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2027 Triumph Tiger 1200 Revealed: Radar, a Self-Lowering Seat and Triumph’s Other New Bikes
Triumph's 2027 Tiger 1200: 156 hp, Bosch radar front and rear, a seat that lowers as you stop, all four versions, UK prices, and Triumph's other new bikes.
Triumph did not wait for Milan. It revealed the new Tiger 1200 on 27 October and brought it to EICMA a week later, and it is the most thorough update the big Tiger has had since the current generation arrived. There is more power, front and rear radar, a seat that drops as you come to a stop and, the change that will divide gravel riders, smaller wheels on every version.
The Tiger 1200 has a loyal following in South Africa, where its shaft drive and long range suit the distances. Here is what has changed, how the four versions differ, and what we know about its arrival here.
More power, lower down
The 1,160cc T-plane triple now makes 156 hp (116.2 kW) at 9,250 rpm, 8 PS more than before, with 130 Nm at 6,750 rpm and, more usefully, more torque at low engine speeds. A redesigned cylinder head, new pistons, lighter valves, more precise fuel injection and a freer-flowing exhaust do the work, and the first three gear ratios are revised to put more of that torque to the ground. Triumph says the changes cut the bike’s crawl speed by 6 km/h, which you notice in traffic and on a steep, rocky climb where you want to creep rather than slip the clutch.
Refinement was the other target. The crankshaft and balancer shaft are revised, the camshafts open the valves more progressively, and the six-speed gearbox and shaft drive are quieter and smoother, with cleaner changes between drive and overrun. The latest Triumph Shift Assist gives clutchless changes up and down. Triumph quotes 5.3 litres per 100 km, which on paper gives the Pro models a range of about 375 km and the Explorers about 565 km.
Smaller wheels, smarter suspension
All four versions now run a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheel, with 200 mm of suspension travel at each end. The GT models use cast wheels and the Rally models side-laced spoked wheels, but the Rally versions used to have a 21-inch front and an 18-inch rear, so this is a real change of direction. It makes the Tiger sharper and more agile on tar and opens up the choice of road tyres. Riders who spend serious time in sand or on rocky two-track, though, usually prefer a 21-inch front and an 18-inch rear, the sizes with the widest choice of proper off-road tyres, and they should weigh that before ordering a Rally.
The suspension is Showa’s semi-active EERA with 49 mm upside-down forks, now with three damping settings, Firm, Medium and Soft, chosen with a dedicated button. Preload levels itself automatically for one-up, two-up or fully loaded riding, and a new hydraulic secondary bump stop helps on rough ground. Brembo Stylema calipers on twin 320 mm discs and a Magura radial master cylinder look after the braking.
A seat that comes down to meet you
The headline feature for many riders will be HEIGHTFLEX, which Triumph says it is the first manufacturer to fully implement. As the bike slows to a stop, the system lowers the seat by 30 mm, then restores the normal ride height within seconds of pulling away, whether you are riding alone, two-up or loaded. The standard seat has two positions, 840 and 860 mm, which become 810 and 830 mm with the lowering active, and with the accessory low seat fitted the Tiger can come down to 790 mm at a standstill. On a 250 kg-plus adventure bike, that is the difference between a confident stop on a camber and a nervous one. The same hardware runs Centre Stand Assist, which raises the rear preload as you put the bike on its stand.
Radar front and rear
Developed with Bosch, front and rear radar run a full set of rider aids. Adaptive cruise control holds a speed or a gap to the vehicle ahead, with Comfort and Dynamic settings, an Overtake Assist that prepares the bike to pass when you indicate and the blind spot is clear, and a Curve Speed Control that can slow the bike through long bends. Group Ride Assist keeps a sensible gap to riders ahead. The front radar also runs Riding Distance Assist, Emergency Brake Assist and a Forward Collision Warning that shows an alert on the screen and then pulses the rear brake pedal if the gap keeps closing. At the back, Blind Spot Assist lights up warnings in the mirrors and Rear Distance Warning tells you when someone is following too closely.
On a long national road with trucks overtaking, adaptive cruise and blind spot warnings are genuinely useful rather than gadgets, and they work alongside the Tiger’s cornering ABS and traction control.
Screen, lights and comfort
A new Bosch 7-inch touchscreen brings wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, works by touch below 2 km/h and through the switchgear on the move, and takes voice commands through a Bluetooth headset. A waterproof phone compartment on top of the tank has a USB-C socket and its own cooling fan. The new adaptive LED headlight switches on extra elements at 15 and 30 degrees of lean to light the inside of a bend, and levels its beam automatically as the suspension moves. Heated rider and pillion seats and heated grips are standard, and the seats have 10 mm thicker foam.
The four versions
Every version shares the engine, radar, suspension and screen. The GT Pro and GT Explorer have cast wheels; the Rally Pro and Rally Explorer have spoked wheels and add an Off-road Pro riding mode, engine protection and a folding, adjustable brake pedal. The Pro models carry 20 litres of fuel, and the Explorers 30 litres, along with tyre pressure monitoring, lower engine bars and a handlebar 10 mm higher and wider; the Rally Explorer adds upper engine bars too.
| Wheels | Fuel | Wet weight | UK price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GT Pro | Cast | 20 litres | 250 kg | £18,295 |
| Rally Pro | Spoked | 20 litres | 255 kg | £18,995 |
| GT Explorer | Cast | 30 litres | 260 kg | £19,875 |
| Rally Explorer | Spoked | 30 litres | 268 kg | £20,575 |
The GT Pro comes in Sapphire Black or Aluminium Silver and Pacific Blue, the GT Explorer in Aluminium Silver and Pacific Blue or Granite, the Rally Pro in Matt Khaki Green or Ash Grey, and the Rally Explorer in Ash Grey and Sapphire Black or Matt Khaki Green. Service intervals are 16,000 km, and UK deliveries start in December.
Every version now runs a 19-inch front and a 17-inch rear wheel. Image: Triumph Motorcycles 
Front and rear Bosch radar run the adaptive cruise control and blind spot assist. Image: Triumph Motorcycles 
The Explorer models keep the 30-litre tank. Image: Triumph Motorcycles 
On the open road, adaptive cruise control holds a speed or a gap to the vehicle ahead. Image: Triumph Motorcycles
Triumph’s other new bikes
The Tiger was not Triumph’s only news. On its EICMA stand, according to the Italian business paper Il Sole 24 Ore, it is showing the Bonneville T40 and T40 Black, a 400cc entry to its Modern Classic range built around a new version of the TR-series engine used in the Tracker 400 and its stablemates, due on sale in late spring 2027. Triumph is also spreading its launches beyond the show: the paper reports that the Street Triple 798, with a new 798cc triple developed alongside Triumph’s Moto2 engine programme, will be revealed on 17 November, and a new Tiger 900 with an updated engine and chassis on 15 December. We will cover each as Triumph confirms the details.
What it means for South Africa
Triumph’s dealers here, including Triumph Cape Town on Daily Rider, sell the current Tiger 1200. Triumph has not announced South African prices or when the new bike will arrive, and we will add both as soon as it does. For everything else revealed in Milan, read our EICMA 2026 round-up.
Sources
- Triumph: New Tiger 1200 press release and specifications and Tiger 1200 page
- Il Sole 24 Ore: Triumph at EICMA 2026
