Explorer is selling well!!

what a great thread...all the usual fools spouting rubbish justifying why they made the best decision...

whatever
 
I actually ended up buying an Explorer :thumb2 It`s really good and I like it :friday

IMG_20120804_151435.jpg


:D

It's a bloody sight better looking than any 1200GS
 
And what use was that, if I may ask? Touring? Trail-riding? Enduro?



Well that's all fine and dandy and nothing would please Roynie more than proving that the Triumph Explorer is more than a match for my beloved GS. However, when it comes down to it and we're sat here planning our next big trip, the Explorer is a big unknown. Yes, Triumph did run an off road test from Malaga to the Sahara and back, but a lot of that was on tarmac. Not sure that I'd want to trust all that road-centred comfort and gadgetry in the wilds of Mongolia.



If the cap fits ... :augie

Would you want to trust a modern canbus fuel injected gs in mongolia? Or would you go for a honda / yam preferably small with carbs
? Modern gs like explorers are far too complicated to risk in the third world imo
 
Would you want to trust a modern canbus fuel injected gs in mongolia? Or would you go for a honda / yam preferably small with carbs
? Modern gs like explorers are far too complicated to risk in the third world imo

There's plenty would disagree with that statement ... me for one :p
 
Explorer

I've had 7 gs's + a 800, a yam S10, 2 tiger 955's, a couple of 660 Tenere's,had a 1000 versys for nearly 3 weeks and a Stelvio for 2 weeks. just under 4k on my new Exp and I think its the best ALL ROUNDER I've had , some were better at specific things but this is the best overall package.
I haven't jumped any ramps or anything but the test riders did amongst other things to test it would prior to launch so fairly confident it would go anywhere, not as confident as I was on the S10 but I had that for longer.
 
1200 breakdown

any one else had my problem on there 1200xc 14 plate,under 7000 miles and now having a new crank,crank cases and more :augie:augie:augie.:augie
 
any one else had my problem on there 1200xc 14 plate,under 7000 miles and now having a new crank,crank cases and more :augie:augie:augie.:augie

I'd have a look on the triumph forum or adventure rider forum . Most on here seem to ride the GS/ GSA , or try the search button .Hope you get yours sorted
 
FWIW (probably nothing...) I've just test ridden both the TE LC and the TEX. I found the TEX more top heavy at low speed/while stationary but the gearbox was better as were the clocks with a nice big MPH display. The suspension was much better on the GS as were the brakes. Engine wise I liked the GS better as it seemed to have more instant shove than the TEX, especially lower down while the TEX picked it's skirts p further up the rev range. I felt the GS was easier to ride as it was 20kg lighter with a lower COG. Both bikes are very nice, but the TEX probably suits a bigger stronger rider than me (5'7" 11 stone weakling). The other plus for the Triumph is it's £3k cheaper than the TE (but not as well spec'd) and with £1200 worth of free stuff ATM it's a good buy. It's a difficult call and I'm still not totally decided on which 1 to get - Spending £900 on the suspension would be my first job if I got the TEX. Decisions decisions....
 
Since April 2012 I've had 4 new large capacity adventure style bikes.

1... April 2012 to June 2013 R1200 gs tc

2... June 2013 to July 2014 R1200gs wc te.

3... July 2014 to August 2015 Moto Guzzi Stelvio NTX

4... August 2015 to present Triumph 1200 Explorer.

Each and every one of them has been a great bike in it's own way, but each has had it's own limitations or weaknesses.

GS twin cam..what a great bike... well built...reasonable performance... handled well... fully loaded felt little difference to an unloaded bike.
Really did have that go anywhere feel... maybe should have kept it ?

1200 wc te...Fairly quick... handled well...great brakes....could be properly chucked about even on gnarly back roads...finish was poor... semi active suspension stopped being semi active.... could not live with the gearbox/clutch really spoilt an otherwise great bike as did the quality of finish.

Guzzi Stelvio....A long time since I'd felt this way about a bike....Handled great...great brakes...performance, even handling was not affected no matter how much weight was piled on it. Boy oh boy was it soulful and really got under your skin. Sadly it just did lack a little, quite a lot actually in the performance stakes, which is why in the end it went, but I've no doubt I'll have another.

Explorer...Handles very very well...stonking engine... finish looks very good....brakes good but not outstanding...suspension great on the fast A roads and good B roads, a bit firmish on the back roads.

Overall for me, the Explorer is most probably the best overall package and is only Ohlins suspension and Brembo brakes away from being the perfect package...I am missing the Stelvio though.

Steve
 
Since April 2012 I've had 4 new large capacity adventure style bikes.

1... April 2012 to June 2013 R1200 gs tc

2... June 2013 to July 2014 R1200gs wc te.

3... July 2014 to August 2015 Moto Guzzi Stelvio NTX

4... August 2015 to present Triumph 1200 Explorer.

Each and every one of them has been a great bike in it's own way, but each has had it's own limitations or weaknesses.

