[v4run]

I was one of the first 10k customers to book the bike after FOMOing on the hype they created. I knew the showroom would be flooded with all kinds of customers and so I have held back taking the test drive up until now. For the past 2 weeks, I have been getting calls from the Triumph showroom at random times during the day and I have told them explicitly that with the flood of customers, the initial days have I won’t be able to take a proper decision and the test drive will be rushed, but the woman on the call insisted that I come to take a test drive and told me that the initial rush of customers has died down we’ll be able to attend to you, so I went to the showroom on Friday evening at 5 ish, leaving the office early that day. Upon entering the showroom, no salesperson attended to me, I went on to look at the bikes on display, in total there were around 15 bikes on the showroom floor out of which 10-11 were speed 400. And when I asked the guy cleaning the bikes(because only he was the person who wasn’t talking to anybody else) he said that deliveries have started and some of these bikes are being delivered today. I find a way and talk to one of the salespeople and immediately he cuts me off and asks if I wanted a TD, and then pointed me to a guy who then asked me fill out a form and took a photo of my DL. Now I was asked to go outside and take a test drive, there was a long queue of customers waiting for the test drive and I had to wait around 30 mins. The test drive was very very very short and I can’t believe how they expect us to make a decision with and I quote “take the second U-turn and on the way back take the first U-turn”. The total ride would not even be more than a kilometre. The test drive process was a mess, to be honest.

The bike

I had a lot of hopes for this after watching all the reviews and I come from a Pulsar 150 having ridden my brother’s RC390 a lot, my driving style is frequent gear changes and always keeping the revs in the peak power zone, and the pulsar and the RC390 tuned me that way. This bike does not need 60% of the gear changes I make, it always picks up in any gear at any speed, it is a very forgiving bike and lets you make mistakes, this is where I found this to be more beginner-friendly rather than being a challenge for a more experienced rider which the RC390 is. Speed 400 feels like a bike someone would buy as their first bike and work their way up while the rc390 feels like a bike someone would buy after working their way up. And in India, the RC makes more sense.

The speed 400 looks glamorous in every angle and the mirrors are by far the best ones I have come across. The suspension eats up everything in its way and doesn’t jerk you in your seat, it simply swallows the bumps. The handlebar was wider than my liking and the width of it asks you to sit forward. The grips on it were really good (grippy and soft rubber, can’t really describe it) but felt like they would need a replacement sooner than most. The brakes were a surprise, really, I didn’t expect it to brake that hard; they are more than sufficient for the bike for everything it offers. The tachometer and speedometer console is pure garbage no doubt about it, I can already imagine some customers shying away from this bike just because of that console.

Now coming to the engine, it is very forgiving and tractable, clearly focused on new riders, doesn’t need a lot of gear changes, doesn’t need to be revved hard, and doesn’t need to be kept at that happy zone of the engine. If you are someone who is experienced and your wrist works as an auto-blipper every time you downshift, then the bike isn’t for you. The engine doesn’t feel exhilarating but has plenty of power. The engine character has a more city bike vibe, but the power can tame our Indian highways; it’s like the power is restricted by the engine's character. I went in with thick jeans and leather boots and still felt a lot of heat (probably because the bikes were ridden hard all day long). I will give this aspect the benefit of the doubt and move on to the footpegs, which are very close to the pillion foot pegs and whenever I put the foot in its right position, it hits the pillion foot pegs.

This bike is beginner friendly than most in this segment, and I would not jump the gun on this. When asked about this, his response sounded like, “It is what it is”. It is up to you guys what you make of it.

[Sebring]

Looks like an oil leak from your pic

Originally Posted by v4run

When asked about this, his response sounded like, “It is what it is”. It is up to you guys what you make of it.

[5h1n1gam1]

I'm just getting into the biking scene and looking to buy my first bike. Something to ride daily to the office and the occasional long ride. So I had a test ride of the the Speed 400, the Honda CB350s, and the Classic 350 yesterday at the Andheri showrooms in Mumbai. For some reason, I had the Classic as my second preference pre-test ride, now it's out of the picture. Honestly can't compare to the other two.

