Triumph Scrambler

Henry, those black rims on your Scram, are they stock powder coated?

no they are Morad rims, in aluminum. And the rear is 4.25" to fit the 150 tyre.

I have a question about the skepticism of the scramblers off road capabilities. Why is it
That people feel that the scrambler is a completely illogical choice for a dual sport? I have
Read a couple times when people ask about it and compare to the klr 650. And people just
Rag the triumph for being mainly a "retro show bike " but not practical... When most don't know fully
What the bike is capable of. Yes I know its on the heavy side but I wouldn't rule it out for that. I know there are things that need improvement for better off road capabilities but same holds true for the KLR.
Just interested to hear/read thoughts .

Riding off road is a question of the speed you want to ride.

I ride my Scrambler on the dirt bike/ATV trails here in Colorado with no problems. Now,if you expect to keep up with a modern,light dirt bike with a foot of suspension travel,that's not happening.

You have to slow down to reflect the lack of suspension.

Extremely gnarly and rocky trails can be a problem because of low ground clearance and weight. You also have to decide if you want to bash up the bottom of your bike.
But just remember,back in the 60's when bikes like this were being made,that's all they had to ride off road and they did fine.

I was riding off road back in those days and we apparently didn't know we should get off the trails when we only had four inches of travel.:huh

The key is to ride with people of similar bikes.Don't expect to go out with a group of modern,fast bikes (with good riders) and keep up.
Relatively smooth trails or dirt roads and you will keep up just fine.
It's all about rider ability.

gladrider IMO the KLR is the logical evolution of motorcycle (from a 60's Triumph).
Virtually no bikes were built for specific use (ok adv use).
The KLR has decent plush suspension (in comparison to the Scrambler).
The KLR has a huge fuel tank for longer journeys through fuel-less country.
The KLR has mucho aftermarket available for it, with many good luggage carrying options.

The Triumph does not have plush suspension. Even upgraded there is little suspension travel.
The Triumph fuel tank has its limited range. It has the least range usually when I go out with my riding buddies.
The biggest issue is lack of proper luggage carrying it its design.
Yes it can carry luggage, although not always in a bomb proof fashion. Less the Metal Mule style tankish looks carrying system.
The Triumph has cheap parts all over it that can break in the outback.

With that said the Scrambler will go all over as a few here have shown.
Get creative with luggage (or go ugly set-ups imo) and it will suffice.
It can do it.
If I was to do a cross country ADV backcountry tour, I would go with the KLR. Better everywhere but high speed running where the Scrambler can run 70-90 mph all day if you want.
Here is mine toured up. Things broke. I had fun. And many were surprised I was there at each stop. But my bike needed tlc when I got back home.
If you want to do it on a Triumph, do it! In classic 60's style.
But the KLR might be an easier way.

Riding with a KLR...

After watching Ernie Virgils video I mean goodness you can ride the snot out of one and seemingly be fine.
Good explanation...now I am curious what cheap parts for my knowledge if I choose to explore rough terrain
I know what to look for.

You have answered your own question. You are ready.

Various parts are just not dirt oriented. Turn signals, tail light, shift lever, centerstand (should you choose to own one).
The rubber pegs are scary slippery when wet. :eek1
Really they hold up ok, but when you fall, your pretty Triumph will look rough fairly quick.
And when you have to pick it up... lol, be prepared. Its heavy.
I have always been able to pick up my own bikes, but the older I get, the Scrambler sure is heavy. If its upside down on a slope you will have to spin it around to hoist that baby. :eek1
I've scared the shit out of myself having the 500lb Scrambler working against me, and no I have not yet dropped my bike) :eek1 (just thinking of my own predicaments I've been in over the years)

Not trying turn turn you off from the Scrambler gladrider, just common sense realities to think of.

I own a scrambler and an sfv650 just havnt gone off road yet... Kinda nervous about it havnt been off road since my 200cc 4 wheeler ... And I am kinda short so that doesn't help.

Exactly what I was afraid of.

Gladrider,
For full disclosure I don't off road my Scram. I'm too old and arthritic to ride that way anymore. I did my share of motorcross and hare scrambles in the 70's on a Penton and Huskquvarna. That was the beginning of specialization at least my memory of it. The Jap bikes were just coming out strong. I do remember the 50's and 60's when you rode what you had where you wanted to ride it. Guys would decide to go cross country on a BSA, R60 or a small Honda and not give it a second thought. They didn't fret cause they didn't have the proper bike or all the right shit. They would just go. I'm old enough to remember when your daily transportation was a drag racer on the weekends and you only had one bike if you were lucky and if you wanted to race it you made it into a racer. I don't want to get too maudlin or nostalgic, but not having all the specialized paraphenalia for every knook and cranny of your life is really something I admire. Doing with what you have, blooming where your'e planted, is a big part of what I miss about the old days. Mostly because I think a lot of this stuff sold today is a created need and part of a marketing plan. If somebody with an MBA can convince you that you need this kind of boot and this kind of jacket to do a certain kind of riding...well, they just sold a pair of boots and a jacket, regardless of whether those things were essential or not.
That's what I love about the Scrambler. It's an honest, all around bike like the ones I remember. I can hop on it and go to the hardware store or post office, I can go on a trip or if I wanted to do a little off road it's quite capable. I dress like I want, ride where and when I want all on one bike. Weight? I owned a 12GS. It was a heavy sucker too. It was over engineered, in my humble opinion. I certainly didn't feel comfortable tearing into the engine like I did on my Scrambler. (let's face it, the GS was butt ugly too. Another plus for the Scram)
I'm sure some anal retentive will come on and try to show me the error of my ways. Not enough fork travel, ground clearance, blah, blah blah. All I know is I'm going to ride the hell out of this bike until I can't anymore then give it to one of my sons and hope he does the same thing. I think the bike is up to the task.
So to answer your question, the Scrambler is quite capable for some off roading....

