Tag Archives: 2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport | Road Test Review

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport review
Triumph’s new Tiger 850 Sport is a capable, affordable adventure bike. It looks like it was dipped beak-first into a vat of red paint, like a Maker’s Mark bottle dipped in wax. (Photos by Kevin Wing)

Manufacturers sometimes make peculiar choices when naming motorcycles. Despite its name, the new-for-2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport has the same engine size (888cc) as the Tiger 900 GT and Tiger 900 Rally. And even though it has “Sport” in the name, the 850 actually makes less horsepower. On Jett Tuning’s dyno, the Tiger 850 made 82.1 horsepower and 58 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheel, which is 7.6 horsepower and 1.4 lb-ft of torque less than the Tiger 900 Rally Pro we tested last year.

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport review
Twin radiators channel heat through ducts in the bodywork.

Designed to be the most accessible Tiger in terms of power, torque, specification, and price, simply calling it the Tiger 900 probably makes more sense. With a base price of $11,995, the Tiger 850 Sport costs $2,705 less than the Tiger 900 GT and $3,405 less than the Tiger 900 Rally. Its main competitors are street-oriented adventure bikes like the BMW F 750 GS (which is actually an 850; base price, $10,995), the BMW F 900 XR ($11,695), and the KTM 890 Adventure ($13,099).

Triumph detuned the Tiger 850’s engine to comply with A2 licensing requirements in Europe. It was able to hit a lower price point by foregoing an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and multi-mode cornering-optimized ABS and traction control in favor of a more conventional non-switchable ABS and switchable traction control setup. The Tiger 850 Sport has fewer riding modes (only Road and Rain) and the  Marzocchi suspension adjustability is limited to rear preload. Other nips and tucks include a 5-inch TFT display instead of the 7-inch TFT the Tiger 900s, and there’s no cruise control, quickshifter, self-canceling turnsignals, or centerstand.

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport review
Windscreen is one-hand adjustable to five positions over a 2-inch range.

The Tiger 850 Sport is hardly a bargain-bin special. It’s equipped with premium Brembo Stylema monoblock front calipers, a radial front brake master cylinder, a slip/assist clutch, a dual-height seat (31.9/32.7 inches), a hand-adjustable windscreen, full LED lighting, a 12-volt power outlet, and a luggage rack. Its curb weight is a manageable 474 pounds, and we averaged 219 miles of range from the 5.3-gallon tank.

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport review
A roomy cockpit with an upright riding position allows riders to relax or shift into attack mode.

Greg’s Gear
Helmet: Fly Racing Sentinel Mesh
Jacket: Fly Racing Butane
Gloves: Fly Racing FL-2
Pants: Scorpion Covert Pro Jeans
Boots: Sidi Gavia Gore-Tex

Inline Triples are a signature feature on Triumphs as diverse as Tiger adventure bikes, the Speed Triple naked sportbike, and the Rocket 3 muscle cruiser. The Tiger 850 has what Triumph calls a T-Plane crankshaft with a 1-3-2 firing order. After cylinder 1 fires, the crank turns 180 degrees, cylinder 3 fires, the crank turns 270 degrees, cylinder 2 fires, the crank turns 270 degrees, and so on. The irregular firing sequence gives the engine the feel of a Twin down low and the character of a Triple from the midrange on up.

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport review
A T-Plane crankshaft enhances the character and torque spread of the Tiger’s Triple.

Power increases linearly to 7,000 rpm then plateaus at around 80 horsepower until the 10,000-rpm redline. There’s a broad spread of torque, with 80% or more of peak torque available between 2,400 and 9,100 rpm. A balancer shaft quells most of the engine’s vibrations, but overall it feels more coarse than some of Triumph’s other Triples. Rain mode dulls throttle response, but in Road mode the right grip delivers precise throttle inputs with no stutters or hiccups. Other than a fair amount of heat felt on the left side, there’s little to complain about with the Tiger’s engine.

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport review

As I’ve written in previous reviews, Triumph’s design and engineering philosophy imbues its motorcycles with a user-friendliness that makes its bikes – even those I’ve never ridden before – feel familiar and intuitive. The Tiger 850 Sport is no exception. Its ergonomics are comfortable, its fit and finish are at a high level, and its handling strikes a good balance between agility and stability. Response and feel at the front brake lever are excellent, the slip/assist clutch is light and smooth, and the transmission shifts with minimal effort. The fork dives under hard braking, but generous suspension travel and comfort-oriented damping settings provide good ride quality in a range of riding conditions.

