A purring triple-cylinder engine and sharp handling have this big cat gunning for a spot among the all-time great all-rounders
It’s all too easy to assume the 2025 Tiger Sport 800 is a Tiger 660 with a current engine plucked from stock and shoehorned into the smaller bike’s chassis. It is, in fact, a new model and concept from Triumph with an entirely new 800cc triple engine – which I’m sure we will see in other models to come.
The chassis is similar to the 660’s and shares the same swingarm, but the frame has been modified to accommodate a larger airbox and three separate intakes rather than the single intake of the 660. The brakes are shared with the new Speed Twin 1200, and I’m sure other cycle parts hail from other models, but the blend of a sporty 17-inch front rim – not the 19-incher found on the 850 Sport and 900 GT Sport – and adventure styling gives the 800 a new and subtly sporting attitude.
ON THE ROAD
In the early morning sunlight, on smaller rims and in optional Cosmic Yellow, the Tiger looked purposeful; for under $20k it’s a great-looking bike. Even if you remove the badges, it’s clearly a Triumph.
The TFT dash and three riding modes may feel basic in 2025, but for many riders they’ll be just right. At 835mm, the non-adjustable seat height makes the bike unintimidating, and the compact cockpit is easy to navigate. The standard quick-shifter works smoothly, and fuelling is precise across Rain and Road maps.
Cold, damp roads made me opt for Rain mode, but as the fuelling was so smooth and the torque curve so flat, I’m not sure it was even needed. The standard Michelin Road 5 rubber worked well in poor weather, and I could only provoke the traction control by deliberately accelerating hard over white lines or slippery manhole covers. It was easy to change modes on the move, but it’s not actually clear which mode you’re in once selected as there’s no obvious indication on the dash.
In town there was a lovely burble and rasp from the exhaust that’s complemented by an induction roar from the airbox. The bike felt up for some fun and certainly processed traffic with a smile on its face. Like the Tiger Sport 660, the 17-inch front wheel and road-biased geometry allowed it to steer quickly and easily and there was none of the slightly top-heavy feel of some older Tigers.
A brief stretch of fast motorway revealed that the 800 isn’t as revvy as the 660 and is noticeably more relaxed (and relaxing) as speeds push past 130km/h. The riding position is adventure style – upright but balanced – and the largish, manually adjustable screen was effective at diverting a wintry blast from my upper body and head.
Triumph makes some fine-handling bikes and the new Tiger adds to that tradition. On twisty roads, its 214kg seemed to disappear, making it effortless to ride and hustle. It’s flickable and fun like the smaller 660 but the chassis has more refinement and control.
Despite the 800’s adventure bike looks, its unambiguous road focus means the suspension doesn’t need to be long-travel to cope with any off-road work. With less travel than a typical 19-inch adventure machine, the chassis and suspension work well together; there’s enough weight transfer under braking to load and work the tyre, but the fork doesn’t dive like a soccer player looking for a penalty, while the rear is controlled and offers plenty of feedback – even when you start to make full use of the triple’s 84.6kW (113hp).
The torque curve is very flat, making for a linear power delivery that drives the 800 with satisfying urgency. Work that smooth quickshifter and you can enjoy a ride brisk enough to make you question why you’d ever want more power or torque. Should the mood take you, it will happily rev past 10,750pm to the limiter at 11,500rpm, and behave like a (comfortable) sports bike. Such is the punch of the midrange, there’s no need but rev beyond 8500rpm but, like all Triumph’s triples, its rasping exhaust sounds epic when you do.
In Sport mode, the throttle response is a little sharper, but not overly aggressive, and you can feel the rider aids have been turned down. The TC works as an anti-wheelie and is relatively smooth when it kicks in. In Sport the front wheel hovers and holds over crests or when accelerating hard in the first two gears, whereas in Road mode wheelies are kept on a tight leash with the front tyre firmly planted.
Unlike some sports-tourers, ground clearance is excellent for this type of bike. Only heavier riders or those riding two-up with luggage may want to add some preload to the rear. I rode reasonably hard and was impressed by the composure of the chassis at pace. This Tiger certainly has the minerals necessary to chase your (far less comfortable) mates on sportsbikes.
The brakes department may lack the Brembo bling of some of the Italian competition but the 800’s twin 310mm front discs and four-piston calipers (there’s a single 265mm disc on the rear) are more than up for the job. The radial-mounted Triumph-branded items are the same as the standard Speed Twin 1200, and they work well on the modern classic too. Cornering ABS is standard and doesn’t change via the mode, which does mean when ridden aggressively it kicks in a little early and is a tad intrusive. For normal riding, though, the safety net of cornering ABS will be a bonus.
The combination of an excellent chassis with that 17-inch front wheel, a fun engine full of character and a roomy riding position meant I didn’t want the test day to end. It’s not often you can have so much fun in comfort. We only got a taste of the 800’s long-distance ability but after a full day in the saddle I had no complaints. Install some of the optional luggage, which incidentally is the same as the 660’s, even down to its mounting points, and you could easily kick out some big kays.
VERDICT
The Tiger Sport 800 is a fantastic all-round machine; versatile, as easy to manage as the Tiger 660 but classier, and a cinch around town and at slow speeds – yet attach some luggage and it can belt out a few solid weeks of touring. It will commute efficiently during the week and unsettle sportsbike riders on weekends. It sounds good, looks smart and has bags of character. It also comes with just enough gadgets and rider aids to keep you safe.
When it comes to naming the great all-rounders of the last 20 years or so, many will cite Honda’s legendary VFR800 or Kawasaki’s first generation Z1000SX, which are good at almost everything – and now a new bike joins that list.
✅ PROS – Excellent chassis, a fun engine full of character and a roomy riding position.
❌ CONS – Hard to fault, except for a slightly intrusive cornering ABS system, which doesn’t change with the rider modes.
COMPETITION
Yamaha Tracer 9 GT from $25,599 (ride away)
BMW F 900 GS from $21,770 (ride away)
KMT 890 SMT from $20,495 (ride away)
Ducati Multistrada V2 from $26,100 (ride away)
SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE
798cc water-cooled inline triple, 4 valves per cylinder, 78mm x 55.7mm bore/stroke, 13.2:1 compression, wet multiplate clutch, six-speed quickshifter, chain final drive
PERFORMANCE
84.6kW (113hp) @ 10,750rpm, 84Nm @ 8500rpm, est. top speed 250km/h, fuel consumption 4.7L/100km (claimed)
ELECTRONICS
Bosch IMU with riding modes (Rain, Road, Sport), lean-sensitive ABS and TC
CHASSIS
Tubular steel perimeter frame, rake 23.8°, trail 99mm, wheelbase 1422mm
SUSPENSION
Showa 41mm USD fork (comp/rebound adj, 150mm travel), single rear shock (rebound and remote preload, 150mm travel)
WHEELS/TYRES
17-in cast alloy wheels, 120/70 front, 180/55 rear, Michelin Road 5 tyres
BRAKES
310mm twin front discs with radial 4-piston calipers, 255mm rear disc, Bosch cornering ABS.
DIMENSIONS
214kg wet (claimed), seat height 835mm, width 828mm, height 1386mm (screen up), fuel capacity 18.6L
PRICE/COLOURS
$20,290 ride away. Graphite, Caspian Blue, Sapphire Black, Cosmic Yellow.
CONTACT
