Triumph Motorcycles and British F1 team Williams have received millions in government funding to produce electric motorcycles over the next two years.
The iconic British motorcycle manufacturer has been surveying its customers since 2012 to see if they are interested in them producing electric bikes and sent out an email survey as recently as February.
This was followed in March by a trademark filing for the name “Trident”to be used for “all possible classes” including motorcycling gear, accessories, clothing and “electric machines”.
Now they have announced Project Triumph TE-1 to create “UK electric motorcycle capability”.
Project with F1 team
They will collaborate with UK industry experts, including Williams Advanced Engineering which is the technology arm of the Williams F1 team and the University of Warwick.
The UK government has chipped in £25 million (about $A46m) to develop the electric motorcycle technology and “innovative integrated solutions” over the next two years.
Triumph CEO Nick Bloor says the project is driven by their customers’s need to “reduce their environmental impact, combined with the desire for more economical transportation and changing legislation”.
“Project Triumph TE-1 is one part of our electric motorcycle strategy, focused on delivering what riders want and expect from their Triumph, which is the perfect balance of handling, performance and usability,” he says.
Survey questions
In February, Triumph asked their customers:
Have you ever ridden an electric motorcycle?
How do you rate the experience on a scale of 1-10?
Do you own an electric motorcycle?
What might prevent you from buying an electric motorcycle?
How would you feel about felt Triumph building an electric motorcycle?
It’s refreshing that Triumph asked their customers what they wanted before starting open this TE-1 project.
However, the questions they should be asking their supporters are:
How much would you be prepared to pay for an electric Triumph?
What is the minimum range you would require?
How soon should we launch an electric motorcycle?
What is the maximum charging time you would be prepared to put up with?
The return of the Scrambler style motorcycle has certainly been a big news story in recent years. Some are little more than a styling exercise, while others, like Triumph’s new 1200 Scrambler XE, claim to be ready to bang in the bush.
Triumph Australia were keen to have us test their new Scrambler’s mettle in the dirt and set up a series of special tests in an off-road training area, along with a good dirt loop that took in ruts, deep sand and a few obstacles along the way.
We only tested the more off-road oriented XE model but both that and the more road focussed XC roll on tasty spoked Akront (there is a blast from the past), rims that suit tubeless tyres. The XE gets an off-road spec’ 21×2.15 front married to a 17×4.25” at the rear along with an extra ‘Off-Road Pro’ added to the riding modes that puts it all down to you, with traction off and the ABS off.
Off road we ran on chunky Pirelli Scorpion Rally rubber which performed admirably and looked the business. Obviously if running these for road work you might as well just sit in the corner and tear up $50 notes every 10 minutes, as they will be toasted in no time, drugs would be a cheaper habit…. Their purchase off-road though was excellent and allowed for some serious fun in the dirt, and well it was Triumph’s $50 bills I was tearing up every ten minutes…
It was genuinely amazing how well the XE handled a very rough dirt track, ruts and even a bit of sand.A very generous and well controlled 250 mm of suspension travel is what endows it with genuine off-road chops.
Up front Showa provide the fully-adjustable 47mm forks while Ohlins collaborated with Triumph to develop the fully-adjustable piggyback shocks that grace the rear. They’ve done a damn good job.
I am currently heavier than the average bear and despite not holding back on the dirt loop I never had the suspension g-out or do anything untoward. To be honest, I probably went harder than I really should of, but that massive 250 mm of suspension travel just soaked everything up and lured me into going harder and harder. Curiously some riders that must have been 30kg lighter than me did manage to bottom them out, but I used my legs and flowed with the bike, and was rewarded with a compliant and controlled ride. If you are unlucky enough to hit the pegs they do fold on impact which is handy.
To put it into perspective, the XE has more travel than any multi-cylinder adventure bike I can think of, which really is truly remarkable and clearly underlines that this Scrambler, can damn well scramble! It has a full 100mm more travel than Ducati’s Scrambler and Indian’s new FTR1200. This means that with all that travel to play with there is enough scope in the stroke to allow for nice smooth and supple initial travel, that then steadily firms up through the compression to retain control. If the damping control was not great, this bike would suffer, but thankfully it works well, really well.
The latest generation electronic suspension can deliver almost the best of both worlds, automatically tuning itself to the riding mode and role selected. The Scrambler has eschewed this technology in place of conventional suspension.
While this might be a boon for long-term owners that won’t have to worry about expensive actuators and the like shitting themselves when out of warranty, it did have me a little worried as to the road performance of the suspenders. With so much travel surely the suspension would be all over the shop on the road?
I need not have worried. With the clickers adjusted to suit the road ride, and by making my inputs smooth, the damping throughout the stroke remained very well controlled. No doubt the XC model with its more road tuned 200mm of travel would be more fun on the tarmac if having a real lairy crack, but the XE does more than okay, and much better than I expected. For the tarmac we swapped to more road-oriented Tourance rubber which was a welcome change to better enjoy the Great Ocean Road.
