New 2018 Triumph Tiger Models to Debut at EICMA

The video highlights a few of the changes, namely a new three-cylinder engine, a full digital display, and LED lighting (including Euro 4-mandated daytime running lights). Though the video claims the engine is new, the one clear shot we get shows an engine that looks pretty similar to the current Tiger Explorer’s 1215cc engine, at least from the outside. This suggests that while there may be some internal updates, the engine is an evolution of the previous powerplant and not entirely brand new.

Along with the TFT instrumentation, the video shows the left handlebar switchgear, confirming the presence of cruise control, heated grips and, right next to the red horn switch, a joystick control for navigating the electronics similar to the one on the Street Triple.

The LED headlights are to be expected these days, as are the daytime running lights required for European models, but if you look carefully at around the 15-second mark, you’ll see the new Tiger will also receiving a cornering light. Notice how the bottom section of the right light is lit as the bike begins to lean over while the bottom part of the left side remains dim? As the Tiger leans even further, the center of the headlight also illuminates.

The video also shows a bit of the bodywork, which looks similar in shape to the current Tiger Explorer’s design. What’s interesting is the number “12” you can just make out in one of the shots (frozen for posterity below). Whereas the current Tiger 800 includes its displacement in its name, the Tiger Explorer does not. This little detail in the video may suggest Triumph may be dropping the “Explorer” part of the name and could go with the name Tiger 1200 (or Tiger 1215, if Triumph wants to use the actual displacement instead of a nice, round number). Did anyone else notice the video only says “Tiger” but the word “Explorer” is not to be found?

The bits of frame visible in the video also look similar to the Tiger Explorer. The first couple of shots in the video, however, show a double-sided swingarm and a chain guard similar to the one used on the Tiger 800. The way the header pipes curve and converge above the bash plate also looks similar to the current Tiger 800 whereas the Tiger Explorer’s pipes flow straight down and back before they join. This tells us that either the Tiger 1200 is switching from shaft to chain drive or, more likely, the Tiger 800 is also receiving an update.