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport review
On rough twisty roads, the Tiger digs its claws in. Its Brembo Stylema front calipers are fantastic.

The Tiger’s 19-inch front wheel, Michelin Anakee Adventure 90/10 tires, and decent ground clearance allow for some light-duty off-roading, but the ABS doesn’t have an off-road mode nor can it be turned off at the rear wheel. What makes the Tiger 850 Sport most appealing is its versatility as a streetbike, serving as an able commuter or errand-runner during the week, a canyon carver on the weekend, and a comfortable tourer for as many days as you can take off from the grind. Given its budget-friendly MSRP, buyers should have some money left over to tailor the bike to their needs. Triumph offers various luggage options and other accessories such as heated grips, handguards, a centerstand, crash protection, comfort seats, a low seat (31.1/31.9 inches), and more.

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport review
The Tiger 850 Sport is a well-sorted adventure bike. Its engaging engine, quality components, and sensible feature set make for an appealing overall package. And if red isn’t your thing, it also comes in blue.

Its name may be a bit misleading, but the Tiger 850 Sport is a great value for an impressively versatile European motorcycle.

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport Specs

Base Price: $11,995
Warranty: 2 yrs., unltd. miles
Website: triumphmotorcycles.com

ENGINE

Type: Liquid-cooled, transverse inline Triple, DOHC, 4 valves per cyl.
Displacement: 888cc
Bore x Stroke: 78.0 x 61.9mm
Compression Ratio: 11.3:1
Fuel Delivery: EFI w/ throttle-by-wire, 44mm throttle bodies x 3
Lubrication System: Wet sump, 3.3 qt. cap.
Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated wet slip/assist clutch
Final Drive: O-ring chain

CHASSIS

Frame: Tubular-steel trellis w/ engine as a stressed member, cast aluminum swingarm
Wheelbase: 61.3 in.
Rake/Trail: 24.6 degrees/5.2 in.
Seat Height: 31.9/32.7 in.
Suspension, Front: 45mm USD fork, no adj., 7.1 in. travel
Rear: Single shock, adj. spring preload, 6.7 in. travel
Brakes, Front: Dual 320mm floating discs w/ 4-piston radial monoblock calipers & ABS
Rear: Single 255mm disc w/ 1-piston floating caliper & ABS
Wheels, Front: Cast aluminum, 2.50 x 19 in.
Rear: Cast aluminum, 4.25 x 17 in.
Tires, Front: 100/90-19
Rear: 150/70-17
Wet Weight: 474 lbs.
Load Capacity: 491 lbs.
GVWR: 965 lbs.

PERFORMANCE

Horsepower: 82 @ 8,400 rpm (rear-wheel dyno)
Torque: 58 lb-ft @ 6,700 rpm (rear-wheel dyno)
Fuel Capacity: 5.3 gals.
Fuel Consumption: 41 mpg
Estimated Range: 219 miles

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport review dyno horsepower torque

The post 2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport | Road Test Review first appeared on Rider Magazine.
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2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport | Video Review

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport video review
The 2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport is an affordable, well-round, street-focused adventure bike with a price that starts at $11,995. (Photo by Kevin Wing)

We test the 2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport, a street-focused adventure bike with an MSRP of $11,995. It’s powered by the same liquid-cooled 888cc in-line triple as the Tiger 900 models, but it has been detuned to 82 horsepower at 8,400 rpm and 58 lb-ft of torque at 6,700 rpm at the rear wheel, as measured on Jett Tuning‘s dyno, which is about 10 horsepower lower.

To keep the price down, Triumph also reduced the number of ride modes to two (Road and Rain) and limited suspension adjustability to rear preload. But this is no bargain-bin special. It has Marzocchi suspension front and rear, and it has Brembo brakes, with Stylema front calipers and a radial front master cylinder. ABS is standard but not switchable, and traction control is also standard but is switchable.

Overall we found the 2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport to be a solid, all-around street bike that delivers good features and a great riding experience for the money. Check out our video review:

The post 2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport | Video Review first appeared on Rider Magazine.
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2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport | First Look Review

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport First Look Review

Triumph has announced the 2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport, a new road-oriented Adventure-Touring model, based on the latest Tiger 900 platform. At $11,995, the 850 Sport is the most affordably priced Tiger in the lineup and will replace the current base model Tiger 900. 

