Janus Motorcycles has announced its latest model, the scrambler-styled Gryffin 450. The Janus Gryffin 450 has classic ’50s and ’60s style and hand-crafted components, and each one is made-to-order with the owner’s input and preferences.
Janus Motorcycles is based in Goshen, Indiana, and the company’s website states that it makes “simple, beautiful machines that are a joy to own and ride.” The Gryffin 450 joins three other models in the Janus lineup: the Halcyon 450, Halcyon 250, and Gryffin 250. It will use the same enduro-inspired air-/oil-cooled 445cc Single as the Halcyon 450, with a claimed 30 hp. The scrambler version will ride on 21-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels and will feature a high exhaust, other adventure-oriented details, and a low weight of a claimed 330 lb.
Janus Gryffin 450
“The Gryffin 450 is a close sibling to our Halcyon 450, but with some key changes that really make it excel off-pavement,” said Charlie Handsen-Reed, senior design engineer for Janus Motorcycles. “The longer suspension travel, wheel size, lower seat height, and larger fuel tank will be really welcomed by our off-road riders, and trimming another 30 lb off our already feather-weight 450 chassis will be a huge bonus for trailering, van-lifers, and for any adventuresome rider’s peace of mind and confidence.”
Part of the experience of owning a Janus is the customization offered from the made-to-order process. Like other Janus models, the Gryffin 450 will be available in a wide range of color options, pinstripe options, and other accessories. It will feature motocross footpegs, a headlight cage, pannier racks, highway bars, a skid plate, and a pillion seat.
Janus Gryffin 450
Other components included on the Gryffin 450 will be hand-formed and beaded fenders, a hand-formed and welded stainless-steel exhaust, hand-welded chassis and fork, Brembo brakes, and hand-painted graphics and pinstripes.
Janus Motorcycles will begin taking reservations for the Gryffin 450 starting Feb. 23, 2024, and all orders placed in the first 30 days will be First Edition models with serial-numbered plates, limited-edition race plates, engraved components, and commemorative packages.
Those interested in the manufacturing process of Janus motorcycles can check out the Janus YouTube channel, where the company documents their design and build process.
MSRP for the Janus Gryffin 450 will be $13,495, and the fee to place a reservation is $2,995. The first Gryffin 450 bikes are expected to be finished in July 2024.
The fork gaiters and high-routed exhaust on the 2023 Honda SCL500 are carryovers from Honda’s early scrambler models.
Scramblers had their heyday during the ’60s, which was before my time, but I’m a big fan of their spirit and style. They embody a carefree attitude and the freedom to go wherever, as well as a simplicity not offered by many modern, hyper-focused bikes. The best word to describe the new 2023 Honda SCL500 is “playful.” It blends cool retro style, a user-friendly engine and chassis, and a budget-friendly price.
The 2023 Honda SCL500 in Candy Orange is sure to turn heads.
Scramblers are perfect for Ventura, California, the coastal surf town that I call home, and that’s exactly where Honda hosted its press launch for the SCL500. A lightweight, no-frills motorcycle is great for bopping around city streets, cruising up the coast, exploring backroads, and even getting a little frisky in the dirt, though the only time we left the pavement during our test ride was to turn around in dirt pull-outs during photo stops.
Inspiration for the SCL500 comes from Honda’s own back catalog, namely the 250cc CL72 from 1962-65 and the 305cc CL77 from 1965-67. Like the SCL500, these early scramblers were based on streetbikes, and all three models share common styling elements: fork gaiters, knee pads on the gas tank, bench seats, high-routed exhausts, and twin rear shocks.
Another thing the SCL500 has in common with those early CLs is a parallel-Twin engine, though the older versions were air-cooled while the modern one has a radiator. The SCL’s 471cc Twin is a versatile mill that’s also found in the CBR500R sportbike, CB500F naked bike, CB500X adventure bike, and Rebel 500 cruiser. (The last time we put any of these bikes on the dyno was 2017. The CB500F made 46 hp and 31 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheel, and the Rebel 500 made 41 hp and 30 lb-ft.)
The Dunlop Mixtour tires’ block-tread pattern, combined with their thinner width, made for fun and confident cornering.
As much as I appreciate high-tech features on many of today’s motorcycles, there’s something to be said for a bike with nothing to figure out. Swing a leg over the SCL500, thumb the starter button, drop it into gear, and then just ride. Throttle response is user-friendly, power delivery is linear, and the slip-assist clutch makes gear changes effortless. The engine is smooth and doesn’t vibrate much, nor does it radiate excess heat. But it doesn’t exude much character either.
