FZ6 Vs Triumph Tiger 1050 quick review

CanadianFZ6

Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2007
Messages
1,006
Reaction score
21
Points
0
Location
Baden, Ontario
Visit site
I had this in another post, but thought a separate post would be more prudent for comparing the two...

No matter how far I move away from the FZ6 I end up returning to it in round about way... I'll explain... The Bandit 1250 (just sold) felt like a big FZ6 and to some extent so does the Tiger. The rider "triangle" is more roomy than the FZ6 but still basically the same. Yes, the Tiger is tall, but I have no issues (at 5'8")... However, I am on my tip toes. The engine starts pulling right off idle... no flat spots anywhere. Pulls all the way to redline. So, it's an FZ6 with a huge bottom end... Although it is rated at 114hp and 74 ft/lbs of torque, It is entirely possibe that an FZ6 would still out pull it in the very high rev range. I don't ride like I stole anymore so the low end power does it for me now... The LCD display has some cool features, though. Along with the basic stuff like fuel and temp guages, tach, warning lights and speedo it also can switch between information such as average fuel consumption, current fuel consumption, km to empty, time, max speed, average speed, journey time, journey distance (fancy trip metre)...
The fit and finish is outstanding... far supperior to any Japanese bike I have ever owned. All brake lines are braided steel, but are about the same as an FZ6 in terms of feel, feedback and stopping power. Headlight (low beam) is useless, so I feel a mod coming on there. Muffler is plain ugly, but sounds pretty cool when I light up the 3 cylinder. The triple sounds like nothing I have ever heard before. More like an inline four than a v-twin or inline twin. It growls as opposed to howls... It vibes about the same as an FZ6. The gearbox is way better than the FZ6... but still not in the same league as my Suzuki V-strom's tranny. Fuel injection is perfection... no abrupt on/off transitions period... Instantaneous response from throttle inputs... The clutch has a wide linear engagement point... As far as suspension, it obviously has much longer travel and is very adequate. Highway comfort is awesome... it glides over road imprefections that would be surely be felt by the Yamaha. So, it is better than the FZ6 in terms of comfort. I would say the FZ6 would be a little better in the twisties... The stock windscreen works very well... I am not going to do anything there. Lastly, the Tiger is not as pretty as the FZ6, but then again what is? :thumbup:
 
Last edited:

blchandl2

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2008
Messages
363
Reaction score
3
Points
0
Location
Kokomo, IN
Visit site
The Tiger engine is fantastic, but mine suffers from 'pinging' under certain conditions. Heated grips and handguards will extend your riding season.

After a few hundred miles, re-torque your engine side cover bolts. This has been a source of oil leaks for many. Also check th eshifter linkage, some have had theirs fall off. Quality control is not a strong point on Triumphs. I would suggest visiting Tiger1050.com for info.

Beware of Fret!
 

Clay350

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2011
Messages
83
Reaction score
1
Points
0
Location
Minnesota
Visit site
I know this is an old thread but I am interested in a Tiger 1050. As far as overall comfort is the tiger better than the fz6? Im thinking i need something more comfortable on long rides. I do a lot of 500 miles jaunts on the fz and i end up beat down after every one. Ive modded for comfort as far as possible also.
 
Last edited:

Nelly

International Liaison
Elite Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2007
Messages
8,945
Reaction score
125
Points
63
Location
Co Offaly, ROI
Visit site
I had this in another post, but thought a separate post would be more prudent for comparing the two...