I have to totally agree with Shercoman. The faster you go off road on a Scrambler, the more you are going to bottom out the front end and the more likely you are going to lay it down.

I just got back from a 200 mile "adventure ride" in Southern California with 40 off-road riders on BMWs, KLRs, DRs, and a couple KTMs. I can keep up with the big BMWs and KLRs but I came really close to laying down my Scram a few times. On the other hand, the BMWs and KLRs where hitting the dirt all around me. I witnessed six bikes go down. I am really glad I was able to keep it up (that's what she said ) because I think the damage to the Scram would be major if it hit the dirt at speed. Here are some photos from the ride:

https://socaldualsport.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/SDAR-R2/22845490_4qCb68#!i=1833984297&k=8WczwNH





I did hit a rock and put a small dent in the front rim, mainly because of the heavy weight of the Scram. I also hit some loose rocks and knocked off the kick stand spring. The spring was fixed on the trail. The dent in the rim will be straightened for about $100 at Buchanan's Spoke & Rim.



The thing I discovered is, in order to keep up with the more modern bikes, I had to stand up a lot more often than the other riders. Standing up on the bike and using your legs to absorb the bumps and rocks makes up for your lack of travel in the suspension. For eight hours on the trail, I was basically doing squats all day long. By the end of the day my legs were pretty worn out.

The reason I was worn out? I was trying to keep up with the modern bikes. I am starting to discover that I have much more fun on solo rides, one day rides, where I am not attempting to cover hundreds of miles in the dirt.

The Scram can definitely go off road. But it is best if you ride it like a Scrambler, not a dirt bike. Enjoy the scenery in the back country and don't push it too hard. Hose it off and ride it to work the next day.

Here here. That's why I got a Triumph. I wanted something that could do about anything I wanted but still looked COOL if I parked it outside the bar or coffee shop.

Thanks for all the replies makes me feel welcome and I will certainly try to make an attempt to better the off road capabilities with out compromising the on road abilities...which brings me to my next point what are the best things to upgrade first for better handling off road but not compromising street performance

P.S. Great Pics tvscum

OEM skid plate. OEM crash bars (not the best but better than nothing).

Rear Shocks upgrade. I got YSS but they were too firm. I sent them back three times for spring changes and compression adjustments and finally got them to where they would work right.

Front Fork upgrade. I went with race tech springs and emulators but they still don't work quite right. I ended up running one .95 spring and one .74 stock spring. I also added Thruxton preload adjuster caps to the forks:
http://www.triumphrat.net/twins-tec...k-springs-preload-adjusters-on-the-scram.html

Now, I wonder if these front fork cartridge kits would work better?
http://www.bellacorse.com/bcc075.htm


Fenda Extenda, keeps the mud off your bike.
http://www.pyramid-plastics.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=2776


Pivot Pegs. I had to grind mine down to make them work because the 2012 model Scram apparently changed the peg mount. The company has been WONDERFUL and they are using my Scram as a test bike to get the 2012 model fit right. They are going to mail me three test sizes to see which one fits best. I imagine that will take a few weeks, and then they will start offering 2012 pegs that actually fit.
http://www.pivotpegz.com/shop_usa.html


OEM Center Stand in case you have to change a tire in the field. You will have to zip tie this baby to keep it from clunking off road. No big deal. Glad I got it. It also hangs down enough to protect your rear brake caliper from rocks.
http://www.bikebandit.com/search?q=A9758013


OEM power adapter kit and lighter adapter. Good for charging your cell phone or powering a GPS.
http://www.triumphinstructions.com/ProdDocs/A9938015-EN.pdf
http://www.bikebandit.com/search?q=A9938015
http://www.bikebandit.com/bikemaster-12v-15a-male-plug-cigarette-lighter?b=2737824

Good luck with the upgrades and CHEERS!

I had YSS on my Thruxton and was disappointed with them - way too stiff. If I had kept the bike I would probably have tried revalving/springs but that would have been an expensive proposition shipping them to New Jersey from California.

If I get a scrambler one day I'll probably go with Ohlins for local service.

Many ways to skin a cat. Your bike is coming along tvscum.
I went with Works shocks which have been on the soft side, amazingly.
I never had too much problem with my stock forks, but with my dented rim I need to tune up the front.
I used JC Whitney mud flaps which have more of the retro 'husky' mudflap style.


tvscum, your riding area looks familiar to out behind lake Arrowhead 'round to Silverwood lk?





Funny, I was faster than two of these bikes pictured...
Rider ability has so much to do with it. On the Scrambler or any other bike.
Some days I feel fast and others I feel like a toad. Depending on the group.

I am leaning towards RMAK's way somewhat. The Scrambler is too nice to beat to a pulp off pavement. And really it beats me to a pulp... :huh

All fun! Fix 'em up guys!

Circa 1984


Rider ability aside... It's the weight of the bike, limited suspension, and just how fast do you want to go in the dirt? We rode from Ramona to Idyllwild and back. Really nice ride. That's the San Jacinto mountains. I'm keeping my Scram as my one and all-around bike for dirt and road. Just don't expect it to handle off road like a 1984 XL600R thumper.

Agreed, I ride a XR400R on the dirt & believe me it's a plush ride on the rough stuff, the Scrambler stays on the black stuff

Took a couple pictures on my evening ride so I could introduce you to my 2010 Scrambler.

I really like what you've done with it! What kind of mirrors did you put on it? And the seat as well??... i like that a lot!