2017 Triumph Street Scrambler Owner Impressions 17,000+ miles later 

Awesome! I'm sure you will enjoy it. I appreciate you watching my videos!

So you still have the Scrambler and what are some things to look for in a 2014. I am going to look at one next week. I have had several Triumphs including a 2012 Scrambler that I beat the hell out of.

Thank you! I am also interested in the beefier scrambler. I was considering an ADV bike for going around the world, but a scrambler could be a possibility. Would help me stick to the theme of my channel!

Awesome! Where are you located? Somewhere you can keep riding I hope! That feeling of not being able to get enough of it won't go away. The honeymoon phase might be eternal with this bike. I'll hopefully get the accessory video done early January, once the move and holidays are over.

Scrambler Stories I am in Auckland, New Zealand which means summer is in full swing at the moment. I see you’ve swapped mirrors between bar-end and the stock ones. Was this just preference?

Yeah, I like the bar-end mirrors better, but I put the stock ones back on while the hand guards are installed.

Yeah there's a clip from Natchez in there. Down in a few times, including the entire parkway to Natchez, MS. All the off-road was some trails in Antioch, TN. I still need to go to the Barber museum!

Scrambler Stories I lived off the trace near Jackson, moved recently to Al. If you go to Barber we can try and meet up, I live outside Tuscaloosa now its about an hour from Barber. Ride safe brother!

Thanks mate!

It's not bad. It wasn't any issue in Nashville with the stock exhaust. I think the heat shield on my current one is less effective, because it's definitely more noticeable in a hot humid environment. Mainly in stop and go traffic. Not enough for me to change out the exhaust though. -Chris

Hello, They're the "Scrambler" gloves from Street and Steel. Not a lot of protection (no armor), but very comfortable. www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/street-steel-scrambler-gloves

No it's fine. I tested rode the BMW R nineT Urban G/S not long ago, and those handle bars were definitely buzzy at certain points in the motor.

I had leather wrap on for a little while, but I end up riding in the rain a lot. Eventually one of them came off, so I took the other off too. What you see here is the stock grips that were still underneath the wrap. If you're curious on the leather wrap, it made the grips softer but not grip as well. They lasted about 7-8,000 miles. I won't be doing that again. I originally put them on for long rides to help with the hands.

They mainly protect the engine. I slammed the bike down real hard one time sliding the back end around off-road. I still slightly bent my shift lever, but I think it would have been a lot worst with the bars. I did end up with a dent on the tank, but it was because the handle bars got twisted into it. That's the only time I've dropped it since the bars were put on so that's all the experience I comment on. I will say I didn't want to add bars, and you really wouldn't need to if sticking to pavement. But when add the dresser bars, I actually love the way they look. Much better than other crash bars.

yes they are...my son dropped my 2012 scrambler at 100kmh (60mph) and it slide across the ground..the bars worked 100%

Did you notice the dent on the left side of his tank?

The low bars on the Street Scrambler are intended to protect the engine cases while the higher dresser bars that can be fitted to the T120 are intended to protect the tank. Don't ask me how I know this.

Because the torque is down low, it's still very lively at useable speeds. You could always change the gearing too. It won't win against any sport bikes in a drag race due to their power/weight, but it can definitely hang with them. At least until 70-80 mph, after that it can't keep up if they're still accelerating. Starts losing the mojo after 80mph until it hits top speed 105-110ish mph. For me the Street Scrambler is just far more useable. If you like speeding down the highway being a hooligan, racing around, or going to a track you may want the Triple. No doubt a great bike. For me, because it's a jack of all trades the Scrambler is a better fit. I can go across country, I do some light off-roading, I can ride around town, but I can still hit the twisties very aggressively. Not as well as a sport bike, but enough that it's fun for me. Plus better for a passenger and looks cool around town. I'd test ride both and see which one makes you grin more.

Thanks for the insight! I primarily just commute a lot of highway miles, but my free riding is a mix of sportier riding and just tooling around town with the wife on the back. I think either one will fit those needs (although the wife is pushing for the scrambler lol). It's a tough decision, but I'm hoping to get to try both back to back at a nearby dealer soon.

Ha yes, the wife will enjoy the Scrambler better, but realistically you'll need to change to a bench seat to probably make is a noticeable difference for the passenger. Both stock pillion seats are probably similar comfort wise. Either bike is probably going to be fine for your needs. Hopefully one gives you that special feeling that makes the choice easy! Good luck, and let me know what you get!

Will do bud! Thanks again for the replies.

