Has anyone owned one or have any advice on them? I've been thinking (dangerous, I know) I love my Speed Triple R but every time I get off it I feel like I've been riding way too fast but not even scratching the surface of its ability. My ST project will be quick enough to get a buzz if I need a hoon so I'm considering swapping the Speed for a tweaked Scrambler. This one is as cool as penguin piss! I reckon that I should be able to do something similar for the value of the Speed. I have a test ride lined up but is there anything I need to look out for?
I haven't ridden a Scrambler but I have ridden an America (same Firing order I believe) and my dad has a Thruxton which I have done about 1000 Miles on including 2 up, happy to offer some thoughts on the 'platform' but as I say not specifically the Scrambler.
If that's Beckhams bike in your pic it started life as a Bonneville T100. Start with any spoked wheel twin, add high level 2:1, thin seat and a couple of tins of matt black from the pound shop, job done.
That one was built by FCR in France, it is quite similar to the bike Beckham rode though. Cheers Phill, what do you think of the platform? I've ridden a T100 Bonnie and thought it was great fun. Are there any specific problems to look out for?
Pretty solid actually mate, I think it's a good engine. Slightly confusing as it revs to 6.5-7k I believe but just never feels like it's giving much more up that end of the rev range. Also on the thruxton the brakes are a little week, and the forks and shock a little basic... That said we really are spoilt with sportsbike suspension! It's all relative. If u are using it for the road I would suggest a thruxton as the firing order is MUCH smoother, also worth getting an arrow system for it as that apparently makes them slightly free-er revving also. I really love the thruxton, it's a sharp handler relitive to its design parameters (if that makes sense) but be prepared for it being totally different to the speed triple!!
Ps... I think the scrambler uses an offset firing order, the bonny and thruxton use 180 degree, so the smoothest running.
Cheers mate, from a little looking around it seems the Scrambler uses a 270 degree firing order (no idea why though). I do like the look of a Thruxton too, i will have to give them both a spin
Yeah that's right, it's to give the scrambler more of a 'rumble' and the same goes for the America, which is a terrible bike, truly awful! I would ride both, the Thruxton can get a lick on , it's weight works for it in terms of stability, and check out 'British customs' website as mods can be done to improve the ride quality and upgrade the front brake (which I would do both). However these things only show up when (in all honesty) your over riding the bike as it just wasn't built for trying to ride hard.
I've only ridden an older Hinckley Bonnie, with a slightly smaller engine, and to be honest I thought it was crap, flat as a witch's tit.
I recently built an 'on trend' Bonnie custom along side 'Spirit Of a The Seventies'. The day I picked it up How it looked after I had I finished, although I did lower the front mudguard after this pic. The bike was a new standard T100 Bonnie. The conversion took about 6 months. Parts are cheap and these bikes are easy to work on, as you would expect from and 'old school' style bike. The bike was featured on Bonnification (take a look at there web page, loads of cool Scramblers,Thruxtons,Bonnie's to get some ideas). I basically picked the bike up, stripped it to its frame and re-built the whole thing using upgraded and better quality parts, like gas rear shocks, progressive fork springs, custom made 17in wheels, once off carbon pieces etc etc. Pretty much the only thing standard was the tank lol My bike was the prototype for the latest SOTS 'Barbour Bike' project. I pretty much know these series of bikes inside out. If there is anything you would like to know, I'll be more than happy to help.
I had a carb`d Thruxton. If I remember correctly there were some problems with the rear hub design which resulted in spokes snapping, never happened to me though. The lacquer on the engine cases was prone to crazing as well. I fitted Hagon shocks and fork springs, Triumphs TOR pipes, removed the air injection and made a tail tidy to do away with the clunky looking rear mud guard. The later retro Triumphs have fuel injection which is hidden inside fake carbs, a nice touch to keep the retro look.
Worth noting as well that the newer thruxtons have slightly higher bars rather than clip ons; tbh I like the riding position but agree that Hagon shocks and new fork springs would be good upgrades.
Ooh the Thruxton is looking tempting now! Something like this but without the side panels and with an open air box.
Me too. I could never understand people buying a bike with clip ons and rear sets and then complaining about the riding position. If I had to choose between the Thruxton or the Scrambler, I`d probably go for the Scrambler. Not because the Thruxton isn`t as good, but because its not different enough to the bike I have now, if that makes any sense. But then, I`d probably go for a CCM supermoto over the Scrambler anyway. :Wacky:
I managed to get a BC airbox eliminator kit on eBay for mega cheapness. Defo worth doing. You can loose the side airbox covers, however you will then need to re route the starter relays and a bunch of other cables etc. can be easily re routed under the tank though.
