When the Triumph Scrambler 1200 first appeared in 2019 it proved wildly popular and it has remained so in the years since. The team at BAAK wanted to convert the model into a modern adventure bike, and they’re now offering parts for those who want to convert their own.
The full kit includes a new alloy fairing with a perspex windshield, a new long-range fuel tank, alloy side covers, a new low-slung exhaust, and hard alloy panniers with a matching alloy top box still in development.
Fast Facts – The BAAK Scrambler 1200 Adventure
- The Triumph Scrambler 1200 was released in 2019, it’s a highly-capable dual sport motorcycle on the larger end of the weight scale, with a 90 bhp 1200cc parallel twin and a curb weight of 205 kgs (452 lbs).
- The Scrambler 1200 answered the criticisms of the earlier 865 and 900 Scramblers from Triumph, which were far more road-biased. The larger 1200 has full adventure bike suspension, excellent ground clearance, a decent range of accessories, and it’s proven to be a strong seller.
- The team at BAAK wanted to create a line of bolt on parts for the Scrambler 1200 that would require no cutting, welding, or drilling. Everything bolts onto a pre-existing mounting point, and the kit significantly improves the touring capabilities of the bike.
- Each of the parts can be ordered individually or all together. The alloy fairing and new long range fuel tank are likely to prove popular with adventure-focussed Scrambler 1200 owners.
The Origins Of The Triumph Scrambler
The Triumph Scrambler 1200’s roots can be traced back to the 1950s, when Triumph motorcycles were the gold standard for off-road and endurance racing. In the United States the Triumph TR6 Trophy became known as the “Desert Sled” – it was the weapon of choice for off-road desert racers from the late 1950s into the 1960s, before the arrival of the featherweight Husqvarna two-strokes later in the decade.
Above Video: This is the famous scene from The Great Escape (1963) where Steve McQueen steals a German military bike and attempts to escape on it. In reality it was a camouflaged Triumph TR6 Trophy.
Among the many high-profile riders of the TR6 was Steve McQueen, Malcolm Smith, and Bud Ekins. A camouflaged version of the model was used as the stunt bike for the famous barbed wire fence jump scene in The Great Escape.
The design of the Triumph TR6 was relatively standard for the time, it had telescopic forks up front, dual shock absorbers in the rear, a tubular steel frame, drum brakes front and back, and a parallel twin-cylinder air-cooled engine with a displacement of 650cc.
Though it may sound simple the bike was more than the sum of its parts, The TR6 won essentially every major off-road race in the USA between the time of its introduction in 1956 and the late 1960s.
Some notable victories included multiple wins in the grueling Big Bear Run, the Barstow to Vegas, the International Six Days Trial (ISDT), the Catalina Grand Prix, the Greenhorn Enduro, the AMA Scrambles National Championship, the AMA National Hare and Hound Championship, and many others – most notably the Tijuana-to-La Paz record set by brothers Bud and Dave Ekins in 1962 with a time of 39 hours and 48 minutes after covering almost 1,000 miles.
This reimagined Scrambler 1200 from BAAK is a fully-fledged adventure bike with plenty of cargo space, a full fairing, and a long range fuel tank.
By the early 1970s it was clear that the two-stroke enduro bikes, led by Husqvarna, were the new dominant force in off-road racing and Triumph quietly discontinued the TR6 scrambler in 1973. This could have been the end of the story for the Triumph Scrambler, and it nearly was, but a major second act would be launched decades later.
The Scrambler Returns
In 2006 the Triumph Scrambler returned, though not named the TR6 it was the spiritual successor to the original family of scramblers from the British marque.
The new Scrambler was based closely on the 865cc Triumph Bonneville street bike, and while its off-road performance was limited it did become a best-seller for the company, with many owners taking them off-road and modifying them to be better suited for use in the dirt.
Though the model was popular it was clear that there was potential for a more potent Scrambler that used the decades of experience Triumph has in the modern world of adventure motorcycle design.
That front fairing is designed to be a straight bolt-on affair, and it uses all original factory mounting points to keep it simple.
In 2016 the new Triumph Bonneville 1200 debuted, and a modified version of its 1200ccc parallel twin would form the basis of an all-new, highly capable dual sport motorcycle called the Triumph Scrambler 1200.
The Triumph Scrambler 1200 Debuts
In 2019 the Triumph Scrambler 1200 made its first appearance, and to say that it was well-received is somewhat of an understatement. Those who had liked the styling of the earlier retro Scrambler but hadn’t liked the lack of serious off-road ability suddenly had all of their wishes answered.
The Scrambler 1200 came in two major variants with the XC being more road-biased and the XE being more off-road biased. The 1200 XE is fitted with Showa 47mm upside-down forks up front and dual Öhlins shock absorbers in the rear. Stopping power is provided by Brembo M50 monobloc calipers with twin 320mm floating discs up front and a single Brembo disc brake on the rear.
Ground clearance is impressive, with 250mm (9.84 inches), and power is provided by a modified version of the Triumph Bonneville 1200 parallel twin, producing 90 bhp and 81 lb ft of torque.
This is the Steve McQueen version of the Triumph Scrambler 1200, as you can see it’s an undeniably handsome bike, but it doesn’t offer a lot in the way of wind protection. Image courtesy of Triumph Motorcycles.
The on and off-road capability of the Scrambler 1200 push it well into adventure bike territory, and many people are buying them for this purpose. Although there are accessories available, like windshields, pannier cases, additional lighting, etc there is still room for improvement – and this is where the team at BAAK come into the story.
The BAAK Scrambler 1200 Adventure Shown Here
The motorcycle you see here is the Triumph Scrambler 1200 completely reimagined as a modern adventure motorcycle, with the adventure bike-specific shortcomings of the original bike addressed.
“True heir of the original Scrambler philosophy, the Triumph Scrambler 1200 has been a success for the British brand thanks to its class leading capabilities. But, as well built as it is, the bike remains fairly naked and leaves the rider exposed to the elements while riding, making it less practical for longer rides and adventures.” – BAAK
The plan from the outset with this build was to create a kit that people can buy piece by piece and mount to their own Scrambler 1200. As a result only factory mounting points are used, no drilling, cutting, or welding is necessary.
The new dual low-slung exhaust was developed to get the pipes down out of the way, so that two full pannier cases could be fitted on each side.
A new aluminum alloy fairing was created, it includes dual LED headlights and a high windscreen offering far more protection than the original bike.
This fairing combined with the new 6.6 gallon (25 liter) brushed aluminum gas tank are the two most significant changes, the tank is larger than the original and so the range has been extended from 120 miles (193 kms) to 180 miles (290 kms).
The original high-exit exhaust has been rerouted down under the rider’s feet, this opens up space for two large alloy pannier cases, and an additional top box is currently in development to offer a good amount of cargo space for long range adventures.
The new exhaust, panniers, fuel tank, and fairing is all available from BAAK so people can build their own version, or just use the parts they need. The fairing and long range tank in particular are likely to be very popular with more adventure-focussed Scrambler 1200 owners.
If you’d like to read more about the kit you can visit BAAK here.
Images courtesy of BAAK
Articles that Ben has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
