By NastyNils·
Motorcycle comparison · Scrambler
Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE (DS04-MY2024) vs Scrambler 1200 X (DS50)
Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE vs Scrambler 1200 X: buy with your heart, but read this first.
At walking pace across a crowded parking lot, the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE's tall perch and high, heavy mass are what you're paddling against. The Triumph Scrambler 1200 X gets your boots down flatter.
So which one do you buy?
The Scrambler 1200 XE has the edge if…
Sporty riding on twisty roads
By a nose: Scrambler 1200 XE
The Scrambler 1200 XE is a touch more fun when the road starts bending. Just a touch.
Real off-road capability
Narrow edge: Scrambler 1200 XE
In the dirt, the Scrambler 1200 XE edges ahead. Not enough to decide it alone.
Which one's the smarter buy
No clear advantage
The extra cost on the Scrambler 1200 XE doesn't buy a clear value edge. Neither bike is the obvious better buy for the money.
What makes each one tick
Scrambler 1200 XE
Rocky trails and desert ruts don't unsettle the XE, since 9.8 in (250 mm) of travel at each end and a big front wheel keep it tracking true on loose ground. There's massive stopping power at the brake lever from the Brembo Stylema calipers. The twin pulls just off idle. The exhaust barks without roughing up a cruise.
Scrambler 1200 X
The X's twin thumps out a mechanical rhythm closer to a V-twin's than a parallel's, and nobody's sanded the rawness off it. At full highway pace you feel it in your hands and arms. In a crowd of Ferraris and Porsches at a luxury rally event, it pulled attention from people with no particular interest in motorcycles. Corner entry takes a deliberate shove on the bar, because the X won't fall into a bend by itself. On fast, exposed mountain roads, the chassis stays planted. The rear hooks up off hairpins.
Nils rode the Scrambler 1200 X in 2024 (NastyNils Testride).
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The Scrambler 1200 X has the lower seat: 32.3 in (820 mm) vs 34.3 in (870 mm).
- Front Suspension Adjustable: standard on the Scrambler 1200 XE, not offered on the Scrambler 1200 X.
- Cruise Control: standard on the Scrambler 1200 XE, not offered on the Scrambler 1200 X.
Which one for the way you ride
Comfortable long-distance riding
Not built for this
Both of these get tiring on a long day. A proper tourer will treat you better on big miles.
On character and commuting, these two are a wash. That's where your budget and your inseam get the final say.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
Scrambler 1200 XE
What owners say
Strengths
- Torque-rich and characterful parallel twin
- Genuine off‑road capability
Trade-offs
- Heavy weight and tall seat height
Scrambler 1200 X
From Nils' own saddle time
Strengths
- 270-degree twin has real voice
- Clean, immediate throttle
- Suspension that actually works
- Honest traction control
Trade-offs
- Turn-in needs a deliberate push
- Cornering ABS jumps in early
- Seat softens on long days
- No cruise control
What they cost used
These prices compare a 2-year-old Scrambler 1200 XE with a 2-year-old Scrambler 1200 X.
- Scrambler 1200 XE
- $12,000
- Scrambler 1200 X
- $10,500
At two years old, the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE sits around $12,000 while the Triumph Scrambler 1200 X lands near $10,500. That's a $1,500 gap in the X's favor. These figures come from earlier US market records, not live listings.
What they share
- Displacement
- 1200 cc
- Engine
- Parallel twin
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Power
- 89 hp (66 kW)
- Peak power at
- 7,000 rpm
- Torque
- 81 lb-ft (110 Nm)
- Peak torque at
- 4,250 rpm
- Fuel capacity
- 4.0 US gal (15 L)
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Fork
- Upside-down (USD)
- Front tire
- 90/90-21
- Rear tire
- 150/70-17
Where the spec sheets split
| Scrambler 1200 XE | Scrambler 1200 X | |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 34.3 in (870 mm) | 32.3 in (820 mm) |
| Wet weight | 507 lb (230 kg) | 503 lb (228 kg) |
| Scrambler 1200 XE | Scrambler 1200 X | |
|---|---|---|
| Front travel | 9.8 in (250 mm) | 6.7 in (170 mm) |
| Rear travel | 9.8 in (250 mm) | 6.7 in (170 mm) |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| Scrambler 1200 XE | Scrambler 1200 X | |
|---|---|---|
| Front Suspension Adjustable | Standard | Not offered |
| Cruise Control | Standard | Not offered |
| USB Charging Port | Not offered | Standard |
| Luggage System | Option | Not offered |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
