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April 2019
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SM R ARIDE TE R
The 2019 Street Twin & Scrambler
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S T’
Bike cops tell you how to improve
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OMING ★ SC ’ I T
Plans to make EVERY road user safer for motorcyclists Big Brother isn’t just watching you, it’s making every new car, van and lorry have a speed limiter fitted to protect ‘vulnerable’ road users, too!
King of the road
KTM’s glorious ’19 Super Duke GT
It’s some of the best news that bikers could have got and it’ll mean that the roads are at least a bit more safe for people that ride on two wheels. In a decision by European bosses, every new vehicle other than motorcycles will have to come with a raft of safety features fitted as STANDARD at the time of manufacture. > More on page 4
NEWS 3
Harley-Davidson FILES patents for its new range
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Pan America, Custom 1250 and Streetfighter 975 definitely being made. Ready for 2020?
Words: Ross Mowbray July 2018 saw a landmark moment in the recent history of Harley-Davidson, with the American brand showcasing multiple prototypes upon which (the factory said) would be built a new future for the marque. Now we've unearthed the production patents for three of these upcoming models, giving us a proper idea of what we're about to see for real from H-D. The introduction of H-D’s new Streetfighter, Custom 1250, and the Pan America 1250 confirms that the Milwaukee-based brand is serious about switching things up, as it moves away from its more traditional output with a series of bold new machines, in an attempt to appeal to a wider audience.
Despite the initial scepticism when H-D released the concept images midway through 2018, it looks like they’re well on the way to becoming a reality – confirmed by a bunch of design drawings recently filed with the European Union Intellectual Property Office. Of course, at this stage technical details for the new machines are sparse. However, we do know that the three new models will sit as part of a new family, making use of Harley’s newly developed liquid-cooled DOHC 60-degree V-Twin engines (that will be produced in four displacements spanning from 500cc to 1250cc). Interestingly, the Pan America and Streetfighter patents show the bikes fitted with sari guard. Cconsidering Harley-Davidson’s previous commitment to Asian markets (most notably India), it’s not too much of a surprise.
Harley-Davidson Streetfighter 975/ Harley-Davidson Bronx 975(?)
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Vespa skydive
Harley-Davidson Custom 1250
Sitting more comfortably within the current HarleyDavidson line-up, the new Custom 1250 isn’t a massive departure for the American brand. Of the three new machines, the Custom’s patents are very similar to the concept model unveiled last year. The Custom 1250 comes with a tubular swingarm, a high-mounted shotgunstyle exhaust, a swingarm-mounted licence plate with indicators either side, conventional mirrors, and a single slim LED headlight.
The Harley-Davidson Streetfighter concept from last year (which may or may not end up being called the Bronx), seemingly made use of its new, smaller 975cc liquid-cooled engine. Aside from that, there are several changes between the bike in the patent drawings and the initial concept, despite the overall look of the new modern naked-bike remaining similar. Firstly, it has quite an aggressive riding positon. There’s new bodywork, a slash-cut exhaust and more guards to protect the drive belt. The drawings also add a license plate holder; a rear lighting cluster that extends from under the tail; new mirror designs; and a different radiator guard.
Scooter stuntman Günter Schachermayr has made a name for himself performing a wide range of crazy stunts on his Vespa. His latest caper saw him skydiving from a balloon with his pride and joy. Watch the video at MoreBikes.co.uk and search ‘Vespa’.
Weird pillion
Made by Mastech in Colombia, this is the ‘Motorcycle Bicycle Support’. Apparently it’s spot on for those that can’t get enough of pedaling and want to continue self-propelled two-wheel fun when they get off the motorbike. It costs around £62.
Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250
The Pan America 1250 is Harley-Davidson’s first adventure-touring model . The conc cept looks the business, with its tall windscre een, wire-spoke wheels, engine protectors an nd hand guards. Looking at the patent, therre’s a few notable differences, including the use of cast wheels; the addition of extended d bodywork below the seat; a re-designed d tail which integrates mounts for luggage; different engine; new footpeg mounts; a rear axle adjuster; and a shark fin-style chain guard.
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Hubless electric
Finnish technology start-up RMK has announced it’s now taking pre-orders for its E2 electric motorcycle, which features a revolutionary hubless wheel design. It’s a clever idea, with power fed from three cables to help deliver 67bhp and 236 lb-ft of torque. At this stage, it’s expected to cost around 24,900 euros (which is about £21,904). Picture desk Paul Fincham and Jonathan Schofield Group advertising manager Sue Keily Divisional advertising manager Zoe Thurling 01507 529412 Advertising Lee Buxton 01507 529453 Emma Knott 01507 529583 Advertising deadline for May issue April 4, 2019 Distribution 01507 529529 Marketing manager Charlotte Park
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4 NEWS
A safer world (we hope)
EU ruling passed so that every big vehicle on the road MUST have speed limiting tech to make our riding lives safer
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Words: Rebecca Wright European rule makers have now voted in favour of the compulsory use of Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) and other safety technologies across a range of road vehicles in a move designed to make roads safer for vulnerable road users like motorcyclists. The latest round of big brother legislation has been given the green light from MEPs for the introduction of a range of new vehicle safety systems which will, by law, have to be fitted in all new cars, vans, buses and lorries by 2022. The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) says that by introducing such technologies as ISA, Assisted Emergency Braking and Emergency Lane Keeping into every vehicle on the road, speed-related incidents will be reduced by up to 20%. The safety systems also include crash testing requirements and the installation of black box-type Event Data Recorders, which record vehicle information in the moments leading up to a collision. Members of the European Parliament are urging the legislation to come into effect sooner rather than later, to enable new vehicles to start being fitted with the systems. The European Commission proposed the update to the EU’s General Safety Regulation for motor vehicles in May 2018, ahead of the introduction of permanent speed cameras on smart motorways across the UK. However, the UK’s planned withdrawal from the European Union on March 29 raises questions about
300cc bikes get slick
Pirelli has revealed its new superbike slicks for small displacement bikes, which have been developed as part of the World Supersport Championship. The front is sized at 110/70-17, and the rear in 140/70-17, with both tyres only available in Pirelli’s SC1 (soft) compound.
how, or if, this new safety legislation will apply to UK motorists. According to a survey carried out by road safety charity Brake and insurance company Direct Line, nine out of ten drivers want safety standards to remain at least as high as the rest of the EU, post-Brexit. The ETSC says 2,100 lives could be saved yearly across Europe if average speeds dropped by 1km/h on all EU roads, with around 25,000 fatalities spared within 15 years of the legislation coming into force.
What’s going to be added to vehicles? The measures include new crash testing requirements, mandatory installation of driver assistance systems including Automated Emergency Braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, overridable Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) and Emergency Lane Keeping, as well as a new
direct vision standard for lorries and buses to enable drivers to have a better view of other road users around their vehicle. The requirements also include installation of Event Data Recorders, which record critical information on the status of a vehicle in the moments before a collision.
Honda’s future Gold Wing is getting eyes and a brain
TT2019: Ferry Up There’s still crossings available for the 2019 Isle of Man TT. Leaving from Heysham or Liverpool, riders setting off from England can take their bike with them on the opening weekend of practices (May 25 and 26), or any day from the Tuesday of race week (June 4) to Senior Race Day. Go to: duketravel.com for details.
Stereoscopic cameras and an electronic brain to monitor the 3D world are soon on the way for the big bike
Fresh patents from Honda show the touring behemoth equipped with a pair of cameras in the front fairing, which will enable the bike’s safety automation to take over if it senses a collision. Safety systems based on avoiding a collision with a vehicle or pedestrian, running out of lane on a motorway, recognising road signs or reacting to the driver falling asleep are common on new cars, but with this latest patent, we can be sure that the tech is definitely going to be appearing on the next generation of bigger bikes, too. We’ve already brought you the news that KTM and BMW are working on similar systems using front and rear radars, and which are currently being put through their testing paces.
We’ve also shown you a camera built in to a VFR1200 model. With this latest set of designs registered on a Gold Wing, we can see that the big tourer is now the second Honda to be targeted for the tech. What makes this different to a bike-mounted radar, however, is that this set up uses two cameras to produce a stereoscopic image upon which the bike’s electronic brain can react and thereby make a safety-based decision. Stereoscopic vision works in the same way that our eyes do. By having the cameras set as wide apart as possible, there is a slight difference in angle and the amount of time anything in image reaches the electronic brain. Because of this, the
on-board intellligence can workk outt an (eff ffecttive)) ff 3D view of the world, and from there it can work out if an object, obstacle or person is moving into the direct path of the motorcycle and take action accordingly. Honda already runs a similar system called Honda Sensing, which looks at lane position, adaptive cruise control, cross traffic/blind spot monitoring and speed limiting tech on its new Honda Civic and CR-V cars. Expect this tech to be shown either at the end of this year in the big bike shows or with the smart money saying that we will see this first at the Tokyo Motor Show, which runs from October 24 to November 4 in Japan.
Ride in Hagrid’s Enfield sidecar outfit on a Harry Potter roller coaster! Universal has announced it’s unveiling a new Harry Potter ride at its Orlando Resort in June this year, offering fans the chance to ride in Hagrid’s flying sidecar outfit, which is used instead of conventional roller coaster cars. Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure will take riders on a trip to encounter the wizarding world’s rarest magical creatures, and is set to open at the Universal Orlando Resort on June 13.
