Finally did it. Stopped prevaricating, made a decision, and ordered my first new bike since the Guzzi LeMans II in 1979. Decent part exchange on the Speed Four that I bought on a whim a few years ago and hardly ever ride. Good bike, just not "me". Unfortunately, my almost perfect motorcycle (Street Scrambler with tubeless spoked wheels and the 1200 Scrambler engine and brakes) isn't in the Triumph catalogue, but let's see how I get on with the compromise. Thoughts after a two hour test ride... Good: Engine - I like twins, loved the low-down torque and response Looks - prefer the smaller tank, like the high pipes. Street scramblers always looked good (wanted a Norton P11 when Associated Motor Cycles went bust and the US models were sold off in the UK, but £325 was way beyond my means - that dates me!). Size - the 1200 Scramblers are just too tall. Not too tall for me to ride, but unnecessarily tall for the riding I do. Riding position - roomy, ageing knees not too bent, only slightly different from the Street Twin, but enough to make a difference. Seat - I like the single seat & rack option. Mudguards - motorcycles should have mudguards. I don't understand, for example, why Indian designed the rear of the FTR to look like a 1990s German streetfighter. High pipes - didn't notice the high-level exhaust when I was riding it, and the heat wasn't a problem even in traffic on a hot day. Noise - surprisingly, and pleasantly, rorty. Handling - easy to sneak through traffic. Brakes - seemed more than adequate despite only one disc, interested to see if I still think the same when I'm not riding someone else's bike. Analogue speedometer - don't like digital speedos, I find them more difficult to read at a glance. Not so Good: Engine - feels flat at higher revs. Should have another 20bhp. I reckon c.100bhp/litre should be a minimum for any bike, retros included. Even a learner 125 is 118bhp/litre. Seat - not comfortable. May have to investigate whether something can be done about that. Mudguards - too short, but aren't they all? At least it doesn't have the plate hanging off the swinging arm. Handlebars - not swept back enough, but that's just personal preference. Fat bars - makes it more difficult to change handlebars. My favoured Renthal Street Low 'bars are only available in 22mm (or 7/8 inch in old money). I guess Street Twin mounts are on the shopping list. ABS - or, rather, its implementation. It seems that the front brake hose is swaged on to a rigid line that goes to the ABS modulator. A junction block and banjo at the steering head would make it easy to fit a longer or shorter hose and allow a greater choice of handlebars. Wheels - like the looks, don't like the tubes. Colour - should have some proper old-school options, like the late '60s two-tone schemes. Mine is the no-extra-cost white, like a 1963 Bonneville. Price - ridiculously expensive, really. £1200 more than the already expensive Street Twin, £1200 more than a Street Triple, £100 more than a Tiger 800 XR. Regardless of the "bad" list, I think it will be much more suitable than the Speed Four or the Sprint for days out on the minor roads of mid Wales and the West Country. I'm looking forward to finding out, anyway.
It's arrived! So far, I've ridden it home and checked the handbook to see if there are any specific running-in instructions (e.g. rev limits). It's a lovely evening, so I'm off to put some miles on it.
Thank you folks! Between the test ride, and wandering around the country roads of South Gloucestershire yesterday evening, I suppose I've done about 120 miles, wearing bike boots and riding jeans or, er, non-riding jeans. So far, the position of the pipes hasn't bothered me, and, although I can feel the heat off the exhaust at a standstill, it's no worse than the heat off the engine and radiator. I chose the Scrambler over the Street Twin because of the slightly more forward footrest position, and the looks, thinking that, if the high-level pipes proved to be an inconvenience, I could rectify it when I make the inevitable exhaust change. Currently, I don't think I'll need to fit low pipes.
600 miles... and my test ride impressions have been confirmed. It's been pretty much ideal for the type of riding I've been doing. No off road, unless you count single track tarmac with grass growing down the middle, but A and B roads and country lanes, with short stretches of motorway (the M4/M48 across the Severn bridge between the M32 and the Chepstow junction). The motorway stretch got me thinking, and this is the first completely unfaired bike I've owned since I had a DOHC Honda CB750K in c.1985. Even the Speed Four had the little "pixie hat". I'd forgotten how much wind blast 70mph creates, especially with high, wide 'bars. Anyway, in summary, pleased with the bike, and I think it's just what I need for the riding I do most of the time. The seat is definitely uncomfortable after an hour or so, though.
A day bimbling around mid Wales added another 238 miles, and I arrived home with 987 miles on the clock. Single-track road in the Brecon Beacons, Wales, yesterday. The Street Scrambler is great for exploring, just thinking "I wonder where that lane goes?", and finding out.
