In recent years, the main "classical off-road" climbing car (Scrambler) has become popular, Triumph, Ducati, BMW ...... Many international big-name manufacturers have a lot of fun, and many domestic motorcycle manufacturers have also launched climbing cars. What is the Scrambler, how did it first emerge, and what is the history?
In the fifties and sixties of the last century, motorcycles did not have the precise classification by purpose that they do now, and there was no clear distinction between motocross and road bikes. However, adventurous riders are always restless, and in order to achieve stronger off-road ability, riders who like to play wild often modify their own hands, modify the universal frame of the motorcycle, and improve their off-road ability, which is the origin of the original Scrambler.
There are many ways to improve motocross ability, including installing rough off-road tires, replacing long-travel suspensions, and configuring wide handlebars, as well as removing components as much as possible to make the bike slimmer and lighter. Of course, don't forget to modify the exhaust system, be sure to install it high to improve the wading ability, and if you can arrange it horizontally and fit the body, it will be even cooler!
As a long-established manufacturer with a history of 100 years, British Triumph has witnessed such an era. Triumph motorcycles are lighter and more agile than American motorcycles, and their side-by-side twin-cylinder engine uses more advanced valve technology to deliver more power, so it was very popular with riders and led the trend of Scrambler modification for a while. In those days, riders liked to toss Triumph's twin-cylinder motorcycles, stripping away all the parts of the road and installing rough-grained off-road tires and a shock-absorbing suspension, while modifying the exhaust system to improve passing capacity. These road-turned-off-road triumphant motorcycles rushed into the heath and wilderness in such a way as to be competitive, as exemplified by the 1964 American Hollywood movie star Steve Brown. McQueen, riding a Triumph twin-cylinder modified motorcycle, competed in the International Six-Day Cross Country (ISDT) and achieved good results.
The International Six Days Race is known as the Olympics of endurance motorcycles and has a high international reputation. The ISDT race first started in Carlisle, in the North West of England, where 5-person motorcycle teams from all over the world were invited to showcase their off-road skills. Riders are speeding through gravel, muddy off-road roads, running an average of 300km a day, the bikes are splashed with oil and mud, and the riders are exhausted by bumps, which is a severe test for both the car and the rider. In 1964, the United States participated in the International Six Days Race for the first time, and the American racing team, nicknamed the "California Boys", consisted of stunt riders McQueen, Bud Erkins and others, and McQueen was honored to display the Star-Spangled Banner at the opening ceremony.
Although a movie star, McQueen was also a motorcycle enthusiast with superb driving skills and was a well-known stunt rider in the United States at the time. He really loves motorcycles, and plays a cold image on the silver screen, especially when paired with motorcycles, so he is nicknamed "The Prince of Cold Noodles". A year before he competed in the International Six Days Race, McQueen made an impression on his motorcycle in the movie "The Great Escape". The motorcycle in the film is the Triumph TR6, but it was converted into a BMW motorcycle from World War II for the sake of the scene. The classic scene of the protagonist flying over barbed wire on a motorcycle is cool, but here's a detail that it wasn't McQueen who actually did the action, but another stuntman, Bard Brown. Erkins is also a powerful rider, and in the 60s he competed in the International Six Days Races, winning four gold medals and one silver medal.
McQueen's car for the ISDT race is the Triumph TR6 Trophy. Back in the 40s, Triumph produced the TR5 Trophy, which was based on the "fast twin" as a platform to develop the TR5 Trophy with off-road ability, and the riders won many trophies in this powerful twin-cylinder motorcycle. Triumph then introduced the larger 649mL twin-cylinder engine, a powerful heart that Jonny Allen once set a world speed record of 344 km/h on the rocky beaches of Bonneville on a modified motorcycle. With this new side-by-side twin engine as the powerplant, the TR5 Trophy was upgraded to the TR6 Trophy. Produced between 1956 and 1973, this model was popular for its power and agility, especially in the American market, where many riders modified and raced the TR6 Trophy to win various victories. McQueen was very fond of the TR6 Trophy, and the car that competed in the 1964 ISDT was a modified TR6 Trophy.
In addition to the Scrambler trend in the United States, European manufacturers are also enjoying it. At the beginning of the 60s, the American importer of Ducati, the Berliner brothers, asked Ducati to produce the Scrambler model. George Monardy, a rider who had traveled around the world on motorcycles and was Ducati's sales manager at the time, had an initial contact with the Berliner brothers, and they confirmed that Scrambler should be universal, practical. Renzo Nelli, then head of Ducati's technical department, designed a prototype with a narrow crankcase engine. In 1962, the first Scrambler was put into production at Ducati, and since then it has continued to improve and produce. In 1968, Ducati switched to a newly developed wide crankcase engine and introduced the Scrambler 250 and Scrambler 350 at the same time, followed by the Scrambler 450 the following year. From 1962 to 1974, Ducati continued to produce the Scrambler with great success.
A dog has his day. Decades later, the Scrambler trend has gone from hustle and bustle to silence and is now back in vogue in countries around the world. The modern Scrambler is still road-oriented, with a certain off-road function, focusing on classical charm, and at the same time, with the blessing of new ideas, new materials and new technologies, it creates a unique style for the rider.