While it might seem obvious that motorcycle companies are going to build new motorcycles, Triumph let it be known that they have a prototype of a new Tiger 1200 in the pipeline – and from the images provided, it looks about ready to burst forth.
The prototype bike – apparently “camouflaged” by a paint scheme reminiscent of those old 3D drawings that required the squinting and unfocusing eyes on random dots only to discover picture of a cat playing poker tucked in the background – is said to be all-new and a game changer. The teaser states that the bike will be the beginnings of a new family of Tiger 1200s and it will be lighter and more agile than its competitors. Which brings up the question of who the competitors are considered to be. The teaser images show the bike in an aggressive off-road stance indicating that it will be targeting BMW, KTM and perhaps even the new Harley-Davidson ADV machines. The weight loss is claimed to be dramatic over previous Tiger 1200s and the pictured illustrates a less is more styling theme. Gone is the chunky look of the current bike replaced by characteristics of older Tigers – in particular the Tiger 1050 which was a street oriented machine. As noted, the prototype bike while festooned with distracting logos, is likely going to look much the same once it hits showrooms. What we wait for now is a final rundown of the specs and an announcement on the variations of the bike that will be sold.
The big ADV segment, with the exception of the Harley-Davidson Pan America, has become a battleground for the European brands. It is seen as a premium niche with a halo effect over other models in a company line-up. Husqvarna will be soon joining the battle with the upper-middleweight Norden 901.
