Triumph Scrambler 1200 X & XE (2024) REVIEW

Welcome to Bennett's Bike Social. We are in southern Spain with Triumph on the launch of their new 1200 Scrambler. Now for 2024 you've got two models, you've got the XE and you've got the X which replaces the XC. Now before when you had the Triumph Scrambler you basically had very similar bikes with very similar spec but Triumph have really put a channel down the middle so you've got two very different bikes that benefit from similar tweaks. They both share the same 1200cc platform which has got improved torque for 2024. The quoted torque isn't anymore and quoted power isn't anymore which is 89bhp but what they've done is increased the torque lower down in the mid-range so peak torque is slightly less in the rev range so it's 250rpm less and there's more of a beef amount of torque in the lower down. But a big transformation aside from the engine is really the chassis and the setup. Now what Triumph have done is quite unusual because usually when we launch 2024 models or 2025 models the bike has got this and it's got that and it's another £1,000 more or another £1,500 more but Triumph have actually cut the price of these two new models despite the fact obviously inflation and the cost of living is increasing. So first with the big XE before that had only suspension on the back and it had shower on the front fully adjustable. Now we've got Marzocchi front and rear but the Marzocchi setup is near enough identical to what it was with Ohlins but instead of having that nice gold Ohlins sticking you've got Marzocchi which makes it a little bit more cost effective. We've still got the off-road and the off-road that is a dedicated big scrambler. So we are in Spain with Triumph heading to their off-road adventure experience. So I'm on the top of the range 21 inch front wheel XE but interestingly they've changed the spec of the suspension. So in very simple terms what Triumph have done is created two very different big scrambler 1200s both get the same engine with the same improvements with improved torque, the new exhaust routing, new heat shield but then you've got two different stories. So you've got one which is the one we're on now which is a premium model with more informative clocks, fully adjustable front and rear, lean sensitive rider aids, multiple rider modes, cornering ABS and massive style of the brakes but because it's now Marzocchi it's slightly less spec on the suspension. It's a little bit cheaper three or four hundred and then you've got the base model which has now got lean sensitive rider aids which it didn't have before. Suspension is a little less than before non-adjustable but it's got the same torque as this same power as this but that is if I remember rightly seven to eight hundred pounds cheaper. But what is a big transformation is this little baby which is the X because for riders of my stature five foot seven that's quite a big bike and this is far less intimidating. So again we've changed the spec a little we've got Marzocchi front and rear but it's non-adjustable with preload on the rear. We've got different clocks that have got TFT not as sophisticated as the clocks on the XE but the all important bit for me is that the seat is lower and suspension travel is lower. We've still got a 21 inch front wheel and we can still fit off-road bias tyres but this is far more accessible and far easier to get along with than the big XE and beforehand I had real trouble with the XE and a lot of riders my height did but this is so much accessible and so much lighter. What's also interesting despite this being reduced by around 800 pound in cost it gets more advanced rider aids than previous so we've now got an IMU which measures lean sensitive ABS and lean sensitive traction control. So we're back on the back of the road but now we're on the standard easier to manage lower X model so Marzocchi suspension again but this time non-adjustable front a little adjustment on the rear travel is 170mm so we've got less travel than the big XE makes it more accessible still got a 21 inch front but it doesn't really feel like it's got a 21 inch front this is kind of like the XE for me. Same torque and power as the bigger more expensive version we got Nissin brakes rather than Brembo Stylemmas and there is an obvious difference there it does everything you want it to do it's only when you like push it a little too hard but what a great little bike it's not little don't call it little it's a 1200 and it's fun. Ground clearance a little bit of an issue maybe if you're a bit heavier you might need a bit of suspension on it but apart from that that is a good fun bike. So we're on the new XE I've gone for off-road there's an off-road pro in off-road pro you've got no TC no ABS in the pro we've got some TC and some ABS but it's designed to be used in an off-road situation so as long as I keep if I switch off and switch back on again it saves my mode but if I switch off the ignition it won't save my mode because obviously if you're in off-road you ain't got any ABS or it's not road biased ABS you do know there's no hiding away from the fact that it's a heavy bike and my legs are a little bit sprayed they're not very but the power position's good. So to summarize with the XE still the big still the big bad boy still the daddy a little bit more torque big Brembo style levers are new and we've got marzocchi suspension instead of the all-in-shower combination on the X we've got missing brakes little less spec little less spec on the clocks not as adjustable but way more accessible and lower seat height which can drop even further if you fix the accessory seat so if you go for the accessories low seat you actually get under 800 millimeters on seat height which is impressive for this bike because you've got to remember this was a really tall bike with the previous XE both share the same power both share the same gearbox obviously there's difference in swinging arm length and wheelbase due to the length of the swinging arm and the larger suspension I thought I would really really love the XE which I think in terms of looks and styling it has it over the standard X in terms of appeal it also has it over the X but I just like the accessibility of the X I think this makes the scrambler more appealing for more riders I think this is what a lot of riders wanted because they love the stature and the looks of the XE but they just wanted something a little bit easier to get along with it's still capable off-road and I guess 90% of the people who buy this bike are probably not going to go off-road but now it's more accessible it's got improved rider aids it's got improved tech and we've got a little bit more torque and it's cheaper so the XE comes in at £13,295 the little X that I'm on is £11,895 and as I say share the same torque same power similar looks we're just a little bit more accessible little less adjustment on suspension and in many ways much easier to ride on road and off-road it's your decision at the end of the day I know a lot of riders over six foot really prefer the stature and looks of the XE but I think what Triumph have done is just made the big scrambler 1200 Ridge far more accessible far easier without losing any of its looks and style and appeal and it's still capable off-road