Base Price : 8'700 $
It's no secret we have a weakness for Retro-styled bikes. And the new Yamaha SCR 950 hits all the right notes. Just check out the sweet vintage lace wheels and old school number plates. The SCR looks like something that would roll right out of Steve McQueen's garage in the 1970s. The new on-off road scrambler-style machine is based on the bones of the Yamaha Bolt cruiser, including its 942cc air-cooled Twin. But the transformation to SCR was accomplished by adding a taller suspension and handlebars for a comfier riding position.
Of course with relatively modest underpinnings, the SCR won't keep up with the more focused bikes dedicated to dirt sports or backroad hustling. But with an easy-riding personality, classic style, and an estimated 51 mpg, the SCR is a bike that looks like a weekend toy but makes for an excellent daily rider.
This is one of those bikes that you simply have to look past the spec sheet and ride, as on paper there isn’t a lot to tip you off to the fact that the bike is as fun as it is. Let's start with the engine: The Bolt-based 942cc air-cooled twin has solutions borrowed from other models in Yamaha’s stable, like ceramic-composite plated cylinders, roller rockers actuating four valves per cylinder, and twin-bore fuel injection. And although the mill isn’t exactly going to rip your arms out of their sockets blasting away from the line, it is very satisfying just the same, especially on dirt roads. It was here that the broad spread of power, clean fueling, and connected throttle response made sliding the bike through corners intuitive and entertaining. On road, it’s enjoyable to just thrum along without rowing through the gears too much. But if you really need to leap past another vehicle in the passing lane, a quick downshift will make it a bit happen without much fanfare.
The chassis is designed to offer light handling and competent around-town performance, but actually did much better off highway than I expected it would. If you are looking for sporting prowess to rival the Ducati Scrambler, or Triumph Thruxton, this isn’t that bike. At $8,699 it simply doesn’t have the high-end suspension and brakes to compete, but it wasn’t meant to. The intention wasn’t knock-out performance but all-around fun at an affordable price. On road, I was able to ride at a really enjoyable clip, with the real limiting factors being the dual-purpose tires, and very basic suspension. The 41mm fork isn’t adjustable and offers 4.7 inches of travel, while the preload adjustable shocks offer just 2.8 in. of motion. On the asphalt, the ride was good, but the combination of the limited rear travel and a really firm saddle meant the ride quality could be harsh when cruising on less-than-billiard smooth roads. Off road, line choice was important to keep the suspension from bottoming out too nastily. But at a modest pace, it was very enjoyable on gravel, aided quite a bit by very predictable and stable handling manners.
Like the suspension, the twin-piston pin-slide front brake caliper and 298mm wave rotor does the job, but is a bit short on feel and power. But the positive spin on that is, that on the dirt, the brake isn’t grabby and allows you to manage front-wheel traction.
One thing that I clicked with on the SCR right away was the riding position. The mid-mount foot controls, and tall steel off-road style handlebar put the rider in a very comfortable and neutral riding position. My only complaints are the aforementioned seat, sometimes difficult to read instrument cluster, and the right-side air-filter housing that was in almost constant contact with the inside of my knee and managed to bruise it by the end of the day. A pleasant surprise, however, was the excellent height of the handlebar, which made standing off road easy and comfortable.
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