Here's what the British motorcycling press said in their 2012 Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200 reviews:
“The Triumph is a fantastic motorcycle. A five-star bike. One that I would be proud to own. Its glorious-sounding 1215cc engine is faster than the BMW boxer twin, it has much more precise steering, it can carry more weight on board and it’s more comfortable than the Beemer. Plus, the traction control is better, it would smoke its rival rond corners and in a straight line. A-to-B you’d get there faster, in more comfort than the BMW. The suspension is better, so is the wind protection and the control from the chassis.” Marc Potter, Motorcycle News, February 2012
"Triumph admit this bike won’t outsell the GS, but everything about the Explorer – from its performance to its price to its 10,000-mile service interval – is intended to give the BMW a real run for its money.” Simon Weir, RiDE – May 2012
“There’s no denying that this bike has just trumped the GS in practically every way possible. It looks better, it rides better and it’s got a better spec too. Not forgetting to mention the fact it offers much better value fo r money that its nemesis. If I was in the market for a bike to tackle big miles on, with realistic off-road capabilities, then I wouldn’t really look elsewhere.” Bruce Wilson, Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – May 2012
"After only four hours in the saddle I’ve come to the following conclusion. The Tiger Explorer is a big, fast, comfy motorcycle that’s fun to ride because of that turbine-smooth, howling triple engine. It behaves more like a ‘normal’ motorbike than BMW’s GS and it runs the Crosstourer really close on account of its price (it’s cheaper) and its incredible standard-fit parts and huge service intervals. Is it fun? When was a 137PS motorbike not fun? As far as its off-roading capabilities are concerned, I'm not truly convinced. 260kgs of anything is too big for anything other than riding up a gravel drive." Mark Forsyth, Visordown – February 2012 Read the full review
