I find a real life insight like this far more useful than any magazine review. Time and again I've thought about a Triumph or a KTM, but there are just too many horror stories around. My idea if fun isn't hanging around a dealer's trying to get a warranty claim approved. I'll be sticking with Japanese bikes. Currently running a 97 Blade and a 97 TRX850. No issues at all with either, and they aren't garage queens - I ride 7 days a week.
@@ts757arse sadly if you live in or commute into a big city, having simpler bikes (especially carb fed engines) just isn't viable anymore, as they're all introducing these emissions laws so you have to pay to ride every day. I sold my '97 ZX9R and '02 ZX636 because of London's ULEZ and really regret that I couldn't afford to just move out of the rat race instead, loved those bikes.
Unfortunately two brands which intrigue me most now, are KTM and Triumph... And yes that horror stories scare me. Obviously I should appreciate 9 years with single Yamaha more.
@@ts757arse sadly whilst protecting the environment is obviously important, the only focus right now seems to be disproportionately on motorists and the approach seems to be to hit everyone's wallet in order to force changes. Pays no attention to the ordinary folk who are simply getting screwed over a barrel.
I picked up a 2018 Tiger 800 XRX new a few years ago. 21,000 miles later I am still pleased with the purchase. No problems so far…just tires, brakes, oil changes and battery. The Tiger replaced my 2013 Bonneville that also only required routine maintenance. The Tiger 800 has been a great bike.
I sold mine after getting stranded in Wales. I live in Northern Ireland. Bike refused to turn over. Had to get a recovery lorry to Dublin and my son to come down in a van (120 miles) to collect me from the docks. The antenna wasnt reading the key. No roadside fix. Cost me £350 for repair. £200 for recovery. and 2 months off the road. Handled great. loved it but this was my second Triumph that failed . Not again. On a speed triple the indicators stopped working and the dealer refused to fix it (4 months old) because I had an aftermarket pipe fitted.?! Complained to Triumph directly and they backed the dealer up. Shocking attitude all round. Currently have a 12 year old suzuki bandit 1250 that is faultless, and goes like stink
I had a brand new 2010 Triumph. Once the dealer had my money, they treated me like a nuisance. I was told not to ride it in anything other than sunshine as the finishes where poor and that I had 'an attitude problem' when I complained. I flogged it and bought a Japanese bike, no problems. Sad but true.
I had a 2010 Street Triple R and bought it new. Had it for 3 years and 22,000 miles. One problem, regulator/rectifier was a potential problem, I replaced it myself. The dealer reimbursed me for the part. Amazing! I did all my own service even the 600 mile. Never even burned any oil. Only reason I sold it was because I never could get the suspension dialed in. Always too stiff. Sorry to hear about your experience. I had a 2013 KTM 690, oil guzzler, got rid of it.
Thanks. I had enough money to choose practically any bike. I got a 650 V-Strom. I wondered if going down market was the right choice. 35000 km later after exactly zero problems, you've confirmed that I did. So far I've changed the oil and filter 7 times, adjusted the chain once, changed 3 tyres on it and washed off the bugs. One of the rubbers between the seat and the frame has gone walkabout. That's it.
@@wewouldneversellourclubfor3166 reliability is much more important than most people think. That feeling of not knowing you're going to get where you're going is terrible. The strom always makes me relax. I feel very adult riding it. In my youth I had cobbled together rat bikes that were fast, but blew up regularly. It was fun, but I feel like I've outgrown that. Now it's the thrill of covering big distances. Rather than the thrill of hitchhiking home.
A proper honest review, too many glowing reviews of Triumphs by people who don’t actually own them and base it on a one hour test ride! None of these issues should be occurring with a basically new £12,000 bike. Headlight condensation is a basic failing.
Sorry to hear about your bad experience with the dealer. My local Triumph dealer in York has been a pleasure to deal with since day one. Just had one year service, some warranty work and new tyre and I'm over the moon with the work and the staff at the shop.
I was shocked when I heard that, you can have a top-end smartphone for that sum, how is a tft panel (tft tech is both old and cheap) costing as much as that?
This information is the public service we need. It informs, helps avoid buyer remorse and should help wake the manufacturer up (feedback is a gift and all that). I'll stick with my lovely Honda though dealership observations are all too common. Thank you.
I’ve got two cheap Honda’s, both built in japan, both take a hammering, look a bit scruffy but mechanically sound and incredibly cheap to run ... no plans to change, modern bikes just getting too complex and electronic/computery.
Good video , sorry to hear ur bike had so many problems .. i currently own a 2014 tiger 800 "bought new" and put 42k miles on it without a single issue n have no plans on selling it cause its such a good bike . Maybe triumph will get it right in 2020 n 21
You're not the only one to have issues with Triumph. As someone who was considering a new Triumph< I did a lot of searching on the web and found major issues with Gearboxes as well as the issues you've outlined. It was enough for me to go elsewhere. Thanks for a great video
Thank you for the heads up 👍 looks like I’ll be keeping my 2017 wee strom then 👍 I always fancied the XRX 🤷♂️👎 I knew Triumphs have been going down hill for a couple of years with different models but never realised it was that bad!😱 Safe riding, thanks again 👍
I Live in Spain, own a 2014 Street Triple 675r. I have to say I've always found the dealer exemplary. perhaps its just luck or maybe they take more pride in their service. I do jobs like oil changes myself. Just changed the air filter to a K&N plus I have just changed the coolant . The tyres are changed by a dedicated motorcycle tyre specialist who is completely 'geared up' for the needs of motorcycles.....(not damaging the wheels)....A dealers staff reflects the company image. If they neither don't realise that or simple don't care they deserve to go out of business
This craze for TFT dashes is doing my head in. How many 10-20 years old bikes are still on the road with clocks that work? How many present day bikes will still have working TFT dashboards in 10 years' time?
NooBiker I ride an 1987 B M W K75c and everything still works on it , ok not everyone's cup of tea , but it can stand for a while but still starts first time , I took it for a run yesterday around the Wirral and back along the M Way no probs , I've owned it for about 12 years , and bits are reasonably cheap .
@@carlarthur4442 it only matters that it's your cup of tea, it works and it takes you places (both literally and figuratively)! Seems a nice bike from Google image search.
Exactly. If you're too bothered with your fancy screen, you're not riding the bike. Go get a f*g iPad or some sh*t. Bikes are mechanical machines and and they should stay that way.
I have a bmw r1100s and everything works as it should. I also have a 76 Guzzi LeMans and a 78 Ducati darmah and it all works like it did when it was new.
@@rodbowes5309 Mine isn't too bad , mid 50s . I'd pay thousands to upgrade to say a crossrunner for not much better. I get loads of fun out of long distance touring back roads and easily keep up with the new breed without trashing it at all. Generally do a cross Europe tour of 4000mls in 11 days or so each year , costs me a rear tyre and a new front every other year , Chain set @25k , Top bike . The twin is better than the on/off power of triple and four cylinder, you just need to ride to suit.
One of the reasons I chose my v strom 1050xt after 7 years of my Ducati multistrada 1000 was I want bulletproof Japanese reliability from my next bike, it's been a beautiful experience so far 🙂 I live in notts & commute by bike everyday always throw you & your learners a nod 🙂 , happy riding.
i did 4700 km on my new Tiger 900 GT & i love it; no problem so far; stock seat is very comfortable even full day long rides. I really enjoy the bike. I hope the Tiger 900 wont have so much problems like your Tiger 800 got! Cheers & best regards from Montreal.
Thank you for honest information. Many reviewers of new bikes are very optimistic, but first of all they are given new bikes with low mileage and secondly in my country they are often somehow in official or unofficial relations with dealers or importers.
Not surprised knowing the Bloor family behind it all. Thanks for sharing. Such a shame they let a such a great design team down with production short cuts and cons to part you with your cash. Always been Honda or Kawasaki for me.
My 2015 made in Hinckley Tiger Explorer is still going strong, and it's sad to hear that their standards are dropping because it was the build quality of my bike that sold me on it, and after 5 years mine still looks like new (when i clean it sometimes) I've raised the hard seat con on one of my vids in the past, it's an utter exploit
I'm going to assume the dealer would be based in Long Eaton? If so, I'm also not a fan for the exact reasons you mentioned. I don't want attitude when dealing with a £10k+ purchase...
@@RoadcraftNottingham I'm gonna mention it again. Was at said dealer having a 20k service on a Tiger 1200 and had to wait a bit, so went and sat out of the way. One of the sales guys forgot I was in the shop when his phone rang and shouted 'f*ck off an die' before answering. Now I'm no shrinking violet (worked 15 years in the building trade, so I'm not offended by bad language). It was the attitude. I'd spent the best part of £17k on a new bike and I expect the person on the other end of the phone to respect that. Yes I know we've all probably done something similar and, to be fair, the fixed my fuel sender with no fuss under warranty. But I have to say it put me off to the extent I now use another dealer...
I know someone who had his street triple serviced there and they forgot to put the filler cap in when the finished it. Luckily he didn’t fall off but he did get oil all over his boots and trousers. I tried to organise a test ride at their partner bmw dealership. They were too busy when I got there to sort me out despite me turning up to a booked appointment
Everytime I've gone to look in that dealership I've been put off by their attitude. Two mates have had Tiger's from there and both had issues with faults but worse; really poor customer service. Shame because I'd love Triumph to be a successful, quality, British brand to compete with the best.
