Triumph Tiger 900 (base, GT, Rally, Pro) Complete Maintenance Schedule

This is the maintenance schedule with associated service intervals for the Triumph Tiger 900 motorcycles, released in 2020 as an update to the Triumph Tiger 800 range.

The maintenance is the same across the models (base, GT, Rally, and Pro variants). In some cases there’s a couple of external accessories that you need to check — like a center stand — but they’re all mentioned below in case you have one.

All of the Triumph Tiger 900 models (the base model, the GT, GT Pro, Rally, and Rally Pro) are based on an an 888cc liquid-cooled 12-valve DOHC 3-cylinder (triple) engine. With a compression ratio of 12.27:1, it makes 70 kW (95.2 PS/93.9 bhp) at 8750 rpm, and peak torque of 87 Nm (64 ft-lb) at 7250 rpm.

See below for a further description of the different models.

This site has links for things like oil and spark plugs from which we earn a commission (which unfortunately nobody can save, not even us). If you appreciate this work, then please use those links. Thanks!

Triumph Tiger 900 Service Intervals

Basic service intervals for the Triumph Tiger 900 motorcycles are every 6000 miles (10000 km) OR every year, at which you the oil and filter. When any of these periods passes, check to see what’s due in the full schedule.

Every second service, change the spark plugs, air cleaner, and other items, and do a valve service.

As the Tiger 900 has a liquid-cooled engine, you need to periodically refresh the coolant using an HD4X coolant or equivalent.

Finally, the Triumph Tiger 900 has a chain final drive, so make sure you keep it clean, lubricated, and tensioned.

What you need to service the Triumph Tiger 900 range

Aside from general motorcycle maintenance tools, he following is a list of tools and consumables that are recommended for the Triumph Tiger 900.

PartTriumph Tiger 900 spec
Engine OilThe manual specifies “semi or fully synthetic 10W/40 or 10W/50 motorcycle engine oil which meets specification API SH (or higher) and JASO MA, such as Castrol Power 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 (fully synthetic) engine oil.” The recommended oil is not too expensive and many consider it worth it.
Oil filterAvailable from your local Triumph dealer (part T1218001), or you can use the Hiflofiltro HF204RC (use a generic oil filter wrench to remove the Triumph one — and with a replacement you can use a normal wrench).
CoolantTriumph recommends HD4X Hybrid Organic Acid Technology (OAT) coolant, which it says is “a 50% solution of ethylene glycol based antifreeze”. You can use Motorex M3.0. See here for some other Triumph HD4X alternatives.
Chain lubricantThe chain needs to be lubricated every 800 km/500 miles (or more, if it gets wet/dirty), with variations recommended between manufacturers. Motul chain paste is well-regarded and portable.
TyresSee below for the table of tire sizes and pressures.
Cable lubricantRemember to lubricate your clutch cable (and brake cables if you have them) with a cable lubricant. Protect All Cable Life is a good general-purpose lubricant.
Brake fluidManual specifies DOT 4 brake and clutch fluid, as with many motorcycles. You can use Castrol DOT 4.
GreaseMake sure you have lithium soap-based grease for lubricating major components like your side stand, centre stand, and major bearings. This Valvoline grease is cheap and versatile.
What you need to service a Triumph Tiger 900

Maintenance Schedule for Triumph Tiger 900 range (base, GT, Rally, Pro models)

Below is the maintenance schedule for the Triumph Tiger 900 motorcycles, including the base model 900, the GT and GT Pro, and the Rally and Rally Pro. This is taken from the manual, but adapted to be a bit easier to read.

The Tiger 900 variants all share a common maintenance schedule. The only thing that changes is whether you have to adjust the spokes on the rims (on the Rally models).

The maintenance schedule is here shown in three separate sections for convenience: Daily checks, the annual service checklist, and the periodic service schedule.

Daily checks

Triumph Tiger 900 — Daily Maintenance Items
Engine and oil cooler – check for leaks
Fuel system – check for leaks, chafing etc.
Cooling system – check for leaks
Coolant level – check/adjust
Clutch cable – check/adjust
Wheels – inspect for damage
Wheels – check wheels for broken or damaged spokes and check spoke tightness (Rally models)
Tire wear/tire damage – check
Tire pressures – check/adjust
Lights, instruments and electrical systems – check
Steering – check for free operation
Forks – check for leaks/smooth operation
Brake pads – check wear levels
Brake master cylinders – check for fluid leaks
Brake calipers – check for fluid leaks and seized pistons
Brake fluid levels – check
Drive chain condition, cleanliness, slack, and lubrication condition – check/adjust
See below guidance on checking chain condition
Drive chain rubbing strip – check. Replace as needed
Fasteners – inspect visually for security
Bank angle indicators – inspect visually for wear
Side stand – check operation
Center stand – check operation
Triumph Tiger 900 — Daily Maintenance Items

Annual service items

Items marked [T] need dealer-specific resources and tools.