With that much suspension travel then surely you need a step-ladder to reach the seat? No, at 870mm and with a very slim girth, throwing a leg over the Scrambler is also easier than on any multi-cylinder pukka adventure bike. The same goes for manoeuvring in the car park.It is only just over 200kg dry, so is a relative lightweight considering its engine capacity.
Can the Scrambler XE really take the place for a full-size adventure bike?
Not really, no.
Those same svelte lines and lack of bodywork that make it so manageable, and attractive, also mean that when it comes to serious long-distance touring you have no real weather protection and limited amenity for convenient luggage options.You can work around it of course, particularly if traveling solo, but that is probably the primary factor that stops the Scrambler being long-distance adventure capable. Well that, and its modest 16-litre fuel capacity.
Off-road though I reckon the Scrambler XE has the measure of a lot of adventure bikes. That awesome suspension combined with what feels like a fairly low centre of gravity, a very long swingarm, 32mm longer than on the XC model in fact, and that 21-inch front, helps make the Triumph is a willing partner for some pretty serious off-road fun. The XE also sports much wider bars than its more road focussed sibling.
The brakes are proper serious M50 Monobloc Brembos lifted straight from the latest Speed Triple, but the stroke through the adjustable lever is progressive enough for them to not be a handicap off-road.
And what about the engine?
You could not get two engines more different from the same stable than Triumph’s effervescent fizzing ADHD 800cc triple and the big loping parallel-twin that powers the 1200 Scrambler.
The Scrambler engine feels b-i-g. Triumph obviously engineered this donk with a big slab of crank weight to give it that feel. This engine, in slightly differing states of tune, is used across a wide gamut of Triumph models. Even though the Scrambler apparently gets a ‘low intertia’ crank and a lighter alternator, you can really feel its big pair of balls swaggering through the crankcases.
In Scrambler guise the 270-degree crank is limited to 7500rpm, that’s 500rpm higher than in the T120, but its best work is still done off the bottom and into the mid-range. Its smooth all the way to red-line, and makes its maximum 90 horsepower at 7400rpm but this motor is all about torque. It grunts off the bottom with that aforementioned satisfyingly heavy gait, which really adds to the character of the machine.
Some might think I am bagging this characteristic of the motor, but in fact it is what really charms me to the driveline.It makes the Scrambler stand out from the pack somewhat amongst its contemporaries. Triumph’s spec’ sheets quote 110 Nm at 3,950 rpm, but it feels more impressive than that.
The six-speed box works well enough and the throttle response changes with the riding mode selected. Dampening things down when off-road, and livening things up in the sportier modes. The torque-assist slipper clutch is ridiculously light but somehow still manages to offer reasonable feel at the lever. This is a bike for those that like to short-shift, ride a smooth wave of torque, and feel big pistons banging away beneath them from low rpm.
The two-into-two pipes look as though they might make your legs a little warm. And that they do! During the off-road riding my DriRider Adventure pants bunched up a little around the knee due to the seating position, thus it wasn’t long before I started sitting a bit bow legged to get them away from those stainless steel headers as my pants started to smell of burning fabric!
The pipes do sound pretty good though, in fact they were surprisingly loud when watching the other boys get up it from the roadside during photo stops. While riding, you don’t get as much aural pleasure though, as the pipes exit way behind you. That’s a great pity, but at least onlookers do get to enjoy a wonderful big-bore timbre as you blast past.
Scramblers once were fairly basic affairs but Triumph have thrown pretty much everything at the new Scrambler 1200.
Second generation TFT screens have all the bells and whistles. Although Triumph’s long awaited bluetooth functionality, allowing for navigation prompts from your phone to be displayed on the screen, now seems around 12 months behind their original schedule.
Apparently this will come in an update later this year, and will enable to select your route on the ‘My Triumph’ app and then let the bike guide you the way, complete with phone operation from the switchgear too, via the five-way joystick on left bar. This integrated GPS functionality is already available on many other European machines. A unique twist for the Triumph though is that the entire instrument binnacle can be tilted up and down, to help suit the heights of different riders.
Triumph are about to one-up the others though with their integrated Go-Pro functionality that will also come later in the year. This will enable riders to control their Go-Pro via the five-way joystick also.
Riding modes, lean-angle sensitive ABS and IMU driven traction control is all standard, as is a very convenient one-touch cruise control. All the switchgear is back-lit which is a great feature.Keyless ignition, heated grips (standard on XE but optional on XC), and a 5-volt USB charging port under the seat are also included. Curiously though, a great safety item like tyre pressure monitoring is an optional extra.
LED lighting is standard throughout and for those that want to trick out their bikes Triumph have their normal range of inspiration kits ready to add to the Scrambler even before you roll out of the showroom. The ‘Escape’ kit adds a heap of practicality with handsome panniers and some other bits and pieces for $2664.55, while the ‘Extreme’ kit will set you back $3278 and continues the more stripped back look with added bling.In fact Triumph have over 80 different accessories you can throw at the Scrambler.
