Thank you so much for such an amazingly informative and entertaining review of a bike I have been eyeing up for quite some while. As an added bonus your story at the end of your video summed up the reasons why I love bikes and all the ingredients that likewise helps me stay positive about life. All the very best mate and thanks again for a combined bike/lifestyle review that reflects the good things within the world in which we live.
For the past two years, I’ve been torn between a Ducati Scrambler and a Triumph Scrambler. After watching countless videos and finally watching yours and your story, my heart is telling me to go for the Triumph Scrambler XE. Thank you Sir
I’ve owned both XE and XC, and in all honesty I couldn’t discern any great advantage of the XE off road over the XC. The XC’s lower seat height made it much more liveable for me on a day to day basis. I’ve clocked up 19,000 k ms on my XC, and I put around 3,500 on the XE, before I sold it. I put factory heated grips on my XC, which for me was the only advantage of the bigger bike. My point is buy the one that fits the best, the XC will get you anywhere the XE will. Why else would you buy a Scrambler?Adventure bikes are hideous, the Scrambler is gorgeous!
@@lifeofascrambler specially after hearing your story...i was never in the mil but still makes you think on how you live life to each their own obviously sincerly i almost cried a lil bit lol
I couldn't agree with you more. I appreciate you sharing your story at the end as it resonates with me 100! I absolutely love my scrambler and wouldn't trade it for anything. It has been my anti-depressant. I love your channel and thank you for sharing your adventures with all of us.
Kudos for your vids. Question: I've read on forums some people complaining about the electronics. Specifically about the fact they had to replace the whole unit because the bike wouldn't start even if brand new. Two mechanics I know confirmed that. Did you have any issues in that area or heard from others? Thank you.
Thanks! I’ve only heard of a handful of bikes suffering that problem, never from brand new. The issue I’ve heard is something to do with switchblocks on the handlebar which is a difficult one because if you drop the bike you can damage them…so it’s unclear if that’s a factory issue or not.
Loved the series! Do you think the 1200 is okay for a first bike? I'm quite tall, 6ft 5in (American, sorry 😅) and like the seat height of XE. I don't find a lot of bikes that I like that fit me. I've always been obsessed with the T120s and Scramblers. I don't plan on doing the type of off-roading that you do, so I'm curious if a newbie could handle this thing just fine.
Great question - I would say if you’re not confident it’s probably a bit much for a beginner, BUT the scrambler 400X is actually a bit bigger than the T100/120’s so maybe take one for a test ride if you can?
I’m looking into the xe right now as I live in the northern part of the black hills in the US. Glad to see all the different types of terrain and things you’ve put it through. My local dealer has quite a few for sale and I’m trying to decide when would be best to buy. Thanks for all the info
Thanks! I’ve never heard of that area but I looked it up, and the riding around there looks nice! Hope it helps and let me know if you end up on the scrambler!
Good videos and reviews mate. I think most people are surprised how well they ride the first time they get on one of these. I enjoy riding off road, but these bikes are also perfectly suited to riding the back country roads where I live in the UK. No longer do you need to find good riding routes. You can ride any road/lane no matter its condition and have a blast. Thanks for the videos!
Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it, i work hard on these so I appreciate you taking the time to give me good feedback and hope to see you on a scrambler soon!
“Happiness is measured in memories”, very well said. I’ve really enjoyed the 3 part series- you’ve done an awesome job. I’m looking forward to watching more of your vids. Sending my best wishes from Wales/UK 👍🏼
Enjoyed your review. My inseam is only 30”. I have to place the side stand up before I mount the bike. I’m riding the GSA 1250 which places my toes down the same as the XC model, but I’d love the XE as a second bike.
I purchased a Ducati Desert Scrambler Sled 5 days ago and it’s the funnest bike I’ve ever owned. And I’ve owned a lot of bikes. Love the Triumph but right now it was out of my price range. Maybe next year? Thank you for sharing 🙏🏼
I can't choose between this (XC) and the Tuareg, the Tuareg will be better off road but it is an ugger and deems only 45 +yo men ride . XE is the perfect bike but it's too tall and top heavy for me (170cm f) to take proper off roading (not single track but rutted out hills and mud) Ughh i dunno. Same thing as you I just want to ride for hsppiness and explore nature. Its thr only thing that i enjoy.
