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Two bikes, mildly tuned, heavy on the nostalgia sauce
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By Tom Roderick
Photos by: Evans Brasfield
Video by: Andy Vu
What’s a scrambler? In decades past, a scrambler was a street motorcycle stripped down and optimized for off-road use by way of swapping-in high-pipes, wider handlebars, semi-knobby tires, and differently styled fenders, seat and tank. Sometimes, it was an unmodified street model given a scrambler or street scrambler designation. In essence, it’s a cool name meant to convey agile sportability regardless of the bike’s dirt or street intentions.
Recently, Scrambler’s been the name affixed to a modern throwback Triumph that’s been playing in its own sandbox for years. Ducati finally took notice of Triumph’s cornering of the scrambler market and, having scrambler models in its own historical record, decided to expand the segment with not just one scrambler model, but with four: Icon, Urban Enduro, Classic and Full Throttle.
We’ve solo-tested the Triumph Scrambler, most recently in 2012 by EiC, Kevin Duke, while Troy Siahaan conducted a first-ride review of Ducati’s scrambler models as recently as last December, at the press launch in Palms Springs, California.
Bringing together these scramblers from competing OEMs has been our goal, which we’ve now realized in the Ducati Scrambler Icon and Triumph Scrambler. Both bikes adhere to, and extoll the values of, their predecessors, but which Scrambler is the better one to scramble upon? That depends on which definition of scrambler you prefer.
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Authentically nostalgic all the way down to its fork gaiters. Producing only 50.7 horsepower, maybe the Triumph is a little too nostalgic. “The Trumpet’s parallel-Twin is super usable, with smooth power available at every point of its powerband. It’s flawless if you’re not in a hurry,” says co-scrambler Kevin Duke.
Although Triumph never had a model specifically named Scrambler until this modern iteration, it is the scrambler here Steve McQueen would best recognize. Seemingly beamed directly from 1967, the Triumph Scrambler epitomizes the high-pipe, wire-wheeled on/off-roaders of yore.
The Scrambler Icon, on the other hand, is a modern interpretation of scramblers from Ducati’s past, but if you compare the modern with the original, the new bike bleeds its heritage from most angles, with mag wheels, upswept exhaust and V-Twin engine being the most obvious differences. Also, like the originals, Ducati’s modern Scramblers aren’t really meant to be taken off-road.
“The Triumph is built much more appropriately for true off-road travel,” says Duke. “It plays the rugged tank to the Ducati’s livelier option, and the Trumpet has several advantages over its sportier rival, including greater comfort, much better off-road-ability, and preferable around-town behavior.”
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In true scrambler fashion, the Icon – as well as Ducati’s other scrambler models – are (to some degree) 796 Monsters in scrambler drag. The Icon’s modernity shows, as it outperforms the Triumph everywhere except for in the dirt.
The around-town behavior of the Icon’s is less refined, spoiled somewhat by abrupt responses to minor throttle inputs, creating herky-jerky riding that’s especially apparent in stop-and-go urban traffic. This condition is exacerbated on bumpy roads and reveals itself plainly when trying to maintain a steady speed on a bumpy freeway. The 803cc V-Twin is also surprisingly cold-blooded, needing to be warmed before cleanly accepting throttle. And, on a couple of occasions while fully warmed, it coughed and flamed out when leaving a stop.
“I’m extremely pleased that an air-cooled Ducati engine lives on in the Scrambler,” says Duke, “however, it’s fueling behavior is annoyingly flawed. Thankfully, Ducati is aware of the issue and will be offering a revised fuel map for the Scrambler in the next few weeks.”
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Ducati’s V-Twin is 62cc smaller than Triumph’s parallel-Twin yet it produces 19 more horsepower and nearly two pound-feet more torque. To say the Triumph engine is mildly tuned is an understatement.
Still, when it comes to smiles per mile, the Ducati embarrassingly shames the under-powered Triumph. The poor state of the Duc’s around-town fueling issues are all but forgotten when a smooth, snaky canyon road presents itself, leaving the Triumph looking cool in its rearview mirrors.
It’s also in a tight set of switchbacks where you realize just how throwback the Triumph’s frame really is. Just like a ’60s-era bike with a steel downtube frame, you’re gonna feel it flexing.
“Hopping off the Duc and onto the Triumph makes the English bike feel long and lardy,” says Duke. “The Triumph’s steering is much heavier than the Duc’s, but it reacts neutrally and without surprises.”
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It took mere minutes of off-road riding before the connecting spring was ripped from the bottom of the Icon’s exhaust. Paved or graded dirt roads only need apply. Minimal trellis frame and stressed-member engine keep the Icon composed when ridden aggressively on the street.
