How Scrambler Bikes Offer The Best Of Both Worlds; A Detailed Guide

There seems to be a lot of ambiguity around scrambler motorcycles and what exactly are they. It is true that they are indeed difficult to define, but they come with specific charactertistics that make them stand out. Scrambler motorcycles, especially in India, can prove to be quite rather beneficial, given our road and weather conditions.

Before we head on and see how scrambler motorcycles offer the best of both worlds, make sure to join the 91wheels WhatsApp Community to keep up with the latest news and automotive updates.

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How Scramblers Offer The Best Of Both Worlds; Details

First, it is important to understand how scrambler motorcycles came into existence. In the early 20th century, some riders challenged each other in races with both paved roads and dirt roads, the latter of which were very common in those days. During that time, some commentator termed these races as 'scrambles', given how difficult it was to navigate dirt roads. The riders chose whatever route possible to win these races, and in most cases, they made their scrambler motorcycles by usually transforming their regular street bikes.

Design

Scramblers today stand by this very essence, as most of them are essentially more capable versions of their street-friendly selves. While most scramblers follow a retro, or a neo-retro design language, there are a few visual differentiators, such as a headlamp guard, a higher-mounted exhaust, knobby tyres, exposed frame bits, and extra protection around the engine. These motorcycles also usually focus on weight-saving, as a result of which, many components get stripped-off, leaving behind only the essentials.

These motorcycles are also visibly taller, due to larger wheel sizes and enhanced suspension bits. This is useful not only while off-roading, but it is also useful when navigating city roads that are not in the best shape, and also when navigating areas with improper drainage, which results in flooded roads.

Ride And Handling

However, just because these motorcycles look rugged and purpose-built doesn't mean that they aren't versatile. Given their focus on weight-saving and stripping it to the essentials, scramblers generally have lesser visual components, resulting in lighter and more compact bodies which makes them more nimble and agile on the road. This also helps the rider with added confidence when navigating tight off-road sections; with proper ADVs, their added mass and visual bits can play on the rider's minds, but no such problems on a scrambler. The Triumph Scrambler 400X and the Yezdi Scrambler are two examples that immediately pop up.

In most cases, scramblers are available with long-travel suspension, which aids in better damping while going off-road, and while in some cases such as the Yezdi Scrambler and the Royal Enfield Bear 650, the suspension may feel a little stiff on the road, but it should still be compliant enough for daily commuting.

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Engine

Scramblers also usually come with engines re-tuned for added torque lower down the rev range, which makes sense, considering your motorcycles will get stuck at some point. The low-end torque will help you get out of tough situations easily, and in most cases, it will also feel more lively and responsive in the city.

Features

These motorcycles are not far behind in terms of equipment either. While there are many premium scramblers in the market today, such as the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE and the Ducati Scrambler lineup, we shall focus on the more budget end of things. Bikes such as the Triumph Scrambler 400X come equipped with adjustable suspension, dual-channel ABS, switchable traction control, a slipper-assist clutch, ride-by-wire, a gear position indicator, a USB C-type port, and a semi-digital instrument cluster among other things. Prices begin at Rs 2.64 lakh (ex-showroom).

The Royal Enfield Scram 440 also comes in as a rather affordable scrambler based on the old Himalayan but with the guts of the new Sherpa powertrain. It comes equipped with dual-channel ABS, a semi-digital instrument cluster, with the regular speedo, odometer, fuel level readout and various tell-tale signs, along with an optional tripper navigation pod. This bike can be yours from Rs 2.08 lakh onwards (ex-showroom).

The Yezdi Scrambler also adds in a fully-digital instrument cluster, along with dual-channel ABS, three ABS modes, a slipper-assist clutch and a USB type-C charging port. This bike can be had from Rs 2.09 lakh (ex-showroom).

Finally, the Royal Enfield Bear 650 comes equipped with the same circular TFT unit from the Himalayan, and it features bluetooth connectivity, Google Maps navigation, dual-channel ABS with the ability to switch off rear ABS. This bike can be had from Rs 3.39 lakh onwards (ex-showroom).

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