Ducati’s electric concept
A group of design students in Milan have joined forces with Ducati, creating this ridiculously cool electric concept. The Zero logo on the side of the Ducati Zero changes colour, depending on which driving mode the rider selects. They can choose from green for eco, white for strada (street) or red for corsa (race track). The vertical DLR and Zero logos also double as indicator lights.
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NEWS 5
Triumph’s Moto2 CAUGHT for the road It’s not much more than a bitsa-special at the moment, but don’t let that fool you
Here’s a series of spy photos of Triumph’s new Daytona 765 in action during a private test. This is the motorcycle that the British firm is likely to add to its range next year. The move to bring back a racey middleweight is spawned from the Moto2 project. Triumph is supplying the engine (a 765cc triple) to every team in the competitive MotoGPfeeder class for the next three years. The eventual motorcycle that we will see on the roads is an off-shoot of that project. To that end, the motorcycle that our expert spy snapper has caught is a Daytona 675 with the 765 engine
that’s currently in the firm’s Street Triple fitted to it – so a pretty typical Triumph parts-swapping exercise (albeit with uprated cam profiles, valve train, pistons, etc). Let’s assume that when the bike goes on sale next year (and it will, let’s not pussyfoot around about this. Triumph is sinking a vast amount of money into providing the engines for Moto2 – the 765cc engines into Moto2 – so do you REALLY think they’re doing that for their health, or do you reckon they want to make a shed load of cash from selling road-going Moto2 lookalikes with 765cc motors
Fancy a Honda Africa FOUR?
in them? Yeah, us too) a large part of the bodywork is going to change. The lights will shrink, the angles will be more pointy and Triumph will do what Triumph always does with it’s race-bike-on-the-road plans, it’ll make the thing more angry looking. What our spy snapper has caught on film is in full-on RR mode with the single seat unit, the Street
Triple’s 765 instruments and a lovely megaphone-style exhaust, which apes the Moto2 prototype that Triumph showed last year. Tech-wise, the bike in the video has NIX30 Ohlins forks with Stylema radial calipers and a TTX rear shock (there’s nothing new here, it’s pretty much the rolling spec on the Daytona 675 R).
Brivemo Motos (Honda Switzerland) has overhauled a CB1000R to make a Frankenstein scrambler. It’s called the Africa Four CRF1000R. Brivemo adapted the suspension unit from a Honda CRF450R with a single large diameter disc brake disc, anodised 4-piston caliper and Continental TKC 80 knobbly tyres. It also comes with a 4-into-1 exhaust with a short carbon fibre silencer, single seat, new headlight, new front mudguard and new aluminium handlebars.
Watch it on video We’ve not only got these spy shots of the 765cc bike being put through its paces, there’s video, too. Just log on to: MoreBikes. co.uk and you can watch some grabbed seconds of the bike on the move. Just search ‘765’ when you’re on the site.
No Fake lids
Online bargains can turn out to be real disappointments. Our sister publication MSL bought a so-called ‘discount’ Shoei helmet online and took it to the Shoei UK specialists to see if it was the real deal. Guess how that went… You can watch a video on what they found out on MoreBikes. co.uk. Search ‘Fake’.
6 NEWS
KTM’s working on a large E-Scooter. Here it is... SPY SHOTS
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Nope, this one caught us out, too Talk about something weird coming out of Austria... It’s deathly silent, and looks to be a cross between a scooter, a mountain bike and a RC390. It’s a large-sized electric scooter town-thing coming to a dealership near you sometime over the next couple of years (if at all). This prototype literally appeared under our lens without any fanfair or forewarning from anyone at the factory, so we can literally only guess at what we can see from our photos.
So here goes. The batteries are under the floorboard; the front wheel is bigg (is that 21 big though?); and the rear wheel small. Oh, and it’s got a single sided, mountain bike caliper on the front, too. The rider is glued to the information on the TFT screen (off a small Duke) that’s bolted to the handlebars, and it’s been registered for the road testing part of wherever this thing is in it’s life cycle, before we see it on sale as an official bit of fun from the Austrians. The E-scooter is being tested on a public road up a pretty serious incline, so we can probably guess that the rider is watching the draw on the batteries as he rides the unit uphill. On the back wheel you can see the electric drive motor mounted on the left of the wheel, and on the right hand side there’s a belt that we’re guessing is to do with an energyrecovery system to re-charge batteries when the thing is going downhill. If so, smart.
Tracer’s new colours Yamaha Japan has just unveiled a new colour scheme for its Tracer 900 and Tracer 900 GT sport touring machines. The updated model features a grey base with a red accent. The wheels also get a red accent, and there are gold front forks, too. No news yet about whether this scheme will make it to the UK.