Dude first thanks for your service I am very cynical about motorcycles reviews on line but enjoyed these three I didn’t know about you history but as you explained your process at the end of the video so much resonated with me I was almost tearful Thanks for taking the time to make such a good series
I couldn't agree more. This was a really awesome well made review. It was like a good book, I just wanted more ! Thanks for your time making this video and for your service. Well done ✅🇺🇲
That's a nice video series and thanks for sharing. I love the look of the Scramblers and the XE is now on my radar. Unfortunately, I live in Germany where off roading is completely banned, so even though I basically live in a forest, it would be illegal for me to ride my bike in there. 99% of my riding is on road and I have very little experience off road and that was from around 30 years ago back in the UK. However, I am close to the Belgium border and the TET network is alive and kicking over there, so there could be the odd 1% chance of getting the bike dirty! 🙂
I have the same bike and I agree with what you say, I measure 1.85 and I get right to the floor, it is comfortable for tall people. I fell in love with this bike. Greetings from Argentina
Aye! I had a CRF1000 Adventure Sports. And traded it in for a Scrambler XE... The top heavy weight between both bikes is completely different, as in; the reason why I traded in the Africa Twin.
Awesome video! What seat are you using? I just picked up an XC and I can’t deal with the seat 😂 I came from a T120 with a nice cushy bench seat. Thanks!
Good stuff mate, I've just recently got a low k's XE and I'm really happy with it. I've come from riding a Harley, Norton and assorted road bikes for the last three decades and like you I'm real happy with the versatility of the Scrambler. I flog the shit outta bikes and it loves it. They handle great and have tonnes of grunt. Love ya vids, I've picked up heaps from them.
Obrigado por confirmar todas as suspeitas sobre o modelo Scrambler 1200 XE, estava com algumas dúvidas, mas já foram resolvidas e vou buscar a minha para me divertir! Obrigado.
Blimey mate. I watch a s-tonne of reviews on you tube on all sorts of topics, and I have to say your style and presentation is by far the very best. Keep up the excellent work!
Thanks so much! I like to try and show and talk about things in a way that I find helpful so I’m glad to hear you like it! Appreciate the support and hope you can enjoy many more videos I’ve got coming up!
Love the reviews! My XC is defo over of the best bikes I've ever owned. Like you say, I get excited every time I ride it. Everyone talks to me about it whenever I stop. It's just so much fun
Mate, I rarely get to the end of video on RU-vid and think "I actually thoroughly enjoyed that". Awesome series and highly likely I'll buy a Scrambler 1200 now!
Glad you liked it thanks for watching! I really appreciate you taking the time to give me good feedback too, it’s a lot of effort but it makes my day when I’ve helped someone in some way!
Awesome scrambler series, I really enjoyed your perspective on this bike. I own the XC and have a great time on it in the urban environment. Cheers mate! P.s. your videos are shot so well, you really do a great job!
Oh thanks so much! Glad you’re enjoying them! I actually was away and haven’t been able to ride for a while so used a lot of old footage, so I’ll have LOTS more cool stuff coming soon! Are you from Philadelphia?! What’s the riding like around there?
You’re so welcome, Looking forward to more videos to come then! I am from Philadelphia, I have been riding here for the past ten years, before that in Florida where I grew up. It’s a cool mix of metro/countryside and some mountains. I started a RU-vid channel last (very amateur) but I have been really enjoying taking my camera and recording my riding experience in the area. You can check it out sometime on a rainy day.
I totally agree with you mate. I have the XC version which fits me well and since I've been riding it I'm over the moon. Ok, this bike is not perfect, not enough like this, not enough like that or too much like this or like that, but what a joy to ride it. Not only does it feel good to the rider (me) but it has a nice capital that attracts the eye of the people I meet during my road trips with the same qualifier that comes back all the time: your bike is cool and beautiful! It makes it easier to meet people on the road and the other models in the comparison don't have the same charm at all. Next road trip in a month from Paris: Corsica! Yeepee! Thanks for your videos. 🤙
Man, this was a proper and entertaining video. Well done! Pretty much in love with my scrambler, but as in all relationships you will need to accept the not-so-good sides too. Grow together! ❤
Well , thanks to you i am now on the look out for a 1200 scrambler...the missus is gonna cut of my tackle !!😂. At the moment I've got a 650 royal enfield interceptor , great bike ...but ...is the 1200 scrambler good for touring 2 up ?, and will the missus burn her legs on the exhaust?. Peace out ✌️
Haha great to hear! I don’t ride two up, because I don’t think the slash cuts would be nice on the legs for the pillion, but I’ve heard the stock or zard exhausts are ok!