The Scout is a cool bike. I'm not into the forward controls, but that engine is awesome. I would totally get that street version of their flat tracker if it was released. The Scrambler is a ton of fun though. Honestly you probably can't beat either depending on the kind of riding you prefer. The Scrambler is a great "jack of all trades" in my opinion.

It's quite flickable and actually hangs pretty well in the curves with sportier bikes. As far as the exhaust goes, it's definitely more noticeable in the summer or in hotter environments. I didn't really notice it in Nashville, but being in New Orleans now it is slightly annoying on a hot day, specifically if you are in stop and goes traffic where you aren't moving much. But not enough to be a deal breaker. Whenever you're moving it's not an issue. I also keep my leg firmly hugging the heat shield, so you could potentially not do that and it would be less noticeable. Either way it isn't any issue for me. If it was more bothersome, I'd just wrap it again. -Chris

Ff@@ScramblerStories

Neither very huge, but still noticeable. The windscreen takes a lot of wind off my chest, this is helpful for traveling on the highway for long distances. Without, I was notice my arms/fatiguing sooner from the wind pushing me towards the back of the seat. The hand guards are actually from a Tiger 800, and they keep the hands a little warmer when riding in cold temperature for extended time, since they shield some of the wind.

By Bonneville I assume you mean the T100? Technically they are all Bonnevilles. I love the Blue and White T100! But I would never take it off-road, so it depends if you want to hit the dirt roads sometimes. You can always paint the tank, but I agree about the new colors. Not too excited about them. However, by next summer you might still be able to find a 2018 Street Scrambler in the Matte Khaki Green that is a left over for a good price!

Yes I meant T100. No offroad hmm... So you think you wouldn't be able to ride where you were riding in this video on T100? Looking for discounts on the 2018 model also crossed my mind :) If it's the same price I would probably take 2019 in white color because it has more power, but with a good discount 2018 in green color is better I think.

This video is misleading. The off-roading was more difficult then it looked. That being said, a T100 could probably do it. There's a few downsides to the T100 for off-road. Suspension travel is the same, but ground clearance is lower. Front tire is only 18", less "off-road" tires available. But not being able to turn off the traction control is probably the biggest issue off-road, depending on where you took it. If just hitting some easy dirt/gravel roads it'll probably be fine, but you'll definitely want to protect that undercarriage!! -Chris

Dont worry you will only go there for services

Ha! Yup, I'm originally from Westfield. I rode up from Nashville to visit family.

I ride up from Litchfield Ct to Mrs Murphys in SOuthwick for scones .Love rt 57 .. :) . I had a Bonniville in Wales as a young person in 1970 .. Thinking about the Scrambler for my next bike . I am also looking at the Tiger 800 family .. The suspention on back roads will decide the matter for me .. I am on a 1700 Star at the moment .. All the back road and dirt road riding makes for new tires every 4k with 750 lb bike .Its done very well but a lighter bike made for that job will make more sence .. I hope you had a look at the Indian dealer when you got home .. Glad to have them in Westfield ! Thanks for the great clip ....

Awesome! I grew up getting Mrs Murphy's every now and then. I've been contemplating a Tiger 800 XC model for riding around the country or for the RTW trip we want to do. Wouldn't trade my Scrambler for one, but would add it to the stable if I could. Have you seen the leaked images of a possible beefier scrambler from Triumph? Looks like about double the suspension travel. That would be a high contender on my list to take around the world if I didn't want the comforts that the Tiger brings. If riding across country, there's no doubt that the Tiger would be better. But meeting some friends somewhere like Mrs Murphy's would be way better on the scrambler. Light off-roading is not an issue for the scrambler in more capable hands than me, but anything too rough and you might want the perks of the Tiger. If Indian ever releases the FTR1200 they showed as a concept bike last fall, I'd be interested in that. I'd love to have an Indian, but I prefer an upright position. www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-us/ftr1200/

We had the original world class expert on the old 1920's 101 Scout here in Torrington ct. .. He just passed away .He always talked about keeping things simple . I think all us older riders just want great suspension with adequate HP good brakes and flickable frame .(SMile) . I like the idea of the simple XR tiger BUT with the showa forks and Brembo duel brakes and heated grips and center stand .I know that does not exist .. I rode a T 120 and liked the engine a lot (A little low for the twisties though ) .They will have some work keeping the weight down for some off road use in a 1200 scrambler .. The pictures looked great .. Double Brembos up front & showa forks .. ..Your bike is probably what I should get .. at 67 I am 210 pounds so I may need to get better springs ... Great talking to you .. Guy

Yep . I got a left over 2017 Scrambler for a great price and trade in on the road star .Fist 600 miles and I am loving it ..