No matter how far I move away from the FZ6 I end up returning to it in round about way... I'll explain... The Bandit 1250 (just sold) felt like a big FZ6 and to some extent so does the Tiger. The rider "triangle" is more roomy than the FZ6 but still basically the same. Yes, the Tiger is tall, but I have no issues (at 5'8")... However, I am on my tip toes. The engine starts pulling right off idle... no flat spots anywhere. Pulls all the way to redline. So, it's an FZ6 with a huge bottom end... Although it is rated at 114hp and 74 ft/lbs of torque, It is entirely possibe that an FZ6 would still out pull it in the very high rev range. I don't ride like I stole anymore so the low end power does it for me now... The LCD display has some cool features, though. Along with the basic stuff like fuel and temp guages, tach, warning lights and speedo it also can switch between information such as average fuel consumption, current fuel consumption, km to empty, time, max speed, average speed, journey time, journey distance (fancy trip metre)...
The fit and finish is outstanding... far supperior to any Japanese bike I have ever owned. All brake lines are braided steel, but are about the same as an FZ6 in terms of feel, feedback and stopping power. Headlight (low beam) is useless, so I feel a mod coming on there. Muffler is plain ugly, but sounds pretty cool when I light up the 3 cylinder. The triple sounds like nothing I have ever heard before. More like an inline four than a v-twin or inline twin. It growls as opposed to howls... It vibes about the same as an FZ6. The gearbox is way better than the FZ6... but still not in the same league as my Suzuki V-strom's tranny. Fuel injection is perfection... no abrupt on/off transitions period... Instantaneous response from throttle inputs... The clutch has a wide linear engagement point... As far as suspension, it obviously has much longer travel and is very adequate. Highway comfort is awesome... it glides over road imprefections that would be surely be felt by the Yamaha. So, it is better than the FZ6 in terms of comfort. I would say the FZ6 would be a little better in the twisties... The stock windscreen works very well... I am not going to do anything there. Lastly, the Tiger is not as pretty as the FZ6, but then again what is? :thumbup:
It looks bloody great, how is the weight?

Nelly
 

MattR302

Awesomeness, Inc.
Joined
Apr 19, 2012
Messages
621
Reaction score
38
Points
28
Location
New Haven, CT
Visit site
Super old thread, I know, but in case someone stumbles upon it...

I owned a 2007 FZ6 from 2012-2018, put over 15k miles on it. Spent a good bit of time/money over the years getting it set up perfectly for me - full luggage, HID headlights, heated grips, etc. After experimenting with a few aftermarket seats and various handlebars, I finally got it all-day comfortable for me.

Then one night while searching CL for a bike for a friend, I came across a very well equipped Tiger 1050. It was previously owned by a Triumph technician that spent thousands in aftermarket upgrades (suspension, brakes, lights, luggage, exhaust/tune, crash bars, GPS, and much more). The more I read about the Tigers, the more interested I became. Ended up contacting the guy and he was nice enough to let me take it out for a long test ride and I fell in love (lust?). Made him an offer, he accepted, and my FZ6 was up for sale.

The Tiger felt like a grown-up FZ6. Seating position was significantly more upright (see the cycle-ergo pics) and I found it much more comfortable. Engine was sooo smooth and torquey and sounded amazing. The engine, along with the suspension upgrades, made riding with a passenger or fully loaded with luggage seem no different than riding solo. Some wind buffeting, but a cut-down stock windscreen smoothed that out nicely. The fit and finish seemed great. Had issues with a leaky fork seal and a dead battery, but that's no fault of the bike (I did find out that you can't bump-start a Tiger though).

The only thing I didn't like, it was a very tall and top-heavy bike, and I'm only 5'8" with a 30" inseam. After 1500 miles or so, it got to the point at which riding it felt almost like a chore. It felt so heavy rolling it out of the garage and getting it on/off the centerstand. Balancing it on one leg at stop lights and trying to back it down my steep driveway between the cars was a pain. All that wondrous power felt like a waste for my 20 minute, 35-45 mph commute, and I hardly ever got a chance to do any decently long rides. After borrowing a Grom for a month or two, I realized I enjoyed riding the smaller bikes a lot more.

Sold the Tiger to a friend who upgraded from a SV650 and he absolutely loves it. I ended up replacing it with DR650 as I wanted to get into dual sporting (still a tall-ish bike, but its probably 175 lbs lighter than the Tiger). A month later, I found a silly good deal on a Honda 919 Hornet with Corbin seat and full luggage, so I picked that up to complement the dualsport for the occasional highway trip and 2-up riding. (The 919 is essentially a naked FZ6 with ~50% more torque, almost identical riding positions. I have a small windscreen on mine, but I wish it had a real upper fairing like the FZ6 for better wind protection.)

