Price: from £12,195 | Power: 106.5bhp | Weight: from 219kg | Overall BikeSocial Rating: TBA / 5
They say you don’t get something for nothing but in the case of Triumph’s 2024 Tiger 900 buyers are getting a substantial hike in performance along with subtle visual tweaks and equipment improvements for prices that are largely unchanged compared to their predecessors – and with inflation still making headlines elsewhere that seems something that’s well worth celebrating.
We’ll dig in deeper in a moment but the headline number is a power of 106.5hp, up from 93.9hp. That’s an extra 12.6hp and enough to leapfrog competitors including BMW’s new F900GS, KTM’s 890 Adventure and even Honda’s much bigger Africa Twin in the horsepower stakes, all without adding a penny to the RRP of the base GT and mid-range GT Pro versions.
Pros & Cons
- Remarkable power increase, achieved by optimising the 888cc triple
- Classy TFT dash from Tiger 1200
- Uprated comfort and safety
- Styling changes aren’t instantly apparent
Review – In Detail
Price & PCP
For and against
Engine & Performance
Handling & Suspension (inc. weight & brakes)
Comfort & Economy
Equipment
Rivals
Verdict
Specification
For 2024 Triumph’s Tiger 900 range is simplified into just three models, the GT, GT Pro and Rally Pro, and the first two retain unchanged prices despite the extra power and tech they include. That means the range still starts at £12,195 for the GT, rising to £13,895 for the GT Pro, while the Rally Pro comes in at £14,495 - £300 more than the 2023 equivalent.
Since all three versions get the same heavily revamped three-cylinder engine offering 13% more power than before, as well as a handy increase in torque, and have equipment levels that you’d have to raid the options lists to match on many rivals, the 2024 bikes have a ‘bargain’ status that their predecessors couldn’t claim.
The range is smaller, of course. The old Tiger 900 Rally (£12,795) is gone, for instance, as is the GT Low version, as Triumph focuses in on the bikes that are most popular with its customers.
Dealers are already accepting orders for the new models, with deliveries due to start at the beginning of 2024.
The ‘T-Plane’ triple of the existing Tiger 900 has been revamped for the 2024 model, gaining new pistons to give a substantially higher compression ratio. Where the old version made do with a ratio of 11.27:1, the 2024 model hikes that to 13.0:1. Throw in a new cylinder head design with larger intake ports and oval exhaust ports, higher-lift cam profiles, new intake trumpets that are 15mm longer than the old versions, and an entirely new exhaust system with a freer-flowing catalyser and redesigned silencer, and you can see how Triumph’s engineers have found those extra horses lurking within the existing 888cc capacity.
The boost is mainly at the top end, with power continuing to build strongly after 6500rpm where the previous generation engine started to level off, but there’s no sacrifice made lower down in the rev range to get that extra high-rpm performance. It’s simply that the new engine revs more freely, with peak power coming at 9500rpm compared to 8750rpm for the earlier design.
With no extra capacity on the table it would be churlish to expect a huge boost in torque, but Triumph has managed to find another 3Nm, taking the peak from 87Nm to 90Nm, and moved it lower in the rev range from 7250rpm to 6850rpm, indicating that while the overall increase is small, it’s available across a broader spread of revs.
As if to illustrate the virtuous circle that extra efficiency brings, the new engine also manages to offer a 9% reduction in fuel consumption and a similar improvement in emissions.
The character of the engine is still defined by the uneven firing interval achieved by the ‘T-Plane’ crankshaft, offering some of the traction benefits and character of a twin as well as triple smoothness. On the ‘Pro’ versions, Triumph’s up/down quickshifter is standard, allowing clutchless gearchanges without closing the throttle, and the same can be added to the GT as an extra-cost option. There are also up to six riding modes, each offering a different combination of throttle map, traction control and ABS settings. All versions have at least four modes (road, rain, sport, off-road), while the GT Pro adds a rider-adaptable setting and the Rally Pro includes both rider and ‘off-road pro’ modes.