The SCL500 shares the parallel-Twin found in earlier Honda CLs but is blacked out and liquid-cooled instead of air-cooled.
A sturdy tubular-steel trellis frame holds everything together, and the bike, which has a narrow 3.2-gal. tank, is slender between the knees. The SCL500’s suspension, a nonadjustable 41mm fork and dual shocks with two-step preload adjustment, has 5.3/5.7 inches of front/rear travel, which is more generous than its adventure-ish CB500X stablemate (4.7/5.5 inches).
The SCL500’s handlebar width and light weight make it easy to throw into corners.
For a sub-$7,000 bike, the ride is surprisingly plush, though the suspension’s softness leads to some fork dive during braking and seesawing over big bumps. More rebound damping would be nice, at least for a 200-lb galoot like me.
Scramblers are great bikes for getting around towns like Ventura.
The SCL500 rolls on 19-inch front and 17-inch rear cast wheels shared with the CB500X, and the SCL is shod with Dunlop Mixtour block-tread tires that provide reasonably good grip and handling. ABS is standard, and there are single-disc Nissin brakes front and rear, with a 2-pot caliper pinching a 310mm disc in front and a 1-pot caliper slowing a 240mm disc out back. The brakes don’t offer much power or feel, but they’re perfectly fine for riders who are newer, lighter, or less aggressive than I am.
The high footpegs made things a little tight for my frame, but with the fun I was having, they couldn’t have been much lower.
The SCL500’s chassis geometry favors stability over agility, which further adds to the bike’s approachability. But its lightness (just 419 lb ready to ride), the width of its handlebar, and the narrowness of its tires (110/80-19 front, 150/70-17 rear) mean that the SCL can be tossed around like a ragdoll.
2-piston Nissin calipers pinch a single 310mm disc up front and offer sufficient stopping power depending on the type of rider.
With my 34-inch inseam, I was a little folded up on the SCL500 with its low 31.1-inch seat height and high footpegs. The cleated footpegs have vibration-damping rubber inserts that can be removed to add a skosh more legroom, but the better option for me was the accessory tall seat, which adds another inch of foam for more height and support. At $64.95, it’s reasonably priced, though it only comes in brown.
The SCL500 is the kind of bike that lends itself to customization. In addition to the tall seat, other factory accessories include a headlight visor, a high front fender, handguards, a number plate-style rear side cover, rally footpegs, a center tank pad, a 14-liter left-side soft saddlebag, a rear carrier, a 38-liter top case, heated grips, and a 12V socket. Vance & Hines also offers a high-output slip-on exhaust that is compliant in all 50 states.
The 2023 Honda SCL500 in Matte Laurel Green Metallic
The SCL500 screams for customization, as seen in this factory-accessorized version.
Other than limited legroom for my frame, my only real complaint about the SCL500 is its instrumentation. It has a single round instrument panel that’s light-on-black LCD. Available features includes a clock, a gear position indicator, a speedometer, a fuel gauge, and multifunction display that can be scrolled through for different info (odometer, tripmeter A/B, average mpg A/B, instant mpg, and reserve fuel tripmeter). The instrument panel lacks a tachometer, it’s difficult read in bright sunlight, and it’s all but useless when wearing polarized sunglasses. For a retro bike like this, an analog speedometer with an inset multifunction display would be sweet.
Like the bike, the SCL500 instrumentation is simple but also hard to read. I would’ve preferred something more retro.
After logging just over 100 miles in and around Ventura, mostly on backroads where I did my best to wring the SCL’s neck, the bike’s fuel economy reading was 60.6 mpg. That translates to 194 miles of range, which would be even higher for a typical owner who cruises around or commutes in a less caffeinated, type-A state of mind.
The SCL500 suspension offers better travel than its CB500X stablemate, but bigger riders may wish for more adjustment options.
All in all, the Honda SCL500 is a helluva lot of fun, and in Candy Orange, it turns a lot of heads (a more subdued Matte Laurel Green Metallic color option is also available).
Fifty years ago, Ducati introduced its first air-cooled twin-cylinder engine, on the 1971 Ducati 750 GT. The new 2022 Ducati Scrambler 1100 Tribute Pro pays homage to this milestone with special livery and a 1,079cc air-cooled L-Twin that makes a claimed 86 horsepower at 7,500 rpm and 66.5 lb-ft of torque at 4,750 rpm.
The Scrambler 1100 Tribute Pro wears striking “Giallo Ocra” yellow paint, which was used on the 1972 450 Desmo Mono and 750 Sport. The sides of the fuel tank feature the iconic 1970s-era Ducati logo that was designed by Giugiaro, and the same font is used to spell “Scrambler” on the top of the tank. Other styling details include black spoked wheels, round mirrors, and a brown seat with special stitching.