Thx for your honest review, had a 2011 Triumph 800XC so pre TFT - and have to say this was up there as my favorite bike together with my current XJR1300 also the 2011 model. Had the 800GS and sold it on quickly - what a disappointment and like with you the service was just a disgrace. I now ride my XJR1300 and found a great little garage in town to service it so happy now.
Yes, in April 87 my Honda cbr600 was recalled to weld the centre stand and grab rail and my suzuki gsx550 reg rec needed moving to the side of the frame in 84.
Hi Rus, Had the exact same issues with my 2019 Triumph and have lost faith in the brand. Seems like the issues coincide with moving production abroad. However, that doesn’t explain the reluctance on the part of dealership or Triumph to provide appropriate levels of customer service and rectify the issues. Sticking with my Honda and BMW.
I remember Missenden Flyer coming up through Matlock on His Peak District clip some years back (2015 ?) .. I thought it was the same street with all the bikes ..I had to come back and have another look at the begining of this clip ... If we ever get this Coved out or our system I have to come have a look ..Being a traditional potter I need to go to the Nottingham Museum to see its collection of 13th century English pots and Denby as well ... Also Haddon Hall is one I have always wanted to see ... Glad to have bikes in the middle of it all ..
I got myself a 2011 triumph tiger 800xc 6 months ago. Guess that gen was build in brithain. My bike has only 6500km on the odo and no gadgets to fail, not even ABS. Still have my 04 Vstrom650 in the garage, guess lm not going to sell it. To bad if Triumph has let quality drop, because when i worked in a dealership we had almost no warranty issues on triumph back then. Not more than the japanese brands we sold. Im a Suzuki man, but l wanted to try Triumph, so we have to see how this ends. I have seen people on youtube ride the tigers 100000 with no issues. Thanks for sharing sir.
I'm truly sorry for you the Tiger 800 is a lovely bike to ride. I have been riding for 50 years & learn from your channel all the time thank you. I have a 2018 Tiger 800XCA. It blew the Oxygen Sensor on day 1 leaving the dealership. Other than that I've had no problems. Most of the time I ride once a week /fortnight mainly on unsealed roads & for several hundred km. The rpm seems to sit around 4 - 5,000 depending. I ride with a lot of sympathy for the engine. Sounds like I've been lucky. I took out an extended warranty. I did alter a lot of things for off-road riding even though the XCA is the top of the range off-road model. A lot more emphasis on styling than practicality by Triumph. No problem with the seat although I'm thinking about adding height as I'm 6'4" and the old legs are over bend when going from sitting to standing. I've lowered the pegs by 15mm. another 15m on the seat would be good.
That's just sad. Its a really good bike and does it all. But when these kinds of things happens it just leaves a sour enough taste in you mouth that its not even worth it anymore. And for the price you would expect the quality and reliability.
I have a 1995 sprint 900 made at Hinckley and do the maintenance myself together with Haynes manual, drives and steers fine. Great engine and never any problems with this Triumph!
I’ve heard so many people complain not just about reliability problems with Triumph but also the resistance encountered when problems arise that require warranty claims. I too really like their bikes but the brand reliability and running costs put me right off.
Very informative video, I have never been a fan of the TFT screens so I'm glad I got the 2017 model, haven't had any condensation issues and the control buttons haven't shown any signs of wear but they are different to the new ones. Will certainly be listening out for that cam chain noise, thanks for the warning.
I had the 2018 xca, I also had the tft screen replaced , as it started showing water marks under the screen. After less than 3k the first discs had warped and had to be replaced. The front screen was scratched while at a service and I had no way to prove it......I did not go for a comfy seat and paid the price on a long tour......now have the 2020 Kawasaki 1000sx.....very happy.......
Unfortunately a lot of triumph fan's are ditching the company with the new models due to them relocating abroad and the quality issues big big shame. I think they have pushed core buyer's away. Car industry is the same i see many cars that are the same but all got different badges. Do we even know what we are driving these days? Lol.🤣Old is gold😀👍
Thays why i like hondas. Never top specs, always heavier and slower when compared to other brands but usually extremelly reliable on all kind of weather.
I think there is a useful sized market for a genuine 100hp'ish "winterised" bike. Stainless wherever possible,shaft drive or enclosed chain,easily removed bodywork for cleaning,BMW style front suspension,no bare aluminium at all,etcetc.
@@RoadcraftNottingham possibly due to market pressure to low prices. I've had a cbf500 with shitty paint job and finish but boy never missed a bit even when abused and under heavy rain. Have a sh300i with 40000miles never missed a beat and its a all year round bike. New 500 are made and sold all around the world with very few issues and many with more than 100000miles. I have now also a sv650 from 2005 with 35000miles and never had half the problems that most have with a 25000eur multistrada...sure many argue that new hondas are prone to rust etc but when i see this bikes being abused in thailand with humidity all year and always working something honda must be doing right and we are talking about 5000-6000eur bikes not double or triple this price
@@RoadcraftNottingham One of my bikes is a 12 plate Honda with only 26k miles on it. I decided to tart a few bits up (peeling paint on alloy parts and crap finish on wheels), so - taking them off to prep for powder coating - I was met with 50% or so 'failure rate" in the screws/threaded holes. Out of 50 screws [or bolts] removed, 20 had to be drilled out. Out of 10 or so female threads in the frame/subframe, half were useless and I ended up bolting through with a nut on the back. I own lots of Kawasakis and my daily nail is an 80,000mile (done by me) ZZR1200 that - I promise - I can strip to component level and build again without losing a bolt or thread. Maybe - never tried taking the engine bolts out... ...anyway, it's put me right off Honda. Still, the Honda's been reliable, so I'd probably have that over a late model Triumph.
@@farmoboy83 , I believe you are correct. Market prices are forcing manufacturers to cut corners to remain viable in the marketplace. I believe that is what happened to Mercedes Benz in the United States.
If the bevel box on a Rocket Three leaks oil it's a £1,000 plus job to repair as Triumph do not make this item serviceable or offer a Service Exchange Part. They will sell you a new Bevel Box though. The Dealer push back that you experienced was disgraceful, especially as these are a premium priced brand. Great to get real world opinions instead of the usual gushing press, too frightened to criticize lest they lose their perks.
I was going to buy a rocket and got pushback from the dealer before i even tested it. I There was no way I was going to buy a £20k+ bike with a dealer giving me attitude beforehand. cya Triumph
Mirrors my experience, almost exactly. I had a 1200 Explorer, great to ride, great looking, but horrendous build quality. The only Triumph I have had in 40+ years of motorcycle ownership, never again.
As an IAM Observer I get to speak to lots of bikers and unfortunately can confirm that your’s is not an isolated case, lots of Triumph owners seem to have issues. The only saving grace is that the dealer here in Manchester (Youle) seems to be pretty good. However by far the worse from a build quality perspective is BMW, I had a GS which I loved from a riding perspective but in the 1st year the engine and shaft drive were replaced due to the paint crazing leading to corrosion, two months later the exhaust system was replaced because the butterfly failed and is not replaceable on its own, twice it went in for the rear calliper to be stripped because it had seized and finally the cruise control packed in and the left switch cluster had to be replaced. All this in two years. When the dealer emailed me saying your warranty is about to expire, fetch your bike in so that we can replace any failing parts while they are still covered I was gob smacked! Even the dealers know what a bag of shit these bikes are. Again I have countless horror stories of failed ESA shocks, ABS units, piss poor paint etc. I’ve had lots Japanese bikes and none of them have had issues like these. I had a Yamaha Fazer thou that was abused for seven years, washed it once a year, serviced it less and it never missed a beat.
Got a fair bit of experience with Triumphs. Here's my experience (all bought new - yes I'm a bit of a fanboy) 2012 Thunderbird - 22000 miles, no issues 2015 Trophy - 15000 miles - front electrical harness replaced under warranty, at dealers for a week, lent same model courtesy bike, no further issues 2017 Explorer XRX low 17000 miles - electrical problems, turned out to be a loose earth strap - no further issues 2018 Tiger 1200 (still own) 20000 miles - fuel sender replaced under warranty - gearbox, 6th gear won't engage, now out of warranty for 6 months, waiting to see if Triumph will offer good will fix 2020 Rocket 3 GT (still own) 6000 miles, no issues yet Also have a Thunderbird Commander that I bought second hand, 17000 miles no issues. So most were simply solved with no problems afterwards. The one that pisses me off is the Tiger 1200 gearbox, as otherwise it's fantastic bike that I've been all over Europe on. I wait with bated breath to see what Triumph will offer.
My tiger has a little of that rattle, but it's a 2013 with a 104k miles. Cam chain was out of spec at the 100k service, 4 exhaust valves were tight, and everything else was fine. Added a uni prefilter, 8 gallon safari tank, and heed crash bars. Ever since the tiger 800 came out they've been made in thailand. I did the 100k service myself as the dealer in washington said it would be $800 + parts.
