Holy Sh%$!!!!! The Tiger? The FIRST time ever in a real comparo that it wins. You guys must not be on the BMW payroll like most testers. I love my 2016 XCa so much I'm turning it into a 2019 XCa.
I came to the same conclusion last fall, bought the Tiger 800. I don't ride trails or rough terrain, but lots of gravel roads and 2 lane pavement. The GS was my other consideration...the AT is just to tall for me. I have no regrets.
Hoagie Sherlin That has been my choice too. Second hand 2016 DCT last week. Bringing it to Transylvania for 2 weeks in August. Might run into the guys there 😁
All 3x these bikes are great. None of them are bad. The Triumph to me is best. Even better than the 1200 GS LC I have ridden this past few days. The Triumph is very smooth in every respect and the noise and character of the triple does it for me.
LOVED the review I’m going to eventually get a Triumph Tiger 800 xcx when I graduate with my engineering degree. I just love the looks of the bike, economy, cost of ownership, and this review showed it to be the best overall riding experience. Going to get those side cases though
A huge surprise when y'all said you'd buy the Tiger. I think I'd take your advice if my riding were 50/50 highway and off road. But, my riding is more 90/10 highway/off road (and the off road is just gravel roads, fire/logging roads), so mine would be the Africa Twin.Keep making the great videos, guys!
Great review - Thanks guys! Eventually, it is very depends on the feeling of the rider with the motorcycle... I choose the F850GS and enjoy every moment with it. Keep up the good work and make life a ride ;-)
Why did I choose the Tiger? I LOVE triples. It behaves like a well-tuned hooligan sport bike on asphalt, loves the twisties all the day long. That torqey triple pulls like a mule in any gear. No flat spots. Just hauls ass. Off road? enough to get you in or out of trouble. Stay off the throttle, and you will stay out of trouble...remember, these are not dirt bikes with big engines. psst...ditch the stock exhaust and treat it to an Arrow :-)
Cool videos beautiful country. I just rode my 2015 Tiger Xcx800 2100 miles (3400km) through Glacier park, Beartooth pass, Bighorns and every kind of road in between. It does do pretty well all around. Thanks for one of the best real world comparisons I've seen on bikes.
The best useful review I've seen and waited for. As you said, it's about how are you going to use the bike. Very surprising ending.... the key point I needed to make my decision for the british one. Great job guys. It would be a great help an instruction video on how to properly setup suspensions when you come on-road or off-road. Great job guys!! and Cheers from Panamá
Honda should really consider bringing a 650-850ccm "Mini" Africa Twin. The big one is great and really capable Offroad, but i think its just too much for normal People.
Great review once again and I was surprised by your final verdict. I thought you’d all go for the GS. I guess the decision for us is, what type of riding do we mainly do (for me, thats 99% on road touring and I have a nice new ATAS). If you spend a lot of time Offroad, get the GS and if you live somewhere with lots of great Offroad trails, buy the triumph. Must say though, you should have adjusted the front suspension on the Honda like you did on the triumph, I have on mine and it feels much better than stock. I think the main issue with the Honda is its height and fuel tank width, it’s not much heavier than the Gs. Do you think the dct was a negative for Offroad and would you have been more confidence in the mud if you’d had a manual gearbox ATAS? Have to say though, any of these bikes are not really ideal for off-roading (even though the manufacturers want us to think they are) they’re just too heavy, drop one and try and picking it up on your own in mud and your’ll soon realise this.
You're right. The way you're gonna use the motorcycle is the most important thing. You have to be honest to yourself and keep that in mind when buying it. The thing we didn't like at the Africa Twin is the higher centre of gravity compared to the others. It struggled a bit on rough terrain. I don't think the DCT was a negative.
Yes, absolutely, you have to be honest about what you will really use the bike for. Many of us aspire to venture offroad, but in reality we will realise that we’re maybe too old and decrepit 😂 to do the things we see you young guys doing on these heavy adventure bikes and readjust our goals of trekking around the world, or to far flung places and just except that a gentle dirt track and roads are more realistic (I do have to go to work on Monday 😞😄). I love the look of the adventure bikes (having grown up with the original Tenere and Africa Twin of the 80’s and 90’s) and the high commanding view and comfortable riding position. The ATAS does everything I want to do, my only criticism is the tubed tyres, it should get tubeless (the minority of owners that want tubes can fit them) and cruise control, otherwise it’s a superb bike. My other choice was the GS, but I would’ve had to wait for the 850 Adventure to come out next year. I’ve never been interested in any triumphs, so that wasn’t on my shopping list. Your reviews are very good and are very useful to us, so thanks for your excellent work 👍🏻. Oh by the way, who fell off going up the steep hill at the end of the video and what bike were they on 😉😄
Yeah me too! Don't like crap talk about sepecks, hp, size of the disks wheels and other shit...what for?i can googled it! All i want is how the bike is like, that's all
I noticed that starting in 2018 the Africa Twin stopped getting constant praise for feeling light, nimble, manageable etc. The competition did get better, but they also started using the taller, heavier ATAS model for all reviews. I cant help but wonder if pushing the ATAS on everything is hurting the Africa Twin?
When it comes to maintenance and repairs, I've heard that BMW an Triumph are a bit pricey. Honda parts are probably much cheaper and more available than the other two. Someone posted a video about the top 10 most reliable motorcycle brands and the Japanese bikes took 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. BMW and Triumph didn't even feature in the top 5. So when it comes to reliability and maintenance cost I know which bike I would buy
I have had two BMW Gs 1150 & 650 Dakar and they are expensive to maintain. I have had lots of Hondas that hardly need anything. I currently have in Africa twin and definitely would choose that over my BMWs off road. I believe this guy is biased towards Bmw as in all of his videos he always chooses the BMW. Look up on RU-vid mad Mick Africa twin and tell me if you’ve ever seen a Bmw do the stuff he’s doing. I’ve never had a KTM but I still say the KTM will do better off road than the AT
@@jasonearles9789 Yep, Mad Mick is amazing to watch:) You see lots of people riding hard-core on KTMs - and my 950ADV was so easy to ride off-road. There are a couple of vids around that say the old 990/950 is better than the AT - But I suspect the old KTMs are better than almost anything, including new KTMs (Off-road anyway). I'd be happy if the AT was nearly as good as a 950 off-road - love the look of the AT and Honda build quality. AND the AT has a much lower seat height, which would give me a little confidence boost. I really want a great road bike, that isn't a pig off-road like my VStrom1000 was (In the hard stuff anyway).
@@actstuntcam I think the 950/990 would do better off-road. The one thing I don’t like about the AT is it’s the front end is heavy and makes it hard to wheelie over ruts/ditches etc. it just wants to spin. You have to really bounce the seat hard to get enough traction to lift the front at least off-road. Not convenient when you are flying and something sneaks up on you. Check out Black Bear Pass in Colorado... I road the AT over BBP and the entire Alpine Loop. I just sold the Africa Twin and order the Yamaha T7.
@@jasonearles9789 Awesome response, helpful and specific. I'll definitely look at the T7 - I guess I really need to consider how hard-core I'll go off-road. Things I don't like about the T7 (I've only sat on one) - Is very tall, carries its weight high, Bar, peg, seat relationship isn't very good for me. The bars are too high and too close to the pegs - I could put flatter, lower bars on and rock them forward, I guess - not really that expensive to do. As standard I think I'd end up sitting all the time as I'd have to constantly pull on the bars to keep standing and I'd get really fatigued - but as I say, maybe an easy fix with lower bars. T7 is cheaper, but Honda is wayyyy nicer. Really I'm purely speculating until I actually ride one - and then of course I'll only really know what it is like on road... Thanks heaps Jason:)
Great review, it's great to hear riders talking about things that matter and recognising each bike has its strengths. I have a 2011 Tiger, and everything you say is true (especially about having little low down torque). It's not the best at one thing, but a great allrounder. I'd definitely buy the new version. If only I could keep up with my GS friends off-road - then it would be perfect. Thanks guys
After viewing the two videos I was all set to go buy a tiger. That is until I road the new XCA, everything was great about the bike except for one thing. The amount of heat coming off of the radiator was too much for me. I live in an area that 90 degrees f is not uncommon so the radiator heat is a very big deal for me.
You guys are amazing! Very good review from real world riders, amazing camera work, real proffesionals. I have just found my favourite channel! And... i have now put Romania as a "must visit place" for this summer with the bike. I am mot a tent guy, so i hope there is signs saying "rooms" along the roads. ;)
Oh man, you guys make the best ADV videos by far. This was awesome to watch. I loved the surprise plot twist at the end (I ride a Tiger) and the funny very last bit. :-D
It was a big surprise your final decision!, I was expecting something completely different. But I'm agree with that. Perhaps the most beautiful one.. Africa twin, the best engine sound.. Tiger and it also has a lot of package options to pick up from the retailer.
