Out of its comfort zone
Can you really go touring on a naked retro bike?
Taking a bike out of its comfort zone is one of the best ways to really expose its weaknesses. At least, that’s what I told myself while I sat planning a trip that’d see me ride the Scrambler 2400 miles to the Austrian Grand Prix and back. The Scrambler is an impressively capable machine, built for Sunday B-road blasts. You only have to look at the thing to know it’s not designed for touring. There’s no wind or weather protection and absolutely no provision for luggage, meaning I simply strapped a 40-litre Oxford roll bag to the seat and headed off into the unknown. At least it does have a USB-port under the seat, so I was able to run a cable through and around the tank covers and into my phone mount for navigation.
During the trip we took on motorways, billiard-table smooth German country roads and stunning Austrian mountain passes. Surprisingly, I had no issues at all with neck pain despite some long days in the saddle. But with its high footpegs, the Scrambler’s riding position does get unbearably uncomfortable after any more than two-and-a-half hours riding. Fortunately, a quick walk around each fuel station is enough to soothe your legs ahead of another 2.5-hour stint, when the 15-litre fuel tank will demand another fill. Fuel economy was another of the Scrambler’s little surprises; delivering about 160 miles per tank. That’s a steady 48mpg. The biggest problems come in poor conditions. The lack of weather protection means you’re constantly blasted with water and road crud, making for tiring riding.
But on the 50-mile mountain pass that connected our hotel to the Red Bull Ring, the Scrambler came into its own. No matter how tight the turn, you can just throw the bike in and use the torque to glide out. Better still, the Pirelli Angel GTs I’d stuck on before leaving were a dream in both the wet and the dry. While I didn’t experience many aches on the way down, I was sure aching after the 1200-mile, 36-hour return leg, but that would be true on almost any bike.
For something that isn’t built to be taken on a 2400-mile European tour, the Scrambler coped well. Plenty of other bikes would be more comfortable on the motorway, but for exploring the twisties it really came alive.