Ready to Befriend One and All

The all-new Triumph Scrambler 1200 X replaces the 1200 XC to make the big Scrambler more accessible to a wider audience

- Adam Child 'Chad'

THE NEW 1200 X IS FAR MORE accessible, easier to live with on a day-today basis, and, with £800 (Rs 83k) sliced off its price tag, significantly cheaper than before. Triumph have shelved the specification in areas-the new Marzocchi forks, for example, are not adjustable-but improved functionality, accessibility, and safety with the introduction of lean-sensitive rider aids.

It is unusual to jump on a new model which, despite the increase in the price of seemingly everything, will be cheaper than the bike it replaces. But how much simpler is it to live with? And has the introduction of basic non-adjustable suspension reduced the appeal of the new 1200 Scrambler? A full day, both on and off road, should yield the answers.

Triumph have made cost savings, opting away from the Showa/Ohlins combination of the XC to Marzocchi units front and rear for the new X, and diminishing the specification of the brakes, no longer Brembo. Nevertheless, this has not just been a cost-saving exercise. Despite the price reduction, Triumph have added lean-sensitive ABS and traction control (TC) for the first time.

To put it another way, they have saved money in some areas but added value in others, which is why the aforementioned price reduction of £800 (Rs 83k) is noteworthy. And while premium brands such as Ohlins and Brembo may be lacking from the new bike, Triumph have not cut corners on quality. The new X feels as robust and solid as ever, its finish as high-end as we have come to expect of a top-level British machine.