OFF-ROAD
TAMING TIGERS
TRIUMPH ADVENTURE EXPERIENCE
In a bid to broaden his horizons and learn what trench foot feels like, Timmy headed to hills for a blast on a Tiger 1200 in its natural habitat…
Ever wondered what it’s like to wrestle a 245kg Triumph Tiger 1200 around the Welsh countryside? Yeah… me too. That is, until I got the chance to follow expert rider Matt Reed through his backyard at the Triumph Adventure Experience venue in Ystradgynlais (don’t even ask me to pronounce it), South Wales, the other week. Spoiler alert: it didn’t disappoint. Since I’m based in Lincolnshire, a mere 240 miles northeast of Triumph’s Adventure Experience base, I figured it made sense to head down the night before. That way, I’d get a decent night’s kip and could sample a pint or three of Guinness at the pub just down the road from where I was staying. At four quid a pint, it went down a treat.
We were scheduled to arrive at the centre bright and early at 8am to get signed on, briefed, kitted up and, most importantly, loaded with caffeine before the big day of riding. Thankfully, I’d fuelled up with a proper full English breakfast at the pub before we left, so I was more than ready for wrestling bikes through mud, ruts, and sheep shit.
I was convinced I’d be fine rocking my lightweight Alpinestars motocross kit and Belstaff adventure jacket, but after a bit of arm-twisting from the instructors, who promised I’d be ‘bloody freezing’ and soaked within the hour, I gave in and threw on their waterproof over gear. Turns out they were spot on – waterproofs were a game changer once we got going. If you’re new to off-road or adventure riding, don’t worry. These guys have a full collection of riding gear available to use. That said, I’d definitely recommend bringing your own helmet and boots if you’ve got them. Sharing gear is all well and good, but I’d rather avoid taking home a bonus gift like verrucas or lice from the last rider who borrowed them.
Once we’d been assigned our bikes, we got a quick rundown of the controls and buttons. For a Tiger rookie like me, this was time well spent, and I made sure I memorised exactly where the heated grips button was. Priorities sorted. Despite the Tiger being an absolute beast (it took some effort just to throw my leg over), I was pleasantly surprised by the relatively low saddle height. For a top-heavy adventure bike, that was a godsend, making it feel far more manageable once I was on. We hit the road by 9am, heading towards our first off-road location a good 20-minute commute through winding country roads. This was my first proper chance to get up close and personal with the Tiger, and it didn’t disappoint. It also didn’t take me long to appreciate why heated grips were invented; seven degrees in Wales somehow feels even colder, though I’ve no idea why.