Triumph Tiger 660 Sport: Initial impressions

I believe a lot of folks will be cross-shop it with the 2022 Kawasaki Versys 650 (and a few with the Suzuki V-Strom 650) as and when it is launched in India.

BHPian Vikram Arya recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

A few days ago I went to a large motorcycle dealer here to have a look at the Triumph Tiger 660 Sport as I was considering it for my younger brother back in India. As they had not PDI’d the bike I didn’t get a chance to test ride (in all fairness I couldn’t have even if I wanted to as I don’t have a motorcycle license ).

A couple of thoughts:

This is a sports tourer and by no means an ADV bike so any comparison with V-Strom 650 is not fair as with a 17-inch front tire and 170/180mm (my estimate) ground clearance it is anything but. As already pointed out by Neil, there’s very little space for the pillion rider. I found it shocking that even at this price point the front suspension is not adjustable; the rear is but only for pre-load and not rebound. The fit and finish of the bike are very good and as far as the looks are concerned, it is indeed a looker. The bike looks much bigger than it actually is.

At 835mm the seat height could be of some potential concern for riders shorter than 5’8” on the other hand I have seen one of my neighbors who’s barely 5’7” ride a GS 1250 for the last three years so it should be manageable. I’m 5’9” and could almost flat foot the bike. The seat is comfortable; the switchgear quality is fairly decent, the brake lines are braided and you have LED lighting all around with a 6 step adjustable windshield. I did not switch on the ignition, therefore, cannot comment on the instrument cluster but it’s a basic TFT (I’m given to understand most of the requisite information is available on demand). The underbelly exhaust will prevent any use of the center stand and the riders who like to service their bikes at home would have to get a paddock style stand. The unguarded sump & the radiator would be a concern on our roads and there are no company or aftermarket options available currently.

With switchable traction control, ABS, a couple of riding modes, upside-down Showa shocks, a 17.2 ltr. fuel tank & integrated pannier mounts, it ticks all the required boxes and then some. The bike makes 81 PS of power but does that way high in the rev range at 10,250 rpm while the torque figures are identical to that produced by the Versys motor at 64Nm.

I believe a lot of folks will be cross-shop it with the 2022 Kawasaki Versys 650 (and a few with Suzuki V-Strom 650) as and when it is launched in India. I have no doubt in my mind for the folks who do not want to venture off the pavement and are interested in long-distance touring and wouldn’t mind spending close to 11 to 12 lakhs (depending on where you’re located), this is a decent proposition. I just hope Kawasaki India does not take the cue from Tiger 660’s pricing and bump up the upcoming 2022 Versys 650’s pricing accordingly.

The fact of the matter is that in terms of the widely spread rider community, the after-market support & probably the cost of spares, and most importantly the unstressed nature of its engine (and this might be a negative for the folks who like a screaming V twin); the new (in my uninformed opinion even the current one) Kawasaki Versys 650 will be a better bet however for the folks who want the latest toy and have the moolah to get one wouldn’t go wrong with the Triumph Tiger 660 Sport.

My apologies for the poor quality of pictures (were taken using my phone)

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