From 2001 to 2006, British automaker Triumph Motorcycles produced the dual-sport motorcycle, the Tiger, as the Triumph Tiger 955i. Appearing in the middle of the bike’s production cycle was the 2004 Tiger. Like the 955i models before and after it, the 2004 Tiger can handle both paved and unpaved roads (thus the term “dual-sport” or “dualie”) and possesses the components to classify for registration and licensing as a “street legal” bike.
The “955i” prefix of the 2004 Triumph Tiger is for the engine displacement of the engine, which is 955 cubic centimeters. The engine on each 2004 Tiger is a four-stroke, liquid-cooled, horizontal inline three-cylinder. Using a double overhead camshaft valve train, the engine has four intake valves on each cylinder. The bore and stroke are measured at 3.11 x 2.56 inches (79 x 65 millimeters), and the compression ratio is 11.7 to 1. Each engine is paired with a six-speed manual transmission. Rather than a carburetor, the 2004 Tiger uses the more advanced fuel injection to admit fuel into the engine. Each 2004 Tiger has a 6.3-gallon (24-liter) gas tank.
The 2004 Triumph Tiger comes in any of the following three color schemes: Aluminum Silver, Jet Black, or Lucifer Orange. Each bike is 88.6 inches long, 33.8 wide, and 53.9 inches tall, with a wheelbase of 59.6 inches. The seat is installed at a height of 33.1 inches. Each 2004 Tiger has a dry weight of 474 lbs.
Triumph gave each 2004 Tiger bike steel wheels and tubeless tires: a 19-inch one at the front and 17-inch one at the back. At the front is a 12.2-inch (310-mm) dual disc brake, while the back uses a smaller 11.2-inch (285-mm) disc brake: ideal for superior braking over motorcycles with front-disc-brake/rear-drum or all-wheel drum brake layouts. The suspension consists of a 1.7-inch telescopic fork and aluminum twin-sided swing arm to handle rougher rides.
Made of steel and covered with plastic, the 2004 Triumph Tiger sports the regular fenders and handlebars, plus an upper fairing and fork guards. A kick stand is installed for standing the bike and a rear rack and under-seat compartment serve as storage. Digital instrumentation on the Tiger consists of temperature and fuel level warning gauges, a speedometer, a trip odometer, and a tachometer. Other standard features on the motorcycle include a tinted windscreen, rearview mirrors, and a halogen headlight.
Those looking for a larger engine displacement along with a sturdier Triumph Tiger are better off going with one of the newer model years, particularly from 2007 onwards. However, the 2004 edition has the advantage of possessing a larger fuel tank, thus providing a longer driving range. Besides, for more of an emphasis on on-road and off-road driving--rather than convenience or being more user-friendly to less experienced bikers--the 2004 Triumph Tiger is one of the better offerings from the nameplate.