22 MOTORCYCLE MOJO MAY 2019
and offers a dirt-friendly throttle
map. Switching modes on the move
is a simple operation – just close the
throttle, press the M-button on the left
switchgear, then pull in the clutch to
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must also hold in the clutch lever to
start the Scramblers, even in neutral,
though the clutch action is extremely
light, denoting the presence of
Triumph’s so-called slip-assist design.
That’s its version of a slipper clutch,
though with more engine braking left
in than is usual with this technology,
which means that on winding country
roads where you can hold third gear for
kilometres on end, you need only rarely
do more than caress the front brake
lever occasionally to slow for a tighter
turn. Just concentrate on swinging from
one side to another through a series of
turns, and the inherent engine braking
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up turn speed to the desired degree.
The same impeccable shifting
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and Thruxton is retained here with
unchanged ratios. So light and smooth,
yet precise, it’s undoubtedly Triumph’s
best yet, and is literally beyond criti-
cism, with clutchless upward changes
a matter of course for all except from
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clutch to help negotiate neutral.
A Forgiving Engine
The engine powering this new pair of
Scrambler 1200 models is more than
adequately potent, while also meaty in
its delivery thanks to that wide spread
of torque from very low revs. It pulls
cleanly away in top gear from as low as
1,800 rpm without any trace of trans-
mission snatch, with that early peak
torque being maintained all the way
to the soft 7,500 rpm rev limiter. It’s an
invigorating and involving motorcycle
to ride, mainly because it’s eager to
build revs without being snatchy off the
mark (thanks to the lighter crankshaft
and other internals), yet remains a
relaxing, easy ride if you choose to hold
a gear and surf the torque curve.
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and controllable in all riding modes – a
key element of user-friendliness riding
off-road in such slippery conditions
as we faced in Portugal. The Sport
riding mode has a crisp but controllable
throttle response, and its fuel mapping
is that word again: impeccable – it’s
really well done. Both Scramblers are
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snatchy, even from a closed throttle, and
in spite of the lightened crank, I ended
up using third gear much of the time,
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equals 4,000 rpm, which makes a nice
cruising speed for this high-barred
motorcycle – go much faster than that
and you’ll have to hold on so increas-
ingly tightly that it becomes tiring. For
those who insist on doing so, this is
very much a ton-up trailie.
Third gear will take you from 40 km/h
at 2,000 revs all the way to 130 km/h
at 7,000 rpm, where it’s best to change
up as you feel the engine start to get a
little breathless – strange, since peak
power still hasn’t been attained – so
holding this for kilometres on end, even
through towns and villages, makes this
a semi-automatic motorcycle whose
broad spread of torque is especially
useful off-road.
Brand-New Chassis
The spinoff spec from the Thruxton is
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modular format chassis used by the
Scrambler 1200 duo are brand new, with a
tubular steel duplex cradle frame mated to
aluminum engine plates. Each version of
Scrambler has a subtly different geometry,
with a shorter 1,530 mm wheelbase for
the tarmac-focused XC, which also sees
PRESS LAUNCH 2019 TRIUMPH SCRAMBLER 1200
The author claims that theScrambler 1200 is as goodoff-road as it is on the road.