By Tom Roderick
Photos by: Evans Brasfield
Video by: Andy Vu
What’s a scrambler? In decades past, a scrambler was a street motorcycle stripped down and optimized for off-road use by way of swapping-in high-pipes, wider handlebars, semi-knobby tires, and differently styled fenders, seat and tank. Sometimes, it was an unmodified street model given a scrambler or street scrambler designation. In essence, it’s a cool name meant to convey agile sportability regardless of the bike’s dirt or street intentions.
Recently, Scrambler’s been the name affixed to a modern throwback Triumph that’s been playing in its own sandbox for years. Ducati finally took notice of Triumph’s cornering of the scrambler market and, having scrambler models in its own historical record, decided to expand the segment with not just one scrambler model, but with four: Icon, Urban Enduro, Classic and Full Throttle.
We’ve solo-tested the Triumph Scrambler, most recently in 2012 by EiC, Kevin Duke, while Troy Siahaan conducted a first-ride review of Ducati’s scrambler models as recently as last December, at the press launch in Palms Springs, California.
Bringing together these scramblers from competing OEMs has been our goal, which we’ve now realized in the Ducati Scrambler Icon and Triumph Scrambler. Both bikes adhere to, and extoll the values of, their predecessors, but which Scrambler is the better one to scramble upon? That depends on which definition of scrambler you prefer.
Authentically nostalgic all the way down to its fork gaiters. Producing only 50.7 horsepower, maybe the Triumph is a little too nostalgic. “The Trumpet’s parallel-Twin is super usable, with smooth power available at every point of its powerband. It’s flawless if you’re not in a hurry,” says co-scrambler Kevin Duke.
Although Triumph never had a model specifically named Scrambler until this modern iteration, it is the scrambler here Steve McQueen would best recognize. Seemingly beamed directly from 1967, the Triumph Scrambler epitomizes the high-pipe, wire-wheeled on/off-roaders of yore.
The Scrambler Icon, on the other hand, is a modern interpretation of scramblers from Ducati’s past, but if you compare the modern with the original, the new bike bleeds its heritage from most angles, with mag wheels, upswept exhaust and V-Twin engine being the most obvious differences. Also, like the originals, Ducati’s modern Scramblers aren’t really meant to be taken off-road.
“The Triumph is built much more appropriately for true off-road travel,” says Duke. “It plays the rugged tank to the Ducati’s livelier option, and the Trumpet has several advantages over its sportier rival, including greater comfort, much better off-road-ability, and preferable around-town behavior.”
In true scrambler fashion, the Icon – as well as Ducati’s other scrambler models – are (to some degree) 796 Monsters in scrambler drag. The Icon’s modernity shows, as it outperforms the Triumph everywhere except for in the dirt.
The around-town behavior of the Icon’s is less refined, spoiled somewhat by abrupt responses to minor throttle inputs, creating herky-jerky riding that’s especially apparent in stop-and-go urban traffic. This condition is exacerbated on bumpy roads and reveals itself plainly when trying to maintain a steady speed on a bumpy freeway. The 803cc V-Twin is also surprisingly cold-blooded, needing to be warmed before cleanly accepting throttle. And, on a couple of occasions while fully warmed, it coughed and flamed out when leaving a stop.
“I’m extremely pleased that an air-cooled Ducati engine lives on in the Scrambler,” says Duke, “however, it’s fueling behavior is annoyingly flawed. Thankfully, Ducati is aware of the issue and will be offering a revised fuel map for the Scrambler in the next few weeks.”
Ducati’s V-Twin is 62cc smaller than Triumph’s parallel-Twin yet it produces 19 more horsepower and nearly two pound-feet more torque. To say the Triumph engine is mildly tuned is an understatement.
Still, when it comes to smiles per mile, the Ducati embarrassingly shames the under-powered Triumph. The poor state of the Duc’s around-town fueling issues are all but forgotten when a smooth, snaky canyon road presents itself, leaving the Triumph looking cool in its rearview mirrors.
It’s also in a tight set of switchbacks where you realize just how throwback the Triumph’s frame really is. Just like a ’60s-era bike with a steel downtube frame, you’re gonna feel it flexing.
“Hopping off the Duc and onto the Triumph makes the English bike feel long and lardy,” says Duke. “The Triumph’s steering is much heavier than the Duc’s, but it reacts neutrally and without surprises.”
It took mere minutes of off-road riding before the connecting spring was ripped from the bottom of the Icon’s exhaust. Paved or graded dirt roads only need apply. Minimal trellis frame and stressed-member engine keep the Icon composed when ridden aggressively on the street.
