Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC / XE (2019-2020) Maintenance Schedule
This is the maintenance schedule with associated service intervals for the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC and XE made between 2019 and 2020.
The Triumph Scrambler 1200 is a scrambler-style motorcycle based on the Triumph 1200 parallel twin engine seen for example in the 2021 Triumph Bonneville T120. In the 2019 Scrambler 1200, the engine makes 66 kW / 90 hp at 7400 rpm, with peak torque of 110 Nm / 81 lb-ft at a low, low 3950 rpm.
Like the rest of the Triumph 1200 Modern Classic range, the final drive is via 6-speed gearbox and chain.
The Triumph Scrambler 1200 comes in two specs. The XE has longer-travel suspension, an IMU with cornering ABS/TC, and another off-road ride mode. But otherwise, they share the same engine and drivetrain, and thus share a maintenance schedule.
In 2021, Triumph updated the Scrambler 1200 for Euro 5, with a lower-compression crank and higher-compresison head, plus a revised exhaust. Triumph revised the maintenance schedule with it.
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Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC / XE Service Intervals
Overall, the Triumph Scrambler 1200 (whether XC or XE) has wide 10000 mile / 16000 km or annual service intervals. At every service, change the oil and filter, and do a host of checks.
The valve service interval for the Triumph Scrambler 1200 is every 20000 miles or 32000 km — again, quite wide.
Unlike early air/oil-cooled Triumph Scramblers, the Scrambler 1200’s engine is liquid cooled, so replace the coolant periodically per the schedule below.
As the Triumph Scrambler 1200 has a chain drive, make sure you maintain it regularly, keeping it lubed and the tension in spec (see below for the section on chain maintenance).
What you need to service a Triumph Scrambler 1200
The Scrambler 1200 XE / XC is an easy bike to work on, and most maintenance is within the grasp of a competent home mechanic.
You need the below parts to service your Scrambler 1200.
| Triumph | Part spec — Triumph Scrambler 1200 |
|---|---|
| Oil | Triumph recommends 10W/40 or 10W/50 semi or fully synthetic motorcycle engine oil that meets specification API SH (or higher) and JASO MA, such as Motul 7100 10W-40. |
| Oil filter | Replace the oil filter every time you change the oil. Use Triumph part number T1218001. You can also use HifloFiltro’s HF204RC. |
| Brake fluid | Use Castrol DOT 4 for the brake fluid for the T120 |
| Coolant | Triumph uses Hybrid Organic Acid Technology coolant with a 50% ethylene glycol mix. Many Triumph owners use Valvoline Zerex G05. |
| Brake pads | Use brake pad parts FA447HH for the front rotors and FA209/2HH for the rear. |
| Spark plugs | NGK code LMAR8A-9. Note they’re sold individually. Make sure they’re gapped to 0.9mm with an appropriate spark plug gap tool. |
| Air filter | The part number for the air filter is T2201816. You can also use a high-performance DNA air filter, part number P-TR12N19-01. |
| Cable maintenance | Protect All Cable Life is a good-quality cable maintenance product. You can also use engine oil (but it’s a bit messy) |
| Chain maintenance | A good kit to have on hand is the Motul chain care kit — including lubricant, cleaners, a brush, and so on. |
Maintenance Schedule for Triumph Scrambler 1200 (2019-2020)
Below is the maintenance schedule for the Triumph Scrambler 1200. It’s derived from the manual but simplified. We’ve broken it up into three parts:
- The daily inspection checklist (leaks, general condition checks)
- The annual inspection checklist
- The maintenance schedule of less frequent things like spark plug changes and valve clearance checks.
In addition, the chain inspection guidelines are separate.
Break-in service
For the 600 mile / 1000 km / 6-month Triumph Scrambler 1200 break-in service, do the following:
- Change the engine oil and filter
- Do the daily inspection checklist
- Perform the annual inspection checklist, with the exception of checking the steering head bearings
Daily inspection checklist
Below is the daily inspection checklist for the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC or XE (2019-2020). Do this along with the rest of the maintenance schedule.
| Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC / XE Daily maintenance checklist |
|---|
| Drive chain slack – check/adjust See below for guidelines on checking and adjusting chain slack |
| Engine – check for leaks |
| Coolant level – check/adjust |
| Cooling system – check for leaks |
| Clutch – Check operation |
| Clutch cable – check function and adjust as necessary (lubricate as needed with Protect All Cable Life) |
| Tire wear/tire damage – check |
| Tire pressures – check/adjust |
| Wheels – inspect for damage |
| Wheel spokes – check for cracked/damaged spokes, and for tightness – adjust as necessary |
| Steering – check for free operation |
| Front and rear suspension – check for damage/leaks/smooth operation |
| Brakes – check operation |
| Brake pads – check wear levels, replace as necessary |
| Brake fluid levels – check |
| All lights, instruments and electrical systems – check/adjust |
| Bank angle indicators – check visually for wear |
| Side stand/Center stand – check for wear/smooth operation. Lubricate as necessary |
Maintenance schedule (2019-2020).
Below is the maintenance schedule for the Triumph Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC / XE. Note that there are several different elements in the 2019-2020 Euro 4 Scrambler 1200 schedule.
Notes:
- Keep repeating this maintenance schedule beyond the end of the indicated time/distance.
- Items marked [D] are for those with dealer tools
- At the end of the maintenance schedule, keep following it in the pattern shown.
| mi x 1000 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km x 1000 | 16 | 32 | 48 | 64 | Every |
| Daily inspection checklist (see above) — perform | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Annual inspection checklist (see below) — perform | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Engine oil – replace (Motul 7100 10W-40) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Engine oil filter – replace (HF204RC) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Air filter – replace (P-TR12N19-01) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | More often if riding in dusty conditions |
| Cooling system – check coolant hoses for chafing/cracks/damage. Replace if necessary. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Throttle body plate (butterfly) – check / clean | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Fuel system – check hoses for chafing, cracks, or damage. Replace if necessary | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Centre stand / side stand pivots – lubricate / clean pivot pin | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Spark plugs – check gap and condition (Target gap: 0.9mm +/- 0.1mm) Re-tighten to 9 lb-ft / 12 Nm | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Spark plugs – replace (LMAR8A-9) | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Valve clearances – check | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Camshaft timing – check/adjust | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Fuel filter – replace | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Steering headstock bearings – lubricate | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Brake fluid – replace (Castrol DOT 4) | 2 years | ||||
| Coolant – replace (Zerex G05) | 3 years | ||||
| Fork oil – replace | ✓ | ||||
| Fuel hoses – replace | 4 years | ||||
| Evaporative loss hoses (if fitted) – replace | 4 years |
Annual inspection checklist
Below is the annual inspection checklist for the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC / XE. Do this according to the schedule above (i.e. every year).
| Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC / XE Annual Inspection Checklist |
|---|
| Fuel system – check for leaks |
| Clutch lever pivot – lubricate |
| Wheel bearings – check for wear/smooth operation |
| Headstock bearings – check/adjust (optional at first service) |
| Brake master cylinders – check for fluid leaks |
| Brake calipers – check for fluid leaks and seized pistons |
| Drive chain rubbing strips – check for wear, cracks, or damage |
| Rear brake pedal adjuster pivot pin – clean / lubricate |
| [D] Autoscan — carry out a full autoscan using the Triumph Diagnostic Tool |
| [D] Instruments and engine ECM – check for latest calibration using the Triumph diagnostic tool |
| [D] Carry out all outstanding Service Bulletin and warranty work |
| Carry out road test |
| [D] Complete the service record book and reset the service indicator |
Chain maintenance
Below are the chain maintenance guidelines for the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC or XE.
Triumph recommends you lubricate your chain and check the wear periodically according to the following schedule.
| Item | Every |
|---|---|
| Drive chain – lubricate (Motul Chain Paste) | 200 miles (300 km) |
| Drive chain – check wear Hang a 20 kg weight on the lower chain segment, and measure the length of 20 links (from one pin the 21st pin down). If it’s > 320 mm, replace the chain. | 500 miles (800 km) |
You also need to regularly check the slack of the chain per the schedule.
How to check chain slack on a Triumph Scrambler 1200
Every brand of motorcycle defines chain slack differently. For Triumph, slack is defined as the free vertical movement of the center part of the bottom chain segment. See the below illustration.
Here’s how to check the chain slack.
- You need a ruler (or tape measure) and nitrile gloves or a rag (to avoid getting grease on your hands)
- Put the motorcycle in neutral, on a level service, and elevate the rear wheel with a stand or center stand if you have one fitted.