Maintenance cost has been pretty low, especially compared to a sport bike. The first service (500 miles - break in) cost me just over $200 at the dealer in Nashville. My second service (10,500 miles) was similar in price. I also changed my tires then even though they had a few thousand more miles because I was going across country. For the service and tire change I was under $400, plus the cost of the tires which was another $400. Recently I put on Karoo 3s with the help of a friend, so cost was only the purchase of the tires. ($400 counting the inner tubes). I'm about to get the 20,500 service change done, and was quoted at around $750, since they will be checking the valves. The cost of chain cleaner and lube is small. Overall the maintenance costs are nothing compared to what I spent on accessories, making the bike my own.

Plug change at 15k and oil every 10k . It's CHEAP

Thanks! It's the Rev'it Sand 3 Urban and it's awesome! www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/revit-sand-urban-jacket They also have the regular Sand 3 which I was originally going to get, but they were out of stock on the tan version at the time. Plus, OD green is my favorite color, so it worked out. Great jacket though, very functional.

Hello, They're Triumph Tiger 800 hand guards. A bracket gets installed on both the front brake lever and the clutch. The hand guard then mounts to the bracket as well as the bar end of the handlebar. These specific hand guards were a simple install and require zero modifications. The part number is A9708278. Unfortunately I couldn't find them on Triumph's site, but I had a dealer order them for me without issue. It looks like you can also buy them on Amazon/Ebay. If you put in the part number on Triumph's instruction website, you can see how the install would look.

Hey Rene, For trips I only take a few tools. Just what is needed to adjust the chain, and clean/lube it. That will probably change in the near future though.

From my passenger: "The heat from the exhaust is more noticeable in traffic, but still not bad." Now that she has some ankle high boots though, not an issue at all. Always fine when moving.

The suspension is the same, with the same amount of travel (120mm). But the Street Scrambler has more ground clearance. Plus the inch front tire helps. Revzilla had a good review mentioning the difference. www.revzilla.com/common-tread/2017-triumph-scrambler-first-ride-motorcycle-review

I haven't ridden one personally, but the Triumph is certainly lighter. An air cooled Harley has much more of vintage bike feel in my opinion, whereas the Triumph will feel smoother and more refined. Both are great platforms for customization.

Yes, I'm just behind. Moving took more time than planned, then work trip to California, and now Mardi Gras is in full swing. I should have it out in a week and a half, but feel free to DM me any questions on accessories you are considering. Otherwise once Mardi Gras is over I'll get it out.

Ah - of Course - Mardi Gras! Good on you! Happy to wait for the video on the rest but just really need 1 x piece of advice from you: - What do you use for luggage when touring? Backpack or do you have a Tail Pack on your seat or something similar?

When I went out to Arizona/Utah, I had the following: Wax Cotton Tank Bag Wax Cotton Pannier Wolfman Dry bag (back seat) Tent/sleeping pad (on rear rack) Just with that, I could fit a lot of stuff. For shorter distance travels I just use the tank bag/pannier. I have also just used a backpack too, depends on how much stuff I need.

Scrambler Stories Brilliant! Will look into it

Johan Meyer I would recommend Corbin seats(with lamb skin),the happy trails aluminum panniers and the parabellum scout fairing. For extended road trips.

So from March 2017 to Mid December 2017 it lived outside. On nice days/night I would often leave the cover off. If it was going to train/storm, cover would be on. Then as it got colder, I'd leave the cover on,. Since moving to New Orleans it now leaves in a parking garage. Though I'm worried about how the humidity will affect it. No issues from the last year and a half though. Except working on the bike would sure be better if I had a garage!

Awesome, great info. Thanks for the response. I just need to pull the trigger on this thing! So tempting. Kinda promised the wife we'd buy a house with a garage first though :(

You're welcome. I got the bike before I got Caitlyn an engagement ring, and she was happy because she loves being on it! There would be benefits to having a garage though!

They are fantastic and have survived crashes off-road.

Hey Francis, it's different for every person. It doesn't bother me at all, and i ride with my leg tight up on the exhaust. The Vance and Hines on put on, definitely get's hotter than stock. Sometimes in traffic I do have to stop resting my leg up against it. That being said, there are also low exhaust options that would work. I believe Zard has one, but also exhausts for the Street Twin will also work. I think it's Zard that has a cool two into one low exhaust, tracker style. Looks cool, probably sounds awesome. But you could always start with the stock SS exhaust and see if it's even a problem for you in the first place.

@@ScramblerStories :-) I thank you very much Chris, i really appreciate your advices. Take care

@@francisstack9722 Absolutely!

I've gotten it up to 107mph. Could have gotten a little higher, but it barely had any acceleration at that point, and I was wearing an open face helmet! haha

Hey Fabrice, for awhile I used hand guards from a Triumph Tiger 800, and then I switched to BarkBusters.

