2019 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE launch review

It seemed like a logical step for Triumph to upgrade the successful 900cc Street Scrambler with a 1200cc version. Speculation suggested it would be just a matter of plonking a Bonneville HT (High Torque) or even the HP (High Power) Thruxton version of the bulletproof 270-degree parallel twin into the 900 frame and Bob’s your uncle.

What a surprise it was then when pictures started emerging of the XE 1200 Scrambler with its virtually completely new set of specs. This is a new bike from the ground and while it retains the retro quality of the 900cc machine, it now delivers so much more.

Better braking, better handling, better power and better suspension turn the 1200 in to a class-leading machine, but what is its class now? The emphasis on show and sex appeal the 900 exudes is still there but the 1200 is way more focused on go – and it will go anywhere after receiving a lot of off-road items to give it a broader spectrum to strut its stuff.

The 900 is a capable softcore off-roader but the 1200 has moved into an adventure bike role as well.

MORE: 2017 Triumph Street Scrambler launch review

Hinting at its off-road tendencies is a 21-inch front hoop and 250mm of travel dampened by a set of Ohlins fully adjustable rear shocks and a set of 47mm Showa BPF forks up front.

Has Triumph pushed too hard in the direction of the off-road set or has it created a perfect balance of harmony between road and off-road riding? A full day of road and dirt on and around Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast promised to give us a definitive answer.

Our test consisted of two circuits: one a round trip up the Great Ocean Road and the other a sandy dirt track in a secret proving ground near Torquay. My first taste of the bike though was the night before the launch when I got to ride the 1200 about 50km along the Great Ocean Road to our destination at Lorne.

It was dark and there was no silly business to be had – just a great ride down the Great Ocean Road. My initial impression was of a tall seat, and at 840mm it is getting up there. As soon as I started the XE up and the wheel rolled half a turn though I knew it was going to be love at first sight.

The engine gave me the exact sensation I was looking for from a 1200 twin: plenty of torque and response but in an easily metered fashion. There was just a touch of that all-important pulsing retro feel that I hope has been built in deliberately because it makes me smile every time I ride one of these 270-degree cranked engines.

It is a sleeper, which will deliver a lot more performance than its hipster look suggests. The LED front light worked well on my mini blast to the hotel and, as this was pretty much a transport ride, I flipped the single-button cruise control and standard equipment heated grips on to make things more comfortable. My little taste of the XE certainly whet my appetite and I was really looking forward to the next day’s adventure.

There were two groups of bikes available in the morning: the street group fitted with the excellent Metzeler Tourance tyres, and the off-road bikes which were fitted with Pirelli road-legal adventure knobbies. I grabbed one of the off-road bikes first up and headed to the proving ground.

A 5km dirt track lead us to our off-road park destination and it was this first taste of gravel that let me know I was in for a good time. The bike was confidence-inspiring and, even on the loose surface, it held its line with none of the puckering usually associated with an off-road jaunt. I ride a lot of different adventure bikes and my gut tells me the XE is a match with most of them under these conditions. Why wouldn’t it be: it is fairly light, has high-quality suspension and a 21-inch front wheel.

There was an open area at the park with a few obstacles spread around the place; a play park for bikes you might say. The logs were a breeze on the XE, it went up hills and traversed ruts, did jumps … anything the top-money adventure bikes could do.

After a couple of hours of looking cool it was time to hit a pegged-out trail through the bush, which is a more realistic representation of what these bikes might find in the real world. It was a great test track with plenty of sand and a section of deep hard-edged holes that would bend the rims on most anything if you hit it wrong.

I was impressed with the bike off-road, but particularly two aspects. One, its ability to hold a line in the sand is incredible, which gives the pilot a feeling of confidence and surefootedness; and two, the front geometry and quality suspension work well together to give feedback and a sense of balance that is hard to find unless you’re on a 250cc motocross bike.

I generally used the Enduro Pro map which turns traction and ABS off, but I also tried the Enduro mode which allows a certain amount of traction – if you’re learning to slide this is the map for you. It lets the back hang out a certain amount without getting completely sideways and cuts in just before things get hairy.

The second unexpected pleasant surprise was this bike’s resistance to bottoming out on square-edge bumps and potholes. Part of the loop had plenty of nasty potholes, and on my sighting lap through the area I wasn’t holding out much hope that the 1200 would get through cleanly. Once again, I was wrong and the XE went through more like a big-bore motocross bike than the latte-sipping coffee shop machine it can be mistaken for.

It comes with handguards and a bashplate for protection, while the 16-litre tank provides a theoretical range of 400km range.

In the afternoon, we headed out through Forrest (a town…) and onto the Great Ocean Road on the bikes fitted with the standard Metzeler Tourances. I was pretty sure the 21-inch front wheel would let the on-road performance down. Normally there’s a feeling of lag with 21-inch bikes on the road, but not on the Scrambler.

It handled and was an excellent steerer. I could have had a 17-inch sports tyre fitted, such was the feel from the front end. It is understandable though as the big key to this bike is quality components. The Ohlins shocks and top-notch Showa front fork play a massive part in making the XE a joy to ride.

Not everybody wants a sporty bike but it’s nice to know that the Scrambler can pot around or give the person on a late-model sportsbike wearing his one-piece race suit a run for his money.

It is packed with all the usual features: ABS, traction control, six maps, cruise and heated grips. Soon there will even be a GoPro integration app with the dash allowing you to turn your camera on and off through the switch blocks. The app will also allow Google Maps to interface with the dash and enable the rider to see directions directly from the TFT unit.

Every bike has shortcomings, but the new 1200 has exceeded its design brief. The seat may be a little firm and the pipe might be on the warm side for some riders, but they shouldn’t stop you from looking at a bike which in my opinion breaks new ground.

It handles rough terrain as good as most any big adventure bike with great resilience to bottoming. This alone helps keep the XE under control but when you add high ground clearance, a torquey engine and a classic cafe look the asking price of $21,700 plus on-roads starts to look like good value.

ENGINE
Type: water cooled, four-valve, four-stroke, 270-degree parallel twin
Capacity: 1200cc
Bore x stroke: 97.6mm x 80mm
Compression ratio: 11.0: 1
Fuel system: Multipoint fuel injection
Emissions: 113g/km

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 89hp (66.2kW) at 7400rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 110Nm at 3950rpm

OTHER STUFF

Price: $21,700 plus on-road costs
Colours: Fusion White and Brooklands Green, Cobalt Blue and Jet Black
Bike supplied by: Triumph Australia
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres