Triumph Tiger Sport 660 Road Test Review - Top 5 things about this 'Brit' touring motorcycle: Watch Video

The Triumph Tiger Sport 660 is the most accessible from the Tiger range that you can buy in India, but here's why you should consider buying one.

New-age motorcycles and motorcyclists aren’t restricting themselves to just short commutes to work or cafes. They are also about long hauls, wherein the riders munch not on just miles but food of different cultures and regions as well. Yes! Touring motorcycles are now as popular in the Indian market as the fully faired supersport motorcycle. In fact, in Triumph’s Indian line-up, there’s no supersport motorcycle on sale. There are a series of adventure touring models, instead. The most affordable and accessible of all is the new Triumph Tiger Sport 660. Since we spent quite some time with this not-so-baby adventure tourer, here are the 5 key takeaways about it.

Triumph Tiger Sport 660 - Design

Well, in my opinion, the Triumph Tiger Sport 600 looks impressive. It has a very tall, upright and sporty stance, which is very typical of a sporty adventure tourer. A large-tall windscreen on the front, along with a very nice and bulky fairing adds some bulk to its nose.

For spicing things up, a pair of slim LED headlamps with LED DRLs does duty. Move slightly backwards, you have a large, Tiger-like fuel tank, and the seat is a single-piece unit, which is comfortable as well. Around the rear, the design is very minimalistic and I really liked it. The 17-inch rims on the Tiger Sport are neatly designed, and the rear fenders feature pannier mounts as well.

Triumph Tiger Sport 660 - Features

Yes, the feature list on the Triumph Tiger Sport 660 is quite long. The motorcycle comes fitted with an instrument cluster, which is completely digital. In fact, it is one of the nicest units in terms of legibility, since it is legible even under strong sunlight. Also, the amount of information it has on offer is a lot too.

In addition, it gets two riding modes, ABS, and traction control. The latter isn’t switchable, but you can also for a bi-directional quickshifter. For connectivity, the Tiger Sport 660 gets Bluetooth connectivity, which I think is a boon when you're riding in the city.

Triumph Tiger Sport 660 – Engine & gearbox

Powering this mile-muncher is a 660 cc inline-3 motor putting out 81 horsepower and 64 Nm of peak torque. Big marks are what the Triumph Tiger Sport 660 scored for the refinement and strong low-end grunt. The mid-range on the Tiger Sport 600 is strong too, but it fails to offer the same performance around the redline.

To put things into perspective, the Tiger Sport 660 can pull from speeds as low as 40 kmph in 6th gear itself, which is actually phenomenal. Talking of the gearbox, the 6-speed unit is butter smooth, and the clutch action offers no complaints whatsoever. The clutch lever, however, could’ve been an adjustable one, in terms of reach

Triumph Tiger Sport 660 – Ride & handling

The suspension, brakes, tyres, and in fact, the chassis of the Triumph Tiger Sport 660 have impressed me in terms of agility, flickability, and overall ride comfort. The front suspension comprises Showa upside-down forks and a monoshock for the rear, which comes with a remote pre-load adjuster.

The setup offers a perfect balance of a comfortable ride for the most part, along with sharp dynamics but at sharp bumps is taken with a thud. It should be noted that the Tiger is a capable machine in terms of dynamics, thanks to its potent chassis.

Triumph Tiger Sport 660 – Accessibility

No, I’m not talking about financial accessibility here, because the Triumph Tiger Sport 660 feels slightly expensive at an ex-showroom price of Rs 8.95 lakh, ex-showroom. But this motorcycle is very much accessible when taking ergonomics into consideration. Even with a kerb weight of around 240 kilos and a seat height of 835 mm, the Tiger Sport 660 shows no hindrance with its bulk, the moment you get going. To make the long hauls enjoyable, the rider’s triangle is upright and comfortable.

Hence, it is safe to say that the Triumph Tiger Sport 660 is a motorcycle capable of putting a smile on the rider’s face during commutes, short trips, and long hauls on twisties as well. Yes, it is a considerate package, if that slightly-high price is no concern.