Triumph Tiger 900 Annual Service Items
[T] Autoscan – Carry out a full Autoscan using the Triumph Diagnostic Tool
[T] ABS modulator – check for stored DTCs
Wheel bearings – check for wear/smooth operation
Headstock bearings – check/adjust
Accessory rack sliding carriage – check for correct operation (if fitted)
Side / center stand pivot – clean/grease
Accessory pannier link mechanism – check for correct operation and adjustment (if fitted)
[T] Carry out all outstanding service bulletin and warranty work
Carry out road test
[T] Complete the service record book and reset the service indicator
Triumph Tiger 900 Annual Service Items

Triumph Tiger 900 Service Schedule

Notes

  • Observe the earlier of a time- or distance-based interval.
  • Keep following this schedule in the pattern shown, every 6000 miles or 10000 km.
mi x 10000.66121824
km x 1000110203040Every
Conduct all daily maintenance itemsYear
Conduct all annual maintenance items (see above list)Year
Engine oil – renew (Castrol Power 1 Racing 4T 10W-40)Year
Engine oil filter – renew (Triumph part T1218001)Year
Throttle bodies – balance
Air cleaner – replace
Spark plugs – replace (NGK CR9EK)
Valve clearances – check/adjust
Throttle body plate (butterfly) – check/clean
Secondary air injection system–check/clean
Headstock bearings – lubricate
Rear suspension linkage – check/lubricate
Fork oil – renew
Brake fluid – renew (Castrol DOT 4)2 years
Coolant – replace (ethylene glycol pre-mix)3 years
Triumph Tiger 900 maintenance schedule

Triumph Tiger 900 Chain Maintenance

Triumph recommends you lubricate your chain and check the wear periodically according to the following schedule.

ItemEvery
Drive chain – lubricate (Motul chain care kit)200 miles (300 km)
Drive chain – wear check500 miles (800 km)
Triumph Street Triple — Chain Maintenance

You also need to regularly check the slack of the chain per the schedule.

How to check chain slack on a Triumph Tiger 900

Triumph Tiger 900 chain maintenance image

For Triumph, slack is the free vertical movement of the center part of the bottom chain segment.

Here are the specs for chain slack for the Tiger 900.

Triumph Tiger 900 modelSlack (Free movement of chain)
Base model, GT, GT Pro25-35mm (1 – 1.4 in)
Rally, Rally Pro30-40mm (1.2-1.6 in)
GT LRH20-30mm (0.8-1.2 in)
Triumph Tiger 900 chain slack

To measure chain slack, follow this procedure:

  1. You need a ruler (or tape measure) and nitrile gloves or a rag (to avoid getting grease on your hands)
  2. Put the motorcycle in neutral, on a level service, and elevate the rear wheel with a stand or center stand if you have one fitted.
  3. Rotate the wheel and find the tightest part of the chain, in the middle.
  4. Use a finger to lightly push the chain up and down. Measure the deflection, which is the chain slack.

How to adjust chain slack on the Triumph Tiger 900.

The procedure on the Tiger 900 is similar to on many motorcycles, but of course specifics vary between brands.

You need wrenches and torque wrenches to re-tighten the rear wheel. You need a large torque wrench for the rear axle.

  1. Keep the motorcycle’s rear wheel elevated.
  2. Loosen the rear axle nut.
  3. Loosen the lock nuts on the left-hand and right-hand sides.
  4. Turn the adjuster bolts, usually counter-clockwise, extending the bolt “outward” to lengthen the chain and make it tighter. (Sometimes you’ll want to make it looser — in those cases, turn it clockwise / inward)
  5. Make sure to adjust the bolts the same amount on each side — check the markings.
  6. Tighten both adjuster lock nuts to 15 lb-ft / 20 Nm, and the rear axle nut to 81 lb-ft / 110 Nm (“very tight”).

Tyre pressure for the Triumph Tiger 900

The Triumph Tiger 900 models all ship with different tire sizes and recommended pressures.

Tiger 900 & 900 GT/Pro

The Triumph Tiger 900 and GT/Pro are generally fit with street or sport touring tyres.

