Spec comparo: Triumph Tiger 900 vs Ducati Multistrada 950 vs Honda Africa Twin vs F 900 XR
Triumph has launched its most popular and anticipated Tiger 900 at a price of Rs 13.70 lakh and we pit it against its rivals to see how the new Tiger 900 fares in a spec-by-spec comparison. And the competition is tough, it locks horns with the Ducati Multistrada, Honda Africa Twin and the BMW F 900 XR.
Engine and drivetrain
To start with the biggest, it would be the Honda Africa Twin with two liquid-cooled cylinders and a displacement of 1,085cc, then comes the Ducati Multistrada 950 with the same liquid-cooled L-twin cylinder set-up and a displacement of 937cc and lastly, the Triumph Tiger 900 with a 3-cylinder liquid-cooled engine and a displacement of 888cc. The BMW F 900 XR is powered by an 865cc in-line two-cylinder engine.
Features
The Ducati Multistrada comes with features like traction control, ABS and three riding modes - Sport, Touring, Urban and Enduro. The Honda Africa Twin gets a full-colour 6.5-inch TFT touchscreen with AppleCarPlay and you can also connect your headphones via Bluetooth. It also gets cruise control, ride-by-wire, switchable ABS, cornering ABS, wheelie control, adjustable seat and six riding modes- Tour, Urban, Gravel, Off-Road, User 1 and User 2. The F 900 XR features list includes traction control, cornering ABS, ride by wire with riding modes, cruise control, adaptive cornering light, keyless ride or intelligent emergency call. The Tiger 900 has an electronically adjustable rear suspension, USB 3.0 charger, cruise control, riding modes and a big 7-inch dashboard that pairs to your phone for satellite navigation and for even controlling your GoPro. The BMW F 900 XR also gets a coloured TFT dash and adjustable levers, 12V socket and adjustable windshield. The largest tank is on the 2020 Honda Africa Twin with a capacity of 24.8 litres and it weighs 226kg, whereas the Multistrada and the Tiger can hold up to 20 litres. The Ducati Multistrada 950 weighs 229kg which is three kilos more than the Africa Twin with lesser fuel tank capacity.
Power figures
When it comes to power figures, let's start with the highest. First up we have the Ducati Multistrada 950 with a power of 113PS and 96Nm of torque, up next we have the Honda Africa Twin with a power of 102PS and a torque of 105Nm and the BMW F 900 XR makes 106PS of power and 92Nm of torque. Lastly, we have the Triumph Tiger 900 with a power of 95PS and 87Nm of torque. The delivery of these figures is what determines the performance of an adventure bike on tough terrain.  The torque of the 2020 Africa Twin kicks in at an early 6,250rpm, at the same time the torque of the Ducati Multistrada is delivered at 7,750rpm. Both these numbers are further apart from each other which affects the overall performance, be it on tarmac or off-tarmac.
Pricing
Now, we come to what matters the most. If you're looking for an ADV among the three mentioned above, the one which won't reach very deep into your pockets will be the Ducati Multistrada 950 with a price tag of Rs. 12.84 lakh, ex-showroom, and after that will be the recently launched 2020 Honda Africa Twin priced at Rs. 15.35 lakh, ex-showroom. The price of the Triumph Tiger 900 GT is Rs 13.70 lakh and the top model Rally Pro costs Rs 15.50 lakh and the BMW F 900 XR is priced at Rs 11.50 lakh.