The first look of the Triumph Scrambler 1200 has been released. The bikes will be available in two variants, XC and more dirt worthy XE – a motorcycle many Triumph enthusiasts have been craving for. While the Triumph already has a Street Scrambler on sale in India, they claim that these twins are more like being a high-performance proposition for both on and off road. Of course, the Triumph Scrambler 1200 is all-new for 2019 and it’s much more than just a Bonneville with knobby tires or a Street Scrambler with a bigger engine.
Both the motorcycles arrive with the British brand’s retuned 1200cc parallel-twin engine that puts out 89bhp at 7400rpm and 119Nm of torque at 3950rpm. It’s the iconic 270-degree firing order engine that is borrowed from the latest generation Bonneville twin. But the Scrambler 1200’s engine is tuned to deliver 12.5 per cent more power than the Bonneville T120, and 38 per cent more power than the Street Scrambler seen on Indian roads.
The XC and the XE will come with fully-adjustable Ohlins rear suspension (including piggy-back reservoirs) for optimal off-road handling and extended wheel travel. The XC version has 200mm of travel and the XE 250mm of travel. The Scrambler 1200 will feature world’s first integrated GoPro control system which is operated by a Bluetooth accessory while the connection and control is displayed on a full-color TFT instrument for instant video and photo opportunities via switchgear.
In terms of features, the doppelgangers will come with five riding modes – Road, Rain, Off-Road, Sport and Rider – that adjust the throttle response, ABS settings and traction control. XE is more of a dirt version than the all-rounder XC, hence it receives sixth “Off-Road Pro” mode that turns off the ABS, traction control and uses the off-road throttle map. It also comes with more advanced feature like the Inertial Measurement Unit that provides cornering ABS and corner traction control that constantly measures roll, pitch, yaw, lean angle and acceleration rates, responding with appropriate active features.
In terms of styling, the 2019 Scrambler 1200 XE version comes with additional hand guards with aluminium brace, Brembo MCS lever, Silver handlebar finish with black anodized risers and clamp and Golden coloured forks. The all-rounder XC model features rider-configurable riding modes for ABS and Traction control. The ABS has three modes and the traction control has five modes to manually select from.
Other highlights of both the Scramblers include: LED lighting, a 5-inch headlight, taillight and turn signals. LED DRLs, control switches with LED backlighting, keyless Ignition, cruise control, USB Charger, heated grips (standard on XE; accessory on XC). Each of the Triumph Scramblers will be available in Jet Black and Brooklands Green while the Scrambler 1200 XC will be available in Matt Black, Khaki Green and the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE will be available in Fusion White, Cobalt Blue colour options.
While the Adventure bike segment seems to be getting more popular in India, the 2019 Scrambler 1200 seems to put a new spin on the form. We’ve seen Triumph Scramblers before also, but these seem to be much more than motorcycles with knobby tyres or a Scrambler with a bigger engine. The Scramblers will go up against the Ducati Scrambler 1200 and we expect Triumph to launch the motorcycle early next year. While the prices are not yet revealed, we look forward to riding the twins to get you all the first impression and find out if the Scrambler 1200 is indeed a ‘real deal’ or not.
Keep watching this space for more updates
Words by Vishal Joshi