24MY Tiger 900 Rally Pro Review...Like the legend of the Phoenix

Like the legend of the Phoenix …

I’m not going to lie: I feel lucky. As I pointed the 2024 Rally Pro South on the M5, I remembered that the last time I rode this bike, the World was on fire. That ‘BS’ nonsense codenamed Covid. It certainly changed my World, and in 2020 I joined an agency to create a virtual launch for the original Rally Pro 900. Then, desperate to escape the govts. ‘lockdown’ – (for the people, not for them) – I headed to Cornwall to put the bike through it’s paces – actually to check the decrepit state of my little Mousehole cottage roof. But as much to BREATHE … the bike then, I reported, was superb. The roads were empty. Cornwall was a ghost town. What a disaster – from which it has never quite recovered. Same as the World, actually. And for what? Nothing.

2024 – and she, (the Rally Pro), is better looking than ever. I now live much further away from PURE, so this limits my ability to road test – but I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while. Last year I borrowed the 2023 1200 Tiger and headed up to present a scooter racing event in Teeside – a LONG way up North. I wanted to have a direct comparison – because I think the Rally Pro’s most direct competitor is NOT a rival brand. It’s the Tiger 1200. How can I be so punchy? Because the Triumph’s are more agile than the BMW – it’s that simple. It’s a long time since I tested a Multistrada – it’s my guess that would be the real challenger. But, in what it does really well, I think Triumph ‘own’ this segment of the motorcycle market – I see Tigers of various vintage often.

It's the only time in 20 years that I have ever been able to find Sam’s place first time. Normally it involves me riding around Tavistock and neighbouring villages hoping to see something that reminds me vaguely of where I am. And he lives. Dartmoor is like the ‘Shires’ in ‘Lord of the Rings’.  Slim chance. I’m usually tired, aching, hungry – sometimes wet – but always dead keen to get off the bike after three or four hours in the saddle. And I cannot – because I’m hopelessly lost. In 2024, the game has changed. And some. The SatNav takes me THE FASTEST WAY to Sam’s door – by a route I have never taken before – i.e, the right route. Past a beautiful waterfall I didn’t even know was there … Like I said, a game-changer. Prominent and clear on the dash – ‘turn by turn’ signals and arrows – large, easy to read – and intuitive. Whoever designed this, rides a bike. Amazing. Convenience – speed – safety – sustainability – this ticks a lot of boxes. Once you’ve used it, you will tick the ‘options’ box too – in-fact, eventually, you won’t even consider a bike that doesn’t have this on the dash. It’s like cruise control – once you’ve done a trip with it, you’ll make it a non-negotiable. Why is cruise-control a non-negotiable? Because you can cover hundreds of miles steering with your knees – where safe to do so. I knocked off 300 plus each day – no shoulder and arm ache that marked out the ‘apres-ride’ from my first thirty-five years of touring. Cruise is the business, simple as.

But the Rally Pro has many other tricks up it’s sleeve to make you fall in love with it. Twin LED spotlights – you are unlikely to miss me coming. Brace yourself … TWO stage heated seat – same for pillion – and THREE stage heated grips, (obviously NOT for pillion …), and these are not just for Winter. 200 miles into the journey, the 70 MPH constant windchill is taking effect as I head into dusk, passing through occasional rain showers and spits – to be able to gradually, a stage at a time, add in heat elements is a JOY. I really LOVE this stuff – and it makes me safer and more alert and dexterous with the controls. And it will you too. This is serious quality – I salute Triumph for this. You will concur.

When I slid onto the saddle at PURE HQ Wellingborough, I did wonder whether the seat was big or padded enough for crossing continents, it looked slightly ‘Adventure Touring’ as opposed to ‘Touring Touring’ – but in practice, it worked out just fine – I would occasionally stand up in the saddle to vent the crown jewels, and stretch my legs. Didn’t try a pillion – but did have Kevin’s Cordura top box strapped to the seat pad – as usual – with all my kit in it. I need to buy that box – if they still make it. Best bike luggage I have ever used.

From Metre 1, this is a bike that inspires massive confidence. As I pulled off the ramp at PURE, I immediately felt at home, albeit a couple of flights up. Captaining a Rally Pro is a bit like Captaining a Lancaster – for a Diavel rider – she’s tall. Once you get used to the elevated viewing gallery, it becomes an advantage – you can see over the top of SUV’s, when traffic starts piling into each other – you have a fighting chance of not getting embroiled. Result!

