It was the Scrambler that got me to seriously look at a Triumph for the first time since I started riding in '61. The dealer didn't have a Scrambler demo, but I did get a ride on a Bonnie. Though it was a nice enough bike, I honestly wouldn't buy a Bonnie. It just felt physically small and I was never really comfortable on it or impressed by it. It actually felt a lot like my old 750 Nighthawk but with a little less power. There were a couple Scramblers on the dealer's floor that I could sit on though, and they did feel better.
I bought my first Scrambler sight unseen in a kind of leap of faith. It was a used '06 that was several hundred miles away and I made the deal over the phone. It quickly became my all time favorite general purpose bike. It fits me well and handles great with plenty of power for anything I want to do. Plus, it looks like a genuine motorcycle (yes I'm an older guy) should and makes me smile every time I see it sitting in the garage even without getting on it for a ride. I still use my Harley for touring because it's more comfortable on long days, but otherwise I'm on the Scrambler. I like it so much that I couldn't resist buying a second one when I ran across it at a great price. It's a red/white '06 just like the first one, and my son rides it nearly every day.
Obviously, the Bonnie is just as good a bike, but it just doesn't flip my switch like the Scram. If we all had the same preferences, they'd only make one bike for everyone. Try one sometime. Maybe it'll work for you too.
