TRIUMPH SCRAMBLER 1200 (2019 - on) Review

So much torque delivered all through the range. Slightly erratic throttle response.

Keyless ignition either has low power or is out of range. Random electrical errors constantly appearing(indicators, abs etc) dealer says not a know issue but forum is full of reports of the same problem.

Spacious and very comfortable

Grunty and full of character

Excellent finish on all parts, and loads of tech. The Dash is a work of art. Now covered 1500 miles and no issues

Long 10000 mile service intervals

Standard spec is comprehensive and you can really tell the difference between the riding modes. The Dash and functions are superb. I also have the rear light relocator and smaller indicators and excellent heated grips added

The seat has been comfortable enough for day-long rides with the typical stops for fuel, lunch, etc. It's not great on the highway, being an upright naked bike with no wind protection. A large windshield would help, but would also detract from the style of the bike (which is a big part of the draw of this model, if I'm being honest). I never bought this bike with long, cross-country trips in mind, so middling highway comfort isn't much of an issue. I'm 6' on the nose, and this bike fits me quite well. It's a tall bike, and I think the weight feels a bit high, but it handles quite well on back roads and in traffic. At first the weight was noticeable (after several years mostly riding an air-cooled Multistrada, a very lightweight and "flickable" bike), but after a short period of adjustment it feels normal.

Hard to find anything to dislike with this engine. It delivers power pretty much everywhere. I'm used to higher-revving twins, the adjusting to the lower RPMs that this engine prefers was quick and rewarding. It's got all the power you could need for a street/offroad bike.

No complaints with the finish of the bike. Everything looks put together quite well. The only minor complaint would be the looks of the cockpit, from the front of the bike. The speedo wiring isn't attractive, but a dark flyscreen cleaned up the aesthetics well. The only issue I've had was with the well-reported heat from the catalytic converter. It was almost unbearable a few times when stopped in traffic. A Free Spirits decat pipe made a dramatic improvement. I blame new Euro standards for this mostly, but Triumph should really find a solution to this that doesn't require an aftermarket solution.

I've put about 3000 miles on mine over four months. No mechanical issues to report, no need for service other than than 500 mile initial maintenance.

The suspension is probably my favorite standard set of equipment on the XE. I know some are turned off by the gold forks, but I like the look, and the front and year are well balanced. The suspension did feel harsh at first, but once it "settled in" the ride became much more comfortable, and seems perfect for my weight (175 lbs + gear) for everything from smooth pavement to light off-road use. I'd recommend a decat and a center stand as must-have accessories. The decat helps with the heat, and (in my opinion) every bike with a chain should have a center stand. I've also added a rear rack and pannier for storage when running around town or those camping trips I may or may not ever get to.

The brakes are probably the best feature of the bike. Ride quality is hampered by that main irritation, the burning hot pipe. The seat is fairly good, but I think it provides more retro look than a comfortable ride.

Yes, it's torqey at low revvs, but that's pretty much all there's to it. Yes, the sound is OK even with stock exhaust pipes. When cruising at motorway speeds it is rather dull when you think of the size of the engine. 89 horses is a low number.

I guess I got what's called a Monday bike, as it had several issues: The keyless ride arrangement with a big key fob in my pocket didn't work as one might have assumed. The antennas, both inside the display and under the seat, were unreliable and got fixed by the dealer's mechanic the day before I traded the bike away. The battery inside the key fob didn't sit sufficiently firm in its box so I had to squeeze in a plastic bit to provide better contact. The TFT-display developed a mist on the inside of the glass. This moisture thing may also be the reason for the display's peculiar behaviour. IT got replaced on warranty. At the end of my ownership it was detected oil leakage from engine into one of the cylinders, something that cause irregular combustion. This was another warranty service. It is my impression that the best bits of the bike are those that Triumph hasn't actually built themselves.

Running costs: Hard to tell. I only owned the bike 7 months. Value loss: When I traded it for a bike of another brand I realised the Scrambler had lost a lot of value. Now, I don't live in Britain, hard to compare.

The equipment level was OK as it prevented the price tag from an even higher level. I was disappointed to find that the bike didn't come with a thermometer for external temperature, even tho the manual gave me the impression there should be such a thing. The step-by-step Google maps assisted navigation arrangement seemed way too odd for me to put money into. But like I have hinted about, the TFT-display was a disappointment.

