All Duels – Duel BMW R nineT Scrambler Vs Triumph T120 Black: you got the look, bobo! – Page 1 – The nineT Scrambler facing the T120 Black

Duel BMW R nineT Scrambler Vs Triumph T120 Black: you got the look, bobo !

All Duels - Duel BMW R nineT Scrambler Vs Triumph T120 Black: you got the look, bobo! - Page 1 - The nineT Scrambler facing the T120 Black

In motorcycles as in many other fields, retro is currently on the rise. For this duel, MNC has therefore selected two new machines with classic and classy looks: the BMW R nineT Scrambler and the Triumph Bonneville T120 Black !

Page 1 – The nineT Scrambler against the T120 Black

Just before the last leaves fall on the roads – wet and cold, watch out! – and that the first ones – moreover,? – do not arrive in them, the editorial staff of Site offered themselves a small outing in charming company…

A bit nostalgic therefore – the summer ended at the beginning of November this year, of course, but it is well and truly over, sniff … -, MNC has chosen for this new duel motorcycles with deliciously classic and yet very recent looks. : they came out this year !

All Duels - Duel BMW R nineT Scrambler Vs Triumph T120 Black: you got the look, bobo! - Page 1 - The nineT Scrambler facing the T120 Black

Tested by the Journal moto du Net in July (read our), it has only been marketed in France for two months.

Barely younger, the was presented to the press – including MNC, "of course" – in March 2016 and was launched in the wake of the .

"The BMW R nineT Scrambler will give you this total experience", announces BMW on its official website, praising the merits of "a sturdy and unconventional frame to distance yourself from the everyday grayness" … and for "you" distinguish thousands () of "short" R nineTs that currently circulate on "your" French roads !

All Duels - Duel BMW R nineT Scrambler Vs Triumph T120 Black: you got the look, bobo! - Page 1 - The nineT Scrambler facing the T120 Black

As its name suggests, this second – in a long series of variations of – "ninety" adopts the essential "studded tires (or road tires, as desired when ordering) and high exhaust, rubber sheath on the fork and relaxed upright sitting position ". Sehr gut !

"The 19-inch front wheel, the analog speedometer, the purist steel tank in Monolith matt metallic execution and a series of high-class details make this Scrambler an attractive classic," says the German manufacturer. do this year due to Triumph’s counterattack with his new Bonnie…

All Duels - Duel BMW R nineT Scrambler Vs Triumph T120 Black: you got the look, bobo! - Page 1 - The nineT Scrambler facing the T120 Black

In just nine months indeed, and landed in France! Site selected the Black version for this face-to-face meeting, "with an incredible level of detail and sophistication, such as its multitude of black elements, including its rims, passenger handle and engine finish, brown / black saddle and its beautiful silencers, details the English manufacturer. !

Common point between our two machines of the day: the size of their twin cylinder which is close to 1200 cubic centimeters (see the technical sheets on the last page). The architectures, on the other hand, remain faithful to traditions: flat at BMW, parallel at Triumph.

Two motorcycles that all MNC opposes

Large, low and imposing, the Boxer gives the Scrambler a more impressive size than the Twin installed in the heart of the Bonnie. But if the curves of the BMW engine can not be considered a bad thing – on the contrary, it seems that men prefer the big ones? -, its summary finish is one !

The injection system, the lambda probe, the gas stilling chamber … None of this is camouflaged on the BMW! On the Triumph, on the contrary, the engineers carefully disguised the injectors as carburetors and make believe that the collectors are directly linked to the exhausts. Nice job !

All Duels - Duel BMW R nineT Scrambler Vs Triumph T120 Black: you got the look, bobo! - Page 1 - The nineT Scrambler facing the T120 Black

From a technical point of view, on the other hand, the German engineers impress since they managed to respect the new Euro4 standards with their good old air / oil mill. The English have taken to the water … But here again, the job is licked: the machined fins of the "1200 HT" (for "High Torque", large torque) smell good the 60s…

In the "sixties" genre, the front of the "Behème" is not bad either: unlike the which is decked out with a big inverted and golden fork and radial-mounted calipers – golden, too! -, the Scrambler is adorned with a simple and dark bellows fork and conventional black calipers. The shot-peened finish of the frame plates and triple trees is judiciously preserved.

All Duels - Duel BMW R nineT Scrambler Vs Triumph T120 Black: you got the look, bobo! - Page 1 - The nineT Scrambler facing the T120 Black

To lower the bill, BMW replaced the aluminum fuel tank with a steel replica (17 liters instead of 18) which nevertheless looks very good. We find below on the right the air intake horn common to the two nineT, and we discover just behind a specific fawn-colored and padded saddle. Schon…

The scrambler style is accentuated on our test model by the presence of the Karoo 3: studded tires "designed for off-road expeditions combining good all-terrain traction, on-road stability and excellent durability" , assures Metzeler. In static, we must recognize that it throws !

