Would you mind posting your pics of your custom scramblers or pics of others you find interesting? Possibly interested in taking some kind of old twin and making into a scrambler, or taking old scrambler bike and customizing. Questions: - Pros and Cons of low pipe vs. high scrambler pipe? Saw a custom bike the other day (google Hammerhead Jack Pine). Was a Triumph modern classic Bonneville made into a Scrambler. Started with a high scrambler pipe but went back to customized low pipe - said it was better to keep the center of gravity lower and kept the bike thinner. But, how do the low pipes do in water crossings?
Hmmm . . . I'm in the middle of a similar project, basically converting an antique Honda CL450 scrambler into a custom, sort of a cafe/bratstyle cross. I'll be interested to see what others find and post here as well. Here's a bratstyle scrambler custom I found:
Here's another I found on Pipeburn. (be sure to follow this link if you like it for more pics. BTW, Pipeburn is a great place to see all kinds of customized bikes you might drool over.
I remember watching Joey Cocks build this one over at SOHC4.net back in '06. It's a large part of my inspiration for my own current project, which has a nearly identical CB450 tank on a CL450 frame. (Joey started with a Cb450 frame and added CL pipes, then set about customizing them.) I suppose I should post a photo of my own bike, but I'm not about to wander out into the snow to get to the garage on this snowy evening! If you want to see Joey's build thread for this lovely little cafe style scrambler, it can be found here.
I doubt that low pipes would have much trouble in water crossings. I've seen hundreds of trucks back into the water to unload boats, and blow bubbles with their exhaust pipes while the boat was unhooked. Doesn't seem to cause a problem. I can tell you that the scrambler pipes on my CL450 certainly do make the bike feel a bit wide when you stand on the pegs. You don't notice it when you're sitting. The trouble with the hammarhead Jack Pine bike is that it had high pipes on both sides, which would be even worse than the standard scrambler, where both pipes run down one side. It also had the pipes uninsulated, and unshielded. Those pipes running past your legs would get damned hot without heat shields! I doubt that you would notice a scrambler being top-heavy, though low pipes would, by definition, keep the weight down lower. For my purposes, I like high pipes because they are not as likely to start a fire in tall dry grass. (I live in a desert where fires start easily.)
I thnk the most eligant looking highpipes ever put on a scrabler were done by Norton on the P11. I love the single pipe on each side and they way they hug the side cases and then tuck in to the frame a bit as they pass by your leg. they cut a very lyrical line and sound sweet. Sorry I don't have any pics so you'll have to do a google search to see some if your not familiar with a P11.
Beautiful old Triumph! Speaking of high pipes vs. low, I rode a nearly stock modern classic Triumph Scrambler. When I stood on the pegs, it did feel "fat" on the side of the pipes. I envision possibly using a scrambler concept as an Adventure bike, or big beast dual sport. I just remembered this guy from a ride I went on a while back. Flux's Big Adventure IV. I think it was an XS650. Here is a vid of that bikes doing a water crossing with the low pipes. 4th bike to cross in the video:
For it to be a "scrambler" doesn't it need more than just high pipes? A bike with low clipons and cafe seat, but high pipes, is a cafe racer. Not a scrambler. A scrambler (IMO) has to at least *hint* of offroad capabilities. Upright riding position, a little extra fender clearance and high pipes...it's a collection of styling elements that makes a bike a scrambler. A scrambler isn't so much a class of bike as a composition of design choices. Anyhoo...my modded CL175 project is finally off to the powder coater and bead blaster. Hope to have it assembled in a few weeks and will post some pics.
Agree. I think some of the pics above are just to illustrate various design elements found on scramblers. From wiki-pedia's definition: "A scrambler motorcycle, or just scrambler, is a type of all-terrain motorcycle. Streetbikes were modified to overcome cross country terrain. Also known as dirt bike Characteristics The main characteristics of a scrambler were high mounted exhaust pipes (for crossing streams or muddy roads), wider handlebars with a crossbar (for added strength) and all-terrain tires. Everything that wasn't strictly necessary was stripped down to lower the weight of the motorcycle." I think generally speaking, they were the offroad bikes, dual sport etc. designed before the two stroke revolution in the 70's. Often twin cylinder motorcycles. If you recall, early offroad and MX races were called "Scrambles". My thinking is that maybe with adding improved suspension, some of them may be decent adventure bikes. 650 or 750 twin, stripped down, but still street legal. Thoughts?
Wow! Thanks. I've got a Bates Cross Country seat very much like yours that will be going on her soon, plus more mods that I'll post up later. Cheers!