Though honoring the past, the Tribute edition has the modern features found in Ducati’s Scrambler 1100 Pro line, including three riding modes, multi-level traction control, cornering ABS, a headlight with a distinctive LED ring, and the Ducati Multimedia System. There’s a USB socket for mobile phone charging under the seat.
The 2022 Ducati Scrambler 1100 Tribute Pro has a steel trellis frame, an aluminum subframe, a cast aluminum swingarm, and spoked wheels (18-inch front, 17-inch rear) shod with Pirelli MT60 RS tires. Suspension includes a fully adjustable 45mm inverted Marzocchi fork and an adjustable Kayaba shock with a progressive linkage. The front brakes are radial-mount monoblock Brembo M4.32 calipers squeezing 320mm discs.
Pricing starts at $13,995.
2022 Ducati Scrambler 1100 Tribute Pro
Base Price: $13,995 Website:ducati.com Engine Type: Air/oil-cooled, transverse 90-degree L-Twin, desmodromic DOHC w/ 2 valves per cyl. Displacement: 1,079cc Bore x Stroke: 98.0 x 71.0mm Horsepower: 86 horsepower @ 7,500 rpm Torque: 66.5 lb-ft @ 4,750 rpm Transmission: 6-speed, hydraulically actuated slip/assist wet clutch Final Drive: Chain Wheelbase: 59.6 in. Rake/Trail: 24.5 degrees/4.4 in. Seat Height: 31.9 in. Wet Weight: 465 lbs. Fuel Capacity: 4.0 gals.
Ducati has added two more models to its popular and growing range of Scramblers with an 1100 Tribute Pro and an 803cc Urban Motard.
Both models will arrive in Australia in the second quarter of 2022 at the ride-away prices of $21,300 for the Scrambler 1100 Tribute Pro and $18,900 for the Scrambler Urban Motard.
It has not yet been confirmed whether the current line-up will continue.
There are eight models in the range with prices from $15,500 for the Scrambler Icon Dark to $23,090 for the 1100 Sport Pro.
We figure the 1100 Tribute Pro is almost $1000 more than the current 1100 Sport Pro and the Urban Motard is about $900 more than the Nightshift.
1100 Tribute PRO
Scrambler 1100 Tribute Pro
The Ducati Scrambler 1100 Tribute PRO pays homage to the 50th anniversary of the Italian’s air-cooled twin-cylinder engine.
It has a “Giallo Ocra” livery featuring the 1970s Ducati logo designed by auto designer Giorgetto Giugiaro who also designed the DMC DeLorean that starred in the Back to the Future movie series.
The styling also includes a brown seat and black spoked wheels.
It is powered by the same 1079cc engine as in the rest of the Ducati Scrambler 1100 PRO family with no changes to output of 86hp (64kW) and 90Nm (9.2kgm).
Urban Motard
Scrambler Urban Motard
The Ducati Scrambler Urban Motard features a high-rise front mudguard, “race number” plate, 17″ spoked wheels, flat seat and graffiti-style graphics.
Similarly, there is no change to the 803cc L-twin engine that powers the other 800 models.
All Ducati models now come with cornering ABS as standard.
They are also designed for the Ducati Multimedia System (DMS), which allows riders to connect their phone via Bluetooth.
The bikes arrive in Europe next month where the 800 models are also available in a 35-kW version for European A2 licence holders.
Ducati Australia has confirmed we will get some of the 800 limited-edition and numbered edition Desert Sled Fasthouse model.
The motorcycle was created to celebrate the collaboration between Ducati Scrambler and the American clothing brand Fasthouse, which in 2020 took the rider Jordan Graham to victory in the Hooligan class of the Mint 400, the oldest and most prestigious off-road race in America.
Despite the American connection, Ducati Australia confirms the Desert Sled Fasthouse will be available here in August and have a ride away price of $A20,290.
That’s $1000 more than the current white model, but it does look more racey and has a couple of extra features.
They include a non-slip coating on the seat and off-road inspired foot pegs with removable rubber pads.
The black spoked wheels measuring 19” at the front and 17” at the rear are fitted with Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres in sizes 120/70 R 19 M/C 60V M+S TL front and 170/60 R 17 M/C 72V M+S TL rear.
The collaboration with Fasthouse on this bike also includes the launch of a capsule collection of apparel consisting of short and long-sleeved t-shirts, jackets and caps.
They will be available from the end of April on Fasthouse’s sales channels, in Ducati network dealers and on the Ducati Online Shop.
