I'm seriously considering buying a new or used triumph tiger 800.  I test road a 2014 street version over the weekend and it's quite nice.  It's a screaming deal since it's a year old but still new which means no miles and 2-year factory warranty.   

I have a few questions I'm hoping you all have some insight on:
Do the spoked rims really matter?  the difference between the offroad and the street version is bolt on farckles and spoked rims vs. cast rims.   I want to start riding on the dirt in addition to street but I know nothing about it. Why are spoked rims better for dirt riding???  Everything else that makes it an "offroad" bike is something I can buy and bolt on later. 

Speaking of bolt on farckles...  I don't need everything that comes on the XC/offroad model, can you save a lot of money by buying just the items you want and installing them yourself?  Or is the package deal from the dealer pretty good?  My assumption is that factory installed stuff is low quality and overpriced. 

(for anyone who is intimately familiar with these bikes) The 2015 models come with four different options packages: street, upgraded street, XC (cross country offroad), and upgraded XC.  The "upgraded" is a lot of bolt on stuff (see above) BUT it's a also some some computer stuff I can't simply bolt on.  Like a third traction control option, 4 throttle maps, cruise control, and a third ABS setting.  And maybe some suspension upgrades that I'm not willing to install myself.  Is all that stuff worth it?  The 2014 I test rode  had on/off ABS and on/off traction control so it's not a totally stripped down version.  I'm trying to decide if I should wait for a 2015 that I would like alot ($$$) or take the bird in hand (the 2014 which I also like)?  Dealer says there are a lot less 2015's coming than there were 2014's, so I might be waiting a while. Keep in my mind my current bike is a 2002 yami YZF 600R that isn't even fuel injected so anything I buy will feel like a huge upgrade. 

aaaaaand go!

eD

I guess you have to ask yourself where the majority of its miles will be. On the street over long distances? Cruise would be nice. Mostly backroads and two-tracks? The 21" wheel would be great. Big duallies are compromises, not the best at anything, but able to do most everything. Bias it towards your most likely use.

All of this is good information, keep it coming. 

Still on the fence about spoked rims vs. cast.  It will probably see more asphalt than dirt but I don't want to run into problems when it does see dirt.  But I'm also not talking about serious adventure touring.  Just average dirt roads that go off into the hills that I can't take on my current sport bike.  No rock crawling, no mud bogs, no jumps, no rallies, no high speed.  I may ride it to the mountains specifically to get on dirt roads but that's 150 miles of asphalt, romp around the hills for 50+ miles, and then 150 miles back on asphalt. 

I'm not too worried about depreciation, I tend to keep vehicles for over a decade.  I'm worried about buying something and then spending a ton of money and time turning into what I want.  As opposed to just buying what I want. 

eD

Personally-spoke versus cast-will I be using my 504lb (unladen) dirt bike hard enough to bend a cast wheel? Probably not. Will I be pissed if I do bend a cast wheel? Yup. Do the spoke wheels on a GS look leagues better than the cast? Yup. Spokes win.

Spokes when purchased originally on the bike - $500
Original OEM spokes purchased after - $2000+

Note: hitting a pothole on a (badly) paved road can break/ding a cast wheel, so it isn't just insurance for dirt roads. While I want tubeless spoke wheels on my next bike, I haven't had a flat on my street bike (or dirt bike) in a bunch of years, so the "easy flat repair" of cast vs tubed spoke isn't probably that big an issue. It wouldn't stop me from buying the Tiger 800 XCx.

I currently have a '13 roadie that I enjoy but have thought very hard about getting rid of. Nothing against the bike, just want different. The bike is great on the pavement but don't know if I would take it on dirt. Gravel roads, yeah, but probably not real fast. I have the triumph side cases but if I was planning on doing dirt roads, I don't think I would trust them on surviving a fall.

Again, I really enjoy the comfort of my roadie but it's nicknamed a roadie for a reason.  So I'm looking at going back to a more sport-touring oriented bike.

I have a 2014 XC and love it. It is very easy to work on and rides great. So supple. Handles great. Nice and fast with a great growl song from the triple. I've added Moose Racing rear and top cases, Clearwater Krista driving lights, Kaoko cruise control, Pivot Pegz and Heidenau K60 Scout tires. Saturday mornings are now spent planning day trips around Wisconsin's dirt roads and trails while waiting for spring temperatures.