#TigerExplorer

Triumph announced it will reveal new Tiger models Nov. 7 at EICMA, bringing updates to its adventure bike lineup. Like most manufacturers do these days, Triumph released a short video teasing the new Tiger, and if you pay attention, you can notice some clues suggesting both the Tiger 800 and Tiger Explorer models are being replaced for 2018

Pitting the ultimate expression of soccer mom adventurism in the form of Honda’s VFR1200X against the top tier off-roader in Triumph’s ever-increasing line of Explorer models is audacious, if not a little bit irrational. But ever the astute brain trust of intrepid motojournos, we rose to the occasion and Sherlock Holmes’d our way to a few rather elementary discoveries.

Triumph has diversified its 1215cc Tiger Explorer lineup, following the pattern established by its smaller Tiger 800 siblings announced at EICMA last year. Like the 800s, the Tiger Explorer will be available in six trim levels, each offering a different balance between adventure and touring.

There’s a lot to like about Triumph’s Explorer, including excellent comfort, rugged styling and an amiable three-cylinder engine. However, our recent nine-bike comparison test of adventure bikes revealed the Explorer falls short of competing on level terms with the latest and greatest in this rapidly evolving category.