Ducati Scrambler Pro & Sport Pro arriving in Australia September
The Ducati Scrambler 1100 Pro and Sport Pro editions will be arriving in Australia from September 2020, with the Scrambler 1100 Pro available on the road for $18,400 Ride Away, while the Scrambler 1100 Sport Pro will be $21,100 Ride Away.
Ducati Scrambler 1100 Sport Pro
The Ducati Scrambler 1100 range is driven by the air-cooled Desmodromic L-twin 1079 cc engine with 84 horsepower at 7500 rpm and 88 Nm at just 4750 rpm.
The Ducati Scrambler 1100 Pro stands out for its new two-tone ‘Ocean Drive’ colour scheme, combined with a steel trellis frame and rear aluminium sub frame, both black. The aluminium covers are also black. A new right-side dual tailpipe and low-slung plate holder ensure distinctive rear-end styling and, together with the new livery, give the bike a coiled, compact look.
Ducati Scrambler 1100 Sport Pro
Another hallmark is the framed headlight; inspired by the protective adhesive tape used back in the ‘70s, a black metal “X” has been incorporated inside the headlight.
The Ducati Scrambler 1100 Sport Pro is the beefiest version in the Scrambler family. It features all the styling details of the Pro, but also features an upgraded equipment set including Öhlins suspension, lowslung handlebars and Café Racer rear-view mirrors. The 1100 Sport Pro also features a Matt Black colour scheme, complemented by side panels sporting a painted 1100 logo.
Ducati Scrambler 1100 Sport Pro
The Ducati Scramblers 1100 Pro models also offer strong electronic packages, equipped with Ducati Traction Control (DTC), and three standard Riding Modes (Active, Journey and City).
“Ducati Mona Lisa” is the name of the work of art created by the French artist Jisbar (born Jean-Baptiste Launay) which will be auctioned on Thursday 16 July 2020 to raise funds for the #RaceAgainstCOVID.
The charity was organised by the Borgo Panigale motorcycle manufacturer in support of the rehabilitation programs that the Polyclinic of S. Orsola in Bologna has developed for patients in post Covid-19 convalescence.
The painting is part of the “Mona Lisa” series, where Jisbar reinterprets Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous masterpiece in different ways through his imaginative and colourful style, which is consecrating him as one of the most interesting emerging youngsters on the pop-art scene world.
In “Ducati Mona Lisa” the female figure in the centre of the picture is surrounded by visual and graphic elements that recall the history of Ducati, its models in the range and some of its most famous riders. The French artist created this work with great enthusiasm and has now made it available for free to support the #RaceAgainstCOVID initiative organised by Ducati.
“Ducati Mona Lisa”, an acrylic on canvas of 141 x 106cm, will be put up for auction by Cambi Aste on the morning of Thursday 16 July 2020, during auction #481 dedicated to modern and contemporary art, photography and comics, starting at 10am (Bologna time) until the end of the last batch. The auction will be streamed online and offers can be placed directly from the page of the site which can be accessed via a link obtained during the registration phase.
Registrations are already open on www.cambiaste.com. The site is available in Italian, English, French and Chinese, while the auctioneer’s live streaming will only be in Italian.
The proceeds from the sale of the work will be entirely donated to the Policlinico di S. Orsola in Bologna.
He continues with his two-part Facebook videos, telling fans and customers they are also planning a hi-tech scrambler model and a cruiser, following the successful path Ducati has taken in recent years.
2020 Ducati Diavel 1260 S
2020 Ducati Scrambler 1100 PRO
There are few details and no timeline, but it is interesting he would confirm these long-held rumours.
Ducati has built a limited-edition Scrambler 1100 Sport PRO with 500 Euros from the sale of each going to help the recovery of Bologna COVID-19 patients.
The problem is, the bike is only available to sell to the 80 members of the exclusive Scuderia Club Italia.
Ducati Scrambler 1100 PRO models in January
The sports-cultural association was founded in 1989 by vintage/racing car drivers, connoisseurs and motoring enthusiasts who design and develop original versions of cars and motorcycles.
They worked with the Ducati Design Centre to develop the limited edition Scrambler in a similar partnership that also produced 36 Monster 900 Club Italia bikes in 1995. The bikes are now highlight sought after collectors’ items.
The Scrambler Scrambler Ducati Club Italia model features unique graphics, a red leather seat by Poltrona Frau with embroidered Club Italia logo and a metallic blue tank with bright red side panels, topped off by the Giugiaro-designed Ducati logo.
The frame has the same metallic blue finish as the tank, while the rear subframe comes in natural aluminium with an aluminium numbered plaque.