Nice video Russ. I've got a 2016 Street triple which I've from new which has had a rough ride in places as well. It was fine for the first 10000 miles and then things started to change. Mine rattles as well (particularly on a hot day). It doesn't fill you full of confidence! When I had the big 12000 mile service done I had to have steering head race bearings changed. Turned out that they hadn't greased them at the factory!! Luckily this was replaced under Triumph after a lot of pushing by dealer even though it was out of warranty. My dealer was very angry with Triumph and demanded that it was replaced! My clutch started rattling after 10000 miles. At very low revs (2500-3500) when you were initially coming off the clutch it would rattle (like a Ducati dry clutch) until you got up to 4000. Nasty at town speeds. The mechanic and the dealer were not happy with it at the 12000 mile service, told me to keep an eye on it and tell them if it got worse and it did. When I did tell them (500 miles/3 months later), then same efforts had to be put in by the dealer to get it replaced to Triumph. Triumph said a stupid comment to the dealer that "I hadn't done a lot of miles compared to previous years/when I had serviced it?!" No wonder!! I thought the clutch was going to crap itself. It shouldn't have gone in that time and I baby the bike around anyway; I'm a very steady rider. No clutch up wheelies and hard getaways for me! Luckily after around a month and a half a new clutch came in free of charge and with the dealers consent I fitted it all myself using the Triumph manual to the letter. The clutch basket was worn and the selector bearing was rumbly as hell!!! It was perfect at first, and a bit abrupt, but it has become noisier but a lot more progressive, so I just wish that its just bedded in now properly and it stays that way. I've done almost 2000 miles on it. I am a big lover of Triumphs (along with my Dad), we've had 4 over the years (Bonneville, Thunderbird 900, Sprint RS, Street Triple, Street Twin) but not one of them has filled us with complete confidence at times with whether they are quality products. With personal experience Triumph seems to have changed more recently with their "atmosphere" in dealerships and at shows. In 2005 when my Dad bought a new Sprint RS they seemed concerned and aimed at trying to resolve the issue and seemed down to earth and approachable. They have this air of arrogance about them now that they know best and can't take criticism. I've gone for a design engineer job at the factory in the past and I got it there as well. You can sell a bike on a heritage but once you lose confidence and loyalty, it doesn't matter how good something might be in the future it will hard to get someone back.
Premium brand. Premium prices. Low budget parts and workmanship supported by dealerships that aren’t exclusively Triumph. They don’t care about your problem bike. It takes time away from the money-maker services like oil changes and brake jobs done on the reliable regular bikes. I had a 2011 Tiger 800 roadie (before they called it an XR) The muffler and brake rotor mounting bolts were rusted, and many of the metal fasteners had become “fuzzy.” All within three weeks(!) of ownership. I was told it was probably from tooling during assembly.(forhead slap...) I showed them pictures of my 8 year old VFR800 that they had taken as a trade in and sold the next day; NO rust or fuzz. Eventually the dealer relented and convinced Triumph to replace the rusted parts. The cam chain tensioner was problematic within the first year, less than 5000 km, but never sorted as the dealer felt, like you encountered, “it wasn’t that bad”. Curious. A faulty tip over sensor kept bringing a check engine light in and there was also an odd vibration and associated hum that evolved, noticeable when down shifting / engine braking. The replaced rusted parts were okay for about two more years before starting to show again. I got rid of the bike shortly thereafter. Awesome bike, just not worth the money, or aggravation.
Forgot to mention my rotor bolts were rusting and the assistant in the shop tried to tell me the second cam chain video I uploaded was "normal engine sound"
Thanks for the headsup. I am looking to try out and buy a used 2016 tiger 800 xca with 7k miles on it. This has the older analog + lcd dash, but otherwise fully decked up with features. Now having second thoughts.
I was looking at the new smaller 660 tiger coming out next year, but after listening to not just this review but others too i think i will look at other bikes
I have a 2017 left over Street Scrambler that I got for a very good price in 2018.. Just under 13K miles on the clock now with mostly back road and dirt riding in New England farm country ... I have dropped it in the dirt once or twice and had to replace the shifter once .. I am amazed at how well the bike is holding up and glad for the high pipes so I can get at the chain .. (Had to get a dirt track chain after 6K ) I am gutted that the trade in value drops so quickly from serious use .. The bike is not bashed about but it has some love kisses here and there from the gravel and all ..Looking at a R Nine T BMW offered me $4500.00 for a bike I bought for $9500.00 two and a half seasons ago ... Looking at the 900 Tiger Triumph offered me the same .. I think I may just get some new shocks for the fun of it and ride this one into the 20'Ks or 30'Ks :) .. I sold a 1979 R80 I put 32 K miles on for a $1000.00 less than I bought her for ... Wish I never sold that one or the R69S ... Simple and bullet proof is what we are after .. . New England is only getting the Yamaha T700 from pre orders .. Having a short leg I cant run that 34 inch seat anyway :)
@@Mmttrrch I have a 29 inch inseam and the bike settles to 28 inches from 31 inch on the books so my bike is pretty great ...The R Nine T comes in a lowered choice as well ..
You made exactly the same comments about the seat that I made about my Bonneville T120. On that bike also the suspension was dreadful as was the snatchy throttle. I moved on to a Speedmaster and have just got rid of that after a year due to potential gearbox problems on water cooled Bonnevilles. I’m now riding a Honda VFR800F, I won’t have another Triumph, too many issues.
Sounds like not much has changed since the 955 sprint then. Genuinely lovely bike to ride, but the joy soon fades when you have to deal with the horrible plastic construction, poor parts support, indifferent dealers. Triumph = high maintenance design with most procedures calling for a triumph special tool that is expensive AND out of production. Don't be fooled by the nice paint and exotic materials on the outside, all the parts that matter are plastic. Love ya videos Russ, keep em coming!
Super tenere for me then. Love the tft displays BMW have on their later gs bikes, but give me analogue dials please because I don't want these issues ever.
I experienced a similar problem with a street triple r nine months old engine issues culminating In the engine being stripped diagnosed faulty valve buckets I lost faith as well and traded it in Similar issues with a Thruxton faulty sensor engine lights came on went back to the garage I was never informed as to the problem like you I loved both bikes but my confidence was shot I to worry about the quality control particularly now these bikes are being produced abroad It does not surprise me when I read that Royal Enfield sales are on the increase I owned a gt continental for a while and was very Impressed with the quality of the bike when you realise how much they cost No electronics to go wrong
I had my heart set on a new 900 Tiger. To start with, you just can't get them at the moment, the waiting time is Feb of next year (2021). Then I went for a test ride. I was setup on the Tiger 900 GT Pro. The rear brake was non-existent and the clutch was so badly adjusted it was awful to use. The seat had not been put back properly after the last test ride and that exposed the beginnings of rust around the front seat mounting point. The dealer was entirely unbothered by the whole thing. I am no longer looking for a Triumph.
I have thought for a longtime Triump has lot the plot. They are too expensive as well. Thats why I have bought an RE Interceptor. Great value for money!
I had an 800 Tiger back in 2012 and got rid of it after a year. 6 warranty claims for electronic issues and a dealer with attitude issues meant I'd run out of patience. I bought a Z1000SX then an R1200GS, the bikes and the dealers have been flawless. Won't entertain a Triumph at all now after a friends Tiger 1050 had several brake faults under warranty too.
I had a Landrover Defender and loved it dearly, but after 10 years i had enough of oil under the car, not knowing, wether it would start in the morning. Now i drive a BMW X1and everything is fine. Never become a victim of the hype again.
I recently sold my 2018 Tiger 800 XCX. I loved the bike, but 2 things that influenced my decision to sell: 1) takes way too long to replace the air filter. Its buried under a lot of plastic and fairings. It can easily take over an hour. 2) Triumph doesnt sell paper service manuals. You have to buy an online subscription to access the service manual.
Sorry to hear about your experiences. The customer service sounds particularly poor. I have a 2015 Tiger 800 XRX, my third Triumph. Triumph is not the only manufacturer to outsource to Thailand. My first bike was a Thai manufactured Honda. My engineer friend has just had a nightmare with his Honda VFR1200 Crosstourer with siezed engine bolts. Simple alloy on steel corrosion that locks them solid and meant he couldn't fit his new sumpguard after the first two bolts were siezed and he didn't fancy drilling and heli-coiling them all. He also pointed to the fact that the quality stamp on Honda bolts is poorer than it used to be. All bikes have their issues and QC seems to be a problem for many manufacturers at the moment.
Certainly sounds like the newer bikes. My wheel spindles were totally dry when I took the wheels off to change out the crap tyres. Assembly in the factory was poor too.
This is why Russ, when I buy a bike, number 1 it must have a carburettor and number 2 No bloody electronics! Coz back then they made bikes to last and I can work on them myself!
Purchased a 2018 street triple in May with 4 k on it ,did 287 miles before the factory alarm cooked the tft instrument cluster and left me stranded .Got the bike recovered to a Triumph dealership who diagnosed the u/s instrument cluster £770 +vat + fitting.Bike now gone and will never buy a Triumph ever again ,they look good but low quality components let the brand down.
I think this is just what happens with new bike or cars now. Everytime I've bought new I'm in and out the garage. I think because they sell them with a warranty they know they can just sort most the quality issues once it's been sold. Royal Enfield is surprisingly the only vehicle I've got new that had no issues.
Good video talking to two owners separately both big problems with gearbox & engine both got initial fob off from dealers till both went thru in detail what was wrong citing mechanical issues
I have a Tiger 800XRt with 46000 miles , i traveled across mexico and many places in the USA, i also own 2 other bikes, there's no other bike that i love and trust more than my Tiger....for the record, i did my 1000 mile in 24Hr challenge on my tiger, is the most comfortable bike i have , so unfortunate that you deal with these problems and a crappy dealership...