@@ScramblerStories Thanks a lot !!!

Right now the stock tires, which are Metzeler Tourances. I changed my first set at 10,500 miles, but honestly they had plenty of miles left on them. I just wanted fresh tires for a trip. I am going to try the Karoo 3s next, as I have some more aggressive off-road challenges to do this year.

No problems yet!!

That depends. Planning on going off-road on some decently tough terrain, or are you a taller person to begin with. I think the Street Scrambler still looks better, mainly the appeal of the 1200 for me is the suspension/height. It'll become by traveling bike and the Street Scrambler will still be my around town bike.

@@ScramblerStories street scrambler also good for traveling anywhere you think?

@@rogersurez9120 It's doable. Certainly a Scrambler 1200 or a Tiger would be better suited for long travel. But I would do my Alaska trip again. It wasn't bad, and it felt like traveling in the 50s/60s on a motorcycle.

@@ScramblerStories thank you :)

I've flipped between the original and the bar ends a few times. I had ordered the bar end mirrors when I preordered the bike, so I already had them when the Scrambler showed up. The original mirrors were fine for me, but I still switched them out anyway. I do prefer the bar end mirrors more, just because it cleans up the clutter in front of you. I like that feeling of flying in the wind as if the bike isn't there. Currently the bar ends are back on, but when I've had the hand guards on, I switch back to the stock mirrors. So for example, the stock mirrors are on for my entire Alaska trip. -Chris

It 's the only bike I've ever really had a passenger on. That being said, I think it does great. My fiancé has been on the back for about 4,000 miles now. I don't have any complaints, and she didn't either once the bench seat was put on. Can't recommend this bike enough, I absolutely love it. It's a keeper!

Scrambler Stories Thanks man! Gives me even more reason to buy it!!

It has no issuing cruising at 80mph on the highway. Not entirely sure about the RPMs at the top of my head, but it would be low at 60mph. At 100mph it'll be close to the rev limit. It starts running out of acceleration the closer you get to 100mph. I've done 107 before, and it could probably do a little bit more, but you're talking maybe 115.

Hey Jeff, I'm a dude with virtually no bum, so for me I'd say I can sit comfortably for 120-150 miles before I need a break. However, I picked up a pair of Moto-Skiveez Adventure underwear, and that easily pushes my comfort up to 400-500 miles till I need a decent break. Without the extra cushion is fine if just riding around town with friends, but doing long highways for me is much better with the Moto-Skiveez. It's worth noting, that due to time restraints I always wind up doing big mileage days when traveling. 600-800+ miles a day. Did 1114 miles in under 24 hours (Saddlesore 1000) and decided to ride back through the night when traveling from Arizona to Nashville. Was almost 1500 miles only stopping for food breaks and gas. It's not enjoyable at that point, but the few times I did only do 300-500 miles a day was, and isn't a problem at all.

T'is True!!

The bike now has 52,000 miles on it and I have never had any issues with the engine or transmission. Somewhere after 40,000 miles I had a gasket leak on one of the side covers, and I had to replace that. But the engine has been solid without any issues for me. Still on the original clutch, and just now needing to replace the original battery at almost five years old. And trust me, I've beat the hell out of this bike! If your bike is over 2 years old, isn't it already out of warranty? 10,000 mile service isn't a hard one. It's the 20,000 mile service that has the valves being checked.

Thank you so much for the quick answer. In Germany we have 2+2 Years guarantee. But they want so much money for the 10000k service. About 600€. It is only the Oil change and the brake fluid! I understand that the control of the valve isn‘t cheap and i am ready to pay that when the time comes. The rest i wanna do on my own. You have helped me a lot for my decision.

Nice to hear that the bike is so massive and I believe you, i saw your videos 🤓

@@XoC91 That's interesting. In the US you can service the bike yourself and they can't deny any warranty claims if you do so. Though often you need to save your receipts for the supplies need. That's a different story when it comes to modifications though.

Haha I know. To be fair, it's not as flat as the camera makes it out to be. But I didn't have much experience and I was being extra careful since I was moving in a few days. I'm a little better now. -Chris

I'm presuming sarcasm here, but my day job experience would suggest otherwise.... So just in case, it's a 2017... Triumph... Street Scrambler. :-) -Chris

@@ScramblerStories you shore have experience thanks man

Beautiful bike, is the insurance cheeper than supersports or rr style bikes?

I do still own this bike. Just a little over two years old now. I've done lots of mods, and I plan on keeping it forever. I am eying the new Scrambler 1200 now, but I'd be adding to the Street Scrambler, and not replacing it.

