Power gain
+63bhp
85bhp T709 → 148bhp 2026 GT. The triple has stayed central to the Tiger's identity, but capacity has gone from 885cc to 1160cc and electronics have multiplied.
Torque gain
+52Nm
78Nm → 130Nm. Big jump in 2012 with the 1215cc Explorer, then refined on the new T-plane motor that prioritises low-end shove.
Weight loss
−27kg
Notable: the 2026 GT is 27kg LIGHTER than the 2016 Explorer (240kg vs 267kg wet). Triumph went on a serious weight-loss programme for the 2022 T-plane redesign.
Real cost change
+£2.9k
£7,200 in 1996 ≈ £14,400 today. The 2026 GT is £17,295. About 20% more in real terms — for radar, semi-active suspension, IMU electronics and 60+ more horsepower.
Rider aids count
0 → 9
1996: nothing. 2026: cornering ABS, traction control, ride modes (6 of them), cruise, hill hold, blind spot radar, semi-active suspension, lift control, slide control.
Engine character
Even-firing → T-plane
The 2022 redesign brought T-plane firing — uneven crankshaft intervals (1-3-2 firing pattern at 90°/270°/180°) that gives the triple a twin-like low-end character. Whether you like it depends on whether you wanted a triple to start with.
Cheapest way in
£2.5k
A clean 1996 Tiger T709 today. Hinckley-era Triumph triple with trail tyres for less than a kitchen. Surprisingly capable, distinctly British.