Well done. We just purchased the 1200XE ‘s. The husband has no problems. Im coming from a street glide and struggling a bit with the height. I appreciate your video - I’ll give this a bigger run through. I did regret it for a bit
Thanks! The higher bike will definitely handle a lot differently to a street glide so I really recommend sticking with it for a little. I love @doodleonamotorcycle videos she’s got some good exercises to get better at riding a bigger/taller bike!
Very informative review. Very dumb by Triumph to name the bikes XC and XE, phonetically identical. Difficult at times to know which model you are referring to.
Excellent video. Really cool to hear your insights into what bikes bring us in the last minute or so. Appreciate your very personal story and how well you put your videos together. Good on ya mate.
I can relate to your feeling of making the noise a little less when your riding. I'm 20 years on from deployment and still the not settled. It happens on the scram but didn't on other bikes. Great effort on the content man
Great video and reasoning. Not sure about your weight for the GS1200 though. All my data has them at 240 kg for the standard 1200 and 260 kg for the 1200 ADV GS. (Wet for both)
Thanks! All of the other weights were dry for the other bikes, but I couldn’t for the life of me find a dry weight for the GS, so I had to do a rough calculation / estimation to get the dry weight for the GS to be able to compare.
My biggest issue is that in Australia, the dealer (Peter Stevens) is also the importer which means you only have one option to resolve any warranty issues - it’s stopped me from buying any Triumph, which is a shame.
There’s actually a heap of dealers in Australia that aren’t owned by Peter Stevens (PSI), we have one owned by team moto (MC holdings), and one owned by a private family called Oliver’s in brisbane, and they’re great. Also, I’ve only had good experiences with PSI / Triumph Australia.
Your. Ideas are amazing. I’m struggling to decide on the xc or the xe. If carrying g a pillion do you think there would be more room on the xe than the xc ? Keep the reviews coming they are awesome 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Road many miles on a Ducati Monster. Obviously, totally different feel. Lower back and butt pain but not excruciating. Now on my Triumph 1200 XC Scrambler. Super comfy for me at 5'8" with a short inseam of 29 inches. I hug right up onto the tank while riding. I feel like that makes the center of gravity nearly perfect. I did 400 miles the other day and felt like I could do another 400 easily. Great motorbike! I added a Unit Garage fairing and windscreen. It's bad ass.
Oh nice! Glad to hear it, and I can relate with the back pain! The Unit Garage kit looks pretty nice actually, I reckon it would add a lot of wind / weather protection, how do you like it for that?
Fantastic video, Josh. Great end to the series. I can still remember the first time I saw the Scrambler. I have an Indian touring bike, and my dealer is also a Triumph dealer. I was at the dealer a lot for riding group meetings and such. When they first rolled the Scrambler on to the floor I was immediately drawn to it. The next year, I went on a trip with another RU-vidr, 2 Wheeled Rider, who is solidly in the KTM mafia. He actually took us down a dirt road with a small stream crossing, which was hilarious on my Roadmaster. When I got home, I couldn't stop thinking about getting off the pavement. 2 months later, I bought a used Scrambler (really good deal too) and what a great decision. Like you, I didn't know how much I would love it until I spent time on it. Also, I get more compliments on the bike than any vehicle I've ever owned!
Thanks for sharing your story! That sounds hectic, riding a roadmaster through a water crossing 😅 and glad you joined the Scrambler....mafia? or should we call it something else? 😂
Ripper Josh! Totally with you concerning the therapeutic elements of motorcycling. I'm going through a dilemma right now, my head (and partner) say Tiger 900 but my heart says Scrambler Aahh spit…
hahaha glad I could help...or maybe I made the decision more difficult? The Tiger is really well made and a great bike, but the soul of the Scrambler gets me every time 😅 the looks, sound and feel 🙌
Thanks for this! Setting up my new 1200 XE. Purchased and put on the Coleman SS-SMS-4003593 MadDog GearComfort Ride Seat Protector you have linked here on my stock seat and I have to have the straps rather loose so the plastic buckles aren't sucked underneath and resting on the frame/plastics. It's not really a problem I don't think, but would be cool if there was a way to have it snug to the seat AND out of the way of the contact points underneath. Is this your experience? I can't find any pictures of it on the Scrambler which is understandable. Might have to look for a smaller one. Love all your vids!