@@ScramblerStories nice! Maybe a mod / update video, some info on the wear and tear from 2 years of riding? A few more, vlogs. Sure it would get views. I know I'm interested in a video update. If you made one I didn't see it.... 🍻

@@MetalFacedGamer Not a bad idea. As far as the mods go, I have a few videos going over all the accessories I've added. But I've never done a video that "introduces" my bike, so I've been planning on doing that. As well as a video going over some of the 2019 SS accessories that work for the 17/18 models. I should definitely do a two years on video, that's a good idea. Maybe I'll do it from my trip that's starting in less than two week (Key West Fl to Prudhoe Bay Alaska).

@@ScramblerStories yes.

@@ScramblerStories also I'm considering getting a 17'. If and when, do you have a suggestion as far as new x used. I don't need a 12 a 9 is fine I live in a city. Also, I'm new to riding, going over tire life, maintenance issues/ concerns would be helpful. Just kinda something a new rider should know about it and what expensiveness they might have. With that said, I'm not into over the top things. I'm more into what works And why. Hope this made sense. Thanks.

I've heard that. I bought progressive springs for my forks, and I'll be doing that shortly. After that I need to do something about that rear suspension because the roads are terrible here in New Orleans! Thanks for the tip.

I had a Bobber for 18 months and traded it due to the horrible third world roads here in Iowa...and my 54 year old back. The Scram with the Fox is 500% better and I can run any roads now paved or gravel. I'm putting progressives in the front soon.

Ah yeah. Lots of crotch rockets around New Orleans and I have no idea why. The roads are so terrible and there's plenty of random spots you get air. I couldn't imagine anything other than my Scrambler!

I bought a new Scrambler one year ago. I love it. Seat not the most comfortable, and I am really curious about the suspension Fox upgrades. I love touring casually around town. Just love the bike. Is the investment in shocks worth it? Smoother ride? Great channel. In Roswell Ga

Hopefully Mark can comment, but from what I've heard it vastly improves the bike. I just can't do the piggy back shocks cause then I can't use my pannier.

I'm 5'11" and mostly legs. No issues for me. I've considered putting highway pegs mounted on to the engine dresser bars when traveling long distances, but the legs are never really an issue. It's the back and the bum when doing 500+ miles straight. Have you set on one at a dealer yet?

What's the mpg? I get around 55 mpg on average. Higher if I being mindful, but I'm normally heavy on the throttle. If cruising on the highway I can get over 70 mpg depending on the speed.

I had it on pre-order, so I paid full price with no discounts. It was around $10,800 before doc and freight fees. There's no "S" model or other variants of the Street Scrambler. Just some of the colors cost a little more, but there's only one model. The new 1200 Scrambler is going to have different versions. However now it's been out for a year and a half, so you can find some left over models for a good deal. Or just some deals around this time of you. Aaron got one this year for $9,000 I think? I've heard some people have gotten even better deals. P.S. Is the 5150 in your name from the guitar amp?

@@ScramblerStories 5150? Sort of. It's actually a police code term to the dispatcher when responding to a call. Police: "We have a 5150 on our hands, request for backup." Means a crazy person. 😁. I got your bike confused with the 2019 models. I am pretty sure the latest models have a GPS option & some other accessories like a quick shift. I could be wrong & got it mixed up with the new Indian FTR 1200's options that will be available next spring. I'm really digging the Triumph with what looks to be a 4 gal. tank. Nice bike!

@@Logan-or5qw Ah ok! That's cool too though.

50,000 miles now and I've still had almost zero issues. I had a gasket leaking that I had to replace after 40,000 miles. Everything else has been my fault! 😂

@@ScramblerStories i am looking at one to buy this spring. Should I get an older version with out abs, I like analog dials or should I get one with Abs. What’s the difference between a Bonneville and a standard . And which engine version is good? Before I saw your review I was deadset on a Rebel 1100 or some Ducati. Thanks great channel 👍

@@EC-ol8nz On the 2017 and up, you get ABS/traction control, and the speedometer is still analog. But the tachometer and everything else is digital. But with that, you get things you don't get with the older bike, like miles to empty. A Bonneville is essentially a standard (old school) Triumph. Then models like the Scrambler/Thruxton, are built off that platform for other purposes. Between the older Scrambler and the 17+, both engines are good but different. The 2017+ has longer service intervals. Every 10,000 miles for oil, 20,000 for valves. I'm quite happy with mine, both both versions are awesome to me!

Well, two reasons I suppose. One is that I had been going up hill through a rutted out section, and due to lack of experience was going too slow and working too hard. Two, out of shape!