Japanese sedans where the "sport" trim is actually just the name for the lowest end model.
Meanwhile the much revised 2021 Tracer 900 (now called just Tracer 9) just got announced. Quite a price jump for the GT model, but it has electronically controlled suspension now.
https://www.yamahamotorspor...
Funny that while BMW and Triumph seem to have gone down market to attempt to compete with what the Tracer was when it originally came out, while Yamaha has gone increasingly up market to complete their higher end bikes - at a smaller size and sane level of power, which I quite appreciate.
Well, this bike ended up being kind of not what I hoped it would be.
It seems like it will be good for what it is, it's just not the un-beaked, long-legged streeter that I was hoping for.