What happens with the going gets rough? That's right. The adventure bikes clamor to get going. Triumph->ke1864's 2015 Tiger 800 XCx is no exception. The Tiger 800 XCx -- a fully equipped version of the Tiger 800 XC -- is ready to take you on-road or offroad->ke450 for your own "Long Way Down" journey. Triumph gave it the smooth ride and creature comforts to make it a nice standard street bike, but added off-road features, such as easily adjustable rebound and compression damping and awesome suspension travel, both front and rear, to carry you over the roughest terrain. With easy access on the instrument panel, you can switch on-the-go between three rider modes: Road, Off-Road and a programmable Rider mode in which you can configure the ABS, throttle map and traction control for a custom ride. When your trip ventures off paved roads onto country lanes and beyond, the Tiger 800 XCx is up to the task.

Continue reading for my review of the 2015 Tiger 800 XCx.

Design

Journeys over hill and dale are made easier and more practical with the adventure-pack features that include hand guards, sump guard, engine and radiator protection bars and a 12V power socket that accommodates your GPS unit. Even if you don't spend much time off-road, the hand guards do a decent job of blocking the wind and that makes the optional heated grips that much more effective.

The bike is very tall. Even with the seat adjusted as low as it can go with the accessory Low Comfort Rider Seat, the seat height measures over 32 inches. To accommodate off-road travel, the ground clearance is higher than dedicated street bikes, so it's hard to find an off-road bike with a manageable seat height. While the seat feels narrow enough while underway, you really need to spread your legs wide to put your feet on the ground. Those of us that are height challenged will likely find ourselves relegated to pillion warmer. On the flip side, tall riders will appreciate the accessory handlebar risers to get an additional 1.2 inches of height adjustment on the bars.

Even though it is a big bike, it isn't intimidating. Handling feels natural despite what you might think about the wide handlebars, and cornering is smooth and effortless. It won't handle tight corners at high speed, but that's not what it's made for. Cruise control is standard and it has an auto-cancel function on the turn signals. I mention that only because I have been one of those people riding down the road with my turn signal still on, letting the people behind me wonder if/when I'm going to turn or if, in fact, I might be signaling to them that I'm going around the world to the left (or right).

Chassis

Triumph designed this ride to tackle rough roads – and even roads you make up as you go. In keeping with this mission, the engineers started with a steel trellis frame for the backbone. A pair of 43 mm WP front forks supports the front of the bike with an incredible 8.7-inch range-of-motion that could make some purpose-built dirt bikes green with envy. The rear WP monoshock provides almost as much at 8.5 inches, and both front and rear are adjustable for a variety of riding conditions using some combination of the damping, rebound and preload adjustments. An advanced ABS unit works with the dual-piston front calipers, and the single piston rear caliper, to provide varying amounts of slip, depending on which mode you have selected. The twin 308 mm front discs and 255 mm rear disc provide plenty of leverage for the binders, and while the calipers are a little on the small side, the big brake discs more than make up for it.

The most fetching part of the bike for me has to be the laced wheels. Aluminum rims and steel laces make up the big, 17-inch rear wheel and even bigger 21-inch front, giving this ride a nice little touch of soul.

Drivetrain

The 800 cc, liquid-cooled triple cranks out 95 horsepower at 9,250 rpm, backed up by 58.3 pound-feet of torque at 7,850 rpm. Set up to ride, the bike weighs in just shy of a quarter-ton. This mill is plenty strong enough to pull hills with a passenger and cargo, or tromp around offroad in rugged terrain with confidence, all while merely sipping at the fuel with an average of 65 mpg. A 5-gallon fuel tank provides you with a 272-mile potential range, depending on conditions and riding style.

In a move sure to appeal to newer riders, Triumph added a traction control system that can be set to Road, Offroad or Off, for varying levels of throttle intervention and rear wheel slip. Best of all, the riding modes can be changed on the fly, so there is no need to pull over to fiddle with your bike when you are trying to get dialed in.

A six-speed transmission takes the power to the rear wheel via a chain final drive. This recently updated gearbox features a Daytona-inspired shift mechanism that provides smooth, quick and quiet shifts. Speaking of quiet, the exhaust note is almost too quiet for its own good. I'm a firm believer that loud pipes save lives, especially in this the Age of Distracted Driving, and it would worry my nerves to be so soft spoken on the road.

Pricing

MSRP starts at $13,499.00 for your choice of Crystal White, Phantom Black or Caspian Blue. Triumph provides a two-year unlimited mileage warranty on the bike and Triumph accessories, plus you get a 12-month unlimited mileage warranty on replacement parts. Expect to see 6,000-mile service intervals.

He Said

My husband and fellow writer, TJ Hinton, says, “This is very much the 'little brother' to the larger 1,200 cc Explorer, with the added bonus of an advanced traction control system. I kind of like it even more than the more powerful (read: expensive) 1,200, and the lower displacement would mean lower insurance rates, at least around these parts.”

She Said

"I'm a fan of these adventure bikes, especially living where I do now. My trip may take me off the pavement down dirt or gravel roads, and I can follow woodland paths on a whim if I choose to. The Tiger 800 XCx is very quiet even when you rev it. I can appreciate that quiet is desirable when trekking through the woods; but on the street, it can be unsafe. You want the cagers to hear you when you're in proximity. It has a feather-light throttle, which may not be desirable off-road as any little bump or wiggle of your hand affects the throttle. Price-wise, it's on par with a Suzuki 2015 V-Strom 1000 ABS Adventure and it's a little cheaper than a Yamaha Super Ténéré->ke2784, and the Super Ténéré doesn't have quite as much suspension travel."

Specifications