Triumph Unveils 2020 Tiger 900

As the calendar year comes to a close, and we thought we’d already identified all the bikes we can’t wait to ride in 2020, Triumph pulls a rabbit out of the hat. Well, a Tiger actually. From the look of things, the 2020 Tiger 900 has all the ingredients to be a worthy successor to the popular Tiger 800, a bike that’s won the hearts of thousands of ADV-touring riders since its introduction in 2010.

And make no mistake, Triumph hasn’t merely given the 900 a face-lift and a Euro 5-compensating displacement boost. The 2020 Tiger 900 GT and Rally models are the next generation of Triumph’s adventure lineup, and feature all-new electronics, chassis, suspension, brakes, and engine.

Triumph 86’d the XR and XC model designations, and replaced them with the GT and Rally names, respectively. But as before, the lineup comprises six models—the base-model Tiger 900, GT, a low seat-height GT, GT Pro, Rally, and Rally Pro.

The change in nomenclature is intended to highlight the more distinct identities of the GT and Rally families. Brandon Keller, Triumph USA’s operations manager, says, “What we’ve really tried to do is separate the Rally and GT versions out so that the GT is way more of a road bike and the Rally is way more of an off-road bike to really make it not feel like they’re basically the same things but with different wheels.”

Before we get into the differences between the Rally and GT models, here are a few headlines: Triumph claims the 888cc engine is good for 94 hp at 8,750 rpm and 64 pound-feet of torque at 7,250 rpm. It also has a revised 1-3-2 firing order that provides what the company describes as a twin-like feel low in the rev range (consider our interest piqued). The boffins back in Hinckley were able to reduce overall weight by a claimed 16 pounds (depending on the model) and the lighter tubular chassis has a bolt-on aluminum subframe. The whole range also gets high-end Brembo Stylema Monoblocks, a new six-axis IMU developed with Continental, a large 7-inch TFT dash (on all but the base model), and the top-spec models get up/down quickshifters.

The more on-road-focused GT models have 19/17-inch cast wheels, “sportier” ergos, and shorter-travel Marzocchi suspension, while the off-road-biased Rally lineup has spoked 21/17-inch wheels, off-road-oriented ergos, and longer-travel Showa suspension. Ride modes are also model-dependent.

Triumph redesigned the steel trellis frame and moved the engine 1.6 inches forward and 0.8 inch down in the chassis to improve low-speed maneuverability, and to give it an even narrower waist. Swinging a leg over the new Rally Pro, you will find the Tiger 900 definitely feels slimmer through the seat. Ground clearance remains the same, thanks to a redesigned oil sump. There’s also an all-new swingarm that’s pretty enough to make you want to hang it on your wall.

Triumph’s three-cylinder engine remains unique in the ADV world, and on the Tiger 900 there appears to be even more to recommend it. The most dramatic change is the unique firing order: The first cylinder fires followed 180 degrees later by the third cylinder; 270 degrees later, the second cylinder fires; and 270 degrees later it starts all over again. In addition to the new crank, the engine has new cams, Nikasil-plated cylinder liners, new pistons and rods, and magnesium engine covers. If not a clean-sheet design, it’s certainly pretty close.

It was only two years ago that I was in Morocco riding the brand-new Tiger 800 through the falling snow and muddy trails of the Atlas Mountains, looking for something bad to say about it. I couldn’t really think of anything. To make sure my estimation was accurate, I took it on the Mid-Atlantic BDR for a couple thousand miles of back-road flogging. I loved the thing.

Since then, the competition has gotten more aggressive, with the likes of the KTM 790 Adventure blowing the minds of our off-road-loving testers. If you ask me, the Tiger has always been for the rider who knows spec sheets tell only part of the story. As a sublimely refined package, the Tiger 800 was one of the easiest bikes to ride on all-day blasts on the street, and was friendly and predictable off road. It was a flattering motorcycle that made riders of average skill feel good about themselves.

With the Tiger 900, Triumph is forcing the average rider to pause for a moment of self-reflection. Do you need the off-road capability of the Rally, or are you going to spend less time in the dunes and more time on the pavement, maybe with a passenger aboard? Let existential quandary commence (“Who am I?!”).

RELATED: The Triumph Tiger 800 Makes Average People Feel Good About Themselves

We’ll have to wait to ride them before we cast any judgment, but we can foresee the Tiger 900 GT giving the Ducati Multistrada 950 S hell on the twisties and the Tiger 900 Rally giving the Honda Africa Twin 1100 and KTM 790 Adventure a run for their money when the pavement ends.

H2: 2020 Triumph Tiger 900 Pricing And Availability

If you’re itching to get your hands on the new Tiger, there’s good news. In spite of the vastness of the update, the base model 900 has an MSRP of $12,500, only $500 more than the 2019 Tiger 800. The GT starts at $14,300, and the Rally starts at $15,000—expect them to show up in dealerships in April. Pricing on Pro models has not yet been released, but expect a March arrival at a Triumph dealer near you.

The hard part may be deciding which one is best for you. Anyone else feel an existential crisis brewing?