Triumph recently unveiled two models in its 2024 Scrambler lineup: the new Triumph Scrambler 1200 X, which will replace the outgoing 1200 XC and is a bike the company is touting as more accessible in terms of both functionality and cost, and an updated Scrambler 1200 XE.
Related: 2021 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE | Road Test Review
Both Scramblers feature the same liquid-cooled 1,200cc parallel-Twin with SOHC and a 270-degree crankshaft. Triumph says peak power and torque now arrive slightly earlier in the rev range than previous models, with a claimed 89 hp at 7,000 rpm and a peak torque of 81 lb-ft at 4,250 rpm. A new single 50mm throttle body and revised exhaust headers deliver improved flow and a broader spread of torque through the upper rev range, from 5,000 rpm through to the redline. At the unveiling of the bikes, Alastair Fairgrieve, Triumph’s global product marketing manager, said the revisions to the header also reduce heat to the rider, “in addition to the significant improvements already introduced in that area in 2021.”
Both bikes have throttle-by-wire, a 6-speed gearbox, and a slip/assist clutch. Riders can choose between five ride modes – Sport, Road, Rain, Off-Road, and Rider Configurable – with the XE offering an additional Off-Road Pro mode.
For suspension, Triumph has moved away from the Showa and Öhlins suspension and is now using Marzocchi components on both bikes. The Triumph Scrambler 1200 X features a road-biased 45mm inverted fork and preload-adjustable twin rear shocks with piggy-back reservoirs. Travel is 6.7 inches front and back, down from 7.9 inches on the outgoing XC. The 1200 XE has a more off-road focused setup, with fully adjustable components front and back, including more compression and rebound increments, and offering 9.8 inches of travel.
Triumph’s Tiger 900 models also use Marzocchi, and Fairgrieve called the company “the go-to guys,” adding that Triumph was “really confident that they could deliver a great setup.”
Stuart Wood, Triumph’s chief engineer, echoed this sentiment later during the unveiling. “We had a really good experience working with Marzocchi on the Tiger 900s,” he said, adding that Triumph was similarly pleased with the outcome on the Scrambler 1200s. “The benefit is 100% for the rider and the owner in terms of value. It’s helping us maintain that price point.”
See all of Rider‘s Triumph coverage here.
Beyond making the bikes accessible from a pricing standpoint – the Triumph Scrambler 1200 X is priced $1,150 less than the outgoing XC – another area where Triumph representatives said they received considerable customer feedback is in the area of seat height. While the XC had a 33.1-inch seat height, the new Scrambler 1200 X drops it almost an inch to 32.3 inches – or 31.3 inches with the accessory low seat.
Wood said this is a tradeoff for suspension travel on the X, but when combined with the XE, which has a 34.3-inch seat height, it actually creates more options.
“Somewhere between the ground, the footpegs, and the love of suspension travel, you get the seat height,” he said. “So now we’ve got choice, and that’s what it’s all about. It broadens that choice, and more people can choose to get involved [in riding].”
Fairgrieve added that it creates a “really nice walk across the range.”
“We start down at the 400 X in the scramble range, move up to the 900, and then we’ve got a really nice ladder up to the full 1200 low seat height [on the X] and then the XE if you really want to go off-road have fun.”
When it comes to stopping power, the XE boasts twin Brembo Stylema radial monoblock 4-piston front calipers clamping down on 320mm floating discs. The X has two 310mm discs and 2-piston axial calipers. Both bikes have a single-piston rear caliper and 255mm disc, as well as cornering ABS (switchable on the XE) and switchable cornering traction control.
Both bikes share the same tubular steel frame, as well as side-laced stainless steel wire-spoked wheels (21 inches in front, 17 in the rear) with aluminum rims shod with tubeless Metzeler tires: road-focused, dual-purpose Karoo Street on the X and Metzeler Tourance on the XE.
Some key ergonomic differences include different handlebar designs, with the XE measuring 2.56 inches wider than the X. The XE also has reversible risers as well a removable spacer for a 0.39-inch height adjustment. The XE also boasts adjustable foot controls to suit a variety of riding styles and footwear.
Both bikes feature a twin-sided, cast aluminum swingarm, with the XE’s swingarm coming in 1.26 inches longer than the X for more control and confidence on difficult off-road terrain. And for improved touring capability, Triumph offers an accessory high “Dakar” screen and rugged luggage system with tailbag accessory options offering 102 liters of total capacity.
The Scrambler 1200 X features a hybrid multifunction LCD/TFT display incorporated in an circular instrument dial, and the XE has an integrated and customizable full-color TFT display with two design layout themes, each with a further three options to change the level of information displayed.
From an aesthetics standpoint, both models feature a classic one-piece ribbed bench seat – black for the XE and brown for the X – and a variety of finishes and details, including sculpted side panels with a brushed aluminum Scrambler 1200 badge, the iconic Triumph triangle tank badge, a brushed aluminum Monza-style filler cap, and a brushed stainless tank strap. The XE is finished with brushed aluminum fenders, while the X features high quality painted fenders.
The 2024 Triumph Scrambler 1200 X will be available in Carnival Red, Ash Grey, or Sapphire Black starting at $13,595. The Scrambler 1200 XE will be available in Phantom Black & Storm Grey, which features red accents, the new Baja Orange & Phantom Black, or the popular Sapphire Black starting at $15,295. Orders can be placed now at Triumph dealers, with bikes expected to arrive in February 2024.
For more information, visit the Triumph website.
Check out more new bikes in Rider‘s 2024 Motorcycle Buyers Guide
