My Time with the 2017 Triumph Street Scrambler
Alright, let me tell you about my journey with the 2017 Triumph Street Scrambler. Wasn’t really planning on getting one, honestly. I was just browsing around, looking at bikes, you know how it is. Then I saw this thing. It just looked… right. Proper old-school vibe but with modern bits. Had to check it out.
So, I found a used 2017 model. Looked pretty clean. The previous owner hadn’t messed with it much, which was good for me. First thing I did was just walk around it. The high pipes, the bench seat, the slightly knobby tires – it just screamed fun. Sat on it, felt pretty comfortable, not too tall, not too heavy. Fired it up. That parallel twin rumble… yeah, that got me hooked.
First Rides and Getting Used to It
Took it home and the first few rides were mostly just getting a feel for it. The engine’s got decent punch down low. Not crazy fast, but really usable power for squirting around town. Clutch was light, gearbox felt pretty slick. Handling was easy, felt light on its feet. It wasn’t a sportbike, obviously, but it tipped into corners nicely. The brakes felt okay, did the job.
I started using it for my daily commute. Filtered through traffic pretty well. The upright riding position was comfortable for short hops. Weekend rides were where it really shone, though. Blasting down country lanes, that engine sound echoing off the trees – good times.
Living With It and Tinkering
After a while, you start noticing the little things.
- The stock seat? Looked cool, but man, after an hour or so, my backside was complaining. That was high on my list of things to maybe change.
- Suspension was basic. Fine for smooth roads, but hit some bumps and you knew about it. Especially the rear shocks.
- Those high pipes look amazing, but yeah, they chuck out some heat onto your right leg, especially in slow traffic on a hot day. Got used to it, though.
Did some basic maintenance myself. Oil changes were straightforward. Got my tools out, drain pan underneath, unscrewed the plug, let the old stuff out. Filter was easy enough to get to. Put fresh oil in, checked the level. Felt good doing it myself. Checked the chain tension regularly, lubed it up. Simple stuff, kept it running sweet.
I did end up swapping the mirrors. The stock ones were okay, but I wanted something a bit smaller, tidier looking. Found some simple black round ones, easy swap. Just unscrewed the old ones, screwed the new ones in. Made a small difference visually.
Thought about changing the exhaust for more noise, but honestly, the stock sound grew on me. It was loud enough without being obnoxious. Plus, didn’t want to mess with fueling maps and all that hassle.
The Good and The Not-So-Good
What I really loved was the look and the character. It felt like a proper motorcycle. Simple, fun, great sound, easy to handle. Engine was a peach, really flexible. It always got looks and comments wherever I parked it.
Downsides? Seat comfort on longer rides was the main one for me. The basic suspension sometimes felt a bit crude. And yeah, the heat from the pipes could be annoying sometimes. Fuel range wasn’t massive either, but okay for how I used it.
Wrapping Up
Overall, my time with the 2017 Street Scrambler was great. It was a fantastic bike for just getting out and riding, especially on back roads and around town. It wasn’t perfect, sure, but the style and the feeling it gave me outweighed the negatives. It’s one of those bikes that just makes you smile when you open the garage door. Didn’t do any serious off-roading, just some gravel tracks, and it handled those okay, nothing too challenging. It was just a really cool, enjoyable machine to own and ride.
