Street Fight

The trailie’s seating position is less active than you might expect due to its rather low seat and high handlebars but motorway miles are all about comfort and you don’t have to be a genius to predict that the Tiger, with its extra leg room and wind protection, can hardly lose against the compact, basic, naked bike. The Tiger’s seat is hard but comfortable and you’re unlikely to get the kind of aches that can sometimes accompany a long ride with BMW’s F800 GS.

The engine is vibration-free and the non-adjustable windscreen deflects the blast from the upper part of your body rather effectively even though it’s actually not that big. That said, the wind still licks the top of my helmet and causes a light turbulence. It’s not really disturbing and probably a lot less noticeable if you wear a helmet without a peak.

Before picking up the Street Triple I spent an hour on the passenger seat of the Tiger. It seemed spacious enough, with big grab rails that might however have been a bit thicker. The passenger foot pegs are too far forwards though, so your feet lose contact with them under heavy acceleration. I eventually got a bit of backache too as it’s difficult to support your weight in this position. But even so, the Tiger is noticeably more passenger friendly than the smaller Street Triple.

Compared to the Tiger it literally seems like a toy. Your legs have less room, the handlebars are much closer to the rider and you’re sitting more on top of the Street Triple instead of sitting comfortably inside the Tiger. However the Street Triple is far from uncomfortable on the motorway. With its forward riding position, you’re leaning into the wind and keeping to a steady legal limit is not really more tiring than on the Tiger. It is colder without wind protection though. That’s not such a problem when you live in the south of France, but if your norm is riding in rain and frost, then the Tiger is without a doubt the better choice. Plus the practical fuel gauge that you don’t find on the Street Triple and the 1.6 litre extra fuel capacity are useful for commuters.

Time for roll-ons. The Street Triple makes 11bhp more and weighs 21kg less than the Tiger but the trailie’s bigger lungs gives it an extra 11Nm of extra torque. Until now, it hasn’t felt particularly overwhelming although the engine is extremely linear with a velvety throttle response.

The playful Street Triple feels more nervous on the throttle which gives it a pleasantly lively edge and while the Tiger’s top speed is probably around 130mph, the Street Triple’s is closer to the 150mph mark.

Every time we repeat the roll on tests in top gear, fifth and third, the Street Triple leaves the Tiger for dead.

If you’re expecting the 800 Tiger to be a Street Triple dressed with more bodywork, extra torque and with the same lively spirit, you will be disappointed. To fit that mould, it would need a more aggressive mapping, uprated suspension, extra bite from the brakes and a lot more ground clearance. That’s difficult to achieve, not only for such a competitive price but it’s also not at all what the Tiger is supposed to be. The bikes are very different in character, and the Street Triple remains a naked roadster that offers nigh-on unbeatable excitement at a ridiculously competitive price.