Triumph Motorcycles has expanded its 1200 Tiger Explorer fleet to six and thrown a heap of electronic gizmos at them to keep pace with the hi-tech adventure bike sector.
The road-oriented Explorer XR, XRx and XRt, and the off-road biased Explorer XC, XCx and XCa have been unveiled at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan.
Triumph Explorer XRTHowever, in a nod to the trend in hi-tech adventure motorcycles, Triumph Australia marketing manager Mark Berger says they will not be bringing in the base mode XC and XR “due to the demand in Australia being so strongly skewed to the up spec models”. No pricing or scheduled availability has been released yet.
The new Explorers were unveiled next to the new Speed Triple S and R and the 2016 range of 900cc and 1200 Bonnevilles, some of which are expected to be flown to Australia for the Sydney motorcycle Show on Friday.
Highlights of the new Tiger Explorer fleet:
- 1215cc triple engine with shaft final drive with more power and more torque – the most powerful in the adventure segment;
- introduction of five Rider Modes, including a rider programmable mode;
- new cornering-optimised Traction Control and ABS;
- new TSAS – semi-active suspension system;
- new low-seat variants;
- new first-in-class electrically adjustable screen; and
- new Hill Hold Control system.
Triumph Explorer XCA and XR
There are few technical details so far and no figures on the claim that the engine has more power and torque.
The base-model Explorers get WP adjustable suspension, while the other models feature Triumph Semi-Active Suspension system which allows the rider to electronically control the adjustment of the front and rear suspension damping, automatically adapting the rear shock absorber pre-load settings to reflect the terrain being covered and providing optimal grip and drive.
WP on base modelsMulti-channel switchable ABS and traction control is standard on the entry level XR and XC models, while the others come with cornering-optimised ABS and traction control.
The Explorer XCx, XCa, XRx and XRT also feature an Inertial Measurement Unit that uses sensors to monitor and respond to the bike’s movement, calculating the lean angle and using this measurement to improve stability by optimising the performance of the ABS and traction control systems.
The four pre-set Rider Modes also vary the performance of the ABS and traction control systems, while the fifth mode can be programmed by the rider to suit their riding style and the type of terrain they frequent.
Hill Hold Control is another feature finding its way into modern adventure motorcycles with the new Ducati 1200 Multistrada Enduro the latest to add the feature. It prevents the bike rolling back when starting on a steep incline. Triumph says it is beneficial when the motorcycle is fully-loaded or carrying a passenger.
Current owners will be pleased to hear that the new models have received a cosmetic update with sharp new aerodynamic lines designed to improve rider and passenger thermal comfort. Hopefully that will reduce the radiated heat from the cylinder heads and header pipes.
The 1200 Tiger Explorers are also the first in the adventure category to fit an electrically adjustable screen that allows the rider to easily tailor wind protection while riding. 
Triumph Explorer XCA