Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

emissions norms). While the controls are very light and easy to ure (especially the clutch), there's a lonS sweep to the gearshift lever's action, which is presurn- ably there to give extra room to take accoLrnt ofthe bike beinS ridden wilh a pair of motocross boots planted on the flip-up footpegs. Plus. while the single front 3lmm disc with its twin-piston caliper gives ade- quate, rather than exceptional, bite stop- ping hard from speed on the highway, its 255mm rear companion seems much fiercer and more effective when you step on the rugged lever - too mu.h so for off- road ute - and that's where more sensitiv- ity would be better. Yet none of this (except the noisy tires) mafters in the Scrambler's true natural habitat - which are city streets; especially traffic-clogged roads where you can use its easy clutch action. responsive throttle, light and immediate steering with those wide (865mm) bars and the skinny front tire, to plot an ideal course throu8h rush- hour trallic with the help ot the relatively tall (825mm) seat. lt's a 5eat that's height is perfectly judged to be just low enough to sling a leg over easily at rest, but iust high enough to see where you're going without feeling overly perched on top of the Scrambler. Then, when you have a brief stretch of 50 mph open road, the Scrambler's good lowdown torque overcomes its humble power output to let you gear up and go, without feeling you must gas it like Sete will be a favored courier bike as well as an ideal ride-to-work traffic tool, especially at the com- petitive $ 10,470 on-the-road price Triumph will sell the bike for in a country like ltaly. That's a lot of bike for the money - a bet- tervalue than a scooter, I believe. Yes - because there's indeed a case for saying that the Scrambler is actually Triumph's equivalent of a twin-cylinder maxi-scooter chic and conven- ient for city use as a commuter, bar-hopper or deliverf bike - with suflicient rather than sporty performance, but so-cool as well as so-retro. just don't expect to out-accelerate a Yamaha Haiesty scooter away from traffic lights, but you ll be leavrng with so much more style than him. It's show rather than go but to the wronS soundtrack, for the sound of the Scrambler is very disappointinS - not because it's too quiet, as its Thruxton cafe- racer cousin is, until you install the track- use-only silencers, but because it absolute- ly does not sound how you expect a retro- model parallel-Nvin Triumph should, espe- cially not a notjonally dirt-derived one- lnstead of the trademark deep, mellifluous blat you expect from the stacked crossover exhausts, there's a loping offbeat lilt that is regrettably much more Ducati than Triumph pity. Bonneville insurance jobl Triumph's own aftermarket catalog for the Scrambler is. frankly. more concerned with looks than performance, with a tach, sump gr.rard, windscreen. competition number plates (the Paris show bike rather tackily came adorned with number 273, which turns out to be Steve l'4cQueen's |SDT riding number), a single-seat con- version with luggage rack, and a great- looking ranSe of swinging '60s So Cal clothing - very Surf Ciry I know - I was there first time around - so I had to climb into the loft and drag out the storaSe boxes iust to confirm how authentic those tight-fitting light-colored Scrambler time - and ends up satisfying nobody. A tarmac-focused veasion with street tires, the more punchy, more powerful 69- hp 360-dqree Thruxton motor - or at least the 6l-hp Bonnie engine - and pretty much everything else untouched, so as to retain Mockett's inspired street-scrambler retro-styling, would be a heaps better bike for the Scrambler's biggest target audi- ence, would be a lot more enjoyable to ride, as well as sound much better, and would for sure put a serious dent in Ducati sales. Then, if the heavyweight of the Bonneville motor isn't an issue (and this is one reason the krambler's performance is so disappointinS), iust as BMW Yamaha, Aprilia and others have done with their street singles, Triumph should follow up with a more dedicat- ed retro trail bike that's gone on a diet, with proper off-road tires, the same low level of tune (but for sure a 360- degree motor), and slight sintle-seater restyling incorporating stuff such as the luggage rack as standard, That way, they have a chance to satisry both groups of potential customers in a way that l'm not sure the present Scrambler - great lookinS as it is - will succeed in doinS for either ln present form, it tries to be both kinds of bike, but ends up being neither, in d),namic terms. at least. Let's leave the last word to Mockett - the man responsible for the Gibernau or race like Valentino Rossi. But it runs out of breath far too errly as revs and speeds mount - with a little more midrange oomph to let you accelerate smartly into a gap in the traflic at 50 mph. It would be an ideal lool for the Paris Peripherique or the San Diego Freeway at 4 p.m. on a Friday night, since 55-70 mph is the Scrambler's optimum cruising speed - thouSh it will iust do a 100 mph if you're really prepared to hold on tiSht enouSh - which not many customers willwant to do. They'll prefer to iust go with the flow until they come to a snarl-up, then use the Scrambler's ea5y steering and the ideal view ahead over cars, which its stance pro- vides, to find a way through traffic - this Okay, I know the 270-degree Speedmaster and earlier Bonneville America sound like this, too, but they were attempts to park a tank on Harley's turf, not a modern interpretation of an iconic model from 'Tiiumph's back catalog. I'm certain lots of potential Scrambler cus- tomers nearinS retirement age will be put off by the sound it makes when you thumb that electric leg - and it's not anything that can be fixed by boltinS on an afterrnarket exhaust or a power-up kit, as many Triumph rpecialirts will be happy to supply in order to redress the Scrambler engine's lack of zap. Rephased cranks cost a lot more - though I suppose you could always transplant a motor from a Thruxton or leather jackets really are. I think what's wrong here is that Bloor's boys haven't read their history book well enouSh - so take an hour's detention chaps, and listen up. Just as your Meriden- based predecessors realized 30 years ago (after rather surprisingly doing their mar- ket research wellenough to figure out they needed two quite distinct TR6C street- scrambler products for their diverse American customer base) so you should have done the same today for all world markets. The new Scrambler is that classic English compromise, which at heart i5 a good product with the potential to please, but falls between two stools an tryinS to cover both sides of the street at the same Scrambler's stellar styling that scored A- plus in unsolicited admiration at rides and bike gatherinSs over the Christmas holiday. "For whatever reason. I shan t be doing any more work for Triumph - so I reckon this is a good one to bow out on," says Mockett- "l'm biased, of course - but I reckon it's got the look, and they've kept my original concept pretty faithfully. Anyway - | don't know why you blokes always want more power. We'll soon all be legislated into nonqxistedce as bikeB, so we won't be able to ride an),where with- out a man walking with a red llag in front of us, iust like a century ago, when motorcy- cles got started." Let's hope it turns out he's only ioking. Ctl fr E ! I E a I r.lI The .eot ii pure old srhool, s 3 - U I \ \ t L / t .Q] I lir L I \ (For lefr) Ihe nsor rurponrion won'l tnok! you wish for double iumps, but,.. (lefi) The frcnr fork is 4l mm or pure rimplitity, -- l-\ w CYCLE NEWS . JANUARY 25, 2006 29 lr ,.'- - I { 1, I L /,,- t. l . _ .Jl -; rl, John Mo

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