First Ride: The Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC brings classic-inspired looks and plenty of performance

What is it?

Triumph now has a wide range of what it calls ‘Modern Classics’. As the name suggests, they’re motorcycles which draw inspiration from the bikes of yesteryear but also use some of the latest technology and features to make them, well, a little easier to ride than the more historic models that they take their styling cues from.

And while a number use smaller capacity engines, bikes like this – the Scrambler 1200 XC – use a far larger engine for a reassuringly brisk amount of performance, all tied up in a bike designed to feel a bit more upright than some of the other models in Triumph’s range. We’ve been finding out what it’s like.

What’s new?

You’ve got two flavours of Scrambler 1200 to choose from. There’s the XC, which we have here, that brings a more on-road focus but could be kitted out with chunkier tyres and taken off-road without too much trouble. The more adventure-ready XE, meanwhile, comes with a few more trinkets as standard, such as Optimised Cornering ABS which can tweak the level of traction control depending on the riding conditions.

The XC, instead, gets a more conventional traction control setup with five different rider modes. How to tell the two apart? Well, the XE features a far higher seat height and standout gold front forks – though they only offer 50mm more travel than the ones fitted to the XC that we’re riding here.

What’s it powered by?

Regardless of which Scrambler you opt for here, you’re getting a silky-smooth 1,200cc eight-valve engine with 89bhp and 110Nm of torque. A six-speed manual gearbox comes as standard – and moves with typical Triumph sweetness – while alongside the standard-fit Showa front forks, you’re getting an Ohlins twin-spring setup at the rear. Twin 320mm discs with Brembo calipers take care of the stopping power up front and at the rear you’re getting a single disc setup, also from Brembo.

When it comes to seat height, the XC comes in at 840mm as standard, compared with 870mm on the XE. It’s quite a noticeable change and means that the XC is by far the better choice for shorter riders who want to feel a little more confident when getting their feet down.

What’s it like to ride?

With its wide bars and teardrop-shaped tank, the Scrambler 1200 XC isn’t as intimidating to ride as it might appear when stationary. You’ve got a nice upright view of the road ahead and it’s all very confidence-inspiring. Of course, with no wind protection up front you’re getting battered by the breeze at high speeds, but hunker down and the Scrambler is very happy on longer rides while the suspension does a superb job of ironing out the lumps and bumps. In the colder months, it’s quite pleasant to have the side-sweep exhausts by your right leg to provide a little extra warmth, though we reckon it could get quite toasty in summer.

Then there’s the engine. The 1,200cc unit is almost syrupy in its power delivery, providing deep wells of torque which make overtaking and quick bursts of acceleration a breeze. It might be nice to have a little extra character from the standard-fit exhaust, mind you, but we’re sure that this is something which could be solved with an aftermarket silencer.

How does it look?

Riders looking to make an attention-grabbing arrival will no doubt love the way the Scrambler 1200 XC looks. It’s got some real Hollywood star appeal – there’s a good reason why Triumph created a Steve McQueen special edition of the XE – and the Scrambler’s appearance in James Bond flick No Time To Die only helped to cement this.

Fortunately, the design is backed up by really nice materials and a robust finish to the build overall. Even the paint quality is spot-on, with our test bike’s green shade giving it a very classy, upmarket appearance.

What’s the spec like?

There’s plenty of equipment on the Scrambler 1200 XE. Prices start at £13,695 – so you’re definitely paying a premium for the overall look and feel – but you do get useful features such as keyless ignition and locking, which makes things easier when you’re already in your gloves. We did find that on occasions the key needed to be waggled nearer the bike to get it started, but that wasn’t too much of a hassle.

There’s a handy USB socket for keeping your phone or navigation system charged up while the TFT instruments are clear to view regardless of the time of day. We also like the main LED headlight which is nicely powerful and has a cool-looking daytime running light setup integrated into it.

Verdict

The Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE has it all. It’s good-looking, more than powerful enough and remarkably easy to ride. As we’ve found with a lot of Triumphs lately, it’s also beautifully put together with a generally upmarket sense of fit-and-finish which elevates this bike over the competition.

The Scrambler 1200 XE’s price might be a sticking point for some, but if that’s not too much of a concern then you’ll be rewarded with a motorcycle which feels genuinely special – both when it’s parked up and while you’re on the move.