Triumph street scrambler
Triumph have updated their Street Scrambler for 2019 with better torque characteristics, additional power, and more. We get a taste of the new bike ahead of its India launch
comfortable, capable, and do-it-all motorcycle with rugged styling
The 2019 Street Scrambler getS more power, better brakes, updated suspension components — and a few cosmetic touches to differentiate it from the outgoing model. this isn’t an all-new bike; it is, however, a comprehensive mid-life update for one of the top-selling models from the company’s modern classic line-up, and we travelled to Portugal to spend a whole day with this machine .
the previous version of the Street Scrambler, released two years ago, was an instant hit among a wide cross-section of riders. It was an easy-to-ride motorcycle with timeless good looks and an aura of fun; what’s not to like? Just about anybody could enjoy the robust 79 Nm of torque delivered at as low as 3,050 rpm, enabling instant, off-the-line acceleration.
the 2019 motorcycle that I rode in Portugal is instantly recognizable as a Street Scrambler. cosmetic changes have been kept to the minimum and that side-mounted exhaust couldn’t be mistaken for anything else. look closer and the first thing you’ll notice after the new paint job is the redesigned Street Scrambler badging on the side panels, while the bezel surrounding the single-pod instruments has gone from silver to black, with a bonneville badge engraved along the top. Other new bits include new headlight brackets and a revised seat, while not much else has been changed on the visual front. the large 19-inch spoked wheel and tall fork up front give the Street Scrambler a rugged stance, while the riding position is upright and commanding, with the foot-pegs directly below the rider and the wide handlebars within easy reach.
the most important aspect of this update is the engine. this motorcycle is still powered by a 900-cc liquid-cooled parallel twin with a 270-degree crank, but now makes a bit more power and spins up quicker, courtesy the compression ratio being upped from 10.55:1 to 11:1, new lightweight crankshaft, balancer shafts, and dead shafts. the rev ceiling has also been
raised from 7,000 to 7,500 rpm and, while the outgoing bike made 55 PS at 6,000 rpm, the new Street Scrambler pulls much further, making 65 PS at 7,500 rpm. that is 18 per cent more power without an increase in capacity or the loss of rideability at low revs, and that reflects very highly on triumph’s engineering team. Peak torque remains unchanged at 79 Nm but, while this figure was reached at 3,050 in the outgoing bike, the new Street Scrambler makes maximum twist at 3,200 rpm and features a much wider torque spread, resulting in strong acceleration through the mid-range and higher up in the rev range — something that was missed in the previous model, where you could feel power trail off after the initial hit of torque low down.
the new bike makes over 70 Nm all the way from 2,500 rpm to over 6,000 rpm, while the outgoing bike would start feeling out of breath beyond 5,000 rpm. the broader torque spread and eager nature of the engine allowed me to hold on to each gear for longer, and made for an extremely engaging riding experience as I carved my way through the hills west of lisbon, with the characteristic gruff Scrambler exhaust note ringing in my helmet. the bike accelerates hard through the gears, dispatching 100 km/h in second gear and zooming past the 150-km/h mark without hesitation. estimated top speed would be somewhere over 170 km/h, which should be more than enough for this kind of motorcycle. the engine is mated to a five-speed gearbox and, although shifts are precise and I didn’t see a single false neutral, the ’box does feel somewhat notchy at times.
the upgraded engine is also helped along by an updated electronics package, and the Street Scrambler gets three riding
modes — Road, Rain, and off-road — and each can be selected via a new mode select button that has found its way onto the left switchgear. the first two modes regulate throttle response and traction control intervention as per the conditions, and can be switched on the fly by making a selection, closing the throttle, and pulling in the clutch, while the off-road mode can only be selected at a standstill in neutral. the off-road mode completely disables abs and traction control, allowing the rider to take charge when out on the trails.
with more power comes the need for better stopping power and triumph have swapped out the twin-piston nissin caliper at the front for a four-pot brembo unit. the higher-spec brakes ensure strong and consistent braking force with minimal effort at the lever, and the abs does a great job of keeping the wheels from locking up, without feeling intrusive.
the 2019 street scrambler gets the steel cradle frame and
Triumph have done a great job, retaining the features that made the Street Scrambler successful while making meaningful upgrades
swing-arm from the outgoing bike, with a new 41-mm KYb cartridge-type fork up front. the new suspension retains 120 mm of wheel travel, but the damping characteristics have been fine-tuned to ensure a planted ride over a variety of surfaces. From well-tarred mountain roads to bumpy cobbled streets, the Street Scrambler always felt connected with the road surface. the fork tubes are also further spaced apart than on the outgoing bike to make room for the larger four-pot caliper, and this adds to the bike’s meaty and rugged look. the new brake and suspension set-up has given this motorcycle a much more confident and planted feel when riding hard, allowing the rider to exploit the added power of this new model while still feeling safe and in control. In spite of the tall fork and large front wheel, the Street Scrambler is great fun to throw around in the twisties and is helped along through the tight stuff by the leverage afforded by those wide bars and the superb grip and feedback from the metzeler tourance tyres.
With all these comprehensive updates to the new bike, triumph haven’t left out the little things. the single-pod speedo now features a digital rev-counter within the display, the seat foam and material have been changed for a plusher ride, an aluminium rack that can replace the pillion seat is part of the package, and the pillion peg hangers are easily removed to make this bike a single-seater. the Street Scrambler also gets an under-seat USb charger and is compatible with triumph’s tyre Pressure monitoring System (tPmS), which can be bought as an accessory.
triumph have done a great job with this update, retaining the features that made the Street Scrambler successful while making meaningful upgrades that improve performance, safety, and enhance the riding experience. this is definitely an engaging and fun motorcycle that will appeal to beginners and experienced riders alike. Furthermore, it brings with it the timeless charm and appeal of the classic british twins.