100-150mph in TWO SECONDS!
Fancy watching a Lightning LS-218 electric superbike go from 100mph to 150mph in just two seconds? Head over to MoreBikes.co.uk and search ‘Lightning’ to see the astounding dyno run in action.
Inside Valentino Rossi’s 40th birthdayy partyy Photographs of the Rossi celebration for his 40th birthday have emerged in Italy, courtesy of the nine times world champion’s girlfriend. The photos appeared on the Instagram account of Francesca Sofia Novello, the 25-year-old Italian model, showing the intimate party held for the Italian superstar. Among the gifts that Valentino was presented with at the bash were a mounted selection of motorcycle gloves, a specially painted helmet and a Rossi-themed pinball machine. It all looks like a nice party for the modern era’s greatest racer, but there’s already some speculation amongst Italian social media about another possible celebration for the nine times
Suzuki files PATENT for an upside-down engine
world champion – an engagement to his famous girlfriend. Whilst there’s been no mention of anything of the sort by either Rossi or Novello, the model is seen in the photos from the party wearing a ring on the third finger of her left hand.
Suzuki has filed a new patent in Japan – and it shows a bike’s entire engine and transmission flipped into a different position. Why? Well, according to the patent application, the USD layout would allow for a shorter wheelbase, which should help to improve handling, while making room for a longer swingarm, which should help to improve stability. Interestingly, Husaberg made use of a similar layout on its 570 models (from 2009 to 2012), although the intention was to move the engine’s crankshaft closer to the bike’s centre of gravity, rather than shortening the wheelbase. Equally, the all-new Nembo 32 features an inverted engine, with headdown cylinders and the crankshaft up top. This layout was supposedly designed to concentrate the mass of the bike within a tight area, too.
Honda’s Golden Dream
Honda has just marked its 50th anniversary in Australia. To celebrate, the Japanese manufacturer has wrapped some of its most iconic machines in gold. It gilded a Civic Type R, a Acura NSX hybrid supercar, a HRU19 Buffalo mower, a EU22i generator, a CBR1000RR Fireblade, a CRF450L and a CRF50F kids’ motorbike.
Learners Commuters Buying On Two Wheels
Riding
For more information on getting on two wheels, check out our brilliant sister publication – On2Wheels
8 CROSSWORD
IT’S THE MOTOR CYCLE MONTHLLY
CROSSWORD!
Win a superb 2019 SHARK D-Skwal helmet direct from the factory Crossword compiled by Ben Rumbold of MotoXwords How about this for a great way to start your riding season? You can get your hands on a brand new for 2019 SHARK D-Skwal helmet. The funky name is actually e short for Dark-Skwal and the helmet itself is based on the innovative Skwal helmet, but without the addition of LED lights. Part of the Pulse d range – a collection designed with both performance and style in mind – the D-Skwal has aerodynamic attributes enhanced by its spoiler, ensuring stability. It features an injected movable thermoplastic resin shell, rem and washable interior, SHAR RK Easy Fit for glasses wearers, and is compatible with the SHARKTOOTH Prime communication system. There is an integrated sun visor, and riders can get a precise fit using the micro-lock buckle fastening system.
The D-Sk kwal visor mechanism has the SH HARK Autoseal system, which flatttens the anti-scratch and Pinlock compatible visor on to the helmet tightly to offer better soundproofing and protection against rain, wind and cold. The D-Skwal comes with a Max Vision Pinlock included. Available in sizes XS (54cm) – XL (62cm) and in a total of 19 co olour options, the RRP for the D--Skwal starts at £149.99. Th he D-Skwal comes with the SHA ARK 5-Year Warranty when bought from an authorised SHARK dealer. To locatte your nearest SHARK dealer in the UK, call 01425 478936 or visit www.n nevis.u uk.com. Don't worry if you can't get all the answers to this month's puzzle. We will print the answers to this issue’s crossword in the next edition of Motor Cycle Monthly.
A hello from Ben Rumbold
(he makes this crossword)
Hello and welcome to this first issue of the Motor Cycle Monthly Prize Crossword. I hope you enjoy it and I hope you find it entertaining and a bit difficult! I’ve tried not to make it too tough, but of course if it is too easy then I am happy to hear about it. I’d love to know your feedback on this (it will help me compile future puzzles). Find me on Facebook by searching for MotoXwords, or email me at motoxword@ outlook.com with any feedback you care to give about the crossword, positive or negative, all is welcome. Happy head-scratching!
CROSSWORD 9
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Droning On and On 12
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Red Bull has joined forces with MX rider Camille Chapelière and filmmaker Tom Panaivia, creating a brilliant short film using a specialist racing drone. Log on to MoreBikes. co.uk and search ‘Drone’. It’s brilliant.