Bravo pour votre super montage ! Ancien possesseur de la XC et du XE, je préfère le XC qui est plus agile, plus fun, plus maniable mais permet aussi d'avoir les pieds bien à plat au sol à l'arrêt avec mon 1m80. La XC permet également de faire du off-road avec les amortisseurs ohlins, ce n'est pas un problème. Je retrouve sur le scrambler 1200 l'ergonomie, la position et le confort que j'ai connu sur l'africa twin adventure sports 1000 de 2019. Aujourd'hui je roule avec un Honda Xadv 750 qui est super polyvalent avec meilleure protection en vent, trés économique en carburant (3,5 L/100km), plus confortable pour les long trajets à 2 personnes mais surtout qui permet de prendre de la bagagerie ce que ne pouvait pas faire le scrambler 1200. Si un jour Triumph décide de rendre le scrambler 1200 un peu plus polyvalent avec une meilleure protection en cas de chute comme par exemple une tiger 1200 alors je reviendrai chez Triumph car le scrambler a quelque chose de magique avec un moteur Bonneville Fantastique. Le seul point négatif du scrambler 1200 ce n'est plus la chaleur des premières versions jusqu'à 2021 mais le manque de bruit de l'échappement qu'on entend plus du tout en roulant. Il faut donc penser à changer cet échappement qui est trop lourd.
Nice! You’re my height and you tamed the beast. I recently got back into riding and was a bit intimidated by the 1200XE seat height, so I went with the Speed Twin 900. Probably going to keep the twin forever, but I have my eyes on a scrambler for sure. I ride for the same reasons as you ; thanks for sharing all of this context and your stories. Happy riding!
Fantastic video, congratulations! I feel I have to buy the Scarmbler for a second time, unfortunately I sold my one (1200 XC) two years ago for a Ducati Scrambler 1100 Sport... Bad idea, I know.
Your videos have been helpfull. I am and have been a scrambler owner since 2018 after 25 years of not riding starting with a Benelli Leoncino 500, then a 2017 Triumph Scram a brief stint with 2014 Tiger 1200 and i now have 10 months with a 1200XC that I am loving to the max except the part that me wife does not find it as confy as the Tiger so that is a big big let down, if I could there would always be a Scrambler in my garage. If you ever go back to Costa Rica please buzz be it would be a pleasure to meet you and share some roads!!
Mate your videos are the best I am a Triumph man but just sold my Bonnieville T120 to buy a Harley cruiser to do more touring, been riding off-road for over 35 years but at the age of 60 my off-road riding these is nice and easy, currently ride a KTM690 which I know is a young mans bike, you now have me thinking about selling the KTM690 and buying a scrambler 1200xe
Thanks so much! I’m glad you’re enjoying them, what kind of riding do you do!? I won’t lie, I’ve not ridden a KTM 690 but I’ve heard they’re a very good bike. Personally I would never advise you against a scrambler but then again maybe I’m biased 😅😂
@@lifeofascrambler I am probably using 20% of what the KTM690 can do , at my age it’s mainly just gravel roads and fire trails, I am riding the KTM more on the road than the bush will do some more thinking as I know I will cop a financial hit selling the KTM but I Triumphs I have 5 T-shirts to prove it , I have just subscribed to your channel and I am sure in time you will convince me to get one but man they are not cheap.
Love mine too!! Great content and you helped me towards my purchase. My first ever bike and it’s insane how good this is. It’s like the Swiss Army knife of bikes.
That is why I love my Tiger 900 Rally Pro. And I would trade it for a Scrambler ... but the scrambler has a BIG disadvantage: It's not for two people and as a loading capacity Tiger is much better.
Fantastic series mate. Top notch production and really helpful. I’ve been on my tiger 800 for many years with no complaints and all the trimmings make it impossible to consider anything else. Then I tried the scrambler 1200 and loved it. Like you say stats don’t tell the whole story. However I’m slightly concerned it set your bags on fire! 😅 hopefully just a one off
Thanks! I’m glad you like it, and don’t worry the bag thing was totally my fault - I had a cotton bag tied on, and I think my deodorant can just happened to be on that side - that’s what I suspect caused the issue!
Haha awesome! I hope you have fun and take it easy - there’s some awesome bikes around these days so don’t overdo the size / power too early and focus on getting out on the bike and experiencing the environment around you (in a car you’re much more blocked off from the wind, smells and other things)!
