Tall ride heights are synonymous with full-sized adventure bikes. After all, these require more than normal ground clearance to live up to the ‘ADV’ badge. But high saddles can feel intimidating for average and short folks, which only gets worse when you bring in the hefty weights. This is something Triumph wants to resolve with a nifty update for its flagship Tiger 1200. It’s called Active Preload Reduction and works in tandem with the already-present electronic suspension. Here’s the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of the new addition.
Triumph Tiger 1200 Gains Active Preload Reduction
When standing still, you can now press the ‘Home’ button for one second, and the rear monoshock reduces preload automatically. This lowers the Tiger’s saddle height by a maximum of 20 mm, so you can put your feet down with ease and feel more confident. Getting on and off the motorcycle is said to become easier, too.
Once moving, the height increases again to ensure you have ample ground clearance on all terrains. It’s worth noting this isn’t an innovatory addition, as the Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 and Ducati Multistrada V4 both come with a similar feature. The former debuted it in 2021, while the latter got it in July 2023.
All Triumph Tiger 1200 Variants Come With The Feature
The new feature is available on all Tiger 1200 variants, namely GT, GT Pro, GT Explorer, Rally Pro, and Rally Explorer. So when enabled, the GT lineup will have a seat height of 32.6 inches, down from the otherwise 33.46 inches. Whereas, the Rally variants will stand at 33.66 inches, reduced from a whopping 34.45 inches.
Other aspects of the motorcycle remain unchanged, meanwhile. You get a 1,160cc, triple-cylinder engine that produces 147 horsepower and 95 pound-feet, regardless of the variant. The mill sends power via a six-speed transmission, paired with a shaft-drive system. Another common bit across variants is the seven-inch TFT, ripe with modern electronics like traction control, ride modes, cruise control, hill hold, and semi-active suspension.
Meanwhile, the key differences between the GT and Rally are the underpinnings. The GT lineup rides on 49 mm Showa USD forks and monoshock (with 7.87 inches travel), mated to 19/18-inch cast aluminum wheels. While the Rally variant has long-travel Showa USD forks and monoshock (with 8.66 inches travel), alongside 21/18-inch spoke wheels.
The Active Preload Reduction Is Free Of Cost
Just like Ducati, Triumph has kept its active preload reduction available for existing owners at no extra cost. Just visit your dealership and get the software updated to access it. Meanwhile, i f you’re planning to get one, the price of the Tiger 1200 range (while writing this) starts from $19,595 (GT) and goes up to $24,695 (Rally Pro Explorer). You should also know Triumph is yet to take the wraps off the 2024 Tiger 1200, so we would wait for that announcement before putting in a deposit.