Brixton’s Crossfire 500 XC Scrambler Unleashed

Brixton Motorcycles might not be a household name, but this Austrian motorcycling brand is trying to carve out a niche for itself with retro-styled motorcycles. Its largest motorcycle – the Crossfire 500 – now has a more hardcore scrambler version, called the Crossfire 500 XC. It has gone on sale in China, which is where the bike is made, at 37,800 Chinese Yen or approximately Rs 4.53 lakh (without Indian custom duties and taxes).

As the heart of it, the XC shares virtually most of its mechanicals with the standard Crossfire 500. Nestled in the tubular steel perimeter frame, the 486cc twin-cylinder liquid-cooled engine arrives in the same state of tune: 47.58PS and 43Nm. It might just feel a little less eager on the XC though, as it tips the scales at 195kg, 5kg more than the regular.

• THIS Is How The Iconic Hero Honda CD100’s Modern Avatar Should Look!
• Yamaha Reveals Its EV Future
• Rumour - Honda Developing 250cc Scrambler!

In terms of components, there is a step up on the XC. Even though the company hasn’t shared the suspension travel on either bikes, the XC gets extra sophistication with a fully-adjustable USD fork and a preload and rebound adjustable monoshock. The XC also gets a 19-/17-inch tubeless wire spoke rim setup with dual purpose tyres. Braking hardware, though, remains the same.

Aesthetically, the XC looks a lot more rugged as well, which becomes apparent with its headlight grille and short and stubby high-raised front mudguard. Brixton hasn’t changed the shape of the fuel tank. Instead, it has given it a desert brown shade and thrown in rubberised tank grips to the equation as well. There’s an extra number plate panel on both sides of the bike.

The company has also tweaked the ergonomics to suit the butch vibe. The flatter seat has been raised to 840mm, 45mm higher than the regular Crossfire. Lastly, the controls have been raised and are closer to the rider too.

Neither the Crossfire 500 XC nor the standard bike have any scope of arriving in India. It is an interesting bike for sure, something that we would love to have a go on. If you want a similar scrambler-style motorcycle, the Yezdi Scrambler does present itself as a strong contender. It looks smashing and is certainly not for the faint hearted. Royal Enfield’s Scram 411 on the other hand will have similar styling to the Himalayan but it will be slightly more relaxed than the Scrambler as well as its adventure sibling.