2006 Triumph Tiger 1.0L Petrol · KX06 FDV

The most recent DVSA examination on 27 February 2025 resulted in a pass, with a single advisory noting that the front tyre was worn close to the legal limit at the time of test. This same test date also records a prior failure for an inoperative horn, which was evidently rectified to secure the pass, while the tyre advisory suggests the front tyre was replaced or has since worn further. Looking back through the recorded MOT history, there is a mixture of passes and failures spread over several years, with defects ranging from minor advisories to major failures such as incorrect throttle operation in 2021, headlamp aim and a non-functioning stop lamp in 2020. Recurring themes include the consistent fitment of fork gaitors, indicating a long-standing concern with fork seal condition, alongside multiple advisories relating to drive chain tension, rear shock absorber bushes, and brake performance. The maintenance trend therefore reads as broadly stable but with a pattern of small, accumulating wear items rather than a single catastrophic failure, suggesting an older machine that has been kept on the road through attentive but incremental upkeep. With 50,038 recorded miles over approximately twenty years, this Tiger averages around 2,500 miles annually, which is notably low for a motorcycle of this type and age. Such limited annual usage typically indicates either a leisure-only or weekend machine, or significant periods of standing between rides. While low mileage reduces wear on high-cycle components such as the engine, clutch and gearbox internals, it raises the likelihood of deterioration through disuse rather than mechanical fatigue. Standing unused allows moisture to accumulate in the fuel system, encourages tyre sidewall perishing and flat-spotting, promotes brake disc corrosion and caliper bind, drains the 12 volt battery through parasitic draw, and can cause oil seals including fork seals to dry out and weep on first use. Buyers should be alert to these age-related conditions rather than simply reassured by the modest odometer reading. From a buyer inspection perspective, the recurring fork gaitor advisories warrant close physical examination of the front forks for oil residue on the stanchions, staining on the gaitors themselves, and any pitting or corrosion visible on the chrome upper tubes, as dried seals that have been covered rather than replaced often mask an ongoing leak that returns once the gaitors are removed. Test ride feedback should focus on front end dive under braking, any juddering or pulling from the front brake which may indicate warped or corroded discs from standing, and listen for clonks or knocking from the rear shock absorber lower mounting given the 2021 advisory for a slightly worn bush, which would by now be considerably further deteriorated. The drive chain advisories from 2018 and 2019 suggest chain and sprocket wear should be measured with a tension gauge and checked for tight spots, while the throttle operating issue recorded in 2021, although major, requires verification that the throttle body is operating smoothly and returning cleanly to idle without sticking, a known concern on Triumph triple models. Beyond the recorded defects, the prospective buyer should undertake several age and standing-related inspections regardless of MOT outcome. Tyres fitted to a low-mileage machine are often original or date-stamped well before the current mileage suggests and may exhibit sidewall cracking, perishing, or hardening even if the tread depth remains legal, all of which compromise grip on a 2006 motorcycle now twenty years old. The braking system should be examined for seized caliper pistons, corroded pad backing plates, and any sponginess in the lever that might indicate old fluid or a master cylinder weeping internally, and a brake fluid service is overdue given the calendar age. The 12 volt battery is likely approaching or past its service life and should be load tested, while fuel system checks for stale petrol, varnish in the tank, and a stuck or dripping float in the carburettor or throttle body are essential after long layups. Finally, verify the continuity of the service book stamps, confirm the timing chain tensioner and valve clearances have been addressed at appropriate intervals for a Triumph triple of this vintage, and inspect the swingarm, headstock and suspension linkages for corrosion, as twenty years of British weather will test the structural integrity of any motorcycle regardless of how few miles it has covered.