As they roll out of the showroom stock the 1200 Scrambler XE will set you back $21,700,a $1400 premium over the more street oriented XC model. Both prices are plus on road costs.
The drivetrain is solid and well proven with long service intervals and should just about go forever. It is a safe bet and one that I think will age very well indeed. I suspect it will really grow on anyone that takes one home to put in their garage as it boasts a charisma missing from so many modern machines. You can compare the specifications of the two Scrambler 1200 models below.
As with café racers, scrambler-style motorcycles are in the midst of a mainstream revival, custom builders across the globe often turn to this aesthetic in their projects, and manufacturers are seeing enough mass-market appeal to dedicate resources to creating off-the-shelf versions. For fans of the look and function of a scrambler, these are good times indeed. We’ve chosen five of the best versions available today that prove the point.
Starting things off is the 2019 BMW R nineT Scrambler. Even though it looks a little too polished to take in the dirt, BMW was smart about the roadster’s conversion. This bike is much more capable off road than it appears. A few years back, Ari Henning put one to the test and found its 1,170cc boxer twin capable, it’s weight well balanced, and the 19-inch front and 17-inch wheel combination a good fit for an off-road ride. Now, as with all of the bikes in this list, if you’re looking to do serious adventure riding, get an adventure bike. But if you want a great roadbike with the ability to explore a fire road on a whim, complete with nods to the scrambler style like high exhaust, fork gaiters, and a stripped-down look, then the R nineT Scrambler is a great choice.
The 2019 Indian FTR 1200 S isn’t a scrambler in the strict sense; it’s clearly a tracker based on a competition machine. But it warrants inclusion on this list for two reasons. First, it’s an able-bodied roadbike with off-road chops. This motorcycle will blast down a dirt road as well as it leans into the corner on an oval. Plus it’s got solid, fully adjustable suspension, a 19-inch front and 18-inch rear wheel configuration, and is pared down to the essentials. Second, it’s ripe for customization. Indian Motorcycle already offers curated kits to turn the motorcycle into a more sporty, more rugged, more touring-friendly mount. That means you can easily transform this already off-road-capable streetbike into a motorcycle more in keeping with the scrambler aesthetic. The scramblers from the ’60s generally started life as roadbikes and were altered to better handle the demands of the dirt, so customization was a necessary facet of the type. The FTR 1200 S honors that tradition.
There is hardly any rival to the new Triumph Scrambler XE. It’s the epitome of the scrambler look from a brand that made this type of bike famous in the mid-20th century. This is the more off-road-focused version, there’s also an XC that is geared toward the road a bit more, so will have no trouble at all getting on it in the dirt. It’s packing a 1,200cc parallel twin with huge amounts of torque, long-travel Öhlins suspension, a 21-inch front and 17-inch rear wheel configuration, and electronic aids that can be switched off to really get spinning off-road. This bike impressed during our first ride review earlier this year and is really the standard-bearer of the segment currently. It’s so good off-road and on that it could hold its own against some adventure bikes.
The 2019 Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled is the closest rival to the Triumph in this list in terms of off-road capability. Ducati delivered a version of its versatile Scrambler line with long-travel suspension, a stout trellis frame, good power delivery on the low end, 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels, and all the aesthetic touches one would want on a truly on-/off-road-worthy motorcycle. It’s not as completely authentic in terms of the scrambler elements as the Triumph, a single shock out back and a somewhat low exhaust setup being the main offenders in this regard, but it’s still a really sharp machine.
Husqvarna came at the café segment with a fresh perspective with the Vitpilen bikes, and does the same with the scrambler segment with its Svartpilen 401. We chose the 401 over the 701 version because it’s the more rugged of the two, better equipped off the showroom floor for some fun off road. It’s more of an urban scrambler than a true competitor to the Ducati or Triumph, but it wins points in our book for the bold design that Husqvarna has achieved.
The signature of Triumph Motorcycles boss Nick Bloor comes with each Triumph Bonneville T120 Ace and Diamond limited-edition model arriving in Australia in the next few weeks.
There will be 1400 Ace models at $18,450 and 900 Diamond Edition models at $18,150 (plus on-road costs). That compares with the current T120 retail price of $17,200.
However, each comes with a host of extras to justify the price, apart from Bloor’s signature.
Minimal bullet LED indicators (dependant on market legislation)
Black Triumph 4-bar tank badge.
Each of the 1400 Ace models will be signed by Nick Bloor, the current company CEO and son of John who resurrected the company in 1983.
They will also bear the signature of Ace Cafe boss Mark Wilsmore:
Triumph and the Ace Cafe go hand in hand for me, with decades of riders turning up at the cafe on the latest British Twin to chance their arm on the A406, and be top dog off the lights. This beautiful new Bonneville T120 Ace pays homage to those riders and our glorious shared history in style.
T120 Diamond Edition
The Diamond celebrates the diamond or 60th anniversary of the original Bonneville T120 in 1959.
It was the final motorcycle designed by Triumph’s chief designer Edward Turner and took its name from Bonneville Salt Flats where Triumph scored many world speed records.
The 2019 Triumph Bonneville T120 Diamond Edition features a silver and white tank emblazoned with a subtle Union Jack.
The T120 Diamond Edition also features:
Chrome 4 bar Triumph tank badges
Chrome engine covers and badges
Chrome chain guard
The limited run of 900 comes with a numbered certificate of ownership signed by Nick Bloor, Triumph’s CEO.
Which is your favourite? Leave your comments below.
Only 25 limited-edition 2.5-litre Triumph Rocket 3 TFC (Triumph Factory Custom) models will be coming to Australia, but you better be quick.
Triumph Motorcycles Australia spokesman Dale McBride says they have had “massive interest and most deposits already down for a chance to own the special edition”.
Pricing is yet to be announced.
Meanwhile, the Thruxton TFC has finally been homologated for Australia with 80kW of peak power at 8000rpm, 115Nm of peak torque.
That’s 7.5kW more power and 4Nm more torque than the Thruxton R, while also 5kg lighter at 198kg.
These TFC models are the first of a new line of limited-edition motorcycles from the British manufacturer.
Only 750 numbered models of each will be made worldwide and there is no word yet on when the Thruxton will arrive.
While pricing for these limited-edition models has not yet been released, expect to pay much more than the current Thruxton R ($21,100) and Rocket 3 ($23,990).
Rocket 3 TFC
The Rocket 3 TFC is not a tarted-up current model, but based on the upcoming model with increased engine capacity from 2.3L to 2.5L.
So it’s still the biggest capacity engine of any production motorcycle in the world!
While the previous 2294cc triple delivered 109kW of power and 221Nm of torque, the new 2458cc triple has more than 125kW with the same peak torque.
It will also have Showa cartridge forks and top-spec Brembo Stylema brake calipers.
Some of the other features of the Rocket TFC are Arrow exhaust, full LED lighting, colour TFT instruments, internally wired flat handlebars and loads of carbon fibre in the front guard, exhaust, fly screen, drive shaft cover, heel guards and tank strap.
Tech features include keyless ignition, tyre pressure monitors, cruise control, USB charging socket, cornering ABS and traction control, four riding modes (Road, Rain, Sport and Rider-configurable), up and down quickshiter and hill hold control.
There will also be an optional Bluetooth module to integrate GoPro control, music and phone operation, and Triumph’s navigation system which is powered by Google.
It will come in carbon black and matt carbon black paint scheme with brushed foil decals, gold accents and electroformed 3D Triumph badge, hidden pillion footrests and a leather interchangeable ‘twin or single’ seat.
Once the TFC model is sold out, we expect standard and touring models to follow. We are not sure how many of these features will be included on those models.
Triumph says the 2019 Rocket 3 TFC is more than 15% lighter than its predecessor with a 40+kg saving.
The base and touring models may be a little heavier without all that carbon.
Rocket TFC tech specs
Engine Type
Inline 3-cylinder, water-cooled, DOHC
Capacity
2458cc
Bore/Stroke
110.2mm x 85.9mm
Maximum Power
Over 125kW (170PS)
Maximum Torque
Over 221Nm
Fuel system
Ride-by-Wire, fuel injected
Exhaust
Stainless 3 into 1 headers with 3 exit Arrow branded silencer / CAT box
Final drive
Shaft, bevel box
Clutch
Hydraulic, slip-assist
Gearbox
6 speed
Frame
Full aluminium frame
Instruments
TFT multi-functional instrument pack with digital speedometer, trip computer, digital tachometer, gear position indicator, fuel gauge, service indicator, ambient temperature, clock and rider modes (Rain/Road/Sport/Rider-configurable) – Triumph TFT Connectivity System can be added with accessory fitted Bluetooth module
Swingarm
Single-sided, cast aluminium
Front Wheel
17 x 3.6in cast aluminium
Rear Wheel
16 x 7.5in cast aluminium
Front Tyre
150/80 R17 V
Rear Tyre
240/50 R16 V
Front Suspension
Showa ø47mm upside-down 1+1 cartridge front forks, compression and rebound adj., 120mm travel
Single 300mm disc, Brembo M4.32 4-piston monobloc caliper, Cornering ABS
Seat Height
773mm
Rake
27.9º
Trail
134.9mm
Dry Weight
TBC
Fuel Tank Capacity
19L
Thruxton TFC
The Thruxton TFC will come with lashings of carbon fibre, Öhlins suspension, Brembo brakes with adjustable lever, Metzler Racetec RR tyres, Vance & Hines pipes, flip-up Monza fuel cap, all-LED lighting and brushed aluminium accents.
A highlight is the hand-painted gold lining.
Thruxton TFC also has a lightweight engine, body and frame components that strip weight.
