Triumph Tiger Sport 660
After teasing a bit with a pre-production prototype in August, Triumph has finally unveiled its new Tiger Sport 660. Based on the same platform as the road-going Trident 660, the 2022 Triumph Tiger Sport 660 is a mid-size "sport adventurer" - in other words, an all-terrain touring motorcycle with sporty slope, with very high performance for its class, as well as low cost of ownership and maintenance.
Triumph Tiger Sport 660
Sports adventure is a nice modern trend for those who do not consider it necessary to travel on a large and heavy copy of a sportbike with all its excess body kit, low ground clearance and unpleasant landing. And just like the junior Trident in the road range, the Tiger Sport 660 is the entry-level model in the touring range, designed to attract new users to the Triumph family before making way for more off-road and capacity models. Thus, Triumph is positioning the Tiger Sport 660 in the same segment as the Kawasaki Versys 650 and Yamaha Tracer 7. This model may also be of interest to those who are considering the Suzuki V-Strom 650, which is a little more off-road, but with the Yamaha Tenere 700 or the yet-to-be-announced Aprilia Tuareg 660, the new product from Triumph is unlikely to be able to seriously compete off-road.
Triumph Tiger Sport 660
Triumph Tiger 850 Sport
Yes, Triumph definitely played on someone else's field. But this is precisely because there are no players there: between the chic, but expensive Versys 1000 and the excellent Versys 650 for the money, there was such a gap that it would be a sin not to release something a little more premium than the budget 650 - Versys 650 or Suzuki V-Strom 650 for 10 thousand bucks, but not as luxurious as full-size and full-capacity tourenduros with a price that exceeds twenty.
Nine tenths Tiger
Here we need to explain the concept of the model, the tasks of the design bureau and the points to which the engineers paid special attention. But for those who are familiar with Triumph products, it is obvious at first glance that the 850 Sport is the same Tiger 900 GT, slightly cheaper and simplified. If the Tiger 900 is a dark forest for you, excuse the pun, then here we talk about them, with all the intimate details such as driving modes, suspension features and the firing order of the engine with a T-shaped crankshaft.
So let's agree that Triumph simply made a basic version of the Tiger 900 and called it 850 Sport, so that those who were already aiming for a 900 would not decide to buy a cheaper option. Some people may not like this kind of marketing, but as for me, there is nothing particularly to blame them for: they are not hiding anything and, moreover, they rolled out an excellent basic model. Of which, by the way, there are not so many left on the modern market - the same marketers have long been trying to convince us that any more or less cubic capacity motorcycle must be equipped to the highest standard, and cost accordingly.
Triumph Tiger 850 Sport
Triumph Tiger Sport 660 engine
The Triumph Tiger Sport 660 is powered by the same three-cylinder liquid-cooled in-line DOHC engine as the Trident and is even tuned exactly the same: the Triumph Tiger Sport 660 engine produces 80PS at 10,250rpm and 63Nm at 6,250rpm , and 90% peak thrusts are available in the range from 3600 rpm to 9750 rpm. In addition, the Tiger Sport 660 has the same low-slung muffler as the Trident, as well as the same light-slip slipper clutch. A bi-directional quickshifter is available as an option for this model.
Tiger Sport 660, new from Triumph
The English manufacturer has reused the three-cylinder 660 cc engine, this time installing it in a sports touring motorcycle.
This water-cooled DOHC powerplant is already familiar to us from the Triumph Trident 660. For the Tiger Sport 660, its maximum power is 79 hp. With. at 10250 rpm, and the highest torque is 64 Nm at 6250 rpm. It has a 6-speed transmission and slipper clutch, and a quickshifter is available as an optional extra.
The chassis includes 41mm inverted forks and Showa monoshock, with 150mm of suspension travel front and rear. The new motorcycle has 17-inch five-spoke cast aluminum wheels shod with Michelin Road 5 tires. Braking is handled by two 310 mm discs with two-piston calipers from Nissin at the front and a 255 mm disc with a single-piston caliper from the same manufacturer at the rear, as well as a dual-channel ABS system. .
The Tiger Sport 660 saddle with a height of 835 millimeters will suit riders of different heights. The curb weight of the new product is 206 kilograms; this figure does not take into account additional attachments, such as panniers.
The new touring bike has a variable-height windshield that can be adjusted with one hand while riding. The Sport 660 has all-LED headlights and a dashboard with a bright full-color TFT display. The electronic throttle has two modes - standard and rain, and the degree of intervention of the traction control system can be adjusted to suit different riding styles. The gas tank capacity of the new Tiger Sport is 17 liters. The motorcycle has an exhaust system with a muffler located under the engine; exhaust gas emissions comply with the Euro-5 standard.
Definitely, this motorcycle cannot even be called a crossover; this is clearly evidenced by standard-sized road tires, low ground clearance and not the greatest suspension travel. However, it may definitely appeal to some riders, and off-road fans still have a chance to wait for an enduro or crossover with the same powerplant.
The engineers from Hinckley did a good job on the luggage system, the mounting of the panniers is integrated into the lining, and the boxes themselves are painted in color and blend well with the lines of the motorcycle. You can order the Tiger Sport 660 with or without panniers.
The 2022 model year palette consists of three options: blue (Lucerne Blue & Sapphire Black), red (Korosi Red & Graphite) and gray (Graphite & Sapphire Black). Prices in the US start at $9,295 and the motorcycles will hit dealer showrooms in January 2022.
Triumph Tiger Sport 660 chassis
The engine is housed in a tubular steel perimeter frame similar to the Trident frame, only with a longer subframe for a taller split-level seat (the driver's is 83cm high, 3cm taller than the Trident, while the passenger's is significantly taller than the road bike) and ride with luggage. Luggage containers are sold separately, but the mounts for them on the Tiger Sport 660 are installed in the drain, next to the passenger handles.