It’s clear that Triumph’s focus has been on the engine and performance for the 2024 Tiger 900 as the chassis and suspension have been left alone for the new model year – carrying over the same setups used on the previous generation models.
That means the GT and GT Pro both use Marzocchi kit front and rear, with 45mm USD cartridge forks, manually adjustable for compression and rebound damping and offering 180mm of travel, and a gas shock from the same company at the back with 170mm of rear wheel movement. The GT Pro’s rear end is electronically adjustable, while the base GT has manual adjustment for preload and rebound damping.
The much more off-road-oriented Rally Pro uses Showa suspension at both ends, with a vast 240mm of front travel and 230mm at the rear. Again, there are 45mm cartridge forks with rebound and compression adjustment, allied to a gas shock with adjustable rebound and preload – all the adjustments being manual. As well as the longer-travel suspension the Rally Pro uses a 21-inch front wheel instead of the 19-inch rim of the GT models, and features wire wheels instead of cast alloys to emphasise its off-road intent, fitted with Bridgestone Battlax Adventure rubber where the road-biased GT versions use Metzeler Tourance tyres.
Mechanically, the brakes are the same as before, with cornering ABS (switchable on the Rally Pro) and Brembo Stylema front calipers on twin 320mm discs. However, the 2024 version gets more electronic brains in its system, which now automatically adds a dash of rear brake pressure when the fronts are applied to increase stability and reduce stopping distances. The new models also get an emergency deceleration warning system that flashes the rear hazard lights when you brake hard.
When it comes to weight, the base GT is the lightest variant at 219kg, the GT Pro comes in at 222kg and the Rally Pro is 228kg, all measured wet including a full tank of fuel.
Here’s another area where the 2024 Tiger 900 promises to be a step forward from its predecessor since both comfort and economy have been substantially improved.
In the quest for the former, Triumph has redesigned the seat to improve long-distance comfort, retaining 20mm of adjustability in all versions of the bike. Both Pro versions also have heated seats for the rider and pillion, each with their own switches. Heated grips are standard on all versions.
Also new is a damped handlebar mounting system that’s intended to reduce vibrations, and the Rally Pro’s bars have been shifted rearwards by 15mm to make it more comfortable and add better control when the rider’s standing up.
As before there’s an adjustable screen with five settings across 50mm of travel, and the new bodywork – which includes redesigned side panels – promises to shift heat away from the rider better than before.
Thanks to the engine changes that reduce fuel consumption by 9% as well as improving power by 13%, the 2024 Tiger 900 manages 60.4mpg, giving a claimed range of more than 260 miles per 20-litre tankful of petrol.
The most notable equipment change when you’re astride the Tiger 900 is the new instrument panel. It’s still a 7-inch TFT display, as before, but now it’s the dash from the Tiger 1200.
It’s a better display overall, with the TFT panel optically bonded to the glass, and features a redesigned user interface that offers a much more appealing look than the old Tiger 900’s rather garish layout.
Of course, it ticks all the usual boxes when it comes to Bluetooth connectivity to control calls, music and turn-by-turn navigation, but there’s still no Apple Carplay or Android Auto built in. A USB-C port on the side of the new dash offers an easy place to plug in phones or accessories, and there’s still a USB-A power port under the seat as well as a 12V socket.
Other tech tweaks include new marker lights, with indicators that glow all the time at a dimmed level to add to the bike’s visual presence, and of course all the lighting is LED, including the auxiliary lights of the Pro models. The Pro models also get a standard tyre pressure monitoring system.
Only a matter of weeks ago the Tiger 900 looked like it was being outpaced by its rivals, particularly when BMW unveiled the new F900GS with 105hp on tap, but the new version brings it right back into play.