At a glance, the Scrambler XE looks like a classic Triumph. Tidy proportions, a shapely fuel tank. It’s a recipe that’s worked for generations. But see the thing in the flesh and you’ll quickly realize Triumph’s iconic styling hides an entirely new and entirely more capable machine.
It’s bigger, for a start, and in every way. Suspension travel rings in at a startling 9.8 inches, and Triumph tells us this iteration of its eight-valve 1,200cc engine is good for 89 hp and 81 pound-feet of torque. And there’s technology too. The Scrambler XE is equipped with traction control and an inertial measurement unit, which facilitates cornering ABS. The machine has rider-selectable throttle maps. There’s even optional built-in Bluetooth GoPro control functionality for capturing your riding exploits.
Taken together, the $15,400 Scrambler XE bundles some of today’s best adventure-riding tech into a package with Triumph’s classic visual appeal. But how does it hold up to the MC Commute? Ride along with us, and find out.
First launched in 2004, the Rocket III forged its own niche in the power cruiser segment and earned itself a loyal band of followers. 15 years later, Triumph are upping the ante with a new high-performance and somewhat bespoke Rocket TFC, and only 750 of them will be made.
25 of the exclusive 2019 Rocket 3 TFC models will be making their way to Australian shores with incredible anticipation from potential customers. Projected delivery of these bikes into Australia is scheduled for November 2019. I think they will likely sell out this week, six months before they arrive. The price? Nothing concrete as yet but based on the UK indicative pricing, I think you can expect to pay under $50,000 here in Australia.
The headline act of the Rocket III since inception was that 2294cc but the new limited-edition run of Rocket 3 TFC boasts a massive 2458cc donk. That is a whopping 150 cubic inches for those of you that talk the language of the American cruisers.
The Rocket 3 TFC has the biggest production motorcycle engine in the world.
Quoted power is over 170 horsepower (13 per cent more than predecessor), while peak torque registers at 221 Nm. A number that Triumph also quotes as the hightest torque figure of any motorcycle.
Weight? Triumph are yet to quote an exact figure, despite giving us all the other specifications which we show you at the bottom of the page, they have just told us that the Rocket III TFC is 40kg lighter than the previous generation machine, that would put the TFC at around 320kg ready to roll. By cruiser standards that is not bad at all, especially when you have 170 ponies and 221 Nm of twist to motivate that mass!
With only 750 ever being sold worldwide, the Rocket TFC is set to be Triumph’s most exclusive and desirable motorcycle. Featuring premium TFC badging with gold detailing and a beautiful individually-numbered plaque on the instrument mount, each one will be completely unique and never to be repeated.
Every Rocket TFC owner will also receive a special tailor-made TFC handover pack dedicated to their bike, featuring a numbered letter signed by Triumph’s CEO Nick Bloor, a personalised custom build book, leather TFC branded rucksack and a beautiful Rocket 3 TFC indoor bike cover.
The Rocket 3 TFC engine features lightweight titanium inlet valves which allow for higher rpm than the previous Rocket and tailor made features such as the unique Arrow silencers with carbon fibre end-caps.
With stark signature twin LED headlights, the new Rocket 3 TFC features unique lightweight carbon fibre bodywork, including front mud-guard, silencer end caps and exhaust heat shields, fly screen, drive shaft cover, heel guards and tank strap.
The Rocket 3 TFC’s clean uncluttered style and muscular feel is further enhanced by new intricate twenty spoke cast aluminium wheels with imposing 240mm rear tyre width and commanding internally wired flat handlebars.
Additional exquisite finish and detailing includes the one-of-a-kind premium twin ‘carbon black and matt carbon black’ paint scheme with brushed foil decals, gold accents and electroformed 3D Triumph badge, and elegantly hidden pillion footrests contributing to clean minimal rear end.
The latest generation full-colour 2nd generation TFT instruments add even more sophistication and a major step up in functionality over the previous Rocket. The minimal stylish design of the TFT system offers two information layout themes and a feature that allows the rider to personalise their start-up screen.
Increasing the level of rider-focused technology even further, the optimised Cornering ABS and Traction Control set-up maintains the optimum braking performance and level of traction, whatever the lean angle. Additionally, four riding modes (Road, Rain, Sport and Rider-configurable) adjust the throttle map and traction control settings to suit the riding conditions or rider preference.
Taking the riding experience to a new level, the Rocket 3 TFC comes with Triumph Shift Assist and Hill Hold Control as standard. The Triumph Shift Assist allows for clutch-less up and down quick shifts improving the shifting times compared to manual gear changes, whilst the Hill Hold feature enables maximum rider control, preventing the bike rolling backwards.
For enhanced visibility, low energy consumption and great durability, the Rocket TFC features all-LED lighting, including all new full-LED twin headlight with signature shaped Daytime-Running-Light (DRL, market-specific availability), compact LED indicators, tail light and number plate light.
Electronic cruise control is also fitted as standard, reducing the rider’s fatigue on long journeys. And for additional convenience and security, the Rocket 3 TFC features keyless ignition, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and a USB charging socket.
In addition to its standard specification, the all new Rocket 3 Triumph Factory Custom’s advanced TFT instruments have been designed to deliver even more capability when enabled by an accessory Bluetooth connectivity module. When fitted, the full TFT connectivity system delivers the world’s first motorcycle integrated ‘GoPro’ control system, Triumph’s ‘turn-by-turn’ navigation system powered by Google as well as music and phone operation.
Significant weight savings across the entire motorcycle make the 2019 Rocket 3 TFC over 15% lighter than its predecessor with over 40kg saving, for a better handling and riding experience. This saving is delivered by an all-new unique aluminium frame which uses the engine as a stressed member for mass optimisation, all new aluminium single sided swinging arm, engine component refinements, carbon fibre bodywork and lightweight braking components.
In addition to the weight saving, the Rocket 3 TFC also has a category leading level of equipment, with top specification Brembo Stylema calipers, high specification adjustable 47mm upside down Showa cartridge forks and fully adjustable Showa monoshock with piggy back reservoir.
The premium specification continues with a Brembo radial master cylinder and MCS span and ratio adjustable brake lever plus matching clutch lever.
The new 2019 Rocket 3 TFC is equipped with an incredible array of custom designed details including real leather interchangeable ‘twin or single’ seat set-up as standard, plus an infill pad supplied to work with the single seat set-up. Adding to this come a distinctive single sided swingarm and innovative sculpted 3-header exhaust run.
Triumph Rocket 3 TFC Specifcations
NEW ROCKET 3 TFC
Engine Type
Inline 3-cylinder, water-cooled, DOHC
Capacity
2458cc
Bore/Stroke
110.2 mm x 85.9 mm
Power
Over 170 PS
Torque
Over 221Nm
Fuel system
Ride-by-Wire, fuel injected
Exhaust
Stainless 3 into 1 headers with 3 exit Arrow branded silencer / CAT box
Final drive
Shaft, bevel box
Clutch
Hydraulic, slip-assist
Gearbox
6 speed
Frame
Full aluminium frame
Instruments
TFT multi-functional instrument pack with digital speedometer, trip computer, digital tachometer, gear position indicator, fuel gauge, service indicator, ambient temperature, clock and rider modes (Rain/Road/Sport/Rider-configurable) – Triumph TFT Connectivity System can be added with accessory fitted Bluetooth module
Swingarm
Single-sided, cast aluminium
Front Wheel
17 x 3.6in cast aluminium
Rear Wheel
16 x 7.5in cast aluminium
Front Tyre
150/80 R17 V
Rear Tyre
240/50 R16 V
F Suspension
Showa ø47mm upside-down 1+1 cartridge front forks, compression and rebound adj., 120 mm travel
R Suspension
Fully adjustable Showa piggyback reservoir RSU with remote hydraulic preload adjuster, 107 mm travel
Talk about polar opposites. Trev last had me put down some thoughts on the KTM Duke 790 (Link to review), which took me a few days and several hundred kays to get my head around. With the new Scrambler Street Twin however, everything clicked straight away with me.
I challenge anyone to ride this bike and not have fun, it’s a laid back little ripper with a philosophy in stark contrast to that of the 790 Duke. This is one of the cruisiest, most chilled bikes I’ve ever ridden.
Throwing the leg over, the bar/tank/seat ergos gave me a sudden flashback to the bike I first learnt to ride on – an early ‘80s MX100 Yamaha dirtbike. Probably not all that surprising in hindsight I guess, because Triumph are really going for that vintage dirtbike thing with this one (and I reckon they’ve got it pretty right).
It did surprise me that everything came rushing back to me that quickly. I’m sure I’m not the only one out there with fond memories of what we’d now consider vintage dirtbikes…
Part of that familiarity comes from the wide flat bars – wider than those on the Street Twin, a low 790 mm seat height and relatively small overall dimensions. On the move the Scrambler feels light and has a low centre of gravity so it hides its 203 kg (dry) weight deceptively well.
So much so that I kept thinking of it and referring to it as a ‘little’ scrambler, but the reality is it has a 900 cc twin engine. I mean it doesn’t feel like it, because it still feels small.
When did 900cc become little? And even more-so than the Duke 790 – how can there be that much room on what feels like a small bike? You certainly feel the width of the Bonnie engine between your feet, but it somehow doesn’t seem to translate to heaviness or bulk.
Nice comfy seat, but not overly plush. Easy bar reach, really light controls – the lightest clutch I can think of actually, with a great feel. Simple dash and switchgear. This thing is just jump on and ride accessible. I also like the symmetrical design dash set-up too.
At first I was a little disappointed that it didn’t have a digital speedo. But it’s the right call for this bike. Design-wise and philosophy-wise. It’s got an easy to read analogue speedo that dominates the dash with a tiny digital readout underneath that can be toggled easily through trip/odo/fuel consumption/revs/clock displays.
