The Triumph Scrambler 1200 series is currently one of the best-selling scrambler motorcycles. Coming with the excellent powertrain, design, and the decent number of features as standard, it managed to acquire a lot of interest ever since its arrival on American shores. With the arrival of the 2022 Triumph Street Scrambler, Triumph has managed to fine-tune some of the aspects of the outgoing 2021 motorcycle and that gives it an edge over the rivals.
Offered for a base MSRP of $11,000, the 2022 Triumph Street Scrambler retains the parallel-twin motor and the well-calibrated suspension and chassis, making it a fun-to-ride motorcycle. The scrambler design is one of the most highlighting factors of this motorcycle. Along with that, there are some minor Euro 5 upgrades as well. Competing with the likes of the Ducati Desert Sled and the Kawasaki Z900RS, here are 10 things every motorcycle enthusiast should know about the 2022 Triumph Street Scrambler.
10 The Parallel-Twin Motor Is Punchy And Refined
The liquid-cooled parallel-twin 8 valve motor of the outgoing 2021 model is retained in the 2022 Triumph Street Scrambler as well. This is a single overhead cam motor and has a 270° crank angle, which makes it a sweet-sounding motor. It produces 65 hp and 59 lb-ft of torque and has a compression ratio of 11:1. The fueling is done with the help of multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection.
The parallel-twin motor of the Street Scrambler has impressive low-end performance, making it quite an easy motorcycle to live with. Overtaking slow-moving traffic is lighting quick and the fueling is precise and not choppy. Even the mid-range performance is better than the competition with a similar engine configuration. Even at the higher rev range, power doesn't taper off, and the motorcycle is very fun to ride.
9 Gearbox Is Super Smooth And Precise
What makes this scrambler series even more enjoyable is the super crisp gearbox on offer. The transmission is not notchy and the gears fall with no complications. There is none of the clunkiness too, which could be found in Kawasaki Z900RS and the Ducati Desert Sled.
To make matters even better, the 2022 Triumph Street Scrambler gets a light and easy-to-operate multi-plate wet clutch system, especially in comparison to the slightly heavy clutch of the Z900RS. There is a slip and assist function too. Even though the gearing is well spread out, we wish there was a sixth gear for this transmission.
8 Retains The Retro-Design Language
The neo-retro design language coupled with all the minute elements that convert the regular Street Twin into a scrambler is what makes the 2022 Triumph Street Scrambler stand out. Unlike the regular-looking design of the rivals, some of the design queues like the twin exhaust system and the unique color choices make the motorcycle look very premium.
The tank retains the characteristic design language of the scrambler, and the multiple colors on offer accentuate the timeless bloodline of the yesteryear desert racers from Triumph. The brushed aluminum headlight bracket, custom headlight grille, and the long list of personalization options make the motorcycle look nothing like the rivals.
7 Very Nimble Around The City Streets
Even though the 2022 Triumph Street Scrambler is reasonably heavy with a wet weight of 492 lbs, it feels very light on its feet. This is mainly due to the weight distribution of the motorcycle. Apart from that, the handlebar is reasonably light and hence navigating through the city traffic is manageable.
Another factor that makes it an excellent motorcycle as a daily commuter is the torquey parallel-twin motor on offer. The torque spread is wide and making a quick overtake is very easy. The vibrations and heat are lower than the rivals, too. The soft and supple suspension setup adds to the riding experience as well.
6 It Is Made For The B-Roads
The winding corners are where the Street Scrambler shines the most. The front end comes with the non-adjustable 41mm KYB cartridge forks and the rear gets the spring preload-adjustable shocks. Even though the suspension is set to the softer side, the body control of the Street Scrambler is pretty impressive.
The motorcycle is capable of fast direction changes and the mid-corner corrections could be done with excellent precision. Even with a higher than average ground clearance and basic suspension system, the Street Scrambler is up there with the best of the lot in terms of handling. With a decent grunt from the motor, the exit speed is remarkable too.
5 Riding On The Highway Is Doable
Riding on the highways on a scrambler motorcycle is not always exciting. The lack of wind protection and the slightly weird ergonomics have been the biggest dealbreakers of this motorcycle category during the long freeways rides. However, the Street Scrambler is not as bad as you think.
Even though the Street Scrambler doesn't have any wind protection and the wind buffeting is pretty high as you go above 70 mph, it is not uncomfortable by any means. The punchy powertrain coupled with upright ergonomics makes for the lack of wind protection. The suspension feels sorted and even the biggest of the potholes are absorbed with perfection too.
4 Braking Performance Is Top-Notch
The front braking of the 2022 Triumph Street Scrambler is handled by the 310mm floating disc with Brembo 4-piston caliper, and the rear gets a 255mm floating disc with Nissin 2-piston floating caliper. With decent braking hardware on offer, the Street Scrambler offers excellent braking performance at any given speed.
Unlike the more expensive Speed Triple series, the Street Scrambler comes with a braking system with unmatched feel and feedback. The initial bite for both the front and back brakes is superb, and the rider would have no problem during a panic braking situation due to the top-notch braking progression. ABS comes as standard too.
3 Build Quality Is Solid As Ever
When it comes to the build quality, Triumph has always shined. In comparison to the rivals like the Kawasaki Z900RS and the Ducati Desert Sled, the Street Scrambler is a bit more well-put-together and the material selection feels more premium too. Apart from that, all the chrome and powder-coated components make it upmarket.
The paint quality and chrome quality are up there with some of the more expensive motorcycles, and the attention to detail is impressive. The wires are routed neatly and there are no exposed screws anywhere as well. Many of the owners of the previous model years have been fairly happy with the build as there are no major squeaks and rattles even after all the abuse the motorcycle has gone through.
2 Quite Frugal
Coming with a reasonably small 899cc motor coupled with a parallel twin setup, the 2022 Triumph Street Scrambler is very frugal. The low compression ratio plays its part too. This scrambler manages to return a whooping 55 mpg of combined gas mileage, which is superb for the segment.
The excellent fuel efficiency coupled with a reasonably large fuel tank capacity of 3.2 gallons means that the 2022 Triumph Street Scrambler could easily do about 176 miles on a tank full. In comparison, both the Z900RS and the Desert Sled give a much lower 45 mpg and 40 mpg, respectively, and their tank range is lower too.
1 Doesn't Produce A Lot Of Heat
The liquid cooling technology and the 4-valve per cylinder design helps the 2022 Triumph Street Scrambler to remain cool even in peak bumper-to-bumper traffic situations. The radiator kicks in at a specified temperature and the fan takes away the heat silently, unlike the similarly priced motorcycles from the KTM and Ducati stable.
Since the heat is routed away from the legs of the rider, the chance of the heat cooking up the legs is zero as well. Apart from that, the exhaust which is higher up and close to the leg of the rider and passenger gets a heat shield and hence there is no chance of burning the legs. Even while riding through the highways, heat will never be an issue.