Since Triumph threw me the keys to the Tiger 1200 Rally Pro just before Christmas , and the subsequent ride from Auckland down to the West Coast in one hit , I ’ ve been out on a few rides . Not as many as I ’ d have liked though , due to all the festivities and commitments of Christmas and New Year ... but I did get out on a few decent rides of very different kinds . This issue I ’ m going to concentrate on riding the Tiger two-up .
TWO-UP RIDING The next two jaunts were both two-up tar seal rides , one around the 240km Westport / Greymouth / Reefton triangle and the other a 370km trip up to the end of the road at Karamea - the western gateway to Kahurangi National Park , and also described as New Zealand ’ s most beautiful cul de sac . From the rider ’ s view , the bike has more than enough torque - pretty much in any gear they might care try - to pull out of the tightest corners well and make short work of overtaking dawdling campervans . With big throttle openings when the revs are above 5000rpm , a warning tap on the pillion ’ s leg is polite to let them know things are about to get jiggy .
The screen keeps the wind of my helmet in all the positions from low to high , my preference being the low setting . My pillion , however , prefers the high setting - more on that later . In town I like it set to the lowest - more air on my face and easier vision . There ’ s plenty enough seat space that it doesn ’ t feel cramped with a pillion , unlike my BMW R80GS that squeezes us together like a Japanese train pusher in rush hour . The stepped seat helps as it lifts the pillion up and slightly away . The rider ’ s seat is very comfortable for a couple of hours , beyond that I ’ m finding the need to either wriggle around or stop for a coffee . It ’ s not too hard and it ’ s not sinky soft , so I ’ ll think more on why that is . The adaptive suspension seems to be doing a good job of self-levelling the extra weight of a pillion , so good in fact I haven ’ t even noticed it doing anything at all . It just works . I ’ m actually really quite impressed - I ’ ve not had to press any buttons or twiddle any adjusters . The three road modes - Rain , Road and Sport ( there ’ s also Off-Road and Off-Road Pro ) all cater for the pillion weight while still having their own distinct ride feel . The aluminium panniers have come in handy on the two-up rides . They swallow up water , bags and waterproofs . The big bonus is nobody has to carry a backpack .
KIWI RIDER 73