I’d guess that it’s by design that when the speedo hand is pointing at 12 o’clock you’re cruising along at a bees dick over 100km/h too, so you don’t even need to read any numbers to know where you’re at. Clever.
There’s some nice design details that run through the bike actually, and the finish throughout is top notch. The satin finished tank on the example I rode was lovely and I don’t think my photos do it justice. And those signature exhausts running the length of the right hand side set the bike apart from most other retros in a way that feels authentic, and not like it’s trying too hard. It does have history behind it after all…
On the move, first gear seemed a little taller than I first expected, but made sense when I realised it was a five speed box, not six. So the ratios are spread a little wider. And also made sense when after a few minutes I realised what the Bonneville twin engine was all about. What a delight.
Its fueling and power delivery is almost creamy smooth. It’s not really designed to be a revver, but happily pulls off idle with no fuss at all. The steam engine smooth lump is at its best really between 2000 and 4000rpm. Sure it’ll rev higher, but I tended to find myself playing around swapping cogs and relishing the burble when blipping for downshifts. Effortless, cruisey torque.
So effortless, that at first I thought the Scrambler felt slower than the reality. With 80Nm of torque at your right hand’s disposal from almost the get-go, it actually slips along nicely, but doesn’t ever feel frantic.
It’s the first bike I’ve ridden in a long time that I felt truly happy just trundling along on – in this case pretending to be Steve McQueen… On the highway you do cop the expected wind blast from a naked bike. More-so when you wear an adventure lid like I do, but certainly that drops away to negligible under about 80km/h.
In and around town it’s a joy. The gearbox itself was fairly tight when I picked it up – not surprising given it only had 400ks on it, but after a thousand kays or more had already started to loosen up nicely. Shift is firm and solid and I don’t think I had a single false shift.
Brakes are more than adequate, with a single disc up the front adorned with a Brembo four-piston caliper pulling the bike up without issue, whether on tarmac or gravel (and yes the ABS works a treat on gravel – as does the traction control).
Speaking of traction control… One of my few gripes is that it can’t be switched off on the move. Let me explain. The Scrambler has three ride modes controlled by a ‘mode’ button underneath the indicator toggle. At standstill, you can tap it to choose between road mode, rain mode or off-road, which is then only ‘locked in’ as selected by tapping a second (i) button, above the indicator toggle, within a few seconds. No drama, easily done.
Except that on the move, you lose the ability to choose off-road mode… Just road or rain. So each day when I transitioned from tarmac to gravel roads I had to either stop and switch to off road to do some skids, or leave traction control on…
Given that the selection of off-road mode already requires you to choose two separate buttons in succession which is highly unlikely to be done accidentally, and the fact that the dash lights up with two orange warning lights telling you that ABS and traction control are inactive, I thought it was a bit of a killjoy on an otherwise very laid back bike specifically designed to go off road occasionally…
Suspension wise it’s actually quite firm and in truth there’s not a massive amount of travel. The wide bars and Tourance rubber – which suit it perfectly – make it a slow, stable steering bike. I don’t reckon you’d get a headshake on this thing regardless of how hard you tried.
Yes, it rips good skids on the gravel but it’s not meant to be a single track monster and doesn’t have huge clearance levels. What surprised me the most was how much fun I was having on it up my local fire trails and some of the 4×4 tracks down in the Otways. It’s no adventure bike like the Tiger, but it’s not meant to be. It’s a giggle. It brought out the eight-year-old kid in me again.
That lovely exhaust I mentioned earlier does get warm under the right leg on hot days when you’re not moving along. In CBD traffic sitting at lights for a bit on a 35+ degree day I was glad to be wearing some decent pants, but could still feel the heat coming through. I don’t think it’d be too much of an issue as the cat is fairly well shielded and I wouldn’t let it stop me from ever riding it.
The note from the pipes is… I need another word apart from cruisey… and not obnoxious at all. It could do with a few more decibels in my opinion, but I like them that way. I did read that Triumph have over 120 different accessories for the bike already and a quick look shows me that a slip on Vance and Hines is among them. Looks like it might have removable baffles too, giggedy.
It’s a funny thing how perceptions change really, ten years ago a 900cc twin would have been considered full size, but as technology and electrics have progressed, we now see full size twins being around the 1200cc mark, which I guess makes this a mid-size model.
I hope that doesn’t put too many people off riding one – thinking that they need a full size bike. As they’d miss out on riding a properly good bike. I’m going to be a bit sad giving this one back… Try one on for size yourself and if you want to take one home, it will set you back $16,200 +ORC.
Triumph’s Scrambler 1200 is less of a neo-classic scrambler than it is a viable low-weight alternative to the over-litre, top-heavy adventure bikes.
The British company has loaded the bike with all the latest hi-tech mod cons and given it true all-road credentials, while still remaining a stunning neo-classic in design.
And unlike most hideously ugly utilitarian adventure bikes, this is classy with exemplary quality finish and some beautiful touches. So nice you will be reticent to take it off road and get it dirty!