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport First Look Review

The Triumph Tiger 850 Sport fills an essential role within the greater Tiger 900 family, as it hopes to attract riders through its more manageable power delivery and lower peak performance numbers, as well as its road-focused suspension and wheel setup. 

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport First Look Review

Although this new model carries an 850 designation, it is essentially, a re-tuned base model 2020 Triumph Tiger 900. As such, all components and geometry figures remain the same between the two motorcycles. Outside of the engine tuning, two distinct liveries are available, “Graphite & Caspian Blue” and “Graphite and Diablo Red,” exclusive to this model.

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport First Look Review

Triumph sees the BMW 750 GS as the 850 Sport’s direct competitor and has also employed a similar branding strategy as the Bavarians. Although the BMW 750 GS features a 750 designation, it utilizes a re-tuned version of the 853cc parallel-twin engine and the same chassis found in the BMW 850 GS. The 750 designation also implies a lower level of performance. The BMW 750 GS’s component choices are touring focused, while the 850 GS uses an ADV biased suspension and wheel setup, clearly stating their intended use. Similarly, Triumph leans on the expanded Tiger 900 lineup to satiate those with greater off-road or touring aspirations.

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport First Look Review

Powering the 850 Sport is the exciting 888cc in-line triple-cylinder engine, featuring the T-plane crank design and 1-3-2 firing order, which is said to improve tractability at lower rpms. The crucial difference between the 850 and 900 variants is its model-specific fuel tuning, which reduces claimed peak horsepower to 84 at 8,500 rpm and peak torque to 60.5 lb-ft at 6,500 rpm. This dedicated tune promotes a more progressive power delivery, and importantly, reaches its peak performance figures noticeably lower in the rpm range. By comparison, Tiger 900 models claim to produce 93.9 horsepower at 8,750 rpm and 64 lb-ft of torque at 7,250 rpm.

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport First Look Review

Two selectable ride modes are available, Road and Rain, which alter throttle response and traction control intervention levels. Traction control is switchable by exploring the full-color 5-inch TFT instrument panel, while ABS settings cannot be modified. To maintain a lower price, the 850 Sport does not use an IMU, unlike its mid and top-tier Tiger brethren.

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport First Look Review

Returning to the fold is the same tubular steel chassis, modular aluminum subframe and cast aluminum swingarm seen across the entire Tiger 900 range. The non-adjustable 45mm Marzocchi USD fork with 7.09-inches of travel and Marzocchi shock with 6.7-inches of travel and preload adjustment only, are employed once more. Triumph has only released a claimed dry weight of 423 pounds and defines its dry weight measurement as a motorcycle without fluids or battery. For reference, our 2020 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro test bike tipped our shop scale at 476 pounds wet.

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport First Look Review

The 850 Sport offers a neutral rider triangle that welcomes commuting, touring and more. In its lowest position, the 850 Sport’s seat height measures at 31.88 inches. However, it can be raised as much as 0.79 inches to a maximum height of 32.67 inches to aid taller riders. There are other helpful standard features, such as: an adjustable windscreen, adjustable levers, a 12V charging port and LED lighting all-around.

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport First Look Review

Braking components remain a highpoint, with superbike-ready 4-piston Brembo Stylema calipers and 320mm floating rotors in the front. Meanwhile, a 1-piston Brembo caliper and 255mm disc take care of braking duties in the rear.

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport First Look Review

Cast alloy 19 and 17-inch wheels drive the road-focused message home, and one notable change for the 850 Sport is the inclusion of Michelin Anakee Adventure tires. 

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport First Look Review

Numerous factory accessories are already offered, with various Givi Trekker luggage options, a low seat, heated grips, hand guards and several forms of engine or case protectors.

2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport First Look Review

The 2020 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport is expected to arrive in dealers in January 2021. We’ll have a full test as soon as we can get our mitts on one. 

2020 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport Specs:

Price: $11,995
Website: triumphmotorcycles.com
Engine Type: Liquid-cooled, transverse in-line triple, DOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl.
Displacement: 888cc
Bore x Stroke: 78.0 x 61.9mm
Transmission: 6-speed, hydraulically-actuated wet assist-and-slipper clutch
Final Drive: O-ring chain
Wheelbase: 61.25 in. 
Rake/Trail: 24.6 degrees/5.24 in.
Seat Height: 31.9/32.7 in. 
Claimed Dry Weight: 423 lbs.
Fuel Capacity: 5.28 gals.

2020 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport Photo Gallery:

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