All Duels - Duel BMW R nineT Scrambler Vs Triumph T120 Black: you got the look, bobo! - Page 1 - The nineT Scrambler facing the T120 Black

The high exhausts, made by the Slovenian Akrapovic, also correspond perfectly to the spirit of this motorcycle supposed to face all types of terrain. The superb pots and the Telelever suspension single-arm – not very "vintage", for once – thus completely free the view of the rear rim … with poles! Was ist das ?!

Billed 400 euros, the optional spoke rims of the BMW should be delivered as standard, as is the case on the T120. Certainly, at Ducati, the majority of are equipped with rims with sticks … But unlike the big German, the small Italians do not all play the card of the adventurer. !

All Duels - Duel BMW R nineT Scrambler Vs Triumph T120 Black: you got the look, bobo! - Page 1 - The nineT Scrambler facing the T120 Black

Unique advantage of the original rims of the nineT Scrambler: the valves are mounted perpendicularly, on a stick, which makes it possible to control or vary the pressure of the "TT" tires without getting the gloves dirty. We note in passing that the gums of the front footrests are removable and that the rear brake pedal is notched..

These kinds of details are far from superfluous on motorcycles of this type and of this standard. We have also seen that they are put forward in sales pitches. But Triumph has gone all out! In addition to the remarkable mechanical and electronic camouflages, the engine in particular benefits from magnificent surface treatments. Oh boy…

All Duels - Duel BMW R nineT Scrambler Vs Triumph T120 Black: you got the look, bobo! - Page 1 - The nineT Scrambler facing the T120 Black

On the English, not a cable protrudes, not a thimble denotes, not a hose overflows … Many parts are branded Triumph such as the saddle, the handlebars or the stem of the front mudguard painted in the same color as the tank and the rear fender. Even the brackets for round indicators – and good old bulbs – are profiled !

The faultlessness of the T120 continues when we observe its rear axle. There is a combination of "old-fashioned" shock absorbers, a thin and stylish tire (Pirelli Phantom), as well as a LED brake light which is significantly more elegant than the white and flat one of the nineT. The observation remains the same when we focus on the front part…

All Duels - Duel BMW R nineT Scrambler Vs Triumph T120 Black: you got the look, bobo! - Page 1 - The nineT Scrambler facing the T120 Black

The small tank of the T120 (14.5 liters) is adorned with the inevitable knee fluids and a tank cap (without hinges, but locked). Bonnie lighthouse – all round, what else? – is skillfully modernized by a row of LED daytime running lights which can however be switched off in favor of the low beam, more authentic.

Under its perfectly classic airs, the double counter of the Triumph incorporates a wealth of information that is easily scrolled through the left stalk. Admittedly, the LCD screens are a bit small, but even an imperfect view allows you to read the fuel level or the remaining range, the gear engaged or the status of the heated grips … supplied as standard, yes !

All Duels - Duel BMW R nineT Scrambler Vs Triumph T120 Black: you got the look, bobo! - Page 1 - The nineT Scrambler facing the T120 Black

On the BMW stands a unique analogue meter which does not provide the engine speed, but the speed! The tour of the data entered is quickly completed: total and partial mileage (1 and 2), outside temperature and clock. The Germans voluntarily stripped their R nineT … but they went a bit far on this point, nein ?

In the same vein, the Scrambler skips the storage space under the saddle: impossible to slip in a single yellow vest, however compulsory in France and in many European countries! The only small concession granted to the owner: a 12V socket located above the "port" cylinder.

All Duels - Duel BMW R nineT Scrambler Vs Triumph T120 Black: you got the look, bobo! - Page 1 - The nineT Scrambler facing the T120 Black

All Duels - Duel BMW R nineT Scrambler Vs Triumph T120 Black: you got the look, bobo! - Page 1 - The nineT Scrambler facing the T120 Black

On the Triumph, a small space and a USB socket are arranged under the saddle to recharge a laptop when needed … A vital need, because many bikers will not dare to install their precious – and expensive – smartphone in such a place !

To transport your dear half (man or woman, no sexism at Site!), We prefer the urban Bonneville to the adventurous Scrambler: there is a beautiful hoop, a welcoming saddle and rubber-lined footrests on the first … and a poor strap on the second! And in front, how is it going? Let’s study this on the next page !

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