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Relaxed Lightning
Lightning Motorcycle has confirmed that the upcoming Lightning Strike will have a much more relaxed riding position than its electric superbike big brother, the LS-218. Here’s a look at it. With the official unveiling set for this March, we don’t have too much longer before we see the bike in the flesh. For info visit www. lightningmotorcycle.com.
36
Across
1 & 3: A major Japanese manufacturer runs this logo due to its musical connections (5,6,5) 8: Foggy-promoted British bike model, no fighter pilot needed in this case (3,8) 11: No fairing, minimal bodywork, exposed engine and frame, no clothing (5) 12: British makers of tiny electric bikes for kids (4) 15: Electrochemical oxidation, rust (9) 16: Ernst, MZ racer who famously defected and brought worldleading two-stroke technology to the Japanese (6) 18: Tyre-filling material that doesn’t deflate (6) 21: Stunt riders or hooligans in car parks can make a ring out of rubber (5) 23: Collection area for 19 Down at the base of an engine (4) 24: Sumptuous golden Swedish suspension (6) 27: Most of a bike’s wiring is made of this soft metal (6) 30: The flagship version of the MV Agusta F4 is named after the Italian for race department, ____ Corse (7) 31: German bike and car makers who were particularly good when attaching a 7 Down (3) 32 & 33 Down: Originally the wrong way, most front suspension is now with this design (6,4) 34: Relatively new Italian helmet makers that sound like a chocolate bar? (5) 35: Home country of 16 Across, across the Iron Curtain (4,7) 36: Is that a rumbling over Scotland or is it a massive HarleyDavidson rally? (7,2,3,5)
Down
1 & 27 Down: The politically correct term for the recent Police strategy against criminal moped riders (8,7) 2: Maybe the Police used this popular intake method as inspiration? (3,3,5) 3: A lighter metal for nuts and bolts that also resists 15 Across (8) 4: Late, great Spanish racing legend who won 12+1 world titles, as he always put it (5) 5: Many modern circuits add at least one of these made of air for extra safety (5) 6: Fork offset or garden tool! (4) 7: Adding a third wheel and hopefully a passenger (7) 9: Marker cone in Moto Gymkhana (5)
10: Clothing brand it’s entirely possible to worship? (4) 13: The sort of stand that doesn’t lift your wheels off the ground (4) 14: Label or digital tracker (3) 17: Where your reg number goes – keep the size legal now… (6,5) 19: Lubricants for your motor (4) 20: Brightly-named early 20th century Birmingham-based manufacturer that ceased bike production in 1959 (3) 22: Grunt, bottom-end power measured in Newton metres or foot-pounds (6) 23: Old man footwear or the sort of clutch needed to reduce engine braking (7) 25: The more of 22 Across you have, the more of this you need to hang on! (8) 26: Distinctive helmet design originally made famous by 60s road racer John Cooper (4,4) 28: Mini machines made by Yamaha that were a lot of kids’ first bikes (2) 29: Japanese brake manufacturers, part-owned by Honda (6) 33: See 32 Across 35: A pudding basin helmet would only cover this with leather, if at all! (3)
KAOKO’s clever CRUISE
This is Kaoko – a clever cruise control system that can be retro-fitted to a large range of bikes. The Kaoko throttle stabiliser fixes a nut to the end of the throttle grip, which can be used to gently exert friction and keep the throttle open where you want it – all the while, allowing you to continue using the throttle if you need to wind off quickly. There’s a short video of the gadget in action on MoreBikes.co.uk.
Here’s the legal bit that you need to know
To be in with a chance of winning, fill in your details on the form and return the completed crossword to: Motor Cycle Monthly, April 2019 Competition, Mortons Media Group Ltd, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR. Competition closes: April 10, 2019
#1
Mr / Mrs / Miss / Ms (please circle) First name:................................................................... Surname:.............................................................................................. Address:.................................................................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................................................................................. Town/City:.............................................................. County:................................................ Postcode:..................................... Country:................................................... Telephone:................................................................................................................ There are no cash alternatives available. The winner(s) will be the first name(s) drawn at random from the upturned MCM helmet. Terms and conditions apply. To view the privacy policy of MMG Ltd (publisher of MCM) please visit www.mortonsmediagroup.com/privacy. Please tick if you are you happy to receive information about: Magazine subscriptions, merchandise and shows 3rd Parties Research Are you happy to be contacted via: Email Phone Letter SMS 3rd Party Social Media
10 2019 TRIUMPH STREET TWIN AND STREET SCRAMBLER
Improving the
BREED If you want to make something better, you give it more. And that's just what Triumph has done. In the right way WORDS: Ross Mowbray PHOTOGRAPHY: Triumph
For 2019, the British factory has updated its hugely successful Street Twin and Street Scrambler – and I headed out for the official factory launch as part of our Motorcycle Sport & Leisure duties in Cascais, just outside Portugal’s capital city tyy Lisbon. First released in 2016 and 2017 respectively, the new Street Twin and Street Scrambler might not look dramatically different to the outgoing models at first glance, aside from a few subtle sty tyling y tweaks, but underneath their sty tylish y exterior, Triumph has made key changes to ensure the latest generation bikes are better than ever before. The headline news is the bikes’s improved performance. They each have the new high torque 900cc Bonneville powerplant, upgraded front brakes and new cartridge front forks, but there’s also a range of technological improvements and sty tyling y upgrades too, making the new Triumphs some of the most well-equipped retrosty tyled y machines on the market.