GS twin cam..what a great bike... well built...reasonable performance... handled well... fully loaded felt little difference to an unloaded bike.
Really did have that go anywhere feel... maybe should have kept it ?

1200 wc te...Fairly quick... handled well...great brakes....could be properly chucked about even on gnarly back roads...finish was poor... semi active suspension stopped being semi active.... could not live with the gearbox/clutch really spoilt an otherwise great bike as did the quality of finish.

Guzzi Stelvio....A long time since I'd felt this way about a bike....Handled great...great brakes...performance, even handling was not affected no matter how much weight was piled on it. Boy oh boy was it soulful and really got under your skin. Sadly it just did lack a little, quite a lot actually in the performance stakes, which is why in the end it went, but I've no doubt I'll have another.

Explorer...Handles very very well...stonking engine... finish looks very good....brakes good but not outstanding...suspension great on the fast A roads and good B roads, a bit firmish on the back roads.

Overall for me, the Explorer is most probably the best overall package and is only Ohlins suspension and Brembo brakes away from being the perfect package...I am missing the Stelvio though.

Steve

Doesn't seem like 2 yrs since the above post, when my only gripe with the Explorer was the brakes and suspension. Well the Explorer has now got great brakes and suspension...job done. OH and I've got a Stelvio as well:bounce1
 
Said it elsewhere on here - the Explorer is hands down the best bike only let down by their dealers and the back up.
If it wasn't for the miles I do on the continent I would not be on a GS.
Although so far despite there being warranty recalls - I'm still waiting for the parts and work to be done and they reckon late december.
Can't see it staying for the full term of the lease as if possible the company will buy its way out and we'll go over to the Triumph (or the new SX maybe...)
Hell - we might even just hand it back anyway and walk if they don't sort their shit out soon!
 
Just come from an Explorer & waiting for the GSA delivery date of March 2nd.
Had the TEX from new 2 years ago. Never had a problem with it, never dropped it and enjoyed a number of trips on it. Cant fault it.
Had KTMs before & also like them. One of the reasons I changed was Triumph calling me to talk about the new model (the 2nd new model explorer since I picked mine up) so in 2 years its now on its 3rd generation, and as a result they offered me 6k for mine. I paid 13. 6K with all the accessories on it.
BMW offered me 7 and suggested I take the bits off, which I did & sold for another grand.
I was expecting my Triumph dealer to try & offer me a strong reason to change, especially as I bought from them & had my servicing done there, but they almost expected me to just swallow it & being honest that pi55ed me off a bit.

Cant knock the bike, yes its a bit top heavy but never failed me & I'm sure the new one is very good but I decided on a change so hope the GSA proves to be as reliable.
 
AT the risk of being labelled a pedant, it's not an Explorer, it's a Tiger 1200.

I was also between the two (GS/T1200). Having owned a Tiger 800Xcx I was very pleased with it. I was generally pleased with the whole Triumph brand thing they had going on and my dream machine (having been loaned one as a courtesy bike) was a Thruxton R. It was what I was going to buy and keep my Tiger because the Thrux is no good for long journeys so I needed both. But I outgrew my Tiger and wanted something with much more presence. Having once done 600+ miles in a day on my 800 and ended up with numb nuts and sore knees I really wanted a bike with more legs. So it was an either/or for the Thruxton R.

I'm quite sure that had I opted for the Tiger I would have been very pleased with my choice today. Two things stopped me, though:

1) The after sales service as mentioned above is generally not the best. I had a few issues with the way my 800 was serviced: scratched CNC oil filler screw; when I was installing my camera system I noticed they hadn't secured the fuel line correctly under the tank which could have been potentially very dangerous for me and the bike and so I found it very difficult to trust them after all of that. I did scold them but as so much time had passed I just got a shrug. A new CNC cap would have been a nice gesture.

2) The Triumphs to me are pretty well sorted machines in many areas and I believe that Triumph have really listened to their customers; they improved on the Explorer's weaknesses, namely the brakes and (in any Triumph without WP or Ohlins), the suspension. But ironically, the one issue which is it's best asset is also it's biggest flaw: the engine. Brilliant and smooth as that tripple is, it's just too top-heavy for me. On the 800, with 21" rims, cornering fast takes a lot of thought and the margin for error is not large; the vector requires a greater lean angle at less speed so it was very easy to scrape the lean guages on the footpegs. Not only that, the drop angle (the point of no return if you lean it over standing still) was very shallow on the 800 so I dread to think what it is like on the 1200!! I dropped mine 3 times and required a new fairing which was surprisingly cheap, but all the same....

As I said, I don't think anyone who chooses a Tiger 1200 above a GS can be ridiculed. I quite like going fast around corners when I deem it safe to do so, so the high weight is an issue for me, not everyone does, though. Like BMW, Triumph has turned itself into a cool brand and it backs it up with sorted and reliable machines which are very pleasing to the eye.

Enjoy your purchases, enjoy your bike, enjoy your ride.
 


Back
Top Bottom