Thanks for this RN I was on the cusp of changing my BMW F750gs for one of these "bad boys " I previously owned a Tiger 1050 sport and loved it. It was a quality bike. However it appears that Triumphs cost cutting and outsourcing to Thailand have actually had a detrimental effect on the quality of the brand. I think I will stick with the Beemer. Cheers for your input.
I had a brand new in 2001 Triumph Sprint St for 16 years and did 46,000 miles with no troubles at all. Changed in 2017 for a lighter bike but would have loved to have kept the Triumph. Sorry to hear the standards have dropped so far.
I've been looking at a Tiger 800 XC 2011 model the past few days. Prior to that I was planning to go with a Kawasaki Versys 650 around the same year model. I could also go for a V-Strom 650, but a friend of mine has one, and it would be more fun to have different bikes so we can try out each of the bikes... I really started to think much of the Triumph lately though, as the price for this particular one wasn't too high, and it got more off-road capabilities. However, after I've stumbled upon these real insight reviews, I think I'll stick to a more reliable Versys 650, even though it doesn't sound as good, nor perform as well off-road as the Tiger. It just seems like a safer option to be honest.
Hi! I've got a 2017...XCA 64000km on it. Glad to have the older dash..then. Didn't have problems at all...except that recently...I went to triumph dealer for an accident repair...an asking to put the Arrow map on it. It resolved all the problems that I went through the year with lack of torque... that I've found for me as I use it. The fuel consumption is more than there was in the past...but it worth it for sure... Sad that you've all those problems... you don't seems to have a good dealership. By the way..mines been made in 🇬🇧 UK
You can’t beat Japanese bikes for quality and reliability, I’ve got a yam tracer 900 and it’s faultless. I like the look of the tiger 1200 but I don’t think I’d get one.
I bought a 2012 CBR250R brand new. Within two years it started eating oil. I had to top it up every 500 miles or so. Around 12,000 miles the cylinder seized while going 70 on the highway and locked the rear wheel. Skidded to a stop on the freeway during rushhour. Spent $800 for a new cylinder to be installed, ran better than ever after that. The fit and finish of the Honda was pretty bad, lots of creaking plastic. Eventually sold it. In 2017 I bought a brand new Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200. About 9000 miles on it now and have had no problems except the passenger seat heater stopped working. But I think that was due to a mouse nest I found underneath it. My personal experience is Triumph has been more reliable than the Honda! (so far at least).
@@Bullworm562 You are exactly right. Some people think for instance that all Chinese made bikes are rubbish although there are lots of vids on Yotube that dispute that. Some say only Japanese bikes are reliable although some will have, like you, problems with them. One thing I would like to point out though is that a lot of bikes wherever they are made will have some Chinese/Asian parts in them anyway. My problem with Triumph after owning many of them over the last few years was that they started to rely more on the expensive fashion iconography to sell them. They became a 'brand' and lost a lot of their original innovation. As much interested in selling you clothing as a motorcycle. Along with constantly building machines with larger and larger engines, adding to the weight and cost finally put me off them.
Omg disastrous. What an awful experience. Tbh I had two Ktm’s and I’d never go back there either. Reliability is fundamental to any motor. Love the vids though.
Ok, friend. Im riding triumph tiger 800 xrx 2015 and i like it! Even when i living in Russia and we have only one dealer in whole Russia. Its in Moscow. And, to be honest, thats not a problem. Only one problem that has this mot is starter. Anything else is made pretty simple. About engine - just replace oil once in 5k km. Its like a rule for ever bike. Most of parts you can buy anywhere and replace it in your garage. Thats not a rocket science. When you choose between old japanese bike and new european - its all about diffrence between safety of mechanisms or have fun / or safety of rider. New technologies needs more service and its not only about dealership, man
Well after my probs with my bmw gsa I’ve found my tiger 800 xca is brill I service it myself, the seat I found brill more comfortable than my gsa. No probs what so ever tft dash remains faultless. I think to be honest all techy bike bits are problems waiting to happen. I worked on fairly high tech fish processing machines and lo and behold the more computer, stepper motor controlled bits, the more it took us techs to resolve whereas the old stuff was managed easily by the resident engineers/ mechs
I read your comments on the problems with your Tiger with interest and sadness I to experienced problems with a Street Triple R and to a lesser degree with a triumph Thruxton It left me feeling let down I enjoyed both bikes for a while but my confidence was shot so I decided to move on
Great review, report, warning, call it what you will. Cam chain issues on two bikes you own tells a story, the TFT screen, what happens when they die outside warranty, as they will, a grand repair. I read a report recently on a Tracer 900 owner who had issue with TFT screen. Brilliant when working.... but for how long. Nahhhh. Stick to my GSX1250. Bomb proof.
Wow, that is a boatload of problems. I have a 2014 800 XC and have been avoiding the TFT dash models just for this reason. I was concerned they wouldn't last as long. I think I will stick with this one a few more years until they get their issues sorted.
Just watched a video yesterday where someone was saying the new bonnivelles have a known gearbox problem where they get stuck in gear. There is a £300 bodge part they offer to cover up the issue, but not actually recall them to repair the issue. Ive had my street triple for 2 years, and the only thing which failed on it was the horn (replaced that with a after market one). Warranty runs out next year, i dont know if i should trade it in, i cant think of a better bike for commuting in london.
That's f*fcking tragic. My 2001 bonnie had the sweetest gearbox of any bike I've ever owned, nothing else has ever come close, and I've owned everything from Bantams to CBR600s. The gearbox was one of the many things that gave that bike a real luxury feel.
Nice classic bike. Never owned a triumph so can't say. I have a VFR 800. As you may no have there own problems lol. Mine stator and RR gone awaiting parts. Grrrr 25 days. But yes love the video keeps folk up to date any way keep safe. 🙂
I have three modern Triumphs: a 2009 Street Triple R, a 2018 Tiger 800 XRT, and a 2019 Speed Twin. All three have been 100% reliable with only the Street Triple needing a regulator/rectifier and gearbox part recall many years ago. I am completely satisfied with the brand, and have nothing but praise for the engineering and quality of the machines.
That's nice to know, apart from the two problems but all bikes will have a couple of problems from time to time. The ones here with our two bikes though are unfortunate.
I find a real life insight like this far more useful than any magazine review. Time and again I've thought about a Triumph or a KTM, but there are just too many horror stories around.
My idea if fun isn't hanging around a dealer's trying to get a warranty claim approved.
I'll be sticking with Japanese bikes. Currently running a 97 Blade and a 97 TRX850. No issues at all with either, and they aren't garage queens - I ride 7 days a week.
Great comment and great bikes too!
@@ts757arse... But I still read it. ☺
@@ts757arse sadly if you live in or commute into a big city, having simpler bikes (especially carb fed engines) just isn't viable anymore, as they're all introducing these emissions laws so you have to pay to ride every day. I sold my '97 ZX9R and '02 ZX636 because of London's ULEZ and really regret that I couldn't afford to just move out of the rat race instead, loved those bikes.
Unfortunately two brands which intrigue me most now, are KTM and Triumph... And yes that horror stories scare me. Obviously I should appreciate 9 years with single Yamaha more.
@@ts757arse sadly whilst protecting the environment is obviously important, the only focus right now seems to be disproportionately on motorists and the approach seems to be to hit everyone's wallet in order to force changes. Pays no attention to the ordinary folk who are simply getting screwed over a barrel.
I picked up a 2018 Tiger 800 XRX new a few years ago. 21,000 miles later I am still pleased with the purchase. No problems so far…just tires, brakes, oil changes and battery. The Tiger replaced my 2013 Bonneville that also only required routine maintenance. The Tiger 800 has been a great bike.
Funnily I have both a Tiger Xrx and a 2013 Bonny SE! The Bonny is great for local riding and the Tiger for touring. Very happy with them both.
No valve adjustment or throttle body balance?
I sold mine after getting stranded in Wales. I live in Northern Ireland. Bike refused to turn over. Had to get a recovery lorry to Dublin and my son to come down in a van (120 miles) to collect me from the docks. The antenna wasnt reading the key. No roadside fix. Cost me £350 for repair. £200 for recovery. and 2 months off the road. Handled great. loved it but this was my second Triumph that failed . Not again. On a speed triple the indicators stopped working and the dealer refused to fix it (4 months old) because I had an aftermarket pipe fitted.?! Complained to Triumph directly and they backed the dealer up. Shocking attitude all round. Currently have a 12 year old suzuki bandit 1250 that is faultless, and goes like stink
I had a brand new 2010 Triumph. Once the dealer had my money, they treated me like a nuisance. I was told not to ride it in anything other than sunshine as the finishes where poor and that I had 'an attitude problem' when I complained. I flogged it and bought a Japanese bike, no problems. Sad but true.
I had a 2010 Street Triple R and bought it new. Had it for 3 years and 22,000 miles. One problem, regulator/rectifier was a potential problem, I replaced it myself. The dealer reimbursed me for the part. Amazing! I did all my own service even the 600 mile. Never even burned any oil. Only reason I sold it was because I never could get the suspension dialed in. Always too stiff. Sorry to hear about your experience. I had a 2013 KTM 690, oil guzzler, got rid of it.
Thanks. I had enough money to choose practically any bike. I got a 650 V-Strom. I wondered if going down market was the right choice. 35000 km later after exactly zero problems, you've confirmed that I did. So far I've changed the oil and filter 7 times, adjusted the chain once, changed 3 tyres on it and washed off the bugs. One of the rubbers between the seat and the frame has gone walkabout. That's it.
