Triumph Speed Twin v/s Ducati Scrambler 1100: Which is better?
What's the story
Triumph Motorcycles has unveiled its flagship retro offering, Speed Twin 1200 in India. The motorcycle has a 1,200cc, parallel-twin engine and is loaded with electronic riding aids. It goes up against the Ducati Scrambler 1100, which is a neo-retro offering from the Italian bikemaker and is praised for its accessible power and dynamic handling. But which one offers the most value-for-money proposition?
Context
Why does this story matter?
Both Triumph Motorcycles and Ducati have a rich heritage of building bikes capable of tackling roads as well as racetracks. While the Italian marque has a racing pedigree in form of multiple victories in MotoGP and Formula TT championships, the British bikemaker is currently an engine supplier for the FIM Moto2 world championship.
Design
Ducati Scrambler offers a more modern design language
Triumph Speed Twin has a retro-inspired look and features a 14.5-liter fuel tank, a round LED headlamp, dual stainless steel exhausts, a wide handlebar, sleek LED taillamp, semi-digital instrument cluster, and 17-inch cast aluminium alloy wheels. Ducati Scrambler 1100 is a neo-retro offering with a 15-liter fuel tank, circular headlight with DRL, side-mounted dual exhaust, single-piece seat, fully-digital instrument console, and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Performance
Triumph Speed Twin gets a more powerful engine
The Speed Twin 1200 is backed by a 1,200cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine that churns out a maximum power of 98.6hp at 7,250rpm and a peak torque of 112Nm at 4,250rpm. The Scrambler 1100 is available with a 1,079cc, Desmodromic L-twin engine that develops 85hp of maximum power at 7,500rpm and 88Nm of peak torque at 4,750rpm. Both motorcycles are paired with a 6-speed gearbox.
Safety
The bikes are equipped with disc brakes and dual-channel ABS
For rider's safety, both the Speed Twin 1200 and Scrambler 1100 are equipped with disc brakes on both the wheels, along with dual-channel ABS, traction control, ride-by-wire throttle, and riding modes. Suspension duties on both motorcycles are handled by Marzocchi inverted forks on the front. On the rear, the former gets preload-adjustable twin shock absorbers, while the latter has a Kayaba mono-shock unit.
Our verdict
Triumph Speed Twin 1200 v/s Ducati Scrambler 1100
In India, Triumph Speed Twin 1200 starts at Rs. 11.09 lakh, while the Ducati Scrambler 1100 begins at Rs. 11.95 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom). Our vote goes in favor of the Speed Twin 1200, as it offers a more powerful engine, relaxed riding ergonomics, and plenty of new-age electronic riding aids. It is also much cheaper that the Ducati Scrambler 1100.