Triumph Tiger 800 XC

So the rainy season is well and truly upon us and, if you haven’t already, it is time to put on a brave face and take out the wet weather garb. For the last couple of days which have been very wet to say the least I have been very thankful for a few things that the Tiger has to offer and I will tell you why.

Firstly, I am thankful for the top box which does affect the handling a bit but comes in very handy for storing the ever present rain suit as well as keeping my ruck sack dry when the heavens open. Secondly, I am very grateful for the ABS system on the Tiger. First rains are dreadful, there is so much diesel and crap on the road and as I am sat here writing this, I had my first ‘incident’ of the season just this morning. There I was merrily riding to work, filtering through the traffic, when some idiot decided to change lanes without even looking. I had to grab a handful of front brake while riding on the white line in the centre of two lanes which is never a good thing to do in the wet but sometimes you just have no choice. It was a bit touch and go for a minute or two but thankfully the system performed well and I arrived at work safely, albeit just a little shook up and not in the way that Elvis was shook up if you know what I mean? And then thirdly, I am thankful for the 21 inch front wheel with its longer travel because just yesterday a new pot hole appeared on my route home from work which, in true Natalie fashion, I decided to take head on. The suspension is just so forgiving and I hardly felt it at all.

I am now starting to understand why you see so many adventure bikes on our roads. I have always laughed at the ‘meerkat’ riders, wondering why you would have an on/off-road bike when 90% of riders never take them off-road but I am slowly starting to change my mind. Living in and around Johannesburg, or most places in South Africa for that matter, the road conditions are not great and these bikes take everything in their stride. If you had to equate them to our four wheeled friends I would say an adventure bike is like a really good bakkie, they do everything very well and are extremely practical too. But only one of them has the triple engine and that is why I am loving my XC. It truly is the Ford Ranger of adventure bikes; reliable, good looking and it performs and handles like a dream!