I was already one of the first 10k customers to book the triumph, so it took me about 25 mins or so after I stepped in to Shaman Triumph, to get a test ride. Like others have said, it was really short and wasn't enough time to get a real feel for the bike. Two things i did notice were the heat off the engine, and how easily it pulled from low speeds even at higher gears. I wore regular chinos for the ride as this is what i wear to the office, and the heat was noticeable but not particularly uncomfortable. Very nimble and really eager to speed is what I felt. There were some vibrations at higher RPMs but i think that's pretty normal. Honestly, i think it could be a really fun ride. The sales guys were a little swamped but still gave a decent service when approached. I was told the colour I booked would be ready for delivery by the end of Aug but any change in colour would mean another 2-3 weeks of delay. They also informed me that they haven't started the BH registrations yet, but it would be possible. They were offering about 8.40% in terms of finance.

I left and visited the BigWing showroom nearby to test ride the CB350 and the CB350 RS, and boy oh boy. Definitely not as thrilling or fun as the Triumph, but so smooth. Safe, more confidence-inspiring and overall a very relaxed bike. The sales guy said they'd be able to deliver it within a week, so that is definitely something to consider. Also, the finance ROI they offer is 6.9%

So anyway, that's where I'm at now. I was hoping to finalise my decision and put down a downpayment today, but I'm confused between the two. I really like the Triumph but the risk of it being a new launch and any issues that have yet to crop up makes me shy away from getting it. I'll gladly take any advice if anyone has any.

Thanks

[pratik_terni]

I managed to get a short test ride the Speed 400 on Friday and a slightly longer test ride on Saturday. I am considering the Speed 400 as a replacement to my 9 year old CBR for city and occasional highway rides.

Observations:

I loved the comfortable seating position, the comfort, the light clutch and the flickability that the bike provided in the city. I did not notice any bothering vibrations that took my attention away from the overall riding experience.
A friend who rides an Interceptor, agreed with the observations as well. My friend did find the performance to be a bit sluggish, since he is used to the Interceptor. He did admit though that it was definitely a better bike to be ridden in the city since the Interceptor is heavier and has a harder clutch which is enough to cause discomfort.

The suspension is setup beautifully. The bike is very confidence inspiring in corners, not that I am skilled enough to do high lean angles, but just saying.
Being used to the CBR, I was downshifting in traffic as I slowed down. I had to put in a concious effort to not downshift, and see to if it can be ridden in higher gears at low speeds. The bike was very comfortable doing speeds of 30-35 kmph in 3rd gear, not so much in the 4th gear. But was quick to accelerate from those speeds.
I was not bothered by any vibrations, not that they weren't there. Just that I did not notice them.

When I rode back on the CBR, it just felt slow, more on that later though.

I even test rode the KTM 390 to compare it with my current bike and Speed 400.

Observations:

The bike had to be in the right gear for the right speed unlike the Speed 400. The bike made it crystal clear that it hated to be in the higher gears at low speeds. The riding position is different, it is more focussed at getting pushing the bike harder. The acceleration though was much better than the Speed 400, not that the Speed 400 is sluggish but the Duke is on a different level. It was supper addictive. At the same time the vibrations were very prominent. The vibrations made their presence felt when i test rode the ADV 390 a few weeks back as well. The vibrations were a downer, so much so that they had my attention. The suspension was stiffer, probably tuned for better handling.

When i got back on my CBR, it felt a lot smoother even after having completed 9 years and only 39k kms.

I got a call later in the day from the Keerthi showroom asking for a full payment and that they'd deliver the bike in 15 days. I asked them to hold my booking since i will be out of town for a few weeks.

Currently the Speed is the preferred choice because of the overall experience and because of the higher vibrations on the Duke 390.

A couple of questions though:
1. This is my first new bike. We did buy a new car, so i am guessing it is normal to make the full payment before hand. Can someone please confirm?
2. A bit off topic, but does the duke 390 really vibrate that much or does it get better?

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by 5h1n1gam1

I left and visited the BigWing showroom nearby to test ride the CB350 and the CB350 RS, and boy oh boy. Definitely not as thrilling or fun as the Triumph, but so smooth. Safe, more confidence-inspiring and overall a very relaxed bike.

I really like the Triumph but the risk of it being a new launch and any issues that have yet to crop up makes me shy away from getting it. I'll gladly take any advice if anyone has any.

