The new wave customizing sector has had a growing impact on the production motorcycle market over the past 15 years. Before the same phenomenon—albeit for a shorter time—took hold with bobbers, one-off cafe racers' tremendous surge in popularity led to the launch of numerous cafe'd production versions. But the scrambler is unquestionably the most recent bespoke trend to sweep through the production industry. The bulk of today's manufacturers now offer these classic off-road-themed machines, with some brands basing entire product lines on the old runners.
The continuous popularity of the scrambler genre has given motorcycle riders access to a broad variety of distinct scrambler options that are currently available on the market, as evidenced by more-than-satisfactory sales figures. Despite the fact that all of the aforementioned models belong under the scrambler category, there are significant differences between their characteristics, performance abilities, features, and build quality. Therefore, we've put together this list of the top 13 scrambler motorcycles available to help you decide which is the finest scrambler for you. Additionally, while not exclusively, this list only includes late-model scramblers that are still easily accessible in showrooms as holdovers from previous model years.
Although it can be difficult to pinpoint a precise date or location, almost everyone agrees that scramblers originated in pre-recessionary England. Motorcycles had only been existing for a few decades at this point (approximately the 1920s) and were just beginning to develop into custom-engineered vehicles, purpose-built from the ground up as opposed to bicycles that had been fitted with a simple engine and then barely modified. Early riders were keen to get off the road and take on some dirt and off-road riding, even though the idea of a purpose-built off-road production motorbike was still over half a century away.
Early off-road racing enthusiasts planned events that gave competitors a starting location, a bearing, and a finishing place rather than following a predetermined trail or route. It was entirely up to the rider how they wanted to get there and how they wanted to navigate the terrain and difficulties along the way. Since there truly wasn't an alternative at the time, riders had to use factory versions designed for road use in order to compete in these events. Riders would strip their bikes down to their bare essentials and frequently reinforce them to better survive the stress and rigors of off-roading in order to make their rides more favorable to off-road performance.
Initially, these devices were mostly built by amateur and hobby builders in their garages and sheds without any assistance or support from manufacturers. Once these "scrambler" bikes and the local races they participated in gained popularity, numerous well-known enterprises, including manufacturers, aftermarket parts suppliers, and chassis and engineering firms, became interested.
By the 1960s, manufacturers had begun to release scrambler versions intended for regular street riding but advertised for their off-road prowess. Although these models were more capable off-road right out of the box, they were still essentially road motorcycles that had been little modified for dirt use, and they were particularly lacking in this area, especially when compared to other models.
Manufacturers frequently released scrambler versions of their current models by the 1960s. For instance, Honda introduced a few iconic scrambled models of its bikes, but these Japanese models were marketed under the road-going CB (or "City Bike") designation instead. The displacement of these semi-off-road-appropriate bikes ranged from 450cc to 49cc. Even though they had wide bars, high-mounted pipes, and other accessories, these were still heavy vehicles that weren't the best for off-road riding.
The point-to-point races that were being held in the UK quickly evolved into closed-circuit off-road trails and hare scrambles. And while this restricted the kinds of terrain that racers would encounter in off-road competitions, it also provided bike designers and manufacturers with a greater understanding of the challenges that off-road versions would face. Around this time, desert racing in California was also experiencing a boom in popularity. As a result, a number of specialized businesses began creating increasingly capable, purpose-built frame kits, including the renowned Rickman Metisse scramblers.
From there, genuine motorcycle producers started experimenting with more and more specifically designed bikes for off-road riding and delivering ever-more capable vehicles. However, all changed in 1966 when Torsten Hallman, a Swedish-born four-time 250cc MX world champion, flew to the US with a brand-new Husqvarna off-road model. In the midst of completely dominating every single race he entered that year—at times lapping the entire field—Hallman gave the US the term "motocross," which denoted a new, lightweight kind of off-road motorbike.
From this point on, the popularity of scramblers began to decline as they were gradually supplanted by more advanced, capable vehicles that had better performance, lighter weights, more agile handling, noticeably better suspension, and all-around better rideability. The original scrambler models were discontinued since there was no longer a need to alter road-bikes for off-road use because factory off-road models were now readily accessible at dealerships.
Unpacking the Meaning Behind the Name Scrambler in "Quite A Scramble"
In the world of motorcycles, there's a well-known but unproven urban myth that the word "scrambler" comes from a British announcer who, while watching an off-road race in the 1920s, called it "quite a scramble." For whatever reason, this statement caught on like wildfire and was adopted by riders first in the UK and then all over the world, eventually becoming the term used for a very long time to describe what we now refer to as the scrambler.
What Exactly Is A Scrambler Motorcycle? Definition Of A Genre
Modern scrambler motorcycles are simply stripped-down scooters that have been equipped with a variety of hardware and enhancements to make them better suited for off-road performance, just like the original shed-built scrambler bikes from mid-century England.
Scramblers also have a distinctive look that is largely a result of their intended use and custom design. Scramblers typically have relatively small fuel cells, which are frequently slightly knee-dented or equipped with rubber knee pads. This is because these machines were designed for short bursts of riding during competition and weren't intended for long rides in the saddle.
Scrambler bikes have long-travel suspension, lower-gearing, upright seating positions, high-mounted fenders, spoked wheels, knobby tires, wider bars, hand, engine, and headlight guards, as well as exhaust systems and pipes that are mounted on the bike high off the ground, where they are protected from rocks, logs, or other obstacles that could prove harmful to a low-ganging hanging muffler. All of these features are a result of the bikes' intended off-road use These bikes' side (and occasionally front) number plates were added since they were frequently used in competition.
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