2022 Triumph Tiger 1200 First Look

The name might be familiar but don’t be fooled into thinking that the newly unveiled 2022 Triumph Tiger 1200 shares anything else with its predecessor—this is a clean-sheet design that’s laser-focused on the task of beating BMW’s category-defining R 1250 GS in the big adventure class.

Triumph makes no secret of the fact that the BMW is its benchmark, and the result is—on paper, at least—that the new Tiger 1200 beats the German machine in nearly every metric. Let’s start with power; the new Triumph peaks at a claimed 147 hp, thanks to a new 1,160cc triple that takes its architecture from the new Speed Triple RS, with the same bore and stroke, but mates it to a shaft drive and the T-plane crankshaft layout that debuted in the Tiger 900. That means the crank then turns between the first and second power pulses followed by 270-degree rotations between the next two, creating an uneven rhythm that’s intended to emphasize the feeling of low-end grunt to compete with twin-cylinder rivals while maintaining the top-end power that the three-cylinder engine allows. The engine’s max power is 13 hp up on its BMW rival, and it arrives at 9,000 rpm. Torque, meanwhile, peaks at 96 pound-feet and 7,000 rpm, which puts it 9 pound-feet down on the R 1200 GS’s maximum, but it still promises thumping midrange performance.

Related: 2020 Triumph Tiger 1200 Buyer’s Guide

That engine sits in a new frame, 11.9 pounds lighter than the old model’s and featuring a bolt-on aluminum subframe to make it easier to repair accident damage. Overall, the 2022 Tiger 1200 is 50 pounds lighter than its predecessor and potentially as much as 37 lighter than a comparable R 1250 GS, depending on which version you pick.

That’s because there are five distinct models in the 2022 Triumph Tiger 1200 lineup. These can be split into two characters—the GT models with road-biased tires on 19-inch front and 18-inch rear alloy wheels, and the Rally models with 21-inch front and 18-inch rear tires—along with two tank sizes: the 5.3-gallon base size and a larger, 7.9-gallon version that’s accompanied by the revived Explorer name.

The five available models start with the stripped-back Tiger 1200 GT, joined by the better-equipped GT Pro and the large-tanked GT Explorer in the road-oriented side of the range. There’s no base version of the off-road-oriented Rally model, just the Tiger 1200 Rally Pro or the range-topping Rally Explorer.

Weights start at 529 pounds for the GT, rising to 540 pounds for the GT Pro, 549 pounds for the Rally Pro, 562 pounds for the GT Explorer, and finally 575 pounds for the Rally Explorer, all measured wet with a 90 percent full tank of fuel. All the bikes have alloy fuel tanks that, along with the aluminum subframe, help lower the center of gravity to make the Tigers feel lighter than they really are.

Regardless which version you pick, its weight is carried on Showa semi-active, electronically controlled suspension, with a 49mm USD fork and a rear shock that automatically adjusts preload depending on the load on the bike to maintain ride height. The GT models have 7.9 inches of travel at each end, while the Rallys sit higher, with 8.7 inches of movement at each end.

At the back, the new shaft drive system sits in an unusual “tri-link” dual-sided swingarm that saves yet more weight compared to the old model’s single-sided design. As you’d expect on a modern, high-end machine, there’s IMU-assisted cornering traction control and ABS with a wide array of modes and settings to tweak via the 7-inch TFT dash. Even the base GT gets three riding modes—Road, Rain, or Sport—while the other GTs get five, adding a rider-configurable preset and an Off-Road mode. The Rally models gain a sixth Off-Road Pro setting.

That’s all par for the course on most of this decade’s sampling of high-end adventure bikes, sure, but the Tiger’s tech doesn’t stop there. The large-tanked Explorer versions of the GT and Rally, which also have different side bodywork to distinguish them from the normal models, get a new rear-facing radar that provides blind spot monitoring and lane-change assist features. Unlike rival radar-equipped bikes, which currently all use Bosch equipment, the radar comes from Continental. Explorer models also gain a standard tire pressure monitoring system, as well as heated grips and seats.

The ignition, steering lock, and fuel tank lock are all keyless, using a proximity system that’s designed to be resistant to relay attacks, and every version of the bike apart from the stripped-down GT gets cornering lights, a quickshifter, and hill-hold control.

An adjustable screen—moved manually with one hand—is standard on all models, as is a seat with high and low settings (33.5 inches or 34.25 inches on the GT models, 34.4 inches or 35.2 inches on the Rally versions).

It’s not just in the design, performance, and equipment that Triumph is aiming to compete with its most direct rival; the firm has set its sights on making the whole ownership experience easy, with long, 10,000-mile or 12-month service intervals and a three-year warranty that can be extended further.

Prices start at $19,100 for the GT, rising to $21,400 for the GT Pro and $22,500 for the Rally Pro. The larger-tanked, radar-equipped GT Explorer is $23,100, and the range-topping Rally Explorer starts at $24,200.

Of course, when the bikes reach dealers in spring 2022, you’ll be able to spend a lot more than that, picking from a wide range of options including two luggage sets—molded or alloy, both developed by Givi—and a host of other bolt-ons.

Will it be enough to persuade adventure bike riders to swap their BMWs for Triumphs? That remains to be seen but, on paper at least, the 2022 Tiger 1200 has all the ingredients to put up a convincing fight.