SECOND OPINION
Damn this thing is tall. Biffing it into
twisties means travelling through aerobatic
arcs, but like everything about this new
iteration of the Scrambler from Triumph,
it is instinctive and surprisingly easy to
handle. Yes, we’ve been waiting for this
1200 version for what seems like years –
and, has it been been worth it?
Hell yes. And then some. First impressions
are sensational – eye appeal, a new smart
headlight, upside down gold forks, and a
70s retro paint job on the tank equipped
with a bisecting stainless strap like the
Thruxton, all superbly done. The finish is
Triumph exemplary; is anyone else close
to the level the Hinckley crew is delivering
these days? Seat height is up there, and the
twin stainless pipes furling round the right
side of the frame are a perfect reminder of
the scramblers of old.
The big 1200 is a cracking engine and
they’ve done something near miraculous
with matching the six-speed box in this
version. It is the sweetest changing box
through every rev range I have ever ridden,
bar none. Big claim. Clutchless shifting up
and down is as near to perfect without an
autoblipper as possible, and I loved the
speed of shifting and revelled in the power
that delivers clean to that 17-inch rear
wheel.
Up front, the 21-incher gives familiar grip
and feel over ruts, bumps, and gravel, and
even in the wet (and there was a LOT of
wet) I had confidence in that front. That
said, I was riding the Michelin Anakee tyres
with a large touring knob that was excellent
in the dry, but in the wet provoked eyes,
and other openings, to pucker. But that’s
probably down to my minimal offroad
experience on a big bike. That, and
torrential downpours on slippery tar-
ribboned roads. Leaving the bike in Sport
mode made for wheel-spin at the rear that
was counteracted by TTC. All good.
On the dash the TFT display provides six
rider modes Rain, Road, Sport, OffRoad,
KIWI RIDER 63