Triumph Tiger Explorer XCx Buyer's Guide

The Machine's Character

The Tiger Explorer XCx is Triumph's big adventure bike, built for one job: covering serious distance in real comfort. Its 1215 cc inline-three makes 137 hp at 9,300 rpm and 91 lb-ft at 6,200 rpm. That power goes to the rear wheel through a shaft, so there's no chain to lube on a two-week trip. The XCx sits in the middle of the range. It pairs wire-spoked wheels with semi-active WP suspension and a full set of standard equipment: cornering ABS, traction control, ride modes, cruise control, heated grips and an electrically adjustable screen. You get that much touring hardware without ticking a single option box, and that's the reason to buy this trim.

On the road it feels planted and grown-up. The chassis stays calm at highway speed, and it has more lean clearance than a 567 lb (257 kg) bike has any right to offer. My honest caveat is the dirt. It has 7.5 in (190 mm) of travel up front and 7.6 in (193 mm) at the rear. That's short of the 7.9 in (200 mm) I expect from a true adventure bike, and all that weight becomes a burden quickly on a rutted trail. Treat it as a gravel-capable long-distance tourer. If you're buying used, check the final drive bevel box and ride it hard in second gear to see if it jumps out of gear.

Hard Numbers

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

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Key specifications
Power	137 hp (102 kW) @ 9,300 rpm
Torque	91 lb-ft (123 Nm) @ 6,200 rpm
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	120/70-19
Rear tire	170/60-17
Front travel	7.5 in (190 mm)
Rear travel	7.6 in (193 mm)
Seat height	33.0 in (837 mm)
Wet weight	567 lb (257 kg)
Fuel capacity	5.3 gal (20 L)
Top speed	124 mph (200 km/h)
Fuel economy	39 mpg (US)

Equipment check

Chassis

Electronic Suspension Standard
Front Suspension Adjustable Standard
Rear Suspension Adjustable Standard
Cruise Control Standard

Comfort

Heated Grips Standard
Adjustable Windscreen Standard
Adjustable Seat Height Standard
Luggage System Optional

Safety

ABS Standard
Cornering ABS Standard
Traction Control Standard
Ride Modes Standard

Known issues

Final drive bevel box failure

drivetrain occasional

The rear hub bevel box can develop leaks or grumbling noises, eventually leading to failure, typically around 50,000 miles. Replacement is expensive.
Gearbox slipping/jumping out of gear

drivetrain rare

A few owners have experienced false neutrals or the bike jumping out of second gear under hard acceleration, possibly due to shift fork or gear wear. Symptom may be mitigated by adjusting shift pedal linkage.
Caliper pin issues

brakes rare

Some owners report sticking or corroded caliper pins, causing uneven brake engagement or noise.
Fork seal leaks

suspension occasional

Some owners report oil weeping from fork seals, which can develop into full leaks requiring seal replacement.

The Expert Benchmark

Where this Triumph Tiger Explorer XCx 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 XCx — numbers and character vs. the average Adventure

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

Power

137 hp This bike 150 hp KTM 1190 Adventure 136 hp BMW R 1250 GS 129 hp Honda VFR1200X Crosstourer 125 hp Aprilia Caponord 1200 Rally

Torque

91 lb-ft This bike 92 lb-ft KTM 1190 Adventure 105 lb-ft BMW R 1250 GS 93 lb-ft Honda VFR1200X Crosstourer 84 lb-ft Aprilia Caponord 1200 Rally

Displacement

1215 cc This bike 1195 cc KTM 1190 Adventure 1254 cc BMW R 1250 GS 1237 cc Honda VFR1200X Crosstourer 1197 cc Aprilia Caponord 1200 Rally

Wet weight

567 lb This bike 507 lb KTM 1190 Adventure 549 lb BMW R 1250 GS 606 lb Honda VFR1200X Crosstourer 595 lb Aprilia Caponord 1200 Rally

Top speed

124 mph This bike 140 mph KTM 1190 Adventure 124 mph BMW R 1250 GS

Seat height

33.0 in This bike 33.9 in KTM 1190 Adventure 33.5 in BMW R 1250 GS 33.5 in Honda VFR1200X Crosstourer 33.9 in Aprilia Caponord 1200 Rally

The Long-Haul Verdict

Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Tiger Explorer XCx 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?

A strong fit. The triple pulls cleanly out of every bend, there's plenty of lean clearance, and a 300-mile day stays comfortable. Just accept that it feels big in tight hairpins.

Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway

Best touring motorcycle for long distance?

This is your bike. Cruise control, heated grips, an electric screen and shaft drive make Beartooth-to-Going-to-the-Sun days easy, and the adaptive suspension copes with a passenger and bags.

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

What's new versus the previous generation

If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.

Previous generation · 2012–2015

Triumph Tiger Explorer (V13VG)

Britain's First Long-Haul Triple

Compare to the previous model →

Alternatives to the Triumph Tiger Explorer XCx

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