Dale's Motorcycle Blog

As the new model year gets closer, we’re being treated to the first look at some interesting new bikes for the 2013 model year.

One of these is the off-road biased version of the Triumph Explorer, dubbed the XC. It’s available only in the OD Green, military-looking color shown here—Triumph calls it "Khaki Green"—but it will come stock with the fog lamps, crash bars, hang guards and bash plate. Triumph also has a whole mess of accessories and add-ons, available, of course, at a hefty fee.

The wheels are spoked, cast aluminum, with a tubeless design for easier in-the-middle-of-nowhere repairs. The back wheel is still a standard 17", but the front wheel is a more off-road capable 19" design. and, of course, it’s powered by the big-boy 1215cc triple that, so far, everyone is raving about. At 135 HP, it certainly offers a noticeable plus over the 110HP of the venerable 1200cc boxer in the current R1200GS, but we don’t actually know what the new GS power plant will be for the 2013 model. We’ll learn that next month, at the unveiling at INTERMOT. Maybe the difference then won’t be as noticeable. We’ll see.

Anyway, pricing hasn’t been announced, but it’ll probably come in at least $1,000 to $1,500 under the GS.