Tiger is the Range Rover of adventure bikes I have ridden Africa twin, r1200gs, ducati multistrada enduro and triumph tiger but tiger was the most relaxing and comfortable motorcycle I loved it
One of the reasons I would never buy one of these big adventure bikes is the issue with mud, it is all great when it is dry but some rain can turn the easiest of rides into a nightmare. Big adventure bikes are great for freeways and big open roads where high speed is important but when you do decide to get adventurous things get a little bit harder. Think I will stick with my old DR 650, still under 200 kg ready to roll, full tank and gear.
I thought this too, but when I was stuck on 100 km muddy road stretch the TC cut it really well and my Tiger 800XCx. I am sure that I would have been all over the road sliding on my DRZ400E.
I have a DR650 and it rocks on-road commuting or riding hard in the twisties, it is an ok dirt bike. However, I wouldn't want to ride it all day on the open-road (Not that it wouldn't do it, happily sitting at 90kph). However, the DR is pretty underpowered, which is also an issue in soft sand and it becomes a bit of a handful. Great cheap, reliable little bikes though.
Great video, guys. I'd love to own one of these bikes one day. The 1000-1200cc ADV bikes are too big and the 650s are too small. These are perfect. Beautiful footage and excellent editing too. I didn't know Romania was so beautiful either. And a surprise ending. I love Triumph's triples and you guys didn't talk about it too much so I was happy to see it on top in the end. One suggestion: put some info on the screen: weight, price, seat height, horsepower. Compare the bikes like that. Thanks!
Guys, very nice video as usual but on some things i have some doubts: a) if your knee were hitting the edge of the tank going downhill (whatever bike) you were riding it wrong. Downhill you shift the weight on the back of the bike with you butt well behind the line of the pegs, toes of your feet up and arms consequently a bit stretched and you clinch the bike between your legs. If you stay like that no way you can hit the edge of the tank (unless you were hitting hit badly also on flat). It would have been a bit different had you the problem going uphill. B) from what i saw on the video you were riding these quite conservatively basically on gravel road. Those condition you can tackle even with a street bike. You want to find what these bike can do what, you'd need something more technical and push these a bit harder, then you find out which one is cut for the off-road and which just have the look. C) why the AT adventure sport, while in terms of dimensions compared with the other 2 the AT standard would have been likely a more coherent choice? That said great video and thanks for sharing it with us.
Ai ui! Careful with those muddy tracks mate!! Just like Bob Marley said: "Get up! Stand up! Stand up on those foot pegs!!" Great video! Keep them coming!!
The editing is amazing but i felt the comparisons was lacking info. Exampel:If you are just saying that the Africa twin felt like a really big bike compared to the GS please explain why because on paper the size difference is a few kilos. It is not that we dont believe you but you are not giving us the ”whys”. Great video none the less
Thanks. We'll keep that in mind for our next reviews. We tried to keep it short in order to avoid being boring. Yeah, the think is that the Africa Twin has a much higher center of gravity - so there's a lack of feel and control on the front end - so it's a nightmare to go on heavy trails. It's not as precise as the other two.
Good job, gentlemen. Certainly all three are good bikes and at the end it might be a matter of taste. My favorites would be the GS and the Tiger, however not to forget about that the Tiger despite its marvelous triple engine has quite little torque at low rpm which disqualifies a bit for offroad.
The real question is can the Tiger 800 perform well on dirt roads and even when it gets a bit gnarly. Answer= yes it is easily capable. I have ridden my 2015 model across Australia twice in all conditions. The '18 model now has a lower first gear and better handle bar position for standing on dirt sections. The motor is very tractable from lower revs, it just pulls smoothly away. Very forgiving in real life riding conditions.
That was a great review and really helpful. That is the first review that says the AT is good on-road riding fast - I was soooooo surprised. If it is better than a Tiger, it must be very good. I've ridden the original 800 Tiger, and it was sensational on road. Everyone is raving about the AT as an off-road option (apart from the soft suspension) so I was surprised it came last there. I'm wondering if your opinions would have been different on the standard AT, as that is lower, with a lower seat height and is lighter than the DCT. This would have made it less intimidating off-road. Cheers, Campbell
IMHO, the only thing that prevents the Tiger from being the perfect middle weight is lack of tubeless tires. Beyond that, it has the best suspension, the smoothest engine with the widest rev range, and the best electronics. The only reason i'd even consider the AT with its shortcomings is because it's significantly less expensive, and the leftover $$ would allow me to dial it in exactly how I want it.