More power and torque
It is also the brawniest of the 1200 water-cooled Bonneville models with the high-torque engine from the Bobber, but using a single throttle body that gives it 14Nm more torque and almost as much power as the high-power engine from the Thruxton R.
The Scrambler 1200 XE and XC are far more than just a 900cc Street Scrambler with more cubic capacity.
This is now a multi-purpose bike: an adventurer, a stylish retro, a sports tourer, a capable commuter and a naked streetfighter.
It will tour tarmac and dirt roads in comfort and ease all day long with long gaps between refills thanks to the super-efficient engine and bigger 16-litre tank.
It’s also a lot more expensive at $21,700 (plus on-road costs) for the off-road-oriented XE and $20,300 for the more road-tame XC version at $20,300.
Scrambler 1200 XC and XE
The XC has five riding modes and the XE adds Off-Road Pro that turns off traction control and ABS to use a special off-road engine mapping.
XE also has cornering traction control and cornering ABS, plus 50mm longer suspension (250mm).
Despite all the tech on board, I love the fact that you can customise the digital instruments so that only the centre screen shows minimal info in digital or analogue format until you press a control button on the left switchblock that reveals all the other comprehensive data on side screens.
It makes you focus your attention on the important things such as revs and speed!
However, you can upgrade with a USB connection under the seat that plugs in your smartphone in a padded cell and allows access on the instrument screen to various apps and Google Maps.
The connector is coming in the next few months for an extra $400.
Manners
What I love about the Scrambler 1200 is the good manners this brawny 1200cc engine displays even around slow-moving traffic.
Fuelling is smooth, reliable and more refined than the other 1200s I have ridden.
This makes it great in traffic, together with the slick-cut gears and wide spread of ratios.
Braking is also much improved with dual Brembo M50 radial Monoblock calipers on 320mm front discs with a 255mm rear disc and twin-piston caliper.
Riding position is upright and neutral with a commanding view of the traffic for safe filtering.
I stand 183cm tall and my toes only just touch the ground on the XE.
Out on the highway it gallops along with plenty in reserve in sixth gear and an unstressed feel to engine and riding position.
The seat is comfortable enough for rolling down highways all day.
Dirty business
Once you get your tyres dirty and stand up on dirt roads, this has a much more natural feel than the Street Scrambler which makes you ride bandy-legged.
Here it also feels less top heavy than other adventure bikes and gives you more control as you flick it around.
Those Ohlins rear shocks provide plenty of traction, control as well as a comfortable ride over the roughest of terrain.
Up front is a Showa unit that also feels good on rough corrugations as well as pushing into tight tarmac corners.
If you can only afford one bike, but don’t want an ugly utilitarian adventure model, the stylish neo-classic Scrambler 1200 is just what you’ve been looking for.
Single 255mm disc, Brembo 2-piston floating caliper, ABS
Instrument Display and Functions
TFT multifunctional instrument pack with digital speedometer, trip computer, digital tachometer, gear position indicator, fuel gauge, service indicator, ambient temperature, clock and rider modes (Rain/Road/Sport/Offroad/Off-road Pro/Rider-Customisable)
Single 255mm disc, Brembo 2-piston floating caliper, ABS
Instrument Display and Functions
TFT multifunctional instrument pack with digital speedometer, trip computer, digital tachometer, gear position indicator, fuel gauge, service indicator, ambient temperature, clock and rider modes (Rain/Road/Sport/Off-road/Rider-Customisable)
Triumph Motorcycles is surveying customers with an email asking if they’ve ridden an electric motorcycle and whether the British company should make an electric Triumph.
It’s not the first time Triumph has surveyed its customers about an electric bike. They launched a short online survey as far back as 2012.
The new email survey asks questions such as:
Have you ever ridden an electric motorcycle?
How do you rate the experience on a scale of 1-10?
Do you own an electric motorcycle?
What might prevent you from buying an electric motorcycle?
How would you feel about felt Triumph building an electric motorcycle?
Electric Triumph
It comes as no surprise that Triumph is considering an electric motorcycle at some stage.
All manufacturers must be considering adding an electric model to their fleet. It’s inevitable.
It’s refreshing that Triumph is asking their customers what they want before jumping in at the deep end and building one – although we expect they have already been doing some development work.
However, the questions they should be asking their supporters are:
How much would you be prepared to pay for an electric Triumph?
What is the minimum range you would require?
How soon should we launch an electric motorcycle?
What is the maximum charging time you would be prepared to put up with?
It is now open for pre-orders with delivery in North America and Europe in August this year and Australia next year.
We’re not sure how many orders Harley have received, but we suspect they will be minimal.
Why? Because the price is extraordinarily high and the range too low.
At almost $US30,000 (more than $A40,000), it would be the second most expensive motorcycle in their fleet, yet it has only about 180km of range. There are no details yet about charging times.
It’s a huge miss by Harley when there are already similar electric motorcycles that cost less than half its price with almost double the range.