After years of anticipation and numerous teaser videos, the 2022 Triumph Tiger 1200 broke cover in December, 2021. Similar to the new Tiger 900 series, the heavyweight ADV platform now hosts five models split between two families: Rally and GT. Along with the new sub-ranges, the 1200 boasts a 148-horsepower inline-triple, blind spot detection, and Brembo Stylema brakes.
While the 2022 Tiger 1200 ups the ante with premium components, less weight, and a styling refresh, those improvements didn’t happen overnight. To layout all the work behind the scenes, Triumph designer Rodolfo Frascoli gave Italian media outlet Motociclismo a peek behind the design desk.
“The project started in the spring of 2017,” stated Frascoli. “It was a very demanding project, because it involved practically all the components of the bike. Starting with the engine, which is only partially that of the Speed Triple. Everything else was designed starting from a white sheet.”
“First of all, this had to be a Super Tiger,” admitted Frascoli. “The previous Tiger is a bike that many have loved, a great traveler. The new Tiger 1200, on the other hand, has raised the bar. Both for the “adventure” side and for the tourism side. It had to be light, nimble, and slim. These inputs have been a strong stimulus for me, they have guided me in development.”
Frascoli wasn’t making those decisions in a vacuum though. The designer developed the new lineup in parallel with the Tiger 900 release. That
“As we were developing, we saw that the (Tiger 900) was doing very well, so we also took something of that bike on the Tiger 1200 as well. Such as the setting of the front area with the beak and the lights. With the 1200, however, we have a much more sophisticated bike.”
Though Frascoli drew from the Tiger 900 design for the new 1200 family, he knew that the scope of the project would present its own problems.
“This was a very important project for Triumph, and therefore there was maximum availability and a great openness to the search for new solutions,” added Frascoli. “Just look at the central area, which is very narrow if we consider that it is a 1200. This is thanks to the fact that we have studied a very compact airbox. What satisfies me most is that we have managed to obtain an exciting bike without any sacrifice in terms of comfort, aerodynamic protection and ergonomics.”
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Sources: Motociclismo, Triumph Motorcycles