Try slamming these babies on without ABSShields should protect the springs from falls Heated grips, handguards and rider modesFrom the moment I hopped on the
XE Scrambler I knew I’d been right to
join the launch. Sure it’s not light
(207kg) like a dirtbike and runs twin
shocks but stand on the ’pegs and
muscle this thing through tight
singletrack or over big logs and
you’ll forget all about its road-
oriented beginnings.
WHERE IT TRICKS YOU
When people hear the word Scrambler
they instantly think hipster with a
beard and a trucker’s hat hanging from
their belt loop riding from café to café.
While that image of your typical
Scrambler pilot is not without
foundation, the capability of the XE
Scrambler goes far beyond that.
Seated behind the handlebar you
look down directly on the top of the
fork legs, just like you do on your
dirtbike. If you’ve got a flat-blade
screwdriver handy you can adjust the
separate-function fork from above, just
like you would on your dirtbike. You’ll
notice the seat is flat and tall which
props you up and forward, forcing you
to sit on top of the bike not in it like
many scalloped-out adventure bikes
do. A solid set of handguards protect
the adjustable levers (the clutch one
needs more adjustability as I found it
squeezed my outer fingers a little) and
an adjustable tapered ’bar that can be
moved forward and back to suit you.
Look down and you’ll notice
annoying rubber inserts in the middle
of the footpegs. Don’t stress, you can
rip those out for dirt work. What you’re
left with is a comfortable, wide footpeg
with aggressive teeth for gripping your
boots when sliding through dirt
corners. The brake pedal has an
aggressive set of teeth for grabbing
with your toes and the gearlever tip
folds, so if you bin it on the left it
should just fold back without breaking.
On closer inspection, when you look
down you’ll notice an aluminium
bashplate, crashbars and retro, shorty
aluminium mudguards. On the
handlebar you’ve got all your typical
gadgets like a switchblock that controls
the rider modes on the left (see sidebar)
and the stop/start button on the right.
Sitting on the Scrambler XE it feels
like a dirtbike, albeit a big, heavy one.
The XE version of the Scrambler (not
to be confused with the XC) has had its
heart altered. The low-inertia, six-
speed, eight-valve parallel twin is
derived from the Bonneville engine
but has been tuned for the bush. To
improve the XE’s performance off-road,
Triumph added a magnesium cam
cover, altered the clutch assembly,
changed the balance shafts, inserted a
new crankshaft and lighter alternator
and added a high-compression head.
The end result is an incredibly torquey
engine that, while a little more
aggressive than some of the 1200cc
ADV bikes, is just as manageable with
some controlled clutch input.
I loved the more aggressive throttle
setting but some of the testers found it
a little difficult and attempted to
personalise the traction control, ABS
and mapping. You can do this by
selecting “Rider” on the TFT screen
and customising everything to suit
you, so some opted to use the Off-road
Pro settings with ABS and traction
control off, but with the softer Rain
mode engine mapping.
Not me, I loved the punchy throttle.
It allowed me to jump step ups, launch
over logs and wheelie across holes and
ruts. It feels no more aggressive than a
450cc motocross bike. And like any
dirtbike, I spent most of my time in
second and third so it is geared quite
short for a 1200cc machine.While I love the aggressive, grunty
engine, I had issues with it flaming out
a little. When I spoke to Triumph’s Cliff
Stovall he said they were aware of it
but said there was little they could do
seeing the bikes have to meet Euro 5
compliance. New emission regulations
out of Europe mean manufacturers
have to implement choking hazards
which restricts airflow and can wreak
havoc on things like this. It is only
noticeable when performing slow
U-turns and I never felt it bog or flame
out when hopping logs.
To finish off the typical Scrambler
look is the twin side pipes. What I love
most about this design is the fact they
were not underslung and, therefore, do
not reduce the ground clearance.
Unless you drop the bike on the right,
the pipe will be hard to damage. The
only thing that bugged me was how
hot the pipe got and how close my right
leg was to it. The pipe splits into two
just after the catalytic converter and
that’s where it is piping hot, pun
intended. Triumph Australia tried
wrapping heatproof tape around it but
it didn’t work. It’s not a deal breaker
but something to be conscious of on
hot summer days.DIRTBIKE SUSPENSION
While the engine feels like it produces
far more torque than the Triumph
Tiger range, it is the suspension and
chassis that make it feel more like a
dirtbike than anything else. The fork is
firm, perfect for my 98kg frame, and
the steering feels solid and tight
thanks to more rake (26.9 degrees) and
trail (129.2mm) on the XE.
We were taken to the Australian
Automotive Research Centre testing
facility in Anglesea, Vicco for the dirt
component of the test and let loose on
the four-wheel-drive proving ground.http://www.adbmag.com.au MAY 2019| 89