Earlier this month when Triumph unveiled the new Street Scrambler it might have seemed like the brand held back on off-road upgrades — because it did. Triumph turned up the off-road eccentricities this time, however, and gave the new Scrambler 1200 the capabilities it deserves and then some.
Like Ducati did with the Desert Sled, Triumph did more than just put some knobby tires on spoked wheels and call it a day. Firstly, the Scambler 1200 line gets a larger 4.2-gallon fuel tank and the new T120 engine, providing 89 horsepower and 80 lb-ft of torque, is present too. Both bikes get category-first 21-inch front tires — something you’d typically only find on enduros, dual sports and big ADVs. On the tech side, the XC and XE get an optional integrated GoPro control system and a turn-by-turn navigation system as well. Beyond that, the XC and XE models diverge.
Both trim levels are billed as off-road capable, but between the two the XC is more on-road friendly. The XE goes even further into adventure bike territory, taking some toys and tools from the Triumph Tiger: advanced cornering ABS, nearly 10 inches of suspension travel front and rear (two inches up on the XC), six riding modes, hand guards with aluminum braces along with heated grips, adjustable handlebar grips and adjustable footpegs.
Along with the two different trim levels, Triumph also announced an extensive line of accessories to match. The Escape Kit includes all the add-ons you need for a fully loaded vintage ADV ride: panniers, handguards, a tail rack, fog lamps, center stand and flyscreen. The Extreme kit goes down more of a hardcore enduro route with it Arrow carbon silencer, aluminum radiator guard, high front mudguard, black handlebar brace, LED indicator kit and rear light relocation kit, side stand base extension, steel crash bars and headlight grille. You don’t have to marry yourself to one kit or the other; mixing and matching accessories will definitely give you the exact vintage- style badass off-roader you crave.
The official announcement didn’t mention pricing, but it’s safe to say the new Scramblers will sit near the top of the T120 range. Hopefully, Triumph won’t out-price the Ducati Desert Sled by too much, keeping these new off-road machines stay relatively accessible. With the new tech and off-road performance Triumph bolted on to the Scrambler 1200s, the Desert Sled finally has worthy competition in the space — and might even need to watch its back.
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