TRIUMPH TIGER 900 GT PRO

> £13,295 > 94bhp > 64lb·ft > 198kg (dry) > 840/820mm seat

SMile-muncher

OMETIMES, THERE IS a gap between what we want and what we need. That’s certainly true when it comes to our choice of adventure bikes. BMW GS Adventures outsell stock GSS, despite being worse for UK roads and the same is true with lairy, R-model KTMS. You see, the off-road-focus of an ‘off-road’ adventure bike can’t help but be a compromise — it’s easy to end up with suspension that’s unsuited to tarmac, noisy knobbly tyres and stratospheric seat heights. But that doesn’t stop them selling in their droves.

The exception is Triumph; the road-going Tiger 900 GT Pro outsells the trail-loving Rally Pro by a factor of three and after a day eating motorway and losing myself in some of the UK’S best roads, it’s easy to see why.

The GT Pro is quite simply a wonderful road bike and is also more engaging and more fun that its 1200cc big brother. Classy, comfy and with a surprising turn of speed, it boasts all the advantages of a big-capacity road-going adventure bike but less of the mass.

Introduced into the vacuum of a Covid pandemic and sitting alongside it’s more glamorous leggy cousin, the GT Pro has never quite got the credit it deserves — a shame because as a road-going sports-tourer-cumadventure bike, it has everything you want. Even kicking the tyres and pondering the spec list in RIDE’S bike park, you can tell the job it’s built for. This is an enticing machine for distance; centered around the 888cc triple and knocking out 94bhp, there’s enough power to consume the miles and all the comfort and toys you’d ever need to while away the time. The seat looks more comfortable than a DFS Sofa (hope it lasts longer than mine though), the screen protective and the expansive TFT dash has all the connectivity and navigation options you’d want. The heated grips will please your hands, the heated seat perfect for Farmer Giles.

Today isn’t a big one in the grand scheme of things — 120 miles up to the Peak District, 100 miles around the region and 120 miles home. However, combined with the mucking about to get the pictures you see here, it’s a good 11 hours in the saddle and as the wind whips around me, I’m glad for the comfort the Tiger promises.

Around 50 miles in, sitting in a tranquil, quiet bubble on the A1, it’s obvious the Tiger delivers. Cruise control set at 85mph, the booming triple thrums away below me, unstressed and well within its comfort zone. With the Tiger’s riding mode set to Road, there’s nigh-on perfect fuelling and sublime ride quality from the TES system that tailors rear preload and suspension settings for specific load and riding conditions. It isn’t as clever as a semi-active system but adds a level of sophistication that runs through the bike. It’s a class act.

The motor’s a gem. All-new in the 2020 redesign, it boasts an offset T-plane crank which endows it with an uneven firing order. It was designed for the GT’S off-road sibling in order to gain traction between power pulses but, on the GT, it gives a booming, granular character and wonderful midrange thrust. Imagine the smoothest parallel twin you’ve ever ridden and you’re almost there. The triple sips fuel as well: 58mpg on the motorway means a theoretical 250 miles of range.

The gearing’s about right, too. At legal-ish motorway

‘Never got the credit it deserves’

speeds, 80-odd and 5500rpm on the dash, the motor’s climbing towards peak torque and effective acceleration is just a twist away. Earlier this year, I trod this same path with a Tiger 1200 GT Pro but the snappier 900 is actually more rewarding than the taller-geared 1200. Despite fewer cubes, it is happier to accelerate without a downchange than its big bro and I chop and change and go with the flow, heading for gaps and sneaking though traffic engaged, relaxed and in comfort. Middleweights are favoured by smaller riders but I’m 6ft2in and still fit. With the seat on its highest setting and the rubbers removed from the footrests, for an inch more of stretch, I could do this all day. Or all month, come to that.

Canyon cruiser

As soon as we leave the dual carriageway, the Tiger feels in its element. The A6 is busy, snarled up with slowmoving traffic but the Tiger blats between gaps with impunity. Now in Sport setting, throttle response is improved and the tighter rear damping controls our combined mass with more assurance. We blast past the last of the traffic and have a glorious run into Buxton. For a 19in-wheeled adventure bike, the amount of feel is impressive and the Tiger holds a line, sweeping through the contours, composed and stable.

Later on the A5004, it feels just as joyful. It charges up to the bends in a flurry, booming on the overrun and shedding speed with the assistance of the excellent Brembo Stylema calipers and steering with willingness, occasionally touching a peg as it nibbles the limits of its ground clearance. I toggle the TES settings to ‘Pillion & Luggage’ to gain some more clearance but am a little disappointed — there is so much ability in the chassis that there should be the potential to lean further, just like there is with a Multistrada V2 or a Tracer GT.

