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2018 · Adventure · Buyer's Guide
Triple Engine, Real Dirt Reach
The XCA sits at the top of the Tiger 800 range, and it is the spoke-wheeled, dirt-leaning member of the family. The 799 cc inline-three makes 94 hp at 9,500 rpm and 58 lb-ft, fed through a 6-speed box and a chain. What separates this trim is how much arrives already fitted: TFT dash, cruise control, heated grips, an adjustable screen, LED headlight and an adjustable seat, alongside ABS, traction control and ride modes that include a dedicated Off-Road Pro setting. A 21-inch front wheel, 8.7 inches of front travel and 9.1 inches of ground clearance keep the off-road claim honest.
On pavement it carries itself like a tall sport-tourer, and a 5.0-gallon tank returning 50 mpg turns that into real distance between stops. This is a bike for the rider who wants one machine for interstate miles, a mountain pass and a graded forest road inside the same trip, with adjustable suspension at both ends to tune for load. The honest caveats are mechanical and practical. These engines have a habit of drinking oil between services, so a level check belongs in your routine, and the luggage system, center stand and navigation are options rather than standard equipment.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 94 hp (70 kW) @ 9,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 58 lb-ft (79 Nm) |
| Displacement | 799 cc |
| Engine | Inline-three |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 308 mm |
| Front tire | 90/90-21 |
| Rear tire | 150/70-17 |
| Wheelbase | 60.4 in (1535 mm) |
| Ground clearance | 9.1 in (230 mm) |
| Front travel | 8.7 in (220 mm) |
| Rear travel | 8.5 in (215 mm) |
| Seat height | 33.5 in (850 mm) |
| Wet weight | 511 lb (232 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 5.0 gal (19 L) |
| Fuel economy | 50 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Lighting
Safety
What follows is the community's read, not mine. Over the years it has arrived in the ordinary ways: conversations at rallies and gas stops, talk after club runs, and messages riders send me directly. On the XCA that chatter is steady, and it keeps circling the same two subjects.
The comfort reports are the loudest. Owners describe plush seat foam, an upright and roomy riding position, and enough space for a passenger to log the same hours. Fatigue, or the absence of it after a full day, is the word that keeps coming back. The triple earns credit in the same breath: smooth and free-revving, willing from low rpm and still building at the top, with a character riders say separates it from the parallel twins they looked at.
Equipment comes up nearly as often. Riders point to the color TFT screen, the rider modes, switchable traction control, heated seats and back-lit switchgear, and the recurring line is that this is more than they expected at this size. The comparison they reach for is with larger, more expensive adventure bikes.
High oil consumption
Many owners report the engine burns oil at a rate that requires regular top-ups between service intervals, though no catastrophic failures have been linked to this.
Heated grip failures
At least one owner has experienced repeated failure of the factory heated grips, requiring multiple warranty replacements. The heat output has also been criticised as insufficient in very cold weather.
Where this Triumph Tiger 800 XCA pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Tiger 800 XCA is actually built for.
Trail Ridge and Going-to-the-Sun days suit it well: steady at speed, comfortable for long stages, and happy loaded. Two-up with full bags, you are asking a middleweight to do heavy work.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
200 to 400 mile days on the Blue Ridge or Highway 1 are exactly its territory. Upright, stable, and quick enough through the triple to keep an honest pace without beating you up.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
The 21-inch front, 8.7 inches of travel and Off-Road Pro mode make real BDR sections realistic. Just plan around 511 pounds wet when the surface turns loose late in the day.
Made for AZBDR — Arizona Backcountry Discovery Route · California BDR South · COBDR — Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2015–2017
The Triple That Travels
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Triumph Tiger 800 XCA. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Successor · 2020–2023
Two Souls, One Triple
Competitor · 2018–2024
Luggage-Ready, Corner-Friendly Middleweight
Roughly $1,200 pricier used than this bike at 8 yr
Competitor · 2019–2020
Rally DNA, Street Legal
Same Platform · 2018–2019
The Low-Seat Triple Tourer
About the same used price as this bike at 8 yr