Triumph’s new Street Scrambler takes on Ducati’s Desert Sled
Triumph and Ducati have built stylish middleweights that can deal with the dirt, but which one cleans up?
Scrambler-style bikes are big news and big business too. While Triumph’s original off-road-styled retro, the 2006 Bonneville Scrambler, was something of a slow-burn, the class has exploded since Ducati brought out their own, easy-going-but-fun Scrambler family in 2015. So much so that both marques have brought out significantly updated versions for 2019. Triumph’s biggest news, of course, is their all-new Scrambler 1200 duo, a pair of serious offroaders based around the full-bore, 1200cc, 90bhp Thruxton version of the Bonneville twin housed in
a pukka off-road chassis and all starting at £11,500.
But it’s their significantly revamped smaller version, the Street Scrambler, based around the smaller, softer, cheaper 900cc Street Twin platform, that’s arguably more relevant to most customers.
This model, previously £9000, already had stacks of appeal for its combination of rugged, classic locks but with fairly soft, unintimidating, 54bhp performance that attracted both newbies and older riders alike. Now, for 2019, it’s been improved all round. Power is up to a peak of 64bhp, bringing it closer to its Ducati rival, while the spec is comprehensively improved, too. There are new switchable riding modes (including an off-road mode), a Brembo front caliper in place of the Nissin, new instruments and improved detailing and style and all for just a £300 hike. Our accessories-laden test bike would cost £2k more due to its ‘Urban Tracker’ pack which includes additional heated grips; V&H exhaust; trendy pannier and mounting kit; ribbed seat; sump guard and styling add-ons including billet oil cap, handlebar brace and pad, headlamp grille, number boards and more.
And in light of all that, what better rival to pit the new Triumph against than the latest and greatest version of Ducati’s similarly smaller 800 Scrambler: the Desert Sled?
The Sled, introduced in 2017, was already the most hardcore of Ducati’s Scrambler family thanks to taller, larger proportions that came from its longer-travel suspension and larger, wire, off-road wheels, and it has now been improved further still. For 2019, along with the striking new red-finished frame, there are LED lights, an extra offroad mode, new switchgear and revised clocks, a new seat and Pirelli Scorpion Rally ST tyres.
And, with both bikes parked next to each other before we start the 250, it’s a worthy comparison: two, 800/900cc twins, both with 19in, off-road orientated, black anodised wire front wheels and similar riding modes; both with mesh headlamp covers, knobblies, single clocks and bold styling. The Ducati is the more modern, with inverted forks, single rear shock, cast alloy swingarm and 70s XT500 styling. The Triumph’s the more 60s, with its twin shocks
‘ I could happily plod along on the Triumph all day’
‘As we fire into the Cotswolds the Ducati starts to shine’
and fork gaiters and lower stance. I board the Ducati first and am instantly reminded both how refreshingly punchy and perky it is. You are quite exposed too. Its seat is adventure bike high, while the riding position is upright with wide high bars that allow windblast straight down your sleeves. All of which is fine for fun, less so when you’ve 250 miles of February chill ahead of you and no screen, handguards or heated grips to null the numb. By Northampton (40 miles), with the thrills any roundabouts and twisties offer cancelled out by the slimy roads and the Ducati’s blocky, knobbly tyres, I’m already coveting the Triumph. We pause for a warm-up at the Super Sausage and Justin, fresh off the Triumph, confirms my suspicions. “This is lovely,” he says. “It’s hard to find anything I dislike about it. I could quite happily plod along on this all day.”
Except he can’t, because it’s my turn. And as I fire off towards Towcester on the A5, it’s obvious what he’s on about. Where the Ducati is tall, punchy and relatively demanding, the Triumph is relaxed and grunty and the whole, more laid-back ride is as easy as could be. Better still, ours has accessory heated grips fitted.
But there are disappointments. The Triumph’s ergonomics and handling, though typically good, aren’t perfect. My right ankle is hindered slightly by the sprocket cover and within a fistful of miles its low fuel light blinks on, the earliest I’ve ever seen on a 250 and due to a combination of the Triumph’s small 12-litre tank and overly-pessimistic light, illuminating with the gauge
still showing two full bars. And it’s only got five gears; it’s 2019 for goodness sake!
Even so, as we hit the M40, the Street Scrambler is certainly the bike I prefer to be on and remains so through olde worlde Stratford, where its nimble handling and general ease combine with its Jeeves and Wooster styling and evocative exhaust note (the V&H pipe is an accessory, too) making it the most pleasant place to be.
As we fire into the twists and turns of the Cotswolds, the Ducati’s more free-revving performance and more aggressive attitude come to the fore. But on a drizzly, cold day like today it can only shine fleetingly and its steering and stability is always limited by those blocky tyres. And while some aspects of the Ducati irritate, such as the tyres and the less intuitive modes, with the Triumph, it’s the other way round. That lazy, low-revving, rumbly engine, may feel less exciting than the peakier, revvier Ducati, but it never falls behind. You’d expect that thin-looking Triumph seat to be less comfy than the thick Ducati’s, but it isn’t. While its clocks are easier to read, its detailing is nicer, its quality a touch better. Though both are so good looking and classy it’s a crying shame to ride either on a day as grim as this I also think it’d be the Triumph that, even on a perfect summer’s day, would get admired the most. Unless you are after a short-hop Sunday toy, it is the one you should go for, too.