Driving report Yamaha SCR 950 (2018)

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Driving report Yamaha SCR 950 (2018)

Driving report Yamaha SCR 950 (2018)

The unknown being

Don’t worry, there are now no endeavors on word games and comparisons with the always slightly slippery Oswalt-Kolle relationship films of the 1970s. The Yamaha SCR 950 is also completely unknown to most motorcyclists. But it doesn’t have to stay that way.

The Yamaha SCR 950 presented in spring 2017 is a real exotic vehicle on German roads. According to a statement from Yamaha Germany, only 217 units have been brought to the scrambler-loving people since the start until mid-July 2018. Why? Let’s go on a search for clues. Coincidentally, the author of these lines already had the pleasure in the last issue (MOTORRAD 16/2018) to deal with two top-class scramblers in the form of the BMW R nineT Scrambler and the Ducati Scrambler 1100 Special. The two cost around 5,000 euros each more than the 54 hp Yamaha, which is just one reason that prohibits a direct comparison. In addition, the BMW has almost double the power with 110 hp, the Duc an increase of 32 horses.

But with torque, which is much more important in real operation because it is constantly noticeable, the world looks completely different. The Yamaha presses 80 Nm at 3,000 rpm on the crankshaft. The boxer clearly surpasses it with 116 Nm, which is only available at twice the speed. The Duc, in turn, leaves it at 88 Nm and 4,750 rpm. In addition, the air-cooled 60-degree V2 of the Yamaha delivers a whopping 70 Nm from idle and muffs its way through the unfortunately narrow speed range from below. From around 4,000 rpm, the forward thrust decreases sharply, and turning higher than 5,000 rpm requires an insensitive disposition. In the absence of a rev counter, you can’t read the numbers, but you can feel them very clearly. In addition, the four-valve engine runs in a cultivated manner, and moves cautiously, allowing itself only 4.2 liters of fuel on the consumption lap. The five gears require quite long shifting paths, but always lock in securely with a full clone. From 60 km / h, the fifth will straighten it without jerking. To downshift, you must then firmly step on the gear lever. Purely on the drive side, the Yamaha does not have to hide from the big players under real conditions, leaving out the fast-forward mode. It’s not that popular in the scrambler scene anyway and is not allowed on the SCR 950 for a completely different reason: its base.

This is the Cruiser XV 950 R, with which the Scrambler shares almost all add-on parts as well as the engine, the suspension elements and above all the frame. The seat height, which has increased by 140 to 830 mm, is realized by a screwed-on subframe. It’s no secret that fast cornering is not necessarily one of the cruiser’s core competencies. Most of the time, the footpegs attached far below give an early warning with sparks spraying a halt. The same goes for the SCR, although its notches moved 15 cm backwards and three upwards compared to the XV. There they do not come into contact with the ground until a few degrees later, but they are constantly in the way when maneuvering and even simply putting their feet down. We are already through with serious criticisms.

Less serious are the non-adjustable and quite far protruding handles for the clutch and brake, as well as the flat bench, which is just as comfortable as it looks. Sitting on it for an hour and a half non-stop is just enough, it becomes sporty. But – and that’s exactly why the seat, tank, side cover, handlebars, aluminum mudguards look the way they look – the line is right! It’s a bit reminiscent of motocross riders from the late 1960s and early 1970s. The legendary XT or SR 500 is not far away either. While working with the SCR, it also dawned on the author why this motorcycle didn’t seem unknown to him at all, but on the contrary quite familiar: the nature, the character, the driving characteristics, soft fork, taut rear, the engine, from the hardly existing vibrations Apart from that, the seating position also reminded him a bit of a 1984 Yamaha XS-650. It is still owned by the first time, is in excellent health, and the author occasionally gets his fingers or under his buttocks on trips together.

Tgot it! Like the XS in the past, the SCR is now a bike for people for whom the eternal more, more, more and especially the now degenerating electronification pass by elsewhere. Who just want to go around in style and enjoy. It doesn’t have to be 500 km, there is indeed better. And who overlook small quirks. The SCR could soon be a very well-known being for them.

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Driving report Yamaha SCR 950 (2018)

Driving report Yamaha SCR 950 (2018)
The unknown being

Driving report Yamaha SCR 950 (2018)

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