The vstrom 650 won't be beaten for reliability and will run forever and have a very durable engine just like all suzuki bikes.
@@wewouldneversellourclubfor3166 reliability is much more important than most people think. That feeling of not knowing you're going to get where you're going is terrible. The strom always makes me relax. I feel very adult riding it. In my youth I had cobbled together rat bikes that were fast, but blew up regularly. It was fun, but I feel like I've outgrown that. Now it's the thrill of covering big distances. Rather than the thrill of hitchhiking home.
@@gasdive
And if you had bought a BMW gs or ktm or triumph hitch hiking is exactly what you would end up doing as these bikes are not dependable.
A proper honest review, too many glowing reviews of Triumphs by people who don’t actually own them and base it on a one hour test ride! None of these issues should be occurring with a basically new £12,000 bike. Headlight condensation is a basic failing.
Sorry to hear about your bad experience with the dealer. My local Triumph dealer in York has been a pleasure to deal with since day one. Just had one year service, some warranty work and new tyre and I'm over the moon with the work and the staff at the shop.
It's nice to hear a positive story about a dealer. Thanks. ☺
"That's why I like old bikes, it leads to conversations"
Note to self: never buy an old bike
😂 😂 Actually I'm the same but the people who appreciate the older bikes are the ones to talk to. ☺
And the NEW Bikes leads conversation with the dealers warranty clerks
Don't buy an electric...
@@gasdive why not?
@@gasdive Any particular brand and model, or electric in general? Having test ridden a couple of Zero models, I'm seriously tempted.
£900 for a dash? They are having a laugh.Triumphs are way overpriced for a bike made in Thailand,rip off prices.
I was shocked when I heard that, you can have a top-end smartphone for that sum, how is a tft panel (tft tech is both old and cheap) costing as much as that?
This information is the public service we need. It informs, helps avoid buyer remorse and should help wake the manufacturer up (feedback is a gift and all that).
I'll stick with my lovely Honda though dealership observations are all too common. Thank you.
I’ve got two cheap Honda’s, both built in japan, both take a hammering, look a bit scruffy but mechanically sound and incredibly cheap to run ... no plans to change, modern bikes just getting too complex and electronic/computery.
that why I bough a Royal Enfield Interceptor,ABS and fuel injection,that's all.
Good video , sorry to hear ur bike had so many problems .. i currently own a 2014 tiger 800 "bought new" and put 42k miles on it without a single issue n have no plans on selling it cause its such a good bike . Maybe triumph will get it right in 2020 n 21
I think you have the good era bike for sure. ☺
uk built ?
You're not the only one to have issues with Triumph. As someone who was considering a new Triumph< I did a lot of searching on the web and found major issues with Gearboxes as well as the issues you've outlined. It was enough for me to go elsewhere. Thanks for a great video
Not heard anything about gear box problems but well done you for doing the research.
I think the gearbox issues are reported to be on the liquid cooled twins. Not triples.
Thank you for the heads up 👍 looks like I’ll be keeping my 2017 wee strom then 👍 I always fancied the XRX 🤷♂️👎 I knew Triumphs have been going down hill for a couple of years with different models but never realised it was that bad!😱 Safe riding, thanks again 👍
Glad to have been of help. Such a shame too.
I owned a 2009 and put 56,000 miles on it in11 years and it was never in a repair shop. never needed a valve adjust, never replaced a bulb
I Live in Spain, own a 2014 Street Triple 675r. I have to say I've always found the dealer exemplary. perhaps its just luck or maybe they take more pride in their service. I do jobs like oil changes myself. Just changed the air filter to a K&N plus I have just changed the coolant . The tyres are changed by a dedicated motorcycle tyre specialist who is completely 'geared up' for the needs of motorcycles.....(not damaging the wheels)....A dealers staff reflects the company image. If they neither don't realise that or simple don't care they deserve to go out of business
This craze for TFT dashes is doing my head in. How many 10-20 years old bikes are still on the road with clocks that work? How many present day bikes will still have working TFT dashboards in 10 years' time?
NooBiker I ride an 1987 B M W K75c and everything still works on it , ok not everyone's cup of tea , but it can stand for a while but still starts first time , I took it for a run yesterday around the Wirral and back along the M Way no probs , I've owned it for about 12 years , and bits are reasonably cheap .
@@carlarthur4442 it only matters that it's your cup of tea, it works and it takes you places (both literally and figuratively)! Seems a nice bike from Google image search.
Exactly. If you're too bothered with your fancy screen, you're not riding the bike. Go get a f*g iPad or some sh*t. Bikes are mechanical machines and and they should stay that way.
I have a bmw r1100s and everything works as it should. I also have a 76 Guzzi LeMans and a 78 Ducati darmah and it all works like it did when it was new.
I loved the TFT dash but Triumph's quality is terrible. I did have to replace the clockset on my old BMW once though.
I love my Varadero. It may be 14 years old but it's built like a tank.
With the fuel consumption of a tank..
You can not kill a varadero. Your grandchildren will own that bike one day...
Very true. Pig ugly but total Honda reliability. In past owned a carb one (2002) and two F.I 2007 & 2011.
@@rodbowes5309 Mine isn't too bad , mid 50s . I'd pay thousands to upgrade to say a crossrunner for not much better.
I get loads of fun out of long distance touring back roads and easily keep up with the new breed without trashing it at all.
Generally do a cross Europe tour of 4000mls in 11 days or so each year , costs me a rear tyre and a new front every other year , Chain set @25k , Top bike . The twin is better than the on/off power of triple and four cylinder, you just need to ride to suit.
lovely bikes to ride for sure
I've always liked the idea of owning a Triumph but I think I'll stick with my kawasaki versys 1000. Thanks for the insight 👍.
Me to I was looking hard at the new 900 rally pro. But opted out for the versys 650 instead. Seems Japanese can make almost a bulletproof motorcycle
One of the reasons I chose my v strom 1050xt after 7 years of my Ducati multistrada 1000 was I want bulletproof Japanese reliability from my next bike, it's been a beautiful experience so far 🙂 I live in notts & commute by bike everyday always throw you & your learners a nod 🙂 , happy riding.
I only ever owned Japanese bikes and looks like that will be the case for ever
i did 4700 km on my new Tiger 900 GT & i love it; no problem so far; stock seat is very comfortable even full day long rides. I really enjoy the bike. I hope the Tiger 900 wont have so much problems like your Tiger 800 got! Cheers & best regards from Montreal.
4700km barely run in.My Honda CBR 600f has done 50000km,never seen the inside of a work shop apart from services.
Donald Goodinson : my previous bike was a Honda; you’re right: they are very reliable bikes!
Thank you for honest information. Many reviewers of new bikes are very optimistic, but first of all they are given new bikes with low mileage and secondly in my country they are often somehow in official or unofficial relations with dealers or importers.
Yeah, makes it awkward if the reviewer has a problem.
Not surprised knowing the Bloor family behind it all. Thanks for sharing. Such a shame they let a such a great design team down with production short cuts and cons to part you with your cash. Always been Honda or Kawasaki for me.
You've heard of them too then. They just don't listen.
@@RoadcraftNottingham yes, sadly. Thanks for the honest video! Look forward to seeing more.
My 2015 made in Hinckley Tiger Explorer is still going strong, and it's sad to hear that their standards are dropping because it was the build quality of my bike that sold me on it, and after 5 years mine still looks like new (when i clean it sometimes)
I've raised the hard seat con on one of my vids in the past, it's an utter exploit
Agreed, such a shame.
I'm going to assume the dealer would be based in Long Eaton? If so, I'm also not a fan for the exact reasons you mentioned. I don't want attitude when dealing with a £10k+ purchase...
Not the first time that's been mentioned either.
@@RoadcraftNottingham I'm gonna mention it again. Was at said dealer having a 20k service on a Tiger 1200 and had to wait a bit, so went and sat out of the way. One of the sales guys forgot I was in the shop when his phone rang and shouted 'f*ck off an die' before answering. Now I'm no shrinking violet (worked 15 years in the building trade, so I'm not offended by bad language). It was the attitude. I'd spent the best part of £17k on a new bike and I expect the person on the other end of the phone to respect that. Yes I know we've all probably done something similar and, to be fair, the fixed my fuel sender with no fuss under warranty. But I have to say it put me off to the extent I now use another dealer...
Roger Miller if it is the same dealer I think (know) it is my experience has been very similar. Never again.
I know someone who had his street triple serviced there and they forgot to put the filler cap in when the finished it. Luckily he didn’t fall off but he did get oil all over his boots and trousers.
I tried to organise a test ride at their partner bmw dealership. They were too busy when I got there to sort me out despite me turning up to a booked appointment
Everytime I've gone to look in that dealership I've been put off by their attitude. Two mates have had Tiger's from there and both had issues with faults but worse; really poor customer service. Shame because I'd love Triumph to be a successful, quality, British brand to compete with the best.
Thx for your honest review, had a 2011 Triumph 800XC so pre TFT - and have to say this was up there as my favorite bike together with my current XJR1300 also the 2011 model. Had the 800GS and sold it on quickly - what a disappointment and like with you the service was just a disgrace. I now ride my XJR1300 and found a great little garage in town to service it so happy now.
I had a Yamaha MT09 and had two different parts replaced under warranty. Japenese bikes have issues too!
