Questions on Tiger 955i "Girlie"

rickj

Former ST1300 Rider. FJR now.
Joined
Jun 10, 2005
Messages
432
Location
Temecula, CA
Bike
2012 BMW R1200 GSA
STOC #
5871
I've been doing some research on 955i Tigers and thought I'd check and see if someone on this board is pretty knowledgeable on the so-called "Girlie".

Planning a trip next year to Alaska and don't want to ride the FJR. I'll be taking some gravel roads that the FJR wouldn't do real well on, including the South Canol Road, part of the North Canol Road, the Dempster as far as arctic circle, and the Top-of-the-World highway. Other than that, mostly on regular "roads". I'm primarily a sport-touring rider, and have limited off-road experience, so I won't be doing any hard-core off-roading and will keep it fairly tame. (I'm also OLD!)

Riding with one buddy who has a BMW R1200GS, and one other guy who will be getting a bike for this trip, very likely a GS as well. I don't want to spend a great deal of money on an adventure bike, and like the idea of having something reliable but that I won't be upset if I drop it. I don't need the best off-road capable adventure bike, but I do have to ride it from SoCal so a 650cc bike won't cut it.

I know this bike won't match the BMW's suspension, and I've read that they are a bit top-heavy, but I'd love to hear comments on how the Girlie would potentially do as a choice for this trip. I do some local moto-camping and it may be a good bike for that as well, and perhaps I could wander off the beaten path a bit from time to time.

Comments welcome. TIA.

Rick
 
Joined
Apr 16, 2010
Messages
1,262
Location
Rochester Mn
Bike
2014 FJR ES 2009 WEE
and like the idea of having something reliable
Get a used VStrom Wee.....great bike.....my buddy took his for a little 10,000 mile jaunt up there and back and then to Ca and back to Minnesnowta.........didn't even have to change a tire.........ff
 

MajorTom

QuickBlue
Joined
Apr 1, 2010
Messages
646
Location
Devon, Alberta
STOC #
8781
It's been a few years since I've been up the Dempster so I can't tell you anything about the current road conditions. From faint memories of my visit there in the late 70's the southern part of the ride up to Eagle Plains is the most scenic part, as you are above the tree line through the Ogilvie mountains. We went all the way to Inuvik on the Mackenzie delta and then rented a charter flight to Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean coast, which was the highlight of the trip.

I have to disagree with you about a 650cc motorcycle being too small for one-up touring. I rode my 500 cc Yamaha twin with a Vetter fairing to Newfoundland and back one memorable summer. My buddy on his Honda 750 and I did 70 mph all day long and the only difference between the bikes was I had to do more shifting when it came time to pass. A smaller displacement bike is lighter, easier to handle and uses less fuel. I suggest you take a VStrom, or similar, for a spin before you write them off as too small for your trip.
 
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rickj

rickj

Former ST1300 Rider. FJR now.
Joined
Jun 10, 2005
Messages
432
Location
Temecula, CA
Bike
2012 BMW R1200 GSA
STOC #
5871
Thanks for the comments so far! I'm well aware of the popularity of the Wee-Stroms and may end up looking at them.

The main reason I'm a bit biased toward the larger bikes is because I did have a BMW F650GS for a while as my only bike and was riding on the road with guys on their ST1300s. It just didn't have enough power to keep up. (I know the Wee has a bit more power than the F650GS did.) We'll be traveling far more on-road than on gravel roads and loaded down for camping, and I'd hate to be the only one on a 650cc displacement bike. It would be far more fun on the gravel though! There's also talk of our wives joining us for part of the ride, and I know that I'd need a larger bike for that.

MajorTom, sounds like you had an amazing trip in the late 70s! I rode up the Dalton as far as the arctic circle in 1996 on a Yamaha FJ1200, and it was an amazing trip. I've been thinking about getting back up for there years, and have just decided that it's going to be next summer. Riding up the Dempster will be one of the highlights.
 
Joined
Feb 5, 2015
Messages
2
Location
Scotland
I know its an older thread but I thought I'd throw in my 2cents worth, I have a 2000 Girly.
It's one of the most comfortable bikes I've owned far better than the R1100GS I used to have.
Engines are really tractable will plod along at low revs and then take off once wound up, 200 mile tank range no problem.
Biggest issues with them is getting a decent screen, stock ones really noisy (I'm 6') tried a taller not much better, short sports screen work best for smooth air flow and noise levels, but puts too much pressure on shoulders at highway speeds. My soloution was to take a screen from a Sprint 900 and cut and drill it to fit the Tiger, result smooth quiet air flow !

Its got far more midrange pull in 6th gear than my GS ever had. The Tigers a sports bike in disguise, once wound up it flys !

Never found it top heavy but then again I was used to riding the older T300 series Triumphs
DSCF2680.jpg



HTH
Steve
 

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