The front and rear fenders are in aluminium with a tricolour finish and the wheels have black spokes.
Of course, it has Termignoni titanium silencers and there is plenty of billet aluminium in the tank cap, LED indicator bodies, brake and clutch levers, brake and clutch fluid reservoir covers, frame plugs and footpegs.
Funds to COVID recovery
Ducati will donate 500 euros from each bike sold to the #raceagainstCovid, the Ducati charity to help the S. Orsola Hospital in Bologna for the recovery of Covid-19 patients.
Bike deliveries will begin in September. Each customer will also receive a personalised bike cover, a certificate of authenticity and a hand-crafted Bell helmet that matches the colour of the bike and features dedicated graphics.
The future Scrambler Ducati could be a blend of Scrambler and Hypermotard judging by the winner of a recent design competitionat the renowned ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California.
Students were asked to design the future for the top-selling Scrambler family and the winner was Peter Harkins who wins a training internship at the Ducati Design Center in Borgo Panigale.
The submissions were judged by Ducati designer Jeremy Faraud and Design Centre director Andrea Ferraresi.
Rather than a trellis frame it features a complex cradle frame.
Most of 10 submissions to the judges were for electric Scramblers.
However, Peter’s winning design features what looks like a single-cylinder engine, rather than the L-twin, plus a re-routed header and single sided underseat muffler.
It is also sleeker like the Hypermotard with a flatter fuel tank, high fender and slimmer seat. Also, gone are the iconic and interchangeable tank side panels.
Scrambler future?
It’s an interesting design shift for the future Scrambler and we wonder whether Ducati will take note.
Andreas says the collaboration with the college has “given rise to an interesting exchange experience with students from different cultural and academic backgrounds, who have reinterpreted our Scrambler Ducati in a creative way and with very distant points of view”.
“Peter Harkins was the best in transforming the brief into a decidedly spot-on project,” he says.
“His work proved to be particularly complete in the study of the proportions and in the development of the details.
“The reinterpretation that he proposed takes its inspiration from the values of the brand and maintains the typical stylistic canons of the Scrambler Ducati, such as lightness, simplicity of lines and the headlamp characterised by the unmistakable X, now recognised as the signature of the bike.”
Design awards
Ducati Streetfighter V4 wins most beautiful bike at EICMA
Design as much as performance is important to Ducati and they have the runs on the board for both.
They are the most prestigious industrial design awards in the world, presented by the Chicago Athenaeum, Museum of Architecture and Design and the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
And then there’s Massimo Tamburini’s famous 916 which many rightfully regard as the world’s most beautiful bike.
1994 Ducati 916
Ugly stick
However, Ducati doesn’t always get it right.
Remember the slab-sided Paso models from the eighties — not a good decade for fashion or design!
Revzilla said: “It looks like a 1987 Honda Hurricane smashed into a Suzuki RF900.”
Thankfully Ducati totally redeemed the Multistrada with a complete redesign in 2010 into one of the prettiest of the brutish adventure bike category.
Uglystrada
Redesigned Multistrada
Scrambler design
No matter what you think of the modern “scramblers” and whether they are true scramblers, Ducati really has scored an ace with the design.
When the Scrambler family was introduced in 2015, they immediately became the company’s top seller.
That’s not to say they are not without their design quirks.
The most obvious is the looping cables which are reminiscent of original scramblers.
Loopy cabling
When Ducati unveiled its Pro models recently the cabling had been tidied up and tucked away.
Hopefully that will flow through to the rest of the range.
And the long trailing fender has been replaced with the remote fender from the Icon.
2020 Ducati Scrambler 1100 Pro
Design master
Despite its design credentials, the object of the ArtCenter lecture by Scrambler designer Jeremy Faraud was to get the students to help design the Scrambler of the future.
Students will submit their designs to Ducati who will recruit one lucky student for an internship at the Ducati Design Centre.
Jeremy talks with ArtCenter students (Image: James Lipman / jameslipman.com)
The Pasadena event will also be followed in Bologna, where a second training and meeting event is scheduled for March, involving the most important Italian design institutes.
Tapping into millennials for design guidance is a smart move that should see Ducati sitting atop the motorcycle design throne for years to come.
Which motorcycle company do you think is the leader in design? Leave your comments below.
MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR
Ducati Streetfighter V4 wins most beautiful bike at EICMA
1994 Ducati 916
Ducati Paso is no design master
Loopy cabling
2020 Ducati Scrambler 1100 Pro
Jeremy talks with ArtCenter students (Image: James Lipman / jameslipman.com)