Ever since its launch in 2006, Triumph has rewritten the in playbook with the Scrambler in combining style and nostalgia into a elegant 2-wheeled icon.

However, the evolution of the the classic modded off-road bikes has a much more varied and long history predating the 2006 launch of the first Triumph Scrambler.

Here is everything you need to know about it.

A genre born out of necessity

The original craze for scrambler motorcycles began way back in the 60s. This was a time when motorcycles where far from the mainstream machines they are today.

They were premium products meant for the niche riders and as such motorcycle manufacturers took a ‘one size fits all’ approach to making motorcycles.

This meant that those riders who were looking for a stripped down version they could take off-road had to take matters into their own hands.

Just as is the case with café racers, it was racing that really made scramblers popular.

Made To Mod

Scrambler races weren’t held on race tracks, roads or defined courses. Instead, they only had a start line and a finish line.

It was up to the riders how they traversed these two lines.

Obviously the shortest path between the two would be a straight line and this meant that they had to tackle off-road conditions such as loose surface, mud, water, and a plethora of obstacles they had to circumnavigate.

This led to riders modifying the all-purpose motorcycles of that time so that they would work well on these scrambler courses.

In very little time most of the riders were making very similar modifications which led to the Scrambler motorcycle developing its own signature styling.

Bringing it to the masses

By the mid-1960s, mod racers had created their own distinct legacy and consisted of a rugged and stripped-down aesthetics, big knobby tires, and high pipes.

Soon this look caught on and people who weren’t even fans of the scrambler races began modifying their motorcycles just to look cool and be part of the whole scrambler movement.

With the added visibility, the Triumph engineers were in a bit of a quandry on designing the perfect middle-ground between a purpose-built off-roader and a regular road-going motorcycle.

Somehow they pulled the impossible designing the Bonneville, a  motorcycle that continued in popularity well into the 70s and early 80s.

Triumph brings back the icon

The 2000s were a decade of loving all-things-vintage things and, naturally, the scrambler fit this movement to a “t”.

The sudden spark of interest bought the Scrambler back to the attention of the big motorcycle manufacturers.

Many thought of the Scrambler as an interesting concept but only Triumph acted upon this and in 2006, they launched what can be considered the first reboot of the classic Scrambler.

Triumph understood well that the current generations’ fascination for the scrambler was limited to its unique and alluring looks. As dirt bikes were available for the off-road enthusiasts, the Scrambler was a motorcycle genre that was purely appreciated for the aesthetics.

Vintage looks, modern design

This didn’t stop Triumph from making a motorcycle that was fun to drive.

They based the design of this Triumph Scrambler on one of the most popular Triumph motorcycles ever built – the Bonneville.

The Triumph Scrambler retained the sweet riding capabilities of the Bonneville but combined it with the classic vintage looks of the Scramblers of old. To say that the Triumph Bonneville was an instant hit would be a major understatement.

Its classic looks with the thick knobby tires, high pipes and overall chunky looks appealed to people and soon the Triumph Scrambler developed a cult following of its own. For over a decade, the Triumph Scrambler was the only mainstream scrambler available for sale until other manufacturers joined in on the hoopla.

Of late, Triumph have ceased making the Scrambler as a separate line and only offer a Scrambler modification package for the Bonneville motorcycle.

This is not bad news though as this is a sure fire sign of an all new Scrambler being in development.

Bon voyage!

In conclusion, the ride characteristics, and aesthetics of the Triumph Scrambler is a perfect representation of the free spirit of the 60s.

Embracing unbridled and unadulterated fun, it expertly captures the imaginations of every motorcycle enthusiast around the world thanks to its minimalist, yet highly appealing nature.