Of late, Scramblers have been in the news for all the right reasons. From mass-manufacturers to independent builders, all the bike makers are building their own versions of a scrambler. Now, Triumph has joined the scrambler bandwagon with the Street Scrambler. Triumph is not new to the game and the Street Scrambler seems to be their best one yet. While earlier Scramblers from the company have been more of 'street only' bikes, the new one promises to be more.
Triumph has been getting good in the Scrambler game with their earlier model that was based on the 865 cc, Bonneville. Now, the new Street Scrambler gets a new 900 cc parallel twin engine which also powers the Street Twin and Bonneville T100. The styling of the Scrambler is a bit of both of its siblings and some unique bits too. Larger 19-inch front wheels and scrambler style side-mounted dual exhaust differentiate the wilder one in the family. Other unique features include new fuel tank, black engine covers, aluminium finished single throttle body, interchangeable pillion seat, removable pillion pegs and hangers, ribbed alcantara-style seat with contrast stitching, aluminium headlight bracket and black headlight bezel.
With the new 900 cc engine, Triumph has made the engine more accessible for both on and off-road riding. The engine has enough grunt across the range, having been tuned for a stronger mid-range and builds power slow and steady. The twin has got the right combination of power and rideability offering the right amount of response without being over-sensitive. Be it the city roads or through the twists of a mountain or over a dirt track, the Scrambler held its own without a problem.
Though the five-speed transmission does a neat job, a sixth cog is missed on the highways past the three-digit mark on the speedo. The first gear is tall and the rest of the gears are spaced nicely for smooth power flow. The electronic aids such as Traction Control and ABS that come as standard, can be switched off and that is where the fun begins. Over loose gravel these aids only come in the way and turning them off gives better control of the throttle and acceleration.
The suspension (KYB 41 mm forks to the front and KYB twin shocks to the rear) has been tuned specially for the Scrambler and gets more travel. The front suspension forks are longer than the Street Twin and the setup is in favour of mild off-roading. Though this is not a proper adventurer bike, the Street Scrambler will impress you if you decide to take a gravel path. The 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels are fitted with grippy Metzeler Tourance tyres that stick to the road to the last tread. The Street Scrambler also has good stopping capability with single disc brakes front and back, and a non-intrusive ABS.
The side-mounted exhaust may look cool but if you stand in the city traffic for five minutes, get ready to feel the heat, literally. But get on the highway, the sweet sound will make you forget the heat. The angry growl is exciting enough without irritating others.
Now, there is no doubt that the new Street Scrambler is the best one from Triumph and may be the best Scrambler in the industry. It comes out with flying colours when it comes to rideability and performance. It may not be the most powerful but certainly the most accessible Scrambler. The Triumph Street Scrambler is one bike that combines the prowess of a city commuter (to some extent), performance of a highway cruiser and the potential of an off-roader in good dosage.