First things first, you need to sort your mind between the two because you have to live with your choice for a reasonable amount of time. Your comments seem to indicate you have a preference for the Honda and yet you really like the Triumph. Not to worry, it’s not because you are new to biking, all of us have the heart and mind issues while choosing a bike

I would suggest you take back to back test rides of both these bikes again. Take a longer ride on both of them or take yet another ride. A lot of times two or three rides are required to sort out the clutter in our minds.

After the above, sit with your preferred drink 😊 and go through the rides in your mind. Think about how each bike made you feel. Then think which one of them you would like to be riding day in and day out. You should have your choice with this thought process.

The Honda has been time tested and the Triumph is new no doubt about that. But having said that I don’t see a real issue or problem with either choice. Buy the one on which you feel the most comfortable and smile the widest.

Do update us on your thought process and eventual choice.

Cheers

[sprocket]

Took a test drive today at ~10Am. I really wanted to like the bike and had convinced home ministry, parents and everyone else that this is the ideal bike to get back to biking after COVID. Even got a new helmet to match!

I now realise what Shumi said about this bike. It felt like I was back on my Gen 1 Pulsar 150 with similar styling, gearing, seating. The ride was a short one and to my luck the road was empty for a little while as well and could accelerate briefly. The engine is definitely not super smooth even in the lower rev ranges, maybe it becomes better with more kms (test bike had done ~950 odd kms).

At the end of it, I felt something was missing; it didn't pull at my heart strings the way I wished for . Tried to get a test ride for a RE CGT 650 (the one that got away). Couldn't as it was away for a Sunday ride. Taking a TD tomorrow.

[SAS]

Originally Posted by snappysam

On observing the Speed 400, few features that struck me was that the bike had a comfortable seat height for short-riders. I am 5' 6" and my friend is quite a bit shorter yet both of us could easily plant our feet on the ground while seated on the bike.

Any idea how comfortable the scrambler will be for a 5' 6 person? Im that height and would prefer the Scrambler to the Speed. I know its not launched as yet, but some guidance from others on the forum will help me make an informed decision. I would like the scrambler, the only doubt in my head would be seat height. Else will go for the Speed

[Grr7]

Greetings fellow members,

There are many posts in this thread describing about houlw Speed 400 is very comfortable for short height or average height riders.

However, for tall riders like me (6' 01''), I could not find any mention.

As a corollary to above posts, can it be assumed that the riding stance/posture for tall riders would be odd or not as comfortable since this bike is programmed the other way?

[shailinder]

Originally Posted by SAS

Any idea how comfortable the scrambler will be for a 5' 6 person? Im that height and would prefer the Scrambler to the Speed. I know its not launched as yet, but some guidance from others on the forum will help me make an informed decision. I would like the scrambler, the only doubt in my head would be seat height. Else will go for the Speed

Since 400X has not yet launched, I will suggest a test ride KTM 390 or 250 ADV "V" variant. It will give you a perspective of seat height. However, both bikes are in different leagues or must be in different leagues.

And, for suspension setup, you can test-ride BMW G310GS. It has a similar seat height of ~835mm. BMW has a soft suspension, whereas KTM ADVs are stiff.

[snappysam]

Originally Posted by SAS

Any idea how comfortable the scrambler will be for a 5' 6 person? Im that height and would prefer the Scrambler to the Speed. I know its not launched as yet, but some guidance from others on the forum will help me make an informed decision. I would like the scrambler, the only doubt in my head would be seat height. Else will go for the Speed

I posed the same question to the Sales Advisor. He said that the seat height was 835mm which is 5mm more than the Duke 390(my bike), which I find to be a bit taller than optimum. So if he is correct, you will not be able to plant both your feet on the ground while being seated. Scrambler arrives in showrooms in october is the SA's reckoning. Speed 400 will be perfect, height wise, for both of you.

[rahul4321]

Originally Posted by pratik_terni

The bike had to be in the right gear for the right speed unlike the Speed 400. The bike made it crystal clear that it hated to be in the higher gears at low speeds. The riding position is different, it is more focussed at getting pushing the bike harder. The acceleration though was much better than the Speed 400, not that the Speed 400 is sluggish but the Duke is on a different level. It was supper addictive. At the same time the vibrations were very prominent. The vibrations made their presence felt when i test rode the ADV 390 a few weeks back as well. The vibrations were a downer, so much so that they had my attention. The suspension was stiffer, probably tuned for better handling.
2. A bit off topic, but does the duke 390 really vibrate that much or does it get better?