I kind of feel like Brembo’s should be a little stronger than this.

Engine number two is not fully broken in.As one can imagine I’m a little hesitant to flog it.

Valve retaining clip unclipped add 200 miles allowing the valve to go adrift. New engine installed

A good value considering all the Farkle’s. The Ohlins suspension feels like it cost a fortune.

Cruise control. Florida is long and flat

Turns very well, brakes super well. It has top quality Brembo gear, so this does not come as a surprise. It has zero wind protection, so riding long distances on the road is exhausting.

Power and torque are delivered early on, so you can play at around 2 to 3 K revs and the bike will push like a proper demon. Sound is fantastic, especially when you open the throttle.

Triumph bikes, in the past few years, have a probably the best manufacturing quality in the market, at par or better than rivals Ducati or BMW. Attention to detail is amazing. Not one single problem.

Triumph has put all the bells and whistles on this bike, though the information in the single digital clock/dashboard is all in small font and difficult to read while you ride, and has tons of data you don't care for, and some other is either missing or hard to find. I guess there will be a second version that will evolve this first one that feels a bit messy.

Sometimes stalls at low revs. Common problem apparently

Putting of covers, spikes tarnished

Awaiting first annual service. Bike cannot be serviced by independent under Triumph’s terms. I now Live 100 miles from nearest dealer.

Keyless

The ride is very firm on factory settings. Backing off the preload and compression damping on the front forks has improved it but at slow speed you can feel every cigarette butt you run over. On my previous 900 Scrambler I fixed this by changing the fork oil to a lower weight quality oil. The brakes are fantastic. I haven’t had the ABS working yet but I don’t ride in a manner where I would expect it to. To me it’s a safety feature. I’ve had a Tiger 1050 with ABS for 12 years and the ABS on that has only cut in once when a van with no brake lights stopped infront of me on a wet road.

Loads of torque and enough power for safe overtakes on A roads and motorways. The engine does push the bike in corners if you’re not in a low enough gear but you get used to changing into a lower gear than normal. You can’t ride along at 30 in top for the same reason. You need to be in 4th to stop the engine pushing you.

The bike seems very nicely made. It haven’t had any problems yet but I’ve only done 1500 miles and now we’re locked in due to covid19

Only had the first service. Bike is less than 12 months old and has only done 1500 miles

Loads of equipment as standard on the XE. The heated grips are great. I thought the cruise control was a gimmick I would never use but it’s a God send on dual carriageways and motorways. The cornering abs and traction control are sort of reassuring to have although I’ve not experienced any of it working. The luggage options are a bit limited with only one pannier bag on one side but then this isn’t really a tourer is it? The filler cap is awful. It looks like a monza cap but when you open that there is another locking fuel cap underneath. You have to rummage around for the keyfob to get the key to open it. The locking cap is not fixed to the bike and I managed to leave mine at a fuel station. It costs hundreds to change all the locks.

Sportsbike braking available with the brembos, suspension soaks up all the bumps and pot holes,this bike was made for uk roads.

Best part of the whole bike, if I have a crap day at work,it is forgotten as soon as I start the engine. It sounds amazing even with the standard pipe, why change it when you can spend the money on hotels and fuel when you get away. Plenty of torque, plenty of power and more than quick enough for a spirited ride.

The quality of the components, the fit and finish are excellent,it has stood up well to winter and has never missed a beat.

Fuel economy is great on the bike, 55 mpg, 180 to a full tank on a long run.

Plenty of kit as standard with the XE, Heated grips,cruise control etc However Truimph know what they are doing, with 80 accessories,your pockets will be emptied very quickly. It's a naked so you might want a screen, dart are good quality.

It gets a 2 because of the excellent brakes. The suspensions get a 1 out of 5 (and I've owned 20 bikes of just about every kind over the years). I would give a 0 to a hardtail, this is just one step above that (200lbs rider for those wondering). Having the rear shocks revalved/resprung, helped, but still far from the ride you would expect from an adventure/naked bike. My passenger had to take a Tylenol before each ride and on my other bikes (scrambler 2015, Africa Twin, Mt-01, just to name a few, she was fine). Also for some reason (maybe taller/wider handlebars), spending hours on the highway is much more tiring than any other bike I've owned (and I've owned mostly naked bikes).

