The Triumph Tiger is known as one of the most capable and friendly adventure motorcycles in the world but despite that, the mere thought of riding it in proper off-road scenarios can be an intimidating one. If you feel this way but still cannot stop yourself from getting astride one of the Tigers and experiencing it at its capable best, then Triumph Motorcycles India have you covered with the Triumph Tiger Training Academy. It is conducted at regular intervals across India so that riders from every corner of the country get a chance to take part in it. Now, it was the turn of Aamby Valley which offers one of the most beautiful backdrops and terrains to do motorcycling on. Add to that riding a Triumph Tiger and it makes for an opportunity that just can’t be missed.
The Triumph Tiger nameplate is shared across five models consisting of two engine capacities. The one with the bigger 1215cc engine – which also tops this model range – is called the Triumph Tiger Explorer. The rest four are powered by 800cc engines and, in increasing order of price, are – the Tiger 800 XR, Tiger 800 XRX, Tiger 800 XCX and the Tiger 800 XCA. We rode the Tiger 800 XCA which costs Rs 14.37 lakh (ex-showroom, pan India).
The first one was the slalom test followed by a section which had high ascend and descent angles. Through the slalom, the rider could not keep their feet down (doing so would mean a rerun) and interestingly, the cones were not laid out in a straight line. The way through was to take the motorcycle slow and generate lean between the cones in order to get better cornering. The ascend and descend that followed were tricky as well. This course saw quite a few riders lose grip and taking reruns in order to improve their handling and it was done under Vijay Parmar’s supervision who helped us by giving suggestions simultaneously while we were undertaking the course – helping us to improve dramatically in each run.
The next course was riding the motorcycle through water and how to control it just in case the tire digs in the mud and the bike starts to go sideways. A fairly simple but efficient practice of riding these motorcycles through such conditions.
The fourth course was more of a demonstration where Parmar showed us how what to do in case you stall a motorcycle, even as big and heavy as this, while on an incline. The answer is that you leave the motorcycle engaged in gear and moderate the descent using the clutch lever. As pressing the clutch will decouple the engine and the bike will begin to descend, letting go of the clutch at the right time is crucial as you need to do it before the bike generates momentum and gets out of control.
So at the end of the day, the Triumph Tiger Training Academy provides a platform for aspiring riders as well as existing high capacity motorcycle riders to experience off-roading in a different, engaging, safe and controlled environment. It helps the rider learn how to keep going when the going gets tough and all of it comes from an environment which is filled with riders who are filled to the brim with passion and excitement for motorcycles. And above all, you head out of the academy learning more than you could have imagined or would have learned to ride such machines on asphalt for thousands of kilometers. If you do well in the academy, they will give you a certificate of completion as well – a reminder of the adventure-filled day and a prized possession in your living room.Also Read: Triumph Street Scrambler First Ride Review: More Capable, More Fun
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