Yes, in April 87 my Honda cbr600 was recalled to weld the centre stand and grab rail and my suzuki gsx550 reg rec needed moving to the side of the frame in 84.
Hi Rus,
Had the exact same issues with my 2019 Triumph and have lost faith in the brand.
Seems like the issues coincide with moving production abroad. However, that doesn’t explain the reluctance on the part of dealership or Triumph to provide appropriate levels of customer service and rectify the issues.
Sticking with my Honda and BMW.
It's very sad indeed. 😔
Couldn’t agree more!
I remember Missenden Flyer coming up through Matlock on His Peak District clip some years back (2015 ?) .. I thought it was the same street with all the bikes ..I had to come back and have another look at the begining of this clip ... If we ever get this Coved out or our system I have to come have a look ..Being a traditional potter I need to go to the Nottingham Museum to see its collection of 13th century English pots and Denby as well ... Also Haddon Hall is one I have always wanted to see ... Glad to have bikes in the middle of it all ..
I Love it when they say no one else has had a problem.
And "that rattle is fine, that's how they all sound" like I'm deaf.
I got myself a 2011 triumph tiger 800xc 6 months ago. Guess that gen was build in brithain. My bike has only 6500km on the odo and no gadgets to fail, not even ABS. Still have my 04 Vstrom650 in the garage, guess lm not going to sell it.
To bad if Triumph has let quality drop, because when i worked in a dealership we had almost no warranty issues on triumph back then. Not more than the japanese brands we sold. Im a Suzuki man, but l wanted to try Triumph, so we have to see how this ends. I have seen people on youtube ride the tigers 100000 with no issues.
Thanks for sharing sir.
Thanks for the warnings... I now value my existing ZZR1400 far far more, especially with its analogue speedo...
I'm truly sorry for you the Tiger 800 is a lovely bike to ride. I have been riding for 50 years & learn from your channel all the time thank you. I have a 2018 Tiger 800XCA. It blew the Oxygen Sensor on day 1 leaving the dealership. Other than that I've had no problems. Most of the time I ride once a week /fortnight mainly on unsealed roads & for several hundred km. The rpm seems to sit around 4 - 5,000 depending. I ride with a lot of sympathy for the engine. Sounds like I've been lucky. I took out an extended warranty. I did alter a lot of things for off-road riding even though the XCA is the top of the range off-road model. A lot more emphasis on styling than practicality by Triumph. No problem with the seat although I'm thinking about adding height as I'm 6'4" and the old legs are over bend when going from sitting to standing. I've lowered the pegs by 15mm. another 15m on the seat would be good.
Thanks. You're one of the fortunate ones. I'd love to have been able to keep it but just lost faith. Thanks for watching.
That's just sad. Its a really good bike and does it all. But when these kinds of things happens it just leaves a sour enough taste in you mouth that its not even worth it anymore. And for the price you would expect the quality and reliability.
I have a 1995 sprint 900 made at Hinckley and do the maintenance myself together with Haynes manual, drives and steers fine.
Great engine and never any problems with this Triumph!
Great bike
I’ve heard so many people complain not just about reliability problems with Triumph but also the resistance encountered when problems arise that require warranty claims. I too really like their bikes but the brand reliability and running costs put me right off.
Very informative video, I have never been a fan of the TFT screens so I'm glad I got the 2017 model, haven't had any condensation issues and the control buttons haven't shown any signs of wear but they are different to the new ones. Will certainly be listening out for that cam chain noise, thanks for the warning.
I had the 2018 xca, I also had the tft screen replaced , as it started showing water marks under the screen. After less than 3k the first discs had warped and had to be replaced. The front screen was scratched while at a service and I had no way to prove it......I did not go for a comfy seat and paid the price on a long tour......now have the 2020 Kawasaki 1000sx.....very happy.......
Unfortunately a lot of triumph fan's are ditching the company with the new models due to them relocating abroad and the quality issues big big shame. I think they have pushed core buyer's away. Car industry is the same i see many cars that are the same but all got different badges. Do we even know what we are driving these days? Lol.🤣Old is gold😀👍
Thays why i like hondas. Never top specs, always heavier and slower when compared to other brands but usually extremelly reliable on all kind of weather.
I think there is a useful sized market for a genuine 100hp'ish "winterised" bike. Stainless wherever possible,shaft drive or enclosed chain,easily removed bodywork for cleaning,BMW style front suspension,no bare aluminium at all,etcetc.
I've even heard from some people that their manufacturing quality is on its way down.
@@RoadcraftNottingham possibly due to market pressure to low prices. I've had a cbf500 with shitty paint job and finish but boy never missed a bit even when abused and under heavy rain. Have a sh300i with 40000miles never missed a beat and its a all year round bike. New 500 are made and sold all around the world with very few issues and many with more than 100000miles. I have now also a sv650 from 2005 with 35000miles and never had half the problems that most have with a 25000eur multistrada...sure many argue that new hondas are prone to rust etc but when i see this bikes being abused in thailand with humidity all year and always working something honda must be doing right and we are talking about 5000-6000eur bikes not double or triple this price
@@RoadcraftNottingham One of my bikes is a 12 plate Honda with only 26k miles on it. I decided to tart a few bits up (peeling paint on alloy parts and crap finish on wheels), so - taking them off to prep for powder coating - I was met with 50% or so 'failure rate" in the screws/threaded holes. Out of 50 screws [or bolts] removed, 20 had to be drilled out. Out of 10 or so female threads in the frame/subframe, half were useless and I ended up bolting through with a nut on the back. I own lots of Kawasakis and my daily nail is an 80,000mile (done by me) ZZR1200 that - I promise - I can strip to component level and build again without losing a bolt or thread. Maybe - never tried taking the engine bolts out...
...anyway, it's put me right off Honda. Still, the Honda's been reliable, so I'd probably have that over a late model Triumph.
@@farmoboy83 , I believe you are correct. Market prices are forcing manufacturers to cut corners to remain viable in the marketplace. I believe that is what happened to Mercedes Benz in the United States.
If the bevel box on a Rocket Three leaks oil it's a £1,000 plus job to repair as Triumph do not make this item serviceable or offer a Service Exchange Part. They will sell you a new Bevel Box though.
The Dealer push back that you experienced was disgraceful, especially as these are a premium priced brand.
Great to get real world opinions instead of the usual gushing press, too frightened to criticize lest they lose their perks.
I was going to buy a rocket and got pushback from the dealer before i even tested it. I There was no way I was going to buy a £20k+ bike with a dealer giving me attitude beforehand. cya Triumph
@bikegirl2 but easy and cheap to fix on a sunday morning.
I'll join you on my Repsol grom. ☺
You nailed it,they are a"premium price brand" not a premium manufacturer.
Mirrors my experience, almost exactly. I had a 1200 Explorer, great to ride, great looking, but horrendous build quality. The only Triumph I have had in 40+ years of motorcycle ownership, never again.
As an IAM Observer I get to speak to lots of bikers and unfortunately can confirm that your’s is not an isolated case, lots of Triumph owners seem to have issues. The only saving grace is that the dealer here in Manchester (Youle) seems to be pretty good. However by far the worse from a build quality perspective is BMW, I had a GS which I loved from a riding perspective but in the 1st year the engine and shaft drive were replaced due to the paint crazing leading to corrosion, two months later the exhaust system was replaced because the butterfly failed and is not replaceable on its own, twice it went in for the rear calliper to be stripped because it had seized and finally the cruise control packed in and the left switch cluster had to be replaced. All this in two years. When the dealer emailed me saying your warranty is about to expire, fetch your bike in so that we can replace any failing parts while they are still covered I was gob smacked! Even the dealers know what a bag of shit these bikes are. Again I have countless horror stories of failed ESA shocks, ABS units, piss poor paint etc.
I’ve had lots Japanese bikes and none of them have had issues like these. I had a Yamaha Fazer thou that was abused for seven years, washed it once a year, serviced it less and it never missed a beat.
Sad to hear these stories, especially as BMW had an amazing reputation for reliability. Loved my fazer thou too. ☺
First? Dunno.
Nice one Russ, always good to see you uploading
Got a fair bit of experience with Triumphs. Here's my experience (all bought new - yes I'm a bit of a fanboy)
2012 Thunderbird - 22000 miles, no issues
2015 Trophy - 15000 miles - front electrical harness replaced under warranty, at dealers for a week, lent same model courtesy bike, no further issues
2017 Explorer XRX low 17000 miles - electrical problems, turned out to be a loose earth strap - no further issues
2018 Tiger 1200 (still own) 20000 miles - fuel sender replaced under warranty - gearbox, 6th gear won't engage, now out of warranty for 6 months, waiting to see if Triumph will offer good will fix
2020 Rocket 3 GT (still own) 6000 miles, no issues yet
Also have a Thunderbird Commander that I bought second hand, 17000 miles no issues.
So most were simply solved with no problems afterwards. The one that pisses me off is the Tiger 1200 gearbox, as otherwise it's fantastic bike that I've been all over Europe on. I wait with bated breath to see what Triumph will offer.
Good luck with that. Let me know what they decide.
Great video with a lot of helpful information 👌
Thanks. ☺
Oh dear....British Leyland springs to mind in this case unfortunately!
Watching this on the cusp of buying a leftover ‘19 Tiger 800; think I’ll be on the cusp a tad longer . . . thanks!
