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- - Tiger 800xc / Explorer mini review from yesterday... (http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=195564)

Tiger 800xc / Explorer mini review from yesterday...

As some of you're aware, I'm looking at changing my sprint for an adventure style bike so took out the tiger 800xc and the explorer yesterday, here's my review...

Got to triumph nice and early, hadn't even opened when I got there, I was quickly sorted out with this...

http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/x...psed762069.jpg

I've ridden the road version, liked that a lot, brakes left a lot to be desired though, thought it was maybe just that actual bike, but no, this xc yesterday was just as bad, way too much effort needed to stop, rear brake was actually one of the best I've tried, some loss of speed did actually happen which is rare for a rear brake.

The engine can only be described as superb, on paper it doesn't look a lot of power, but with excellent gearing, it really does get a shift on, it would embarrass quite a few bikes that's for sure.

What surprised me the most was how easy to ride it was, not being a very skilled/fast road rider, I mostly found my sprint quite hard to man handle at speed, this was down to my lack of ability rather than the sprint, but the xc changes direction like a house fly, very easy to flick around which was a massive plus for me.
Apart from the front brakes, I cannot fault this bike, if I was buying this purely for myself, I'd have one in a heartbeat.

So, anyway I took this out for an hour and got back to the dealer about 10.20, he quickly sorted me out with the explorer, but the bugge had no fuel at all so had to put some in at the garage opposite before setting off for quatt.

http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/x...psec808fc7.jpg

I had apprehension before about this bike, heavier, taller than the sprint, I'd heard stories of jerky throttle due to the new ride by wire set up but I can honestly say, all apprehension had dissapeared before Id got off the car park.

The throttle was silky smooth but not ultra light like I was expecting, no jerkiness whatsoever.
The weight on paper is approx 30 kgs more than the sprint but you'd never know unless somebody told you as, like me, it carries it's weight very well :)
With the bike being tall I was expecting a lot of wanting to fall over at slow speeds or stationary but far from it, it's no problem at all.