The Triumph Scrambler is a British motorcycle launched in 2006 and based on the Bonneville. It was the last Triumph styled by designer John Mockett, and it took its look from the 1960s TR6C Trophy Special.
Triumph Scrambler at a glance
| Maker | Triumph Motorcycles, Hinckley |
|---|---|
| Launched | 2006 |
| Stylist | John Mockett |
| Base | Triumph Bonneville |
| Engine | 865 cc parallel twin, 270-degree crank |
| Carburettors | twin, with 54 hp at 7000 rpm |
| Torque | 69 Nm at 5000 rpm |
| Rear suspension | twin Kayaba shocks, 106 mm travel |
| Front suspension | 41 mm Kayaba forks, 120 mm travel, gaiters |
| Wheels | 19-inch front, 17-inch rear, spoked |
| Tyres | knobbly Bridgestone |
| Fuel injection | 2008 (2009 in the USA) |
Based on the English Wikipedia article on the Scrambler.
History of the Triumph Scrambler
2006: a Bonneville for the dirt
The Scrambler was designed as a Bonneville with off-road styling and limited off-road ability, and it was the last Triumph styled by John Mockett, who had worked with the small factory team since 1989 and shaped most of the range up to 2006. Its main influence was the TR6C Trophy Special, and it copied that bike’s high stacked twin exhausts and crossover headers. Triumph had to move the stacked pipes from the left to the right because the battery box was in the way.
Chassis and equipment
The Scrambler had a high, wide handlebar, a higher seat, twin chromed Kayaba rear shocks with 106 mm of travel and 41 mm Kayaba forks with 120 mm of travel and rubber gaiters. A small single headlight was paired with a simple speedometer, and the bike rode on chunky, knobbly Bridgestone tyres on thin spoked wheels: 19 x 2.5 inches with 36 spokes at the front, 17 x 3.5 inches with 40 spokes at the rear. Triumph offered a full accessory range including a skid plate, engine bars, a headlamp grille, side number boards, an optional tachometer (twin speedometer and tachometer became standard for 2010), a handlebar brace and pad, and even a single seat with a fixed luggage rack. Many owners added Arrow two-into-one exhausts.
Engine
The engine was the Bonneville’s 865 cc parallel twin, but with the 270-degree crankshaft of the America and Speedmaster cruisers, and twin carburettors. It was detuned to boost low-speed torque, with peak power of 54 hp at 7000 rpm and maximum torque of 69 Nm at 5000 rpm. Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection with secondary air injection arrived in 2008 (2009 in the United States); the injection needed a larger fuel tank to house the pump, and the throttle bodies were disguised to look like carburettors.
Scrambler 1200
A teaser for a larger Scrambler appeared on 9 August 2018, using an 89 hp 1200 cc single-overhead-cam engine like the Thruxton’s. It was formally announced on 24 October 2019 in two versions: the more road-oriented XC and the 30 mm taller, adventure-focused XE, both with a 21-inch spoked tubeless front wheel and the XE with more rake to suit its Showa front suspension.
Design and features
- TR6C influence — high stacked exhausts and crossover headers, moved to the right side to clear the battery box.
- Off-road parts — Kayaba shocks and forks with long travel, gaiters and knobbly tyres.
- 270-degree twin — the Bonneville engine with the cruiser crank and detuned for torque.
- Accessories — skid plate, engine bars, headlamp grille and number boards from the factory.
Triumph Scrambler versions
- Scrambler 865 (2006–): carburettor model, then fuel injection from 2008.
- 2010 model year: twin speedometer and tachometer as standard.
- Scrambler 1200 XC (2019): road-oriented 1200.
- Scrambler 1200 XE (2019): 30 mm taller, more adventure-focused.
The Scrambler is part of the Bonneville family, with the Bonneville, Thruxton and Speedmaster. More in the Triumph collection.
Sources
- Triumph Scrambler, English Wikipedia: styling, chassis, engine, accessories, Scrambler 1200