BMW F900GS | Price: £11,995
Power/Torque: 105bhp/68.6lb-ft | Weight: 219kg
KTM 890 Adventure | Price: £11,995
Power/Torque: 105bhp/74lb-ft | Weight: 210kg
Honda Africa Twin | Price: £13,199
Power/Torque: 100.5bhp/82.6lb-ft | Weight: 231kg
We’ll let you know once we’ve ridden it!
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New price
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From £12,195
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Capacity
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888cc
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Bore x Stroke
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78 x 61.9mm
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Engine layout
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Inline triple
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Engine details
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12-valve, DOHC, liquid-cooled, T-Plane crank
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Power
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106.5bhp (79.5Kw) @ 9500rpm
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Torque
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66lb-ft (90Nm) @ 6850rpm
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Transmission
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6-speed, wet clutch, chain drive, standard up/down quickshifter on Pro models
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Average fuel consumption
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60.4mpg claimed
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Tank size
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20 litres
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Max range to empty
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265 miles
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Rider aids
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Cornering ABS, cornering traction control, up to six riding modes, (4 on GT, 5 on GT Pro, 6 on Rally Pro), enhanced braking system, Shift-Assist on Pro models.
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Frame
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Tubular steel trellis main frame. Fabricated, bolt-on aluminium rear subframe
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Front suspension
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Marzocchi 45mm upside down forks, 180mm travel (Rally Pro: Showa 45mm upside down forks, 240mm travel)
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Front suspension adjustment
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Manual rebound and compression damping adjustment
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Rear suspension
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Marzocchi rear suspension unit, 170mm wheel travel (Rally Pro: Showa rear suspension unit, 230mm wheel travel)
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Rear suspension adjustment
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Adjustable preload and rebound damping (electronic on GT Pro)
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Front brake
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Twin 320mm floating discs, Brembo Stylema 4 piston Monobloc calipers. Radial front master cylinder, Optimised Cornering ABS
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Rear brake
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Single 255mm disc. Single piston sliding caliper. Optimised cornering ABS
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Front wheel / tyre
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Cast aluminium, 19 x 2.5 in, Metzeler Tourance Next, 100/90-19 (Rally Pro: Spoked tubeless, 21 x 2.15 in, Bridgestone Battlax Adventure 90/90-21)
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Rear wheel / tyre
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Cast aluminium, 19 x 2.5 in, Metzeler Tourance Next, 150/70R17 (Rally Pro: Spoked tubeless, 17 x 4.25 in, Bridgestone Battlax Adventure 150/70-R17)
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Dimensions (LxW)
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2305mm x 930mm (Rally Pro 2317mm x 935mm)
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Wheelbase
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1556mm (Rally Pro 1551mm)
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Seat height
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Adjustable 820-840mm (Rally Pro 860mm-880mm)
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Weight
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GT: 219kg, GT Pro: 222kg, Rally Pro 228kg (kerb)
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Warranty
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Unlimited miles/2 years
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Servicing
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6,000 miles (10,000 km) or 12 months, whichever comes first
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MCIA Secured Rating
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Not yet rated
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Website
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www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk
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Looking for motorcycle insurance? Get a quote for this motorbike with Bennetts bike insurance
What is MCIA Secured?
MCIA Secured gives bike buyers the chance to see just how much work a manufacturer has put into making their new investment as resistant to theft as possible.
As we all know, the more security you use, the less chance there is of your bike being stolen. In fact, based on research by Bennetts, using a disc lock makes your machine three times less likely to be stolen, while heavy duty kit can make it less likely to be stolen than a car. For reviews of the best security products, click here.
MCIA Secured gives motorcycles a rating out of five stars (three stars for bikes of 125cc or less), based on the following being fitted to a new bike as standard:
- A steering lock that meets the UNECE 62 standard
- An ignition immobiliser system
- A vehicle marking system
- An alarm system
- A vehicle tracking system with subscription
The higher the star rating, the better the security, so always ask your dealer what rating your bike has and compare it to other machines on your shortlist.