@@lifeofascrambler thanks mate. I am an ex-Royal Marine, so adventure runs in the blood (like yourself). I also live up the Sunshine Coast, so if you ever want me to shout you a coffee, let me know? Thanks for the great videos, keep up the outstanding work!! My first bike is probably going to be a Yamaha XSR 700 - with a few scrambler mods just to get me 'greenlaning' and the abaility to go for a camp - also to be able to cruise with my mates without being stressed...
@@stuharrison1 Awesome! I would love to grab a brew sometime for sure. I would recommend considering something a little more offroad oriented first, the XSR is awesome but the frame geometry is set up for 100% on-road, I know this because my mates own them and have done front-end conversions on them to ride offroad (even greenlaning). I've just ridden the Scrambler 400X which is a really decent option, otherwise theres a new Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 and a couple others in that category that have great setups for on and offroad! Just my thoughts though, happy to chat any time and look forward to seeing you out there!
@@lifeofascrambler great advice mate. Ive just had a look at the Triumph Trident 660 which I was going to get PurposeBuilt Moto to custom, but was concerned about geometry. I sat on the 400x in the show room and it fit me like a glove. The guys there wanted to steer me towards the Trident, possibly because it is $4k more?? I think I will settle on the 400x as thats comfortable and my style - dont need huge CC yet...anytime you are up, let me know.
I bought the scrambler 1200 xe and began playing off road with It. Coming from a Versys 300 I must say weight is a major issue. Not for handling but to raise It from the ground?? God that IS heavy. I am 1,83m tal and really active. Swim, do pull UPS, push UPS etc. The bike is heavy enough for me not being confident to go off road alone never. Dont get me wrong I love the bike. I dont do much off road so for me It suits good. If I ever am to do more off road I would choose a diferent bike.
Yeah that's fair enough! It's a heavy bike, but you can make it easier with good lifting technique and a bit of practice - but if you're pushing the bike hard through very complex trails and dropping it often, you will definitely get tired!
i want one... This almost become my third triumph. But then, i go to Husky dealer and fall in love with norden 901 expedition. I feel like it's better bike for long tours with paniers, tent etc. Reliability? Will see. Why norden? Good suspension, comfortable, quickshifter, heated grips, heated seat, tall screen, and.. lighter with low center of mass.
Very interesting, and I would love to see more of the 901 - Husqvarna seem to be making very good machines lately (well....since KTM bought them 😂). Interested to see how it goes, keep me in the loop!
Great series and I can appreciate all your experience with this bike. I am actively looking for an adventure bike to start doing more than just street riding. I guess my biggest challenge is finding one that can log long miles on the street without getting to beat up to get areas off the beaten path. Carrying gear and supplies for outdoor adventuring is also a consideration and then we come to price. Was looking at the tiger 1200 or 900 then the BMW of course but those bikes are pricey for sure and then stumble onto your video about the scrambler and it seems to be a really good option for the money. Thanks for sharing
Thanks! The situation you're describing is exactly how I felt (and what I hoped) for the Scrambler 1200. The bike is so easy on the road, and gives me the ability to clock up hundreds of KM comfortably, then flick a few switches and Im ready for offroad! Plus the scrambler can carry the same gear as other bikes, you just need to get some of the mounting rails but they're a piece of cake to install!
@@lifeofascrambler Now all I have to do is find one here in the states where they are not marked up ridiculously high lol Thanks again for the feedback I need to pull the trigger soon. I ride a Honda VTX 1800 and was also looking at the Africa twin but mainly because it has apple car play lol
@@lifeofascrambler One thing I may have missed in your review was the range?? I know with the Tiger 1200 you are over 300 miles for sure... but what's your experience with range on the Scrambler?
@@546Scott Range is one of the reasons I got a GS(not a GSA) but I'd love to hear what @lifeofascrambler has experienced in real life. Especially when you really go off the beaten path and you didn't top off, first. Happened to me in Utah and luckily limped into a gas station on fumes. That's one of the rare times I wished I had a GSA.
Thanks! Have you been to Skinny's? Myself and some others actually started the Social Garage part of it, come down sometime - we have a BBQ and catchup open to anyone, 3rd Friday of each month!
@@TwoTubesADV Ahhh nice! Yeah they're some of the best DR/Z mechanics in Brissy (if not Aus!). The social is open wed-Fri nights from 5pm and all day Sat so swing by anytime!
Great video and let´s keep growing the good memories :) With just 4 months with this bike, It´s amazing the huge number of good moments that I got. Cheers from Portugal
