Triumph rolls into MY2022 with a new High-Power Bonneville Twin for its multi-surface Scrambler 1200 XE. The “XE” maintains its design as a proper crossover model melding turf- and tarmac-capability with a homespun look that brings to mind the earliest scrambler models built on UJM platforms, or in this case, most likely some old Bonneville model. Spartan in its appointments but rich in power with top-shelf suspension and electronic ride-quality features, the XE is a real sleeper that should prove to punch above its weight.

2022 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE Design

This, dear reader, is the epitome of the classic British standard with old-school good looks and a custom-flavored finish that gives the Scrambler 1200 XE its homegrown flavor. The factory spared almost nothing when it started shooting the blackout paint, but it left enough shiny stuff – mostly in a brushed satin finish – to prevent the XE from becoming a black hole on wheels.

Cut down fenders, front and rear, channel the competitive spirit of yesteryear by eliminating as much weight as possible, unsprung or otherwise. LED projectors and DRL emitters ride in the single round headlight housing for positive visibility day or night. In fact, all of the lighting is of the LED variety to make it harder for surrounding traffic to miss your signals.

The instrumentation is all crammed into the lone, full-color TFT display along with the menus for the ride-quality control systems. These are controlled by backlit switches and a five-way joystick in the thumb-control areas of the switch housings so there's no fumbling about in the dark.

Perhaps the most striking elements of the build are found in the 4.2-gallon fuel tank that tapers toward the rear to form the classic knee pockets that pull the pilot into the machine, and the bench-style seat that rests at 33.1 inches off the deck with pilot and pillion on the same level. Even the exhaust channels the old-school scramblers with its shotgun arrangement that just seals the deal.

2022 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE Chassis

Tubular-steel members on the Scrambler 1200 XE make up the main frame structure with lightweight aluminum for the cradle section and yoke-style swingarm to keep curb weight down, which is listed at 507 pounds wet. In spite of the fact that it barely breaks the quarter-ton mark, Triumph doubled down on the front brakes with 320 mm discs and four-bore, Brembo Monobloc M50 calipers to handle the hard work. Out back, a twin-piston anchor bites a 255 mm disc, and both ends benefit from the switchable, lean-sensitive ABS feature that comes with the stock equipment package.

The front end floats on a set of 47 mm inverted forks from Showa ahead of twin Öhlins piggyback shocks with 9.8 inches of travel at both ends and the full trinity of suspension tweaks for complete control over the ride quality. Side-laced wheels -- ever the favorite of off-road riders – round out the rolling chassis in a 90/90 with a 21-inch rim diameter for its terrain-busting capabilities up front followed by a 150/70-17. The tread is cut to perform both on the tarmac and the turf, particularly on loose/soft surfaces such as sand and gravel.

2022 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE Drivetrain

Tried and true, the iconic Bonneville Twin powers your adventures on the Scrambler 1200 XE with cleaner emissions than ever before to make this bike legal even in areas with the strictest emissions requirements. The overall shape plays into the dated look of this machine by maintaining that classic vertical-twin configuration and polished cooling-fin edges that make it look like an air-cooled unit, a facade that is reinforced by the inconspicuous, low-profile radiator on the upper downtubes that all but disappears in profile.

The top end runs with four poppets per cylinder and a single over-head cam to time them. Oversquare, the Bonnie rocks a 97.6 mm bore and 80 mm stroke for an even 1,200 cc displacement with a middling compression ratio of 11-to-1 that'll probably demand 93-octane pusholine to prevent knock, ping, and dieseling.

Power and torque are listed as 89 ponies at 7,400 rpm with 81.1 pound-feet of torque that tops out at a relatively low 3,950 rpm. A wet clutch couples engine power to the six-speed transmission, and the final drive ratio in top gear turns in a top speed around 135 mph.

Ride-by-wire control delivers precise inputs, and the delivery is tune-able through the six Riding Modes including Off-Road Pro that comes with the stock equipment package only on the XE. Cornering traction control finishes off the electronics suite to give the new XE all the tools you'll need to have a good chance at keeping the thing dirty-side down.

2022 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE Price

The base model rolls in glossy Sapphire Black for $15,400. If you prefer one of the two-tone packages – Cobalt Blue/Jet Black or Matte Khaki Green/Matte Jet Black – you'll have to cough up another five Benjamins.

2022 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE Competitors

Wasn't long ago that a competitor for this Brit would have had to come out of Europe or Japan, but if you plan on selling this genre in the U.S. market, you're gonna' come up against the homegrown FTR Rally from Indian Motorcycle.

Indian FTR Rally

Based on its podium-dominating Flat Track Racebike, the “Rally” brings some proven off-road chops to the table that match the rugged Trumpet model. As far as looks, they're similar enough even though they took very different paths to arrive at this point as the FTR doesn't have the deep historical roots enjoyed by the XE, but instead is a civilian version of a current racebike.

Wire wheels and stealth knobbies are constants across the board, a testament to their off-road capabilities, but the FTR falls off a bit in the suspension with its 5.9-inch travel range that is just a little over half that of the Trumpet. ABS comes stock on the Indian, but doesn't seem to be switchable, so you're stuck with it.

Indian claims 87 pound-feet of torque at six grand with 120 ponies on tap, figures the Bonneville simply cannot match. Triumph gets some back with its electronics package that flips the script on the FTR to leave the Brit with the advantage. In another reversal of fortunes, the FTR Rally rolls for $13,999 to leave some cheddar on the table in favor of the U.S. ride.

Read our full review of the Indian FTR Rally.

He Said

“That classic Brit look from the '60s and '70s never goes out of style, Triumph just won't let it. Like the early scramblers, this Bonneville-derived machine brings a heaping helping of old-school custom yummygoodness with a definite performance bent. Turf, tarmac, or some combination thereof, the XE has a lot to offer its rider.”

She Said

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, “Yeah, big-time tippy-toe mode even if you are an average-height guy. That's not a surprise given the almost-10-inch travel and 34-inch seat height. It's very capable as an off-road bike with ample torque low in the rev range and a 21-inch front wheel for terrain-busting capabilities. If I were looking for a commuter and plan on mostly all on-road travel, I wouldn't pick the XE. That's the realm of the XC. If I were planning most of my travels off-road, this bike needs a look-see.”

2022 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE Specifications

Further Reading

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