That Scrambler market keeps expanding, though. After Honda announced the SCL500 (and CL500), Triumph revealed a new Scrambler 400 X for 2024, as well, that runs even lower on the pricing scale with a sticker of only $5,595. The Triumph looks, to my eye, just a smidge better than the Honda, but the upright riding position and lack of fairings means that where Honda’s 471cc parallel twin feels almost on the edge of being slow, about 15% less power from Triumph’s entry-level Scrambler probably won’t sound great for anyone who plans to do any real highway or freeway riding.
Ducati, meanwhile, elevated their Scrambler for 2024 with a new generation of the Full Throttle variant that cuts weight by 8.8 pounds versus the previous year, while an air-cooled L-twin puts out 73 horsepower. With more features including a standard quickshifter and Termignoni exhaust, plus stylistic revisions appreciate lower bars and a sump skid guard, the Full Throttle is definitely the nicer bike—but also costs almost double the Honda SCL500 at $12,195. Funnily enough, I received the Ducati Scrambler Full Throttle as a loaner the same day I gave Honda back the SCL500, so stay tuned for more thorough impressions coming soon.
In the context of the Triumph and Ducati Scramblers, the retro vibe that I thought clashed with Honda’s more modern headlight cluster probably nails the combo aesthetic that urban buyers want—turns out maybe market research is a thing. And that market research likely shows that in almost every regard, from the pricing to the style and performance, the SCL500’s entry into the modern Scrambler market treads a perfect middle ground for new and experienced riders alike.
