

Power delivery is a trade off that leaves the Brit with the short end of the stick with 55 horsepower and 59 pounds o' grunt against 75/50, but the RbW feature and switchable traction control make up for a handful of ponies every time.ĭuc gets a minor victory at the checkout - very minor. Trumpet stumbles in the stems with straight-up vanilla front and rear, and the brakes are somewhat less-noble as well even though the SS does at least come with ABS protection to match the FT. I know I'm showing my age, and I know that the FT is intended to grab a younger buyer, but the Triumph triumphs in the aesthetics department. A shotgun exhaust gives it a classic-sport panache that completes the ensemble and the wire wheels just put it over the top. Sure you could call it stodgy and mired in the past, but I quite like the look, myself.Ĭut-down fenders and generous blackout treatment makes the custom connection for the SS with the traditional tank shape that comes complete with knee pads. The “SS” carries itself with the dignity and the classic standard build one expects of the marque.

Triumph's Street Scrambler is one such ride. Upswept pipes give it a final sporty kick that really helps to sell the whole flat-track package.Īdventure bikes are a dime-a-dozen nowadays, but scramblers are more like their homebuilt grandparents, and truly capable dual-surface machines are somewhat rare in spite of the heritage associated with the genre. At the tip of the tail, the LED taillight rides tucked out of harm's way with turn-signal whiskers as the only clutter at the terminus of the subframe thanks to the one-sided hugger that eliminates the rear fender and relocates the tag down to where it will do the least amount of visual damage.

handles ride tucked away inconspicuously along each side of the p-pad where they serve the usual dual purpose as a grab rail for the passenger and an anchor point for a bungee net/backseat storage. The bars push the rider into a more upright position than you would get from its café racer sibling, but not as upright as the more relaxed classics in the lineup for a compromise that leaves room for the extreme body contortions needed to properly pull off the above maneuver (reference the note about courage.)Ī narrow waist accommodates the rider's legs with deep cutaways at the front of the seat ahead of a shallow scoop that segregates it from the pillion pad. Pullback bars give the rider the necessary leverage to keep the front end under control, even if you're brave enough to take the corners sideways.