Another great review guys, thanks. i guess another reason to buy these bikes would be the amount of accessories available from each manufacturer. For me, i have the Tiger but whats great about motorcycling is we all make our own choices and that variety is cool.
Guys, you made the wrong choice! You should have take the regular Africa Twin over the Adventure Sports version. The standard 2018 Africa Twin would've destroy the competitors both on and off road.
Regular version Africa Twin is lower and lighter. It's as light as the F850GS, while still having bigger engine, bigger ground clearance, more suspension travel, and bigger fuel tank than the BMW. Besides, F850GS and Tiger 800 doesn't have an Adventure versions, and Africa Twin does. Therefore, regular Africa Twin is a direct competitor to the F850GS and Tiger 800 XC, but Africa Twin Adventure Sports is not.
No cruise control on the AT. It may not have mattered to them, but it matters to me, and if you're doing any significant amount of touring, it will matter to your right wrist, hand and forearm. That said, you can get a cruise control unit for the AT from McCruise, but I i'd prefer a factory installed unit given the choice.
I now want to live in Romania. Can you get me a visa, please? :) Great pair of videos, but now I want to ask why you did not have a fourth rider on a V-Strom? I had the 650 version for 5 years and it was superb in my opinion. I am sure the 1000 version would measure up well compared to these. Thanks for the videos.
The Tiger's engine is such an amazing piece of engineering, plus the incredible sound of it with an Arrow exhaust. My favorite aftermarket exhausts: Italian-made Furore GPR slip-ons. I have a Scorpion exhaust on my 800 cc Tiger from 2011, nice sound and design too! The BMW and all other bikes just sound like lame sewing machines in comparison with the awesome Triumph 3-cyclinder engine. Even if the BMW and the Honda were doing better than the Triumph Tiger in all segments of adventure motorbiking, I would still choose the Tiger just because of the engine.
Great review chaps, I was shocked by the ending , I was thinking how you had all over looked the tiger and there it was the winner, I think the African twin boys will be upset with your results though 😬
The GS is an excellent running bike for about 3 years, then the warranty expires, and at this point the GS becomes a very expensive bike to own! I prefer the Triumph!
Triumph Tiger 800 is quite a strong all-rounder bike even if not strongest in individual categories - yes that seemed a bit surprising end but I am not too surprised by that outcome..India has very challenging roads and terrain and that's the reason Tiger is one of the best seller for Triumph in India despite it not being the cheapest of the Triumph offerings - it is far more suitable for our road conditions than any other bikes (even though in isolation each bike in this review is really good).
I find it odd that BMW is still producing adventure bikes without fully adjustable front forks, no way that one setup will work for all riders and all conditions.
I agree 100%. I currently own a '14 F800GS, and I have grown to loathe the crude, underperforming suspension. I will never buy another bike (especially an ADV bike) that doesn't have a fully adjustable suspension front & rear.
I think if BMW gave it fully adjustable suspension at the same price point it would perform even worse. Just get the ohlins front and rear upgrade. It won't be a KTM but it won't have a puddle of oil under it either
excellent review and the enviroment of the road amazing views, great bikes also, congrats for the video, and cheers from Merida, Venezuela, keep posting always wachting, love the sound of the africa twin ¡¡¡
I fucking loved the twist in the end !! I was really getting angry because I felt you are ignoring the tiger through out the video lol ...and yes in deed tiger is an amazing bike !!
hahaha, great ending, after the final decision. I'm still in the market for the ATAS Manual Transmission (though it will be a while as I just bought a H-D Ultra Classic) because I have to take into consideration that for many long trips I will have Ms Wolf with me. Two-up in all riding aspects changes everything. The larger fuel range in remote Canada and Alaska will be as important as some of the other factors. So, the ATAS still has me hooked for that future purchase.
Hohooo, da, traseul dinspre Salciua spre Rimet, Bradesti sau Ponor...Huda lui Papara si Vanatarile Ponorului. Dementiala zona! Fain clip! Keep'em coming ;)
me and my brother will buy one at the end of this year, i think it will be the Africa Twin , just waiting on the specs and price of the new T7 , if it isn't much better then the AT it will be the Honda...