WheelTyre (Tire) sizeTyre (Tire) pressure (cold)
Front100/90-19 MC 57V36 psi / 2.5 bar
Rear150/70 R17 M/C 69V42 psi / 2.9 bar
Tyre sizes and pressures — Tiger 900 and 900 GT/Pro

Tiger 900 Rally / Pro

The Triumph Tiger 900 Rally and Rally Pro are generally fit with dual sport or adventure sport tyres.

WheelTyre (Tire) sizeTyre (Tire) pressure (cold)
Front90/90-21 M/C 54V34 psi / 2.3 bar
Rear150/70 R17 M/C 69V42 psi / 2.9 bar
Tyre sizes and pressures — Tiger Rally / Pro

About the Triumph Tiger 900 range

The Triumph Tiger 900 model range replaces the most recent incarnation of the Triumph Tiger 800 range, taking the help as Triumph’s new middleweight adventure tourers.

The whole range is powered by the same engine in the same tune. It’s an 888cc triple (an inline three-cylinder engine) that has dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder. It makes more power and has more torque than the outgoing motor — but that’s not all.

The new engine also has a unique 1-3-2 firing order that gives it even more character than the outgoing triple.

The Triumph Tiger 900’s 888cc engine makes a peak of 95.2 PS (93.9 bhp / 70 kW) at 8750 rpm, and peak of 87 Nm (64 ft-lb) at 7250 rpm. It’s midrange-focused, but sporty and interesting to ride.

All models also share the same base brakes — twin 320mm floating discs with Brembo Stylema 4-piston monoblock calipers.

Though they share the same engine and brakes, the motorcycles vary in suspension, tech, and accessories. Here’s how they vary:

PartTiger 900 (to 2020 only)Tiger 900 GTTiger 900 GT ProTiger 900 RallyTiger 900 Rally Pro
Front suspensionMarzocchi 45mm USD, non-adjustableMarzocchi 45mm USD, fully adjustable (manual)Marzocchi 45mm USD, fully adjustable (manual)Showa 45mm USD, fully adjustable, 240mm travelShowa 45mm USD, fully adjustable, 240mm travel
Rear shock (RSU)Marzocchi, manual preload adjustableMarzocchi, fully adjustable, manualMarzocchi, fully adjustable, electronicShowa, fully adjustable, manualShowa, fully adjustable, manual
Front/rear suspension travel180/170 mm180/170 mm (LRH: 140/151 mm)180/170 mm (LRH: 140/151 mm)240/230 mm240/230 mm
Front wheel19×2.5 in, cast alloy19×2.5 in, cast alloy19×2.5 in, cast alloy21 x 2.15 in, spoked tubeless21 x 2.15 in, spoked tubeless
Rear wheel17×4.25 in, cast alloy17×4.25 in, cast alloy17×4.25 in, cast alloy17 x 4.25 in, spoked tubeless17 x 4.25 in, spoked tubeless
Optimised Cornering ABS/TCNoYesYesYesYes
Ride modesRain, RoadRain, Road, Sport, Off-roadRain, Road, Sport, Offroad, CustomRain, Road, Sport, Off-roadRain, Road, Sport, Off-road, Custom, and Off-road Pro
Display5 inch TFT7 inch TFT7 inch TFT7 inch TFT7 inch TFT
QuiskshifterNoNoYesNoYes
LED lights and DRLsNoYesYes + fog lightsYesYes + fog lights
My Triumph app connectivityNoNoYesNoYes
Phone storage & chargingNoYesYesYesYes
ColorsWhiteWhite, Black, RedWhite, Black, RedWhite, Black, Khaki + white frameWhite, Black, Khaki + white frame
Tiger 900 model range — difference between GT, GT Pro, Rally, Rally Pro, and base model

In a nutshell, the Tiger 900 base model gets you in the club, but you miss out on a lot. The GT models get you a spec which is much more suited for road touring, and the Rally models get you spec which is more suited for off-road.

But you’d be wrong to think there’s an absolute best between the Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro and Rally Pro. For example, the GT Pro is heavier, and doesn’t have the off-road wheel size of the Rally Pro, and the Rally Pro lacks the electronic suspension adjustment of the GT Pro. Decisions!

From 2021, the slightly lower-power Triumph Tiger 850 Sport replaces the base model Triumph Tiger 900.

Reference — Manual for the Triumph Tiger 900 motorcycles

The above maintenance schedule comes directly from the user’s manual for the Triumph Tiger 900, which is available on the Triumph web site.

All model variants share a manual and a common maintenance schedule.

Triumph Tiger 900 Maintenance Schedule Screenshot From Manual

The parts lists come from various parts fiches online.

Similar Posts

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments