Triumph Scrambler 900 MY 2014 – Road test

In recent years the market has proliferated with new retro models. The fact that the performance of motorbikes in general has reached very high levels, but that for many, the aesthetic and emotional side is much more important when choosing to make a purchase, has favored the success of this new genre. Ducati, Moto Guzzi, Honda and many others have therefore dusted off historical models, reinterpreting them in a modern key. In some cases they are faithful replicas, with only technical improvements, others only take inspiration from past models to create something new. In this market segment Triumph is the leader, with a share close to 40% of the total. One Triumph in three of those sold in Italy belongs to the Classics family. The charm and history of the English brand attract numerous customers of the four models, Bonneville, T100, Thruxton, and Scrambler. And given the good success the attention is maximum, which is why, with the 2014 range, benefit from a series of updates. Let's discover the Scrambler Model of Year 2014.

Aesthetics and finishes:

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Top finishes and absolute attention to detail

scrambler in the motorcycle field, it is more a category of motorcycle than a model. It's about road models, which are adapted for off-road use, hence the name, “to scramble” in fact it means mixing. What distinguishes a scrambler are mainly its knobby tires, in the past, gear ratios and suspensions were also modified, but modern scramblers are objects that focus purely on aesthetics, rather than off-road qualities. Triumph takes inspiration from the legendary TR6 Trophy, from 1956, to create his Scrambler, born in 2006. To tell the truth, already a few years earlier, more precisely in 2002, the late Carlo Talamo had created a special, based on Boneville, with precisely the same characteristics as the future Scrambler. The original model became famous not only for its successes in sports competitions, but also for being used in the film The Great Escape, driven by Steve McQueen, even if disguised as a war motorbike for script needs. Some may even remember it as Fonzie's motorbike, in the famous television series Happy Days. The base is the same as the Bonneville, the best-known model of the family, appropriately revisited. What distinguishes it, in addition to the knobby tyres, is above all its characteristic high exhaust with double overlapping silencer, wide, high and advanced handlebars, dedicated instrumentation and other small differences. The saddle, for example, is placed at a slightly higher height. The attention to detail is total, in search of fidelity to the original model. A clear example of this is fake carburettors, which in reality are just the casing for a modern electronic injection fuel system. The steering lock is also "old fashioned", on the right side, with the ignition lock on the opposite side and with two separate keys. The 2014 model presents some innovations, mainly aesthetic ones. The channels and hubs of the beautiful spoked rims, the handlebars, the oil cooler pipes and the rear brake master cylinder cover become black. Small refinements that overall give it a more aggressive look. Also new are the metal muffler cover and the saddle with the logo stamped in relief. The latest innovation is represented by the availability of two new colors: Matt Pacific Blue and the combined Lunar Silver – Diablo Red. This is precisely the color of the specimen under test.

Engine and performance:

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The 865 cc twin-cylinder has a lot of torque right from low revs

Although it is basically the same engine, here it has a different sound from the Bonneville. The difference is given by different phasing, 270° and not 360°. mumble at idle and pops on release they are his trademark. The performances are also different. The Scrambler is deliberately more sly, with 59 horsepower, 8 less than the Bonneville, but at 6.800 rpm, versus 7.500. There pair, in particular, is already available at low rpm. 90% of the 68 Nm of the maximum data, expressed at 4.750 rpm, are already delivered starting from 2.500 rpm. Thanks then to the excellent 5-speed gearbox, all enough close together, the Scrambler is always ready and has a more than decent recovery. The engine is a parallel twin-cylinder with air cooling and oil radiator, 4 valves per cylinder and a modern multipoint sequential injection fuel system, with the throttle bodies camouflaged by a metal structure that reproduces the "historical" double-barrel carburettors . The muffler it is another detail that distinguishes it, for better from an aesthetic point of view, and for worse, with its own great heat that forces you to move your right leg, widening it, if you don't want to leave it to slow cook on the bulkheads, which prevent you from getting burned, but only contain part of the heat.

Ride and handling:

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Very easy to drive, it makes you want to enjoy it in relaxation, without rushing

The Scrambler is a motorcycle very manageable, It is very easy to drive and is light even when maneuvering from a standstill and in city traffic, but with one particular driving position, mostly due to the wide and very advanced handlebars, which forces you to keep your arms quite straight forward. You drive in relaxation, the key word is don't rush, to be able to enjoy it to the full. The saddle is fantastic, soft and comfortable, even for the passenger. The frame is a cradle in steel tubes, the double cradle rear swingarm combined with the beautiful shock absorbers with chrome springs adjustable in preload, the fork is always a Kayaba, with straight 41mm stems and black rubber caps, with a retro look . The braking system is all Nissin, with a 310 mm disc in front and a 255 in front, the calipers are both two-piston. No ABS, not even on request. The beautiful spoked wheels, 19 at the front and 17 at the rear, have knobby tyres, the Bridgestone Trail Wings Luckily are But quite comfortable even when used on asphalt. The dimensions are 100/90 and 130/80 respectively. Even though it doesn't show it when riding, the Scrambler is no slouch, with a curb weight of 230 kg. In extra-urban use the chassis does its job and you can even have a bit of fun, without exaggerating though, because when leaning the tyres, whilst still maintaining good grip, make their limits felt. The Scrambler is fitted with knobby tires and the rear, to maintain the retro look, is still a very narrow 130.

Price and consumption:

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Listed at 9.550 euros, quite a bit, but justified by the quality

Quality and attention to detail pay off. The price of more 9.500 € it is therefore justified, but not of little importance. Against the stability of the value over time is excellent, just as the news coming from the management costs and consumption front is very good. In fact, the injection fuel system guarantees distances with one liter in the order of 20 km and more. From a maintenance point of view, the Scrambler is a simple and fairly economical motorcycle, which does not require frequent and expensive interventions.

PROS AND CONS

We like it:
Successful and pleasant aesthetics, ideal for showing off at an aperitif and for enjoying it thanks to easy and relaxing driving

We do not like it:
It doesn't even have a hook to attach the helmet and space for documents

Triumph Scrambler 900 MY 2014: the Motorionline Report Card

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