It's the ride quality and grip that get you first. Svelte – with traction and cornering ability to spare. I mean, you shouldn’t be able to crank a bike with such a big front hoop into bends the way you can this one. Showa and Bridgestone to thank here - Triumph haven’t cheaped out on the componentry. And it shows. The rear shock is exceptional at providing a magic carpet ride – I never failed to marvel at the way it floated over broken up road surfaces. Especially impressive when you encounter a pothole on your line whilst cranked over – you say a prayer and brace, ( - actually you do the opposite – you relax your grip on the bars) – but the Pro soaks it up. It’s like the two-wheel equivalent of a Land Cruiser – comfortable, capable – and with a feeling of being crafted for the long term. As it should for the money …it’s not cheap at £14.5k

Gearbox is always these days, a Triumph ‘tour de force’ – this one has a quick shifter – and, believe me, because of the torque, you will be shifting fast. I would sit at 4500 RPM where there is instant and linear drive on tap, then punch it up to 5500 and shift. Machine gun fast shifts too – the box never complains. Not a single false neutral – Ducati could learn something from Triumph’s gearbox engineers. You will note that I’ve left the engine to last …

Honestly, that is because it, literally, quietly gets on with the job of propulsion. Without masses of drama and theatrics. It’s efficient – 60 MPG is on – smooth as a turbine, and due to Triumph changing the firing order, has a nice beefy growl emanating from deep within it’s crankcases. But it’s no drama queen – and to me, used to the mechanical sound of my 1260 S Diavel, it’s all almost too quiet, too smooth. But for long-distance touring, you will be very grateful for this. When I dropped the Rally Pro off and collected the Duke, for the first few miles I thought it embarrassingly noisy and brutal. That’s the Hinkley triple for you – sounds – and responds -like a jet turbine spooling up. Does it make enough power? Yes, for me, as a lifetime pilot, just. It’s not explosive, (106 BHP), but searing – if you care to rinse the motor – and spool it up to beyond 9000 RPM. There’s a price to pay for the frugal 60MPG – its very lean off the bottom of the throttle – this can catch you out pulling off the lights – but it has that excellent torque thrust at 4500 RPM I’ve alluded to … 

A Triumph Triple CAN be anything you – or Triumph - want it to be – the 1200 RR I tested was bonkers fast – 180 BHP - the 1200 Tiger much less so – and the power step down to the 900 might leave experienced riders wanting a little more on the road – but never NEEDING a little bit more, note the difference. As a real-World motorcycle, she covers ground very fast – or can. It’s only us racers – with forty years riding under our belts who would ever even question it.

I race a 455 BHP 800 KG Alfa Romeo 4C – by mid-season, that doesn’t even feel fast …

In every respect. I realised on this ride, I’ve become a pretty good motorcyclist. Not in an arrogant – dropping my guard – kind of way – but there’s a gentleness now to the way I address the controls – and being back in a race car has sharpened my senses. I feel incredibly relaxed on the – a – bike – for that I am very grateful. And, on a really long ride, I get into a ‘zen’ state. Amazing.

