Triumph Tiger Explorer (V13VG) Buyer's Guide

The Machine's Character

Triumph's first real heavyweight adventure bike arrived with a 1215 cc inline-three making 135 hp and 89 lb-ft, and the way that engine hands over its drive is the whole point. It builds in one long line rather than in steps, and the triple soundtrack is a large part of why people bought one. Shaft final drive, ABS, traction control and cruise control all came as standard, together with adjustable suspension front and rear, a center stand and factory seat height adjustment. That was a lot of motorcycle to hand a rider at once, and it put Triumph straight into the big adventure conversation.

On the road it reads as a big, planted touring machine that happens to run a 110/80-19 front and 7.5 in (190 mm) of fork travel, so graded dirt and fire roads are genuinely part of its remit. Wet weight is 571 lb (259 kg) and the standard seat sits at 33.0 in (837 mm) with factory adjustment, which you feel at walking pace and in parking lots rather than once you are rolling. This is a bike for riders who cover real distance. The honest caveat is condition: gearboxes can skip second, and early ECU maps could stumble down low. Buy on service history, not on mileage.

Hard Numbers

Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.

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Key specifications
Power	135 hp (101 kW)
Torque	89 lb-ft (121 Nm)
Displacement	1215 cc
Engine	Inline-three
Cooling	Liquid-cooled
Gearbox	6-speed
Final drive	Shaft
Fork	Upside-down (USD)
Front brake	305 mm
Front tire	110/80-19
Rear tire	150/70-17
Ground clearance	5.9 in (150 mm)
Front travel	7.5 in (190 mm)
Rear travel	7.6 in (194 mm)
Seat height	33.0 in (837 mm)
Wet weight	571 lb (259 kg)
Fuel capacity	5.3 gal (20 L)
Fuel economy	35 mpg (US)

Equipment check

Chassis

Front Suspension Adjustable Standard
Rear Suspension Adjustable Standard
Cruise Control Standard

Comfort

Heated Grips Optional
Adjustable Seat Height Standard
Luggage System Optional

Connectivity

Tire Pressure Monitoring (TPMS) Optional

Safety

ABS Standard
Traction Control Standard

Known issues

Sidestand recall

chassis common Recall

Recall issued for sidestand bracket that could crack, potentially causing the motorcycle to fall over.
Front wheel wobble

chassis rare

A speed wobble at lower speeds and sometimes at highway speeds, often traced to out-of-spec front wheel assemblies or tire issues.
Gearbox skipping and false neutrals

drivetrain occasional

The transmission can fail to engage 2nd gear, jumping into neutral, often due to worn selector shaft or bent shift forks. Repairs can be expensive if not caught early.
Premature cylinder head issues (certain VINs)

engine rare

Some very early bikes suffered from head problems; Triumph addressed this under warranty for affected VIN ranges.
ECU recall

fuel system common Recall

Recall to update engine control unit software to address running issues.
Low-speed engine surging and stumbling

engine occasional

Some owners experience erratic throttle response and power surging at low rpm, particularly with early ECU maps.
GVWR label recall

bodywork common Recall

Recall for incorrect Gross Vehicle Weight Rating label, which could lead to overloading.

The Expert Benchmark

Where this Triumph Tiger Explorer pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.

What kind of bike this is — character vs. the class

Long-Range Trust

Offroad Credibility

Suspension Range & Load Control

Luggage-Ready Escape Value

Low-Speed Balance

Rider Command While Standing

Torque in the Dirt

This bike Class average

The shape of the Triumph Tiger Explorer — numbers and character vs. the average Adventure

Head-to-head: Triumph Tiger Explorer vs. its rivals

Power

135 hp This bike 125 hp BMW R 1200 GS 112 hp Yamaha XT 1200 Z Super Ténéré World Crosser 152 hp Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro 150 hp KTM 1190 Adventure

Torque

89 lb-ft This bike 92 lb-ft BMW R 1200 GS 84 lb-ft Yamaha XT 1200 Z Super Ténéré World Crosser 100 lb-ft Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro 92 lb-ft KTM 1190 Adventure

Displacement

1215 cc This bike 1170 cc BMW R 1200 GS 1199 cc Yamaha XT 1200 Z Super Ténéré World Crosser 1198 cc Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro 1195 cc KTM 1190 Adventure

Wet weight

571 lb This bike 525 lb BMW R 1200 GS 575 lb Yamaha XT 1200 Z Super Ténéré World Crosser 575 lb Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro 507 lb KTM 1190 Adventure

Seat height

33.0 in This bike 33.5 in BMW R 1200 GS 33.3 in Yamaha XT 1200 Z Super Ténéré World Crosser 34.3 in Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro 33.9 in KTM 1190 Adventure

The Long-Haul Verdict

Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Tiger Explorer is actually built for.

Aerial view of a winding asphalt road cutting through volcanic terrain on La Gomera, Canary Islands. The road curves through sparse green vegetation with rocky volcanic peaks visible in the background and a settled valley to the left. Clear lane markings, dry climate, partly cloudy sky.

Best motorcycle for Highway 1?

Your 200 to 400 mile days suit it well: comfortable, steady at speed and happy to be leaned into a long sweeper. It is a heavy machine, so it rewards flow rather than quick flicks.

Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway

Best touring motorcycle for long distance?

This is your bike. Two-up, loaded, over a pass in weather, it stays planted and keeps you fresh, and the shaft drive is one less thing to service at the end of a long day.

Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road

Alternatives to the Triumph Tiger Explorer

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 Explorer. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.