Nice review. You actually can't go wrong with either of those brands. Just choose what's please you the most. One thing is to let someone influencing you (which is the worst case) and the other, ride and test on your own (which is the best way to choose a bike). Personally, if I had to choose on paper and with my wallet, my hart goes to Honda: most reliable of those three, much cheaper to maintain, fun to ride (DCT is so freaking step ahead over manual clutching), looks amazing, what a sound! If I was doing only off-road I would go with something lighter... like the secret yet to come Africa Twin model 2021 oscillating somewhere between 700cc & 850cc, that is apparently coming to us at the end of 2020... This going to be a hot cake! Cheers!
Buna treaba baieti! I would choose the BMW for the safety: cornering ABS. Also tubeless tires, luggage options, low seat, cruise control. V-am pupat, din Australia
I’m a 62 year old rider with over 40 years of owning bikes many brands. In my opinion Triumph are manufacturers of Quality modern motorcycles. I have 3 Triumphs from 93’ to 14’. All have still excellent paint, plastics and components that still look new. There is no doubt that Triumph have risen to the top of the heap. I will choose the Tiger 800xca over the new Tiger 900 series as what may be my last bike. Great review Thanks.
Muy bueno el informe... Y muy buena edición... La verdad es que las tres motos son excelentes, y sin dudas la elección es muy personal... Gracias por las imágenes!!!
True about loosing air if you dent the rim so carrying a tube is a good idea but for general punctures from nails and screws the tyre will retain air as opposed to going down fast with a tube. Also tyre changes at home is much easier with tubeless.
Great video was great to hear the tiger is what you would all buy but you also was clear that it is down to choice simply as there isn’t much between the bikes of today and as for me it’s Tiger every time 🏍🏍🏍
I’ve had an R80GS, R100GS and a Triumph Tiger Trail. I think overall The R80GS with its 32 litre tank , shaft drive, suspension was the best. Also had an XLV750 with shaft drive which was a very nice bike. Don’t know why these companies have gone for chains - shaft is better for maintenance free factor and durability.
great review and channel, thank you for doing the reviews in english, so many european channels just do their reviews in italian or spanish or french and lose large parts of the audience
Thanks for the review guys, I know it must have been very hard work. Would the R1250GS HD have been too big of a bike on that adventure or is it not an issue as far as weight and size?? I'm really leaning toward the 1250GS HD b/c I am interested in the shift cam, the 850 doesn't have that. Your thoughts are appreciated fellas. Thanks.
One thing never mentioned in reviews is odemeter mileage. After 3k miles, my 2018 Tiger XCa's engine is just starting to "open up." Great idea on that tent. I'm going to copy that! Those side "bike porn" tracking shots were great. It made me notice your boot choices. I'd like to know why each of you chose different boots, :) Borat's boots look too thick and bulky for stock shifters.
Dao Tran I've noticed the same thing but thought it was me only. First got a Street Triple RS. Rode it for about 4k miles and it was feeling better and better. Now I have a Tiger 1200 XRT and after 2.5k started breathing. Haven't done 3k miles yet.
I know this question is outside of the video, but I am interested in the Honda CB500X with the Rally Raid level II kit with spoke wheels. Do you know about it? If so, what is your impression?
John Roth if you haven’t found this guy already blancolirio is a great channel and he builds a 2014 bike up in about 3 videos. Has Jenny Morgan on a couple of videos too. Also look for an adventure ride in Aussie outback where the founder of rally raid (John?) takes his bike into the bush 600km with a bunch of ktm buds. All good information
You guys rocks, unbiased review, pro shooting angles and beautiful scenery here in Romania. In which mountain have you been to? Nice comparison, however, torque wise the AT has a bit of unfair advantage, as being 1000cc. I just pulled the trigger for a slightly used Tiger 800 XCa now, for me the triple-engine and the WP-suspension were the key selling points. I ride less terrain, so a no brainer for me...Keep up the nice work!
The Africa twin despite having a bigger engine doesn't make 120 - 140bhp like it should. This way the engine is more relaxed and makes less vibration. 1250gs and tiger 1200 makes a lot of vibration.
Miles ahead in everything.. Superb editing and photography.. Except for the sound..as it seems it was recorded in stereo effect.. Which was getting annoying when the same guy was speaking and suddenly he sounds in left side and the next min right..