My tiger has a little of that rattle, but it's a 2013 with a 104k miles. Cam chain was out of spec at the 100k service, 4 exhaust valves were tight, and everything else was fine. Added a uni prefilter, 8 gallon safari tank, and heed crash bars. Ever since the tiger 800 came out they've been made in thailand.
I did the 100k service myself as the dealer in washington said it would be $800 + parts.
are u sure that older tigers (2010-2014), were made in Thainland?
@@filiptrifunovic7763 My 2011 Tiger 800 was UK made.
I had tiger 800 11y,30000 on clock,add 18000 never had single problem.best bike I had
Nice video Russ.
I've got a 2016 Street triple which I've from new which has had a rough ride in places as well. It was fine for the first 10000 miles and then things started to change. Mine rattles as well (particularly on a hot day). It doesn't fill you full of confidence!
When I had the big 12000 mile service done I had to have steering head race bearings changed. Turned out that they hadn't greased them at the factory!! Luckily this was replaced under Triumph after a lot of pushing by dealer even though it was out of warranty. My dealer was very angry with Triumph and demanded that it was replaced!
My clutch started rattling after 10000 miles. At very low revs (2500-3500) when you were initially coming off the clutch it would rattle (like a Ducati dry clutch) until you got up to 4000. Nasty at town speeds. The mechanic and the dealer were not happy with it at the 12000 mile service, told me to keep an eye on it and tell them if it got worse and it did. When I did tell them (500 miles/3 months later), then same efforts had to be put in by the dealer to get it replaced to Triumph. Triumph said a stupid comment to the dealer that "I hadn't done a lot of miles compared to previous years/when I had serviced it?!" No wonder!! I thought the clutch was going to crap itself. It shouldn't have gone in that time and I baby the bike around anyway; I'm a very steady rider. No clutch up wheelies and hard getaways for me!
Luckily after around a month and a half a new clutch came in free of charge and with the dealers consent I fitted it all myself using the Triumph manual to the letter. The clutch basket was worn and the selector bearing was rumbly as hell!!! It was perfect at first, and a bit abrupt, but it has become noisier but a lot more progressive, so I just wish that its just bedded in now properly and it stays that way. I've done almost 2000 miles on it.
I am a big lover of Triumphs (along with my Dad), we've had 4 over the years (Bonneville, Thunderbird 900, Sprint RS, Street Triple, Street Twin) but not one of them has filled us with complete confidence at times with whether they are quality products. With personal experience Triumph seems to have changed more recently with their "atmosphere" in dealerships and at shows. In 2005 when my Dad bought a new Sprint RS they seemed concerned and aimed at trying to resolve the issue and seemed down to earth and approachable. They have this air of arrogance about them now that they know best and can't take criticism. I've gone for a design engineer job at the factory in the past and I got it there as well. You can sell a bike on a heritage but once you lose confidence and loyalty, it doesn't matter how good something might be in the future it will hard to get someone back.
It's bad when they make you feel it's your fault
Premium brand. Premium prices. Low budget parts and workmanship supported by dealerships that aren’t exclusively Triumph. They don’t care about your problem bike. It takes time away from the money-maker services like oil changes and brake jobs done on the reliable regular bikes. I had a 2011 Tiger 800 roadie (before they called it an XR) The muffler and brake rotor mounting bolts were rusted, and many of the metal fasteners had become “fuzzy.” All within three weeks(!) of ownership. I was told it was probably from tooling during assembly.(forhead slap...) I showed them pictures of my 8 year old VFR800 that they had taken as a trade in and sold the next day; NO rust or fuzz. Eventually the dealer relented and convinced Triumph to replace the rusted parts. The cam chain tensioner was problematic within the first year, less than 5000 km, but never sorted as the dealer felt, like you encountered, “it wasn’t that bad”. Curious. A faulty tip over sensor kept bringing a check engine light in and there was also an odd vibration and associated hum that evolved, noticeable when down shifting / engine braking. The replaced rusted parts were okay for about two more years before starting to show again. I got rid of the bike shortly thereafter. Awesome bike, just not worth the money, or aggravation.
Forgot to mention my rotor bolts were rusting and the assistant in the shop tried to tell me the second cam chain video I uploaded was "normal engine sound"
Thanks for the headsup. I am looking to try out and buy a used 2016 tiger 800 xca with 7k miles on it. This has the older analog + lcd dash, but otherwise fully decked up with features. Now having second thoughts.
The analog clock model is much better. Don't worry about that one.
@@RoadcraftNottingham Good to know, thanks.
I was looking at the new smaller 660 tiger coming out next year, but after listening to not just this review but others too i think i will look at other bikes
I have a 2017 left over Street Scrambler that I got for a very good price in 2018.. Just under 13K miles on the clock now with mostly back road and dirt riding in New England farm country ... I have dropped it in the dirt once or twice and had to replace the shifter once .. I am amazed at how well the bike is holding up and glad for the high pipes so I can get at the chain .. (Had to get a dirt track chain after 6K ) I am gutted that the trade in value drops so quickly from serious use .. The bike is not bashed about but it has some love kisses here and there from the gravel and all ..Looking at a R Nine T BMW offered me $4500.00 for a bike I bought for $9500.00 two and a half seasons ago ... Looking at the 900 Tiger Triumph offered me the same .. I think I may just get some new shocks for the fun of it and ride this one into the 20'Ks or 30'Ks :) .. I sold a 1979 R80 I put 32 K miles on for a $1000.00 less than I bought her for ... Wish I never sold that one or the R69S ... Simple and bullet proof is what we are after .. . New England is only getting the Yamaha T700 from pre orders .. Having a short leg I cant run that 34 inch seat anyway :)
What low seat bikes would you recommend?
@@Mmttrrch I have a 29 inch inseam and the bike settles to 28 inches from 31 inch on the books so my bike is pretty great ...The R Nine T comes in a lowered choice as well ..
You made exactly the same comments about the seat that I made about my Bonneville T120. On that bike also the suspension was dreadful as was the snatchy throttle. I moved on to a Speedmaster and have just got rid of that after a year due to potential gearbox problems on water cooled Bonnevilles. I’m now riding a Honda VFR800F, I won’t have another Triumph, too many issues.
I hope the boys at the top are reading this but hearing from ex employees, I very much doubt it 😔
Very enlightening... thanks for the info, I have definately taken this on board. 👍🖖
Sounds like not much has changed since the 955 sprint then. Genuinely lovely bike to ride, but the joy soon fades when you have to deal with the horrible plastic construction, poor parts support, indifferent dealers. Triumph = high maintenance design with most procedures calling for a triumph special tool that is expensive AND out of production. Don't be fooled by the nice paint and exotic materials on the outside, all the parts that matter are plastic.
Love ya videos Russ, keep em coming!
Spot on! Thanks for your support.
Super tenere for me then. Love the tft displays BMW have on their later gs bikes, but give me analogue dials please because I don't want these issues ever.
I experienced a similar problem with a street triple r nine months old engine issues culminating
In the engine being stripped diagnosed faulty valve buckets I lost faith as well and traded it in
Similar issues with a Thruxton faulty sensor engine lights came on went back to the garage I was never informed as to the problem like you I loved both bikes but my confidence was shot
I to worry about the quality control particularly now these bikes are being produced abroad
It does not surprise me when I read that Royal Enfield sales are on the increase
I owned a gt continental for a while and was very Impressed with the quality of the bike when you realise how much they cost
No electronics to go wrong
Great comment and sorry you had a similar experience.
I had my heart set on a new 900 Tiger. To start with, you just can't get them at the moment, the waiting time is Feb of next year (2021). Then I went for a test ride. I was setup on the Tiger 900 GT Pro. The rear brake was non-existent and the clutch was so badly adjusted it was awful to use. The seat had not been put back properly after the last test ride and that exposed the beginnings of rust around the front seat mounting point. The dealer was entirely unbothered by the whole thing. I am no longer looking for a Triumph.
I have thought for a longtime Triump has lot the plot. They are too expensive as well. Thats why I have bought an RE Interceptor. Great value for money!
I had an 800 Tiger back in 2012 and got rid of it after a year. 6 warranty claims for electronic issues and a dealer with attitude issues meant I'd run out of patience. I bought a Z1000SX then an R1200GS, the bikes and the dealers have been flawless. Won't entertain a Triumph at all now after a friends Tiger 1050 had several brake faults under warranty too.
That's yet another customer lost.
I had a Landrover Defender and loved it dearly, but after 10 years i had enough of oil under the car, not knowing, wether it would start in the morning.
Now i drive a BMW X1and everything is fine.
Never become a victim of the hype again.
I had a similar experience with my vw t5, starting, turbo, air con matrix, alternator, cam and other stuff adding up to £7k in repairs. Never again.
I recently sold my 2018 Tiger 800 XCX. I loved the bike, but 2 things that influenced my decision to sell: 1) takes way too long to replace the air filter. Its buried under a lot of plastic and fairings. It can easily take over an hour. 2) Triumph doesnt sell paper service manuals. You have to buy an online subscription to access the service manual.
Sorry to hear about your experiences. The customer service sounds particularly poor. I have a 2015 Tiger 800 XRX, my third Triumph. Triumph is not the only manufacturer to outsource to Thailand. My first bike was a Thai manufactured Honda. My engineer friend has just had a nightmare with his Honda VFR1200 Crosstourer with siezed engine bolts. Simple alloy on steel corrosion that locks them solid and meant he couldn't fit his new sumpguard after the first two bolts were siezed and he didn't fancy drilling and heli-coiling them all. He also pointed to the fact that the quality stamp on Honda bolts is poorer than it used to be. All bikes have their issues and QC seems to be a problem for many manufacturers at the moment.