Smoothness and wide, sweeping lines are the way around it, which is never a bad thing and it doesn’t detract from it’s A-to-b capabilities too much. We’re heading east, towards Mam Tor and down Winnats Pass. At 1364ft, Winnats is one of the highest passes in the Peaks and it snakes and descends towards Castleton. It’s steep, craggy and feels more like the Scottish Highlands than England. Of course, it’s no trouble for the Tiger and my run back up the hill is life-affirming — the operatic moan of the triple under load bouncing off the limestone crags. You can’t help but crack a smile.

‘Nibbles the limits of ground clearance’

Backroad bliss

By now, we’re back towards Mam Tor and heading away from the crowds. It’s an unseasonably warm November day and many are taking to the hills, but the road between Mam and Edale is still traffic free. The Edale road loops back onto the A6 eventually but the hairpins that can be viewed from the tor are a scratcher’s dream. The Tiger’s in its element again, carving neat lines, dragging the pegs and driving out from low revs.

We continue towards Edale. It’s bumpy, narrow and even using half of the Tiger’s 94bhp seems like folly most of the time. Again, the easy-going nature of the GT Pro shines though. The road meanders and flicks as it follows the ridgeline but those wide bars let you lever the Tiger to any line you please. It’s so easy to feel in control you’re never fazed by its mass. This isn’t about getting your tyres muddy but when I disappear up the most gnarly potholed ‘road’ I’ve been on for a while, the 170mm longer-travel suspension and adventure bike poise mean there is never a problem.

It’s time to start the journey home and as we rise and fall, cutting through the expanses and moorland of the A6187, I can’t help but be impressed by how wellrounded the Tiger 900 GT Pro is. Few machines are as attuned to the requirements of UK roads. It isn’t just the best road-based middleweight adventure machine; it could well be Britain’s best road bike, full-stop.

‘It’s easy to feel in control’

Craggy outcrops could be the Highlands, not the Peaks

Even in November you run out of ground clearance before you run out of grip

T-plane-crank triple gives loads of grunt and character

Electronicallyadjustable preload is a boon

for a Plenty of tech thoroughly-modern middleweight

MATT’S ROAD-TEST NOTES LUGGAGE Official Trekker panniers and brackets are the best in the business. They look good, are light enough not to affect the bike’s handling unladen and are installed and removed very easily. They’re worth the cash at £900 SHE’S LOW AS STANDARD The Tiger is low — you only have to see the kink in the sidestand for evidence, which does affect cornering clearance a little. Lowest seat height is a manageable 820mm (max is 840mm) but narrowness will help shorter riders, too. There is also a 900 GT Low at £11,595 which has a 770-790mm seat height GREAT ENGINE T-plane crank triple works well, with a wonderfully flat torque curve, lots of power in the midrange and top-end surge that feels stronger than its 94bhp claim. Civilised on the motorway too, without the vibes being intrusive Despite only 94bhp on paper, the motor has plenty of grunt for climbing

If you enjoy the twisty stuff, expect to hear the pegs grinding

DECENT PROTECTION Screen is good with an excellent range of easy adjustment and little noise hitting the helmet. It could do with being a little wider if you’re very broad though USEFUL ELECTRONICS There are five riding modes (Road, Sport, Rain, Off-road and rider-adjustable) which alter ABS, TC and throttle response and there is a marked difference between them, though Rain and Off-road aren’t really needed. Up/down quickshifter is good and 7-inch TFT dash is clear and easy BOUNCY! 45mm Marzocchi forks are set soft as standard but don’t ruin the party and the TES electronically adjustable suspension works very well with a marked change between setting. May be a little soft for two-up, luggaged-riding, though

CONNECTIVITY There’s Bluetooth, phone connection, a navigation app and the possibility to swap tracks on your headset. The Tiger also boasts a 12V port near the dash (you’ll need a narrow plug), plus a phone compartment with USB connection under the rear seat

Even on grubby roads, the ride and grip are excellent

Kinked stand hints at low seat height

Radial Brembo plenty calipers provide of stopping power

Back-lit switchgear is easy to understand and use

We reckon the Tiger 900 GT Pro could be Britain’s best road bike are a OE panniers bikes must on used

Tiger changes direction perfectly, for perfect roads like this one