It's been a few months since I set out on a massive forty-eight hour ‘raid’. If you are relatively new to motorcycling, you may only have done short trips – or trips in company with other bikers. I have buddies who only want to ride when they have someone to ride with. For me, that’s missing a trick. Though I love riding in company, there is also something special about riding long distance solo. At first the time in saddle seems immense – but as you get into the ride, your conscious mind relaxes – and whilst still being incredibly alert – allows all kinds of thoughts to run through your head. Riding through Devon – across Dartmoor – then into Cornwall is magnificent, the sights, smells – changing landscape. No matter how many times I do this, always a joy – on the right bike. Let’s be clear, that part is IMPORTANT.  You CAN do this run on a 2010 865 Scrambler – you can even do it on an RD400 Yamaha, (look it up), with expansion pipes – I know – I’ve done it – forty years ago – but you are going to be seriously uncomfortable at various stages of the journey. And the day after. As the RD400 is a distant memory, let’s talk about the Rally Pro compared to, say, a Triumph – or similar - heritage bike. And here, for me, is the ‘rub’. We all love those sexy looking Sunday morning café racers. People like me probably don’t go for the looks of ‘adventure’ motorcycles – as much as the ‘Steve McQueen’ specials. But crossing a damp, misty Dartmoor, three hours into the ride, with luggage and animal shit all over the gravelly single track road – your show-pony heritage becomes a liability – whereas your Rally Pro – with linear power delivery, perfect fuelling, adjustable screen, ABS, ESC, heat grips, comfortable heat seat, LED spots – Bridgestone – becomes your best friend. Warm, dry, brilliant traction – high enough to see over the hedges. This is your ticket to ‘Business Class’ travel. And safety – don’t underestimate that. I’ve also done this trip on a Road King Harley – and remember what wheel spin over painted moors roads feels like – it’s not enjoyable, and it could easily have ended on it’s side. Downshifts on my 865 with it’s heavy flywheel and budget clutch would tax the grip of the heritage rubber – the single disc front brake would make an emergency evasion a marginal call. It did!

Getting back on my current motorcycle, a 2019 1260S Diavel, it immediately feels terrible compared to the 900 Rally Pro. It looks fantastic. But, the riding experience – is strictly for sunny days and smooth roads. I need an adventure bike in my stable. The issue is, I don’t have a ‘stable’ – or even a garage to keep another bike in …say nothing of the funds - so it would have to be my only bike … and at this point, now I am seriously considering one. The only other bike that I have ever ridden that impressed me as much at the time was the original Multistrada, back in the day – maybe circa. 2011. But if you don’t need 150 BHP, and really, who does – then the Pro does a better job for less money. And here’s the kicker – the 2024 Pro is the best-looking Triumph Adventure bike to date – especially in these colours. The racer in me is drawn to the Desert X as an alternative I haven’t ridden one, but I can guess … – but again – it’s style over practicality … how much off road capacity do I really need … ? Zero capacity, that’s the truth of it. So why not the GT Tiger, with cast wheels? Nope. The Rally Pro is good looking in a rugged sort of way. It is the sweet spot. Ability vs. Aesthetics. Check.

Speed cameras everywhere make 160 BHP seem a nonsense too – an engine like the Diavel’s runs at 65 degrees at 90 MPH, ultimately pretty pointless. The ‘little’ Tiger is happy at 50MPH in a contraflow in 5th – or even 6th. When I was a kid, 900cc sounded like a ‘big’ bike – today it feels like a toy to me, power-wise – it can be quick, but you have to rev. it. The good news is, it’s socially acceptable – and, unsurprisingly, part of that is the noise – or lack of it. It makes no more noise than a car most of the time. Where that is a liability is when filtering on a slow motorway, which it’s exceptional at – you have to rely on the LEDS for penetration. When I owned the Harley hot-rod, the noise of the unbaffled Akrapovic pipes would part the Red Sea, as people scanned their rear-view mirrors looking for the wreck that was undoubtedly cartwheeling down the road towards them … the Tiger doesn’t do that – and it’s the worse for not announcing itself more assertively. What it does sublimely is … eat miles. In the most comfortable way imaginable. 100 – 95 – 90 … she just munches the mileage up like a two-wheeled PacMan. I can honestly say I’ve never ridden anything more comfortable – it’s a Land Cruiser with two wheels – or, maybe, reliability aside – a Range Rover. The ergonomics are spot-on. And it takes you about ten minutes to ‘learn it’. It’s not a quirky bike – like the BMW GS Urban I briefly owned – you can ‘place’ the Tiger with ease.

What would I change? Good question. Pipe? Definitely. Add speed limit sign on the dash. Keyless. Who’s it for? Me. At the age I am now. People who want to – need to – go to work on a bike – and jump the traffic. People who want to cross continents in style. People who need to leave for the office early and come back late. People who don’t want to attract the attention of the Police. Intelligent people. People who would prefer not die on a motorcycle.

All the stuff twenty years ago I would have told you doesn’t belong on a motorcycle is, all of the stuff that makes this motorcycle epic.

You won’t look like Steve McQueen.

But you might look like Daniel Craig.

And you will be having a fantastic trip.

Steve Deeks – August 2024.