The suspension is also similar to that on the Trident: 41mm split fork and rear monoshock with remote hydraulic preload adjuster, but the travel of both wheels on the Tiger is longer - 15cm. In addition, the Tiger Sport features a 23.1-degree headset angle and a 9.6cm trail, versus 24.6 degrees and 10.6cm.
The two-piston front and single-piston calipers on the Tiger Sport are made by Nissin, and ABS is a standard feature, as is switchable traction control. In addition, the on-board electronics suite includes two switchable ride modes, and the black-and-white LCD instrument panel display includes a small full-color TFT screen for navigation guidance, as well as phone and GoPro controls.
What about the Tiger 850? How is his equipment?
Show it to any oldfag and tell him that this model is the simplest, his eyes will widen. Steel-reinforced brake lines and Brembo Stylema calipers on two 320 discs - how about that? Level of Ducati Streetfighter and Aprilia RSV4 Factory, by the way. The levers are adjustable, as are the seat and windshield. Turn the key and the bright, clear five-inch TFT panel lights up, controlled by a five-way joystick on the left remote control. Not bad for a basic and relatively budget motorcycle? Well, yes, 12 thousand dollars is not exactly cheap, but it depends on what you compare it with.
Ergonomics of the Triumph Tiger Sport 660
The Triumph Tiger Sport 660 has a relaxed, upright riding position behind a tall, adjustable windshield. Ergonomics are comfortable both in the city and on long trips.
Triumph Tiger Sport 660
Among the options available for the Tiger Sport 660 are 57-liter side cases with color-matched lids, as well as a 47-liter central case, for the installation of which you will need to purchase an additional aluminum luggage rack.
The volume of the fuel tank of the new product is 17 liters, and although the actual consumption is still unknown, given the presence of a six-speed gearbox, it will be approximately 5 liters per hundred, which means a power reserve of more than 300 kilometers. The motorcycle is equipped with two diode headlights, and diode turn signals, depending on the market, have an auto-off function, and in addition, can be replaced with diode running stripes.
Triumph Tiger 850 Sport On the go
The first thing that surprises the Triumph Tiger 850 Sport is the exhaust sound. It sounds completely different from the Street Triple or the old Tiger 800 - that's because the 850 Sport's engine features a new T-crankshaft with its own special firing pattern that makes it sound more like an inline-two. Or, perhaps, like a big inline four with one bad cylinder. Bass and pleasant in itself, the sound of the 888 cc triple is devoid of the usual hum of old triples when opening the gas - therefore it evokes double sensations.
Instead of five riding modes like the 900 Pro, the Tiger 850 Sport comes with just two - Road and Rain. This aspect of the settings seemed useless to me, although the interface itself is convenient, navigation through the menu is simple, but changing the mode does not change the character of the motorcycle. With such torque, the Rain mode should have been made with a less sharp response and with a more subdued peak power. Essentially, the riding mode changes the way the traction control works, not the engine. By the way, traction control and ABS are tied only to wheel speed sensors; there is no inertia measuring device or tilt sensors on the Triumph Tiger 850 Sport.
I will emphasize once again: the motorcycle turned out to be more interesting and better than I expected. There were quite heated discussions around this model, and for some reason armchair critics insisted on its inferiority, so it was in my head that the 850 Sport was boring and sluggish. It turned out not at all: almost from idle there is an excellent reserve of thrust, while the engine spins up willingly. This is the second motorcycle I can remember (after the Suzuki V-Strom 1000) that feels more powerful than on paper.
Triumph Tiger 850 Sport
It didn’t dawn on me right away, but only when we weighed the equipped motorcycle. Now the guys from Hinckley for some reason publish the dry weight, but we drive it equipped, with gasoline, antifreeze, and oil filled in - so we have to find out the real weight ourselves. So, he was 217 kg - not Thumbelina, but not next to liter elephants. For example, we once weighed a Triumph Tiger 800, and it showed 270 kilos - can you imagine the difference in the handling and maneuverability of these two? And this despite the fact that the 800 was on spoked wheels and carried slightly less fuel!
I somehow immediately got used to the Triumph Tiger 850 Sport - and this is primarily because it does a lot of things very well. It may not be the most peppy Triumph, but the engine is responsive to throttle and runs very smoothly. Add to this the completely natural operation of the clutch - linear and understandable, and the entire transmission as a whole works clearly. Excellent brakes - no wonder, given the red lettering on them. Every little detail is well thought out and reinforces a pleasant impression - the mirrors are clear and conveniently located, the remote controls are ergonomic and intuitive, the windshield is easily adjustable, although not within wide limits. The seat, in the end, is also not bad - even the passenger one, and the footrests are located conveniently even for a long-legged passenger (be silently jealous!). I didn't even have to tighten the rear suspension spring - everything was set up perfectly for me from the factory.
During testing, I took almost no notes on the handling, and for one simple reason - the bike handles naturally and intuitively, without any memorable features. The center of mass is quite low, thanks to which the Triumph Tiger 850 Sport steers quite quickly, but at the same time it does not encourage you to push harder, despite quite confident cornering. There is still some yaw and roll, and given the legendary excellent handling of Triumphs, I have to blame the stock oval tires for this. I think something with a rounder, taller profile would provide better handling.
Overall, the Triumph Tiger 850 Sport feels like a solid and tightly built bike in every sense, thanks mainly to the excellent engine, which feels strong and weighty, like an expensive flashlight. In a good way. And it performs its task just as confidently and well as an expensive flashlight—by the way, it also shines quite well.
Triumph Tiger 850 Sport