Certainly sounds like the newer bikes. My wheel spindles were totally dry when I took the wheels off to change out the crap tyres. Assembly in the factory was poor too.
@@RoadcraftNottingham Hope the factory and the dealerships are listening.
This is why Russ, when I buy a bike, number 1 it must have a carburettor and number 2 No bloody electronics! Coz back then they made bikes to last and I can work on them myself!
Your dealers service dept sounds exactly like mine here in the US.
Purchased a 2018 street triple in May with 4 k on it ,did 287 miles before the factory alarm cooked the tft instrument cluster and left me stranded .Got the bike recovered to a Triumph dealership who diagnosed the u/s instrument cluster £770 +vat + fitting.Bike now gone and will never buy a
Triumph ever again ,they look good but low quality components let the brand down.
I think this is just what happens with new bike or cars now. Everytime I've bought new I'm in and out the garage. I think because they sell them with a warranty they know they can just sort most the quality issues once it's been sold. Royal Enfield is surprisingly the only vehicle I've got new that had no issues.
Think I will stick with my 1970 Triumph 650, I have had it for 43yrs and still going strong.
... And increasing in value. ☺
Good video talking to two owners separately both big problems with gearbox & engine both got initial fob off from dealers till both went thru in detail what was wrong citing mechanical issues
Yeah..... I think I'm gonna stick to Japanese bikes. I would love to know what these tfts on all bikes have which justifies their costs
You can't go wrong with Japanese
Especially when you can pick up aftermarket tft on eBay for £40 and probably made in the same place.
I've been riding a 1974 Norton Commando for over ten years with dozens of worry-free miles.
Great review really informative
I have a Tiger 800XRt with 46000 miles , i traveled across mexico and many places in the USA, i also own 2 other bikes, there's no other bike that i love and trust more than my Tiger....for the record, i did my 1000 mile in 24Hr challenge on my tiger, is the most comfortable bike i have , so unfortunate that you deal with these problems and a crappy dealership...
I am glad that I didn't trade up from my 2015 XCx.
Exactly the same problem with the Tracer 900 seat,I've started using an airhawk cushion.
Thanks for this RN I was on the cusp of changing my BMW F750gs for one of these "bad boys " I previously owned a Tiger 1050 sport and loved it. It was a quality bike. However it appears that Triumphs cost cutting and outsourcing to Thailand have actually had a detrimental effect on the quality of the brand. I think I will stick with the Beemer. Cheers for your input.
F800GS owner here. I always looked at the Tiger as an equal. Such a shame to hear all the problems they’ve been plagued with lately.
Thanks for the heads up, was on the short list no pun intended 👍
2013 Triumph street triple all good here. Newer ones for sure aren’t made the same!
My 2015 Tex is still in mint condition too. After this vid I'm not sure I'll ever go for a Triumph again
I loved that 13 st r I reviewed.
2014 tiger 800 here... not doing great
30+ year old Kawasaki and I can still read the switch gear .
I had a brand new in 2001 Triumph Sprint St for 16 years and did 46,000 miles with no troubles at all. Changed in 2017 for a lighter bike but would have loved to have kept the Triumph. Sorry to hear the standards have dropped so far.
I've been looking at a Tiger 800 XC 2011 model the past few days. Prior to that I was planning to go with a Kawasaki Versys 650 around the same year model. I could also go for a V-Strom 650, but a friend of mine has one, and it would be more fun to have different bikes so we can try out each of the bikes... I really started to think much of the Triumph lately though, as the price for this particular one wasn't too high, and it got more off-road capabilities. However, after I've stumbled upon these real insight reviews, I think I'll stick to a more reliable Versys 650, even though it doesn't sound as good, nor perform as well off-road as the Tiger. It just seems like a safer option to be honest.
Hi! I've got a 2017...XCA 64000km on it. Glad to have the older dash..then.
Didn't have problems at all...except that recently...I went to triumph dealer for an accident repair...an asking to put the Arrow map on it. It resolved all the problems that I went through the year with lack of torque... that I've found for me as I use it.
The fuel consumption is more than there was in the past...but it worth it for sure...
Sad that you've all those problems... you don't seems to have a good dealership.
By the way..mines been made in 🇬🇧 UK
Made abroad and touted as a proud to be British product... #SHAME_IS_FREE
You can’t beat Japanese bikes for quality and reliability, I’ve got a yam tracer 900 and it’s faultless. I like the look of the tiger 1200 but I don’t think I’d get one.
I bought a 2012 CBR250R brand new. Within two years it started eating oil. I had to top it up every 500 miles or so. Around 12,000 miles the cylinder seized while going 70 on the highway and locked the rear wheel. Skidded to a stop on the freeway during rushhour. Spent $800 for a new cylinder to be installed, ran better than ever after that. The fit and finish of the Honda was pretty bad, lots of creaking plastic. Eventually sold it. In 2017 I bought a brand new Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200. About 9000 miles on it now and have had no problems except the passenger seat heater stopped working. But I think that was due to a mouse nest I found underneath it. My personal experience is Triumph has been more reliable than the Honda! (so far at least).
@@Bullworm562 You are exactly right. Some people think for instance that all Chinese made bikes are rubbish although there are lots of vids on Yotube that dispute that. Some say only Japanese bikes are reliable although some will have, like you, problems with them. One thing I would like to point out though is that a lot of bikes wherever they are made will have some Chinese/Asian parts in them anyway.
My problem with Triumph after owning many of them over the last few years was that they started to rely more on the expensive fashion iconography to sell them. They became a 'brand' and lost a lot of their original innovation. As much interested in selling you clothing as a motorcycle. Along with constantly building machines with larger and larger engines, adding to the weight and cost finally put me off them.
Very helpful👍
I would love to like Triumph!
Spot on Russ, I wouldn't have a Triumph if I got it for nothing.
Omg disastrous. What an awful experience. Tbh I had two Ktm’s and I’d never go back there either. Reliability is fundamental to any motor. Love the vids though.
Ok, friend. Im riding triumph tiger 800 xrx 2015 and i like it! Even when i living in Russia and we have only one dealer in whole Russia. Its in Moscow. And, to be honest, thats not a problem. Only one problem that has this mot is starter. Anything else is made pretty simple. About engine - just replace oil once in 5k km. Its like a rule for ever bike. Most of parts you can buy anywhere and replace it in your garage. Thats not a rocket science. When you choose between old japanese bike and new european - its all about diffrence between safety of mechanisms or have fun / or safety of rider. New technologies needs more service and its not only about dealership, man
Yours is 2015. A totally different bike. Older ones are made better.
Well after my probs with my bmw gsa I’ve found my tiger 800 xca is brill I service it myself, the seat I found brill more comfortable than my gsa. No probs what so ever tft dash remains faultless. I think to be honest all techy bike bits are problems waiting to happen. I worked on fairly high tech fish processing machines and lo and behold the more computer, stepper motor controlled bits, the more it took us techs to resolve whereas the old stuff was managed easily by the resident engineers/ mechs
very good video, sir. Quite well done.
Thank you
I read your comments on the problems with your Tiger with interest and sadness
I to experienced problems with a Street Triple R and to a lesser degree with a triumph Thruxton
It left me feeling let down I enjoyed both bikes for a while but my confidence was shot so I decided to move on
Great review, report, warning, call it what you will. Cam chain issues on two bikes you own tells a story, the TFT screen, what happens when they die outside warranty, as they will, a grand repair. I read a report recently on a Tracer 900 owner who had issue with TFT screen. Brilliant when working.... but for how long. Nahhhh. Stick to my GSX1250. Bomb proof.
Wow, that is a boatload of problems. I have a 2014 800 XC and have been avoiding the TFT dash models just for this reason. I was concerned they wouldn't last as long. I think I will stick with this one a few more years until they get their issues sorted.
Just watched a video yesterday where someone was saying the new bonnivelles have a known gearbox problem where they get stuck in gear. There is a £300 bodge part they offer to cover up the issue, but not actually recall them to repair the issue.
Ive had my street triple for 2 years, and the only thing which failed on it was the horn (replaced that with a after market one). Warranty runs out next year, i dont know if i should trade it in, i cant think of a better bike for commuting in london.
That's f*fcking tragic. My 2001 bonnie had the sweetest gearbox of any bike I've ever owned, nothing else has ever come close, and I've owned everything from Bantams to CBR600s. The gearbox was one of the many things that gave that bike a real luxury feel.
Nice classic bike. Never owned a triumph so can't say. I have a VFR 800. As you may no have there own problems lol. Mine stator and RR gone awaiting parts. Grrrr 25 days. But yes love the video keeps folk up to date any way keep safe. 🙂
I have three modern Triumphs: a 2009 Street Triple R, a 2018 Tiger 800 XRT, and a 2019 Speed Twin. All three have been 100% reliable with only the Street Triple needing a regulator/rectifier and gearbox part recall many years ago. I am completely satisfied with the brand, and have nothing but praise for the engineering and quality of the machines.
That's nice to know, apart from the two problems but all bikes will have a couple of problems from time to time. The ones here with our two bikes though are unfortunate.