- Rotate the wheel and find the tightest part of the chain, in the middle.
- Use a finger to lightly push the chain up and down. Measure the up/down chain deflection.
Target chain slack: 20-30 mm (0.8 – 1.2 in)
How to adjust chain slack on the Scrambler 1200
The procedure is similar to on many motorcycles, but of course specifics vary between brands and model lines.
You need wrenches and torque wrenches to re-tighten the rear wheel. You need a large torque wrench for the rear axle.
- Keep the motorcycle’s rear wheel elevated.
- Loosen the rear axle nut.
- Loosen the lock nuts on the left-hand and right-hand sides.
- Turn the adjuster bolts, usually counter-clockwise, extending the bolt “outward” to lengthen the chain and make it tighter. (Sometimes you’ll want to make it looser — in those cases, turn it clockwise / inward)
- Make sure to adjust the bolts the same amount on each side — check the markings.
- Tighten both adjuster lock nuts to 15 lb-ft / 20 Nm, and the rear axle nut to 81 lb-ft / 110 Nm (“very tight with a big wrench”).
Wheel and Tire Specs for the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC / XE
The Triumph Scrambler 1200 ships with mixed use tires, either Metzeler Tourance mixed-use tires or Pirelli Scorpion Rally for more off-road focused work. Below are the tire sizes and recommended tire pressures.
Despite the fact that the Triumph Scrambler 1200 ships with spoked rims, it has tubeless tires. So you don’t need to carry a spare tube for your riding adventures.
Both the XC and XE have a 21-inch front tire and the same tire sizes front and rear.
| Wheel | Tire size | Tire pressure (cold) Pirelli Scorpion Rally | Tire pressure (cold) All other tires |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front | 90/90-21 54H | 2.5 bar / 36 psi | 2.5 bar / 36 psi |
| Rear | 150/70R17 69V | 2.6 bar / 38 psi | 2.9 bar / 42 psi |
About the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC / XE (2019-2020)
The Triumph Scrambler 1200 was first launched for the 2019 model year. It’s much more than just a Triumph Scrambler 900 with a bigger engine — the Triumph Scrambler 1200 gets a lot of component upgrades to make it a more premium motorcycle, as well as one that’s actually capable of a decent amount of off-road adventuring.
The “scrambler” branding is, for motorcycles, usually a styling exercise. It’s a design trend. Scramblers are mostly road bikes. Yes, you can take them off-road, but you can take anything off-road. But the Triumph Scrambler 1200 goes further than any other bike with “scrambler” branding, causing some to consider it more of a naked adventure motorcycle.
There are some exceptions on the fringes of scrambler culture, of course. The Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled (one of the Scrambler 800 range) is one example. It has longer suspension travel and some protection for off-road work. But it’s still heavy for an off-road bike (a world in which 150 kg / 330 lb is considered heavy by some), and a far cry from a dual sport or dirt bike.
The Triumph Scrambler 1200 range is similar in that sense. They have long-travel suspension, a big 21-inch front tire, spoked rims, and protection. Sounds great! On top of that, the Scrambler bikes have a burbling 1200 cc engine that has loads of character and even a nice purr to roar from the standard exhaust pipe.
The Scrambler 1200 even has switchable ABS for the rear, so you can do controlled power slides if and when the inclination arises.
The Scrambler 1200 XC and XE in 2019-2020 differ in a few unique ways. Concretely, the Scrambler XE gets on top of the XC:
- Longer-travel 250mm suspension front and rear
- A six-axis IMU, giving the XE cornering ABS and traction control
- Standard heated grips (this changed with the 2020+ model, on which neither got standard heated grips)
- A sixth power mode, specific for off-road work
Even though the Scrambler 1200 may not scream “adventure” as much as a middleweight adventure motorcycle like the Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro for example, they do have one thing in abundance that almost no other motorcycle has: style and character. The engine in base trim has a lot of rumble, even with the stock exhausts. Triumph seems to have done some magic even within the constraints of ever-tightening emissions restrictions.
And from almost any angle, the Triumph Scrambler 1200 gleams. Look at it!
Manual for the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC / XE (2019-2020)
The above maintenance schedule comes directly from the user’s manual for the Triumph Scrambler 1200, which is available on the Triumph website.
The 2019-2020 Triumph Scrambler has a number of features in the maintenance schedule that warrant keeping it separate from the revised Euro 5 model.