STREET SCRAMBLER
First launched in 2017, the Triumph Street Scrambler also gets a host of updates for 2019. Of course, there’s a raft of similarities between the Street Twin and Street Scrambler, but a handful of key (predominantly sty tyling y and ergonomic) differences help the bikes to stand apart. Talking of appearances, the Street Scrambler is truly a sight to behold. Ever since its launch, I’ve had my eye on one – and I genuinely couldn’t wait to ride the updated version in Portugal. I’ve got to say that it didn’t disappoint. It’s a sty tylish, y refined
machine, and as we meandered through Portuguese towns and villages, we’d find people stopping and staring at the off-road sty tyled y machine. As I said, there’s a lot of similarities between the Twin and Scrambler, but let’s focus on the differences for a minute. First off, the riding ergonomics are significantly changed, with the Scrambler’s wide bars, upright riding position and slightly taller ride helping to offer much more comfort for my fairly tall frame. To bolster the bike’s off-road credentials, it comes with footpegs with removable rubber inserts, new Metzler Tourance tyres tyy (the same as on the Triumph Tiger) and, best of all, a new Off-Road ride mode (in addition to the Rain and Road modes also on the Twin). The off-road mode
which turns off traction control and ABS on the rear wheel can be selected only when stationary. The updated Street Scrambler makes use of the same 900cc, liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine and five-speed gearbox as the Street Twin. Like its more compact sibling, the Scrambler’s power output is up by 18%, and the availability tyy of torque has been improved through the middle of its rev range, too. During the Press conference, Triumph suggested that these changes came as a result of customer feedback, with riders of the previous generation machines suggesting that while they were quite happy with the bottom end and mid-range grunt from the Street range, a lot of owners wanted a bit more grunt higher up. So, that’s what Triumph has done –
2019 TRIUMPH STREET TWIN AND STREET SCRAMBLER 11
What’s new?
✪ More power and torque ✪ Better brakes and suspension ✪ New technology ✪ Updated styling
12 2019 TRIUMPH STREET TWIN AND STREET SCRAMBLER “The engine pulls hard, while its lighter engine internals help the bike to rev quicker. It’s still very smooth though, and honestly, it makes riding the bike a delight”
flattening the torque curve to make its 80Nm available more abundantly for longer. The Street Scrambler also comes equipped with KYB 41mm cartridge front forks with 120mm travel, and a new, four-piston Brembo caliper up front. Just like the Twin, the 2019 Street Scrambler feels quick off the line. The engine pulls hard, while its lighter engine internals help the bike to rev quicker. It’s still very smooth though, and honestly, it makes riding the bike a delight. No matter what you’re up to, you’ve always got torque to play with – and it’s all soundtracked by the lovely exhaust note from the bike’s twin, side-mounted silencers. I was also very impressed with the bike’s handling. I had absolutely no qualms pushing the front end into corners, even on the damp and greasy roads we encountered earlier in the day’s riding. Sure, its 19-inch front wheel, slight increase in weight and higher riding position does mean that the steering is slightly slower than on the Street Twin, but it’s still perfectly manageable and easy to ride. Personally, I preferred the bike’s taller and more purposeful riding position, with its wide bars and surprisingly capable Metzeler Tourance tyres giving me the confidence to throw the bike into corners. Sadly, we didn’t get a chance to test ride the bike off-road, although I did take the opportunity to jump up on to the pegs and see what it’s like riding stood up. For a fairly compact machine, it’s not bad at all. Of course, most riders aren’t going to be doing anything other than light gravel tracks and fire trails, for which I’ve no doubt that the Street Scrambler would be up to the job, but I’d love to see what it’s really capable of on the dirt.