Summary: The Tiger is a great bike for someone who isn't vertically-challenged. If you can find one with the lighting, suspension, and windscreen upgraded - even better!
4A1E8A28-CEF1-4CAF-A367-865225FCD553.jpeg
E93D58F5-3C72-4729-8F54-459B0FEF508A.jpeg
 
Last edited:

TownsendsFJR1300

2007 FZ6
Site Supporter
Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Messages
12,516
Reaction score
1,157
Points
113
Location
Cape Coral, Florida, USA
Visit site
Sounds like some bar risers /set backs for the FZ would have saved you some time...

Tks for the comparison..


Just an FYI, I'm 62, don't do the "lay down" thing. The risers set backs makes the seating position more like the 1050, not quite as much(just looking at the general picture)..

Postimage is down and I can't post a pic right now...
 

Gary in NJ

Junior Member
Site Supporter
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
1,964
Reaction score
1,908
Points
113
Location
Amoungst the Twisty Roads
Visit site
I currently have three bikes with very different riding triangles and power output.

My cafe racer is a 650 single with a very compact frame. The clip-ons are below the triple clamp and the foot pegs are up high and far back. It makes a whopping 30 horsepower with a 6,000 rpm redline, but the bike only weighs 290 pounds. You would think that this bike would be a torture rack, but it's not. While riding the bike my weight is evenly distributed between my hands, butt and feet. I put a lot of thought and effort into the suspension and the bike has a fantastic ride (even though the seat only has 1" of foam). So while the riding triangle is shallow and long, each corner supports the right amount of weight.

On the other end of the spectrum is my DRZ400 based street tracker. This bike has a sit-up-and-beg riding position. I also use the CR High bend on the bars with a 7/8 to 1-1/4 bar adapter that acts as a bar riser. This is a 40hp bike that weighs 298 pounds. The riding position on this bike is relaxed and it gets ridden like a dirtbike on the street. Without a doubt, it is the most fun street bike I've ever ridden (with just 40hp).

And then we have the FZ6. We all know the specs and riding position of this bike. I have the comfort seat and a well-sorted suspension, so the bike is a pleasure on back roads and longer distances alike. I haven't weighed my bike but Yamaha lists the wet weight of the FZ at 456 pounds and a March 2004 review of the bike on MCN confirms this to be accurate. Between the exhaust, the removed fairing and some other odds-n-ends, I'm sure my bike weighs in the neighborhood of 430 pounds.

If you made me choose one bike (and keep in mind I'm emotionally attached to two of these) it would probably be the FZ6. It's not the riding position, or the horsepower, or the weight...it's the balance. The FZ does everything real well. It pulls sportbike duty as well as it pulls highway slogs. It's an excellent back road companion. It's reliable and inexpensive to own and maintain. I think that's why many move on to other bikes - it's not exciting nor is it sexy. But even a new exciting bike becomes ho-hum after time - and beauty is both fleeting and in the eye of the beholder.

I've owned faster and slower bikes, heavier and lighter bikes, bikes that put my hands asleep and bikes so boring that they nearly put me asleep - but the FZ6 is a keeper. If I ever do buy a more modern bike, I will keep the FZ6 for when the new and exciting wears off the new and exciting bike.
 

MattR302

Awesomeness, Inc.
Joined
Apr 19, 2012
Messages
621
Reaction score
38
Points
28
Location
New Haven, CT
Visit site
Sounds like some bar risers /set backs for the FZ would have saved you some time...
Like I said, a custom aftermarket seat and a handlebar swap transformed the FZ6 into all day comfortable for me. I did have a set of 1.5” up/1.5” back riders for most of the time I owned the FZ6, but it wasn’t enough.

As a test, I ended up stacking two riser sets together and that proved that a ~3” rise made a big difference for me. Since I don’t really like the look of risers, I found a much taller handlebar, from a Kawasaki 220 ATV, that had a big amount of rise built into it (I actually currently have that same bar on the 919.)

Even still, the additional comfort and overall awesomeness of the Tiger was enough to steal my heart. (Which was the purpose of my contribution to this thread). I owned the FZ6 for 5+ years, but life is too short to ride only one motorcycle.

Heres pics of the stacked risers test and the super tall bar I swapped to. 4127BA15-621F-44C8-9C49-A931B0E463BB.jpeg
C77B9F62-0E94-4BB1-A4D5-FF1B431E8AA8.jpeg
 
Top