Amazing grunt, powerwheelies in 2nd gear at 3500rpm, sounds amazing even with stock exhaust.

Sensor failed within 5000km. USB compartment was replaced as cover wouldnt close or wouldnt open. Radiator hose was rubbing against the skidplate, was replaced before it leaked. Some rattles that appeared to be coming from the exhaust shield at the back.

Didnt keep it long enough to comment on cost of ownership but the maintenance schedule is pretty reasonable. My biggest concern would be the electronics for those keeping their bikes many years, having a sensor fail in under 5000km is not reassuring to say the least, and once it's out of warranty, they could be expensive to fix.

Well equipped for this kind of bike (though the gopro controller so aggressively advertised, never came). Same for ambient temperature (its even in the manual, but not on the bike).

Plush ride, very comfortable. Great brakes. Just need to make some adjustments from the factory standard suspension.

Very smooth, I still can't push it fully as it's not run in yet but the test ride bike gave nice, level acceleration and control all the way through the rev range.

I've only done 500 miles and so I have no idea what the long term quality is like. No problems for me so far.

the seat seems a little on the hard side when you first set off but after a short time in the saddle you don't notice anything untoward. even after a 250 mile day out there is no real issue. Handling I LOVE IT ! mine is the XC version for two reasons, first is leg length, I have none. The XE was to tall for me to feel comfortable in town, if the road had a camber i would be stuffed. The XC by virtue of the shorter suspenders and steeper rake is the better real world bike. it handles fire road and farm track really well and at pace but, mine spends the majority of its time on tarmac in the northern counties. A and B roads are an absolute joy to ride, that big 21" wheel does not restrict your pleasure, fast corners and hard braking don't upset the bike at all. i regularly ride non stop each way two hour journeys without issue at uk road speeds. The only limiting factor on distance work is speed, it can become tiring on motorways after an hour if your really motoring or so just like any other naked. Pillions have a decent perch with plenty of room, however, the exhaust whilst not really bothering the rider can be a bit warm under the thigh in traffic. Unfortunately not so much as it puts them off and allows you to ride alone. Taking aside my comments about the town riding in standard trim, once the booster plug is fitted the bike really is a do anything, go anywhere machine. Stopping with 3 brembo calipers and ABS and TC it stops fine believe me.

Almost perfect (perfect with the fuelling tweak). take out a Demo and you will see what i mean. Real world usability by the bucket full. Light clutch, slick gear change, power everywhere. For such a big twin you would expect some vibration annoyance, nope it doesn't happen. Ride one, just ride one.

Build quality of the scrambler is excellent, i have fancied a modern bonnie variant since the first water cooled t100 / t120s came out but i was never impressed with the quality of the'chrome' bits or the wonkie exhaust (left and right are at different heights) i also like suspension i can set to ride. the t100 seemed brake deficient out of town. For me they were to much like my original Bonnie. enter the Scrambler 1200, modern electrics, brilliant suspenders, Akront rims, brembo brakes and a finish to the other component parts which is just Bang on. i feel i can spend more time riding than cleaning, even the style says its OK to look a bit grubby. So far (only 2.5k miles. nothing has broken, but i don't expect anything to without my help.

For the cost i feel i have got as good a value for my pound as i could get. without all of the plastic other adventure bikes carry i suppose to some it may look a bit lacking but with the best part of 60mpg, 10,000 mile service intervals, i don,t feel i have lost out. I do my own work so labour costs don't come into my calculations but parts will run according to mileage, as yet i have no figures.

It has a high spec with all of the rider aids and tech info on screen, you can even see your if your tyres need air with the optional sensors. Its all great but not very high on my reasons for the purchase. I have been riding a long time and although i see the benefit of TC its not something i want forced on me, you can switch it off but you have to do it every time you switch on. i personally want to be able to turn off TC and ABS until i want them. it's not a deal breaker i'm just not a fan. Key-less ignition, hmm well you still need to fish out the key to unlock the fuel (i leave it unlocked because i'm lazy) get under the seat to charge your phone or most likely to put the steering lock on. You only get one fancy key and i bet its really expensive if you loose it. i would prefer a conventional key start / lock and with the money saved have engine bars fitted as standard. I opted for the useful stuff, back rack and fender extender, Ill see what after market stuff comes out in the coming months. I will probably get the engine guards from Triumph just in case, expensive but look good.