TECH SPEC Triumph Street Scrambler
Price: £9100 (for standard Fusion White model) Engine: 900cc liquid-cooled, 8 valve, SOHC, 270° crank angle parallel twin Power: 64bhp (48kW) @ 7500rpm Torque: 59lb-ft (80Nm) @ 3200rpm Frame: Tubular steel twin cradle Wheelbase: 1445mm Brakes: (F) Single 310mm disc, Brembo fourpiston fixed caliper, ABS (R) Single 255mm disc, Nissin two-piston floating caliper, ABS Transmission: 5-speed gearbox, O-ring chain Suspension: (F) KYB 41mm forks with cartridge damping, 120mm travel (R) KYB twin shocks with adjustable preload, 120mm travel Wheels/tyres: Spoked steel rims, Metzler Tourance tyres (F) 19 x 2.75, 100/90-19; (R) 17 x 4.25, 150/70-17 Seat height: 790mm Fuel capacity: 12 litres MPG: 68.9mpg (claimed) Weight: 198kg (dry) Contact: triumphmotorcycles.co.uk
2019 TRIUMPH STREET TWIN AND STREET SCRAMBLER 13 TECH SPEC Triumph Street Twin
Price: From £8300 (standard Matt Ironstone model) Engine: 900cc liquid cooled, 8-valve, SOHC, 270° crank angle parallel twin Power: 64bhp (48kW) @ 7500rpm Torque: 59lb-ft (80Nm) @ 3800rpm Frame: Tubular steel cradle Wheelbase: 1415mm Brakes: (F) Single 310mm disc, Brembo fourpiston fixed caliper, ABS (R) Single 255mm disc, Nissin two-piston floating caliper, ABS Transmission: 5-speed gearbox, O-ring chain Suspension: (F) KYB 41mm forks with cartridge damping, 120mm travel (R) KYB twin shocks with adjustable preload, 120mm travel Wheels/tyres: Cast aluminium alloy multispoke wheel, Pirelli Phantom Sport Comp tyres. (F) 18 x 2.75, 100/90-18 (R) 17 x 4.25, 150/70-17 Seat height: 760mm Fuel capacity: 12 litres MPG: 73.4mpg (claimed) Weight: 198kg (dry) Contact: triumphmotorcycles.co.uk
“I did get a little squirrelly on one occasion, as I barrelled through a big pothole, but the suspension settled quickly enough to allow me to get hard on the brakes and bank into the corner ahead with no real concern”
14 2019 TRIUMPH STREET TWIN AND STREET SCRAMBLER TRIUMPH STREET TWIN
Since its launch in 2016, the Street Twin has become one of Triumph’s most important models, outselling its own nearest modern classic rival by two to one, thanks to its unintimidating style and easy-going nature. Just looking at it, you can see why. It’s a gorgeous little bike, with blatant styling inspiration from the 750cc Bonnevilles of the 1980s, including its cast wheels and an upswept brushed stainless steel twin exhaust system. Triumph has also cleverly incorporated all the necessary mod cons, including a ride-by-wire throttle, new Road and Rain riding throttle maps, switchable ABS and electronic traction control – all without detracting from its retro appearance. The smaller details all tie in too, from its simple analogue/digital dash and LED lights right through to its slim leather and textile blend seat, which unlocks to reveal a USB socket. Settling into the saddle for the first time, you’ll notice how short it feels.
I’m 6ft 1in (and a bit) and with its new 760mm seat height I could get both of my feet flat on the floor with plenty of room to spare. Interestingly, the new Street Twin is slightly taller than the outgoing model, thanks to increased padding on the seat, which Triumph suggests should help to improve comfort. It weighs in at 198kg (dry), so paddling the bike around might not always be straightforward, particularly for shorter riders, but once you get up to speed, the weight is distributed so well that manoeuvrability should never be a concern, even when riding at low speeds.
2019 TRIUMPH STREET TWIN AND STREET SCRAMBLER 15
Its tweaked liquid-cooled, 900cc parallel twin Bonneville-derived engine – which was used in the outgoing Street Twin model – is one of the major changes for 2019. The new powerplant offers an impressive 18% increase in peak power, and now kicks out 64bhp at 7500rpm. Peak torque stays at 80Nm, although it now arrives higher in the rev range at 3800rpm. Essentially, the changes are as a result of new camshafts, new balancer shafts and a lighter clutch – and translate into more workable mid-range torque. It’s vibrant and punchy right out the blocks from the bottom of the rev range, with its rideby-wire throttle and torque-oriented motor working together to allow you to make decent progress. Its increased mid-range torque is probably most notable when it comes to overtaking; simply twist the throttle and the leisurely twin accepts the challenge and smoothly takes you on your way. It’ll run out of steam eventually,
at around 100mph, but for the type of relaxed riding for which it’s intended, the Triumph offers plenty of power, a bunch of character and a fruity exhaust note, too. Blip the throttle and you’re rewarded with an old-school Bonneville gurgle from its parallel twin engine and twin exhausts. It’s also surprisingly fuel efficient, with Triumph claiming that you should be able to get just shy of 200 miles out of its 12 litre tank. I didn’t quite get that return, but I did manage to achieve around 60mpg, which isn’t bad at all, particularly when taking into consideration my spirited riding style as I tried to find its limits. Chassis performance is excellent too, offering surprising stability and agility. The wide-enough handlebars allow quick and effortless changes of direction, and despite the low seat, there’s a decent amount of ground clearance. Its five-speed gearbox is top notch too, offering short, precise changes, and a reassuring clunk with each shift, and
73.4
That’s the fuel return in mpg on the Street Twin
its adjustable clutch lever is light and easy to get on with; perfect for new and inexperienced riders. Admittedly, you’ll rarely need to touch fifth gear unless out on the motorway or dual carriageway, because of its high gearing and ample torque right through the rev range. For stopping, the Street Twin comes equipped with a new single 310mm disc and Brembo four-piston fixed caliper at the front, and a single 255mm disc and Nissin two-piston floating caliper at the rear. They’re more than up to the job, and will bring you to a halt with little hassle. There are also front and rear ABS modules to help keep you in check. Suspension comes in the form of new KYB 41mm cartridge forks with 120mm travel up front, and KYB twin shocks with adjustable preload and 120mm of travel at the rear. On the mixed and unpredictable roads around Lisbon, they performed admirably, soaking up the worst that the roads could throw at me. I did get a little squirrelly on one occasion, as I barrelled over a big pothole, but the suspension settled quickly enough to allow me to get hard on the brakes and bank into the corner ahead with no real concern.
16 2019 TRIUMPH STREET TWIN AND STREET SCRAMBLER
RIDER MODES
New Road and Rain ride modes on the Street Twin, in addition to an Off-Road ride mode for the Street Scrambler. Plus, there’s even switchable ABS and traction control
DASH
Analogue and digital dash, which offers engine rpm, odometer, gear position indicator, fuel gauge, range to empty indication, service indicator, clock, trip, average and current fuel consumption display, traction control status display
CLUTCH
Torque-assist clutch that’s been optimised to reduce clutch level effort, especially during stop/ start riding in an urban environment
SUSPENSION
Updated 41mm KYB cartridge forks up front, for both a morre comfortablle and fo ocused ride
ENGINE
Updated high torque Bonneville parallel twin engine, which benefits from a significant increase in power and more torque through the middle of the rev range
Higher specification brakes in the form of a new Brembo 4-piston front brake caliper up front, to help improve performance
WORTH KNOWING
Should I buy one? If you’re after a retro-styled motorcycle with all the benefits of modern technology, based on one of the most popular motorcycles to ever make it to market, either one of the machines in Triumph’s Street range is worth a look. On both bikes I found the chassis exceptional, with the torquerich engine offering plenty of power and smooth delivery. Maybe they’re not Triumph’s fastest or most performance-focused machines, but they are stylish, versatile, accessible and, best of all, still lots (and lots) of fun. My slightly gangly frame, and predisposition for dual-sport machines, automatically meant that I favoured the Street Scrambler of the two bikes, and personally, I’d be more than willing to dig a little deeper in my pockets to find the extra cash Triumph is asking for one. That’s not to dismiss the Street Twin. There’s no denying it’s just as well sorted as the Scrambler, but its comparatively diminutive stature just
BRAKES
meant I wasn’t quite as comfortable. Even so, I’m confident either motorcycle would make the perfect machine for a wide range of riders; from new and inexperienced, to veteran motorcyclists, and if I had the cash to spare (not just journalist blag tokens) I’d be very tempted indeed. Instead, I’m going to have to try and twist the editor’s arm and see if I can get my hands on one for a longterm test next year. It’s also worth noting that Triumph offers a dealer-fitted A2 licence kit – which uses an APS twist grip and engine remap to restrict power – and best of all, once you get your hands on your full A licence, you just need to head back to the dealer and ask them to take off the grip and remap the engine once more. It’s a really clever idea, which opens these extremely versatile and hugely accessible Triumphs to an even wider audience. Aside from that, you shouldn’t have to visit your dealer all that often, with service intervals of 10,000 miles.
The Street Twin and Street Scrambler share the same engine, but the bikes have very distinct characteristics. Difference is clear in styling, but also in wheels, riding position and seat height. These are two unique options to choose from Closest rival
Ducati Scrambler Icon – £8150 The new Ducati Scrambler Icon is slightly less retro than the Triumphs. Its 803cc air-cooled V-twin makes 72bhp/49lb-ft, it’s lighter at 189kg (wet), it has a 38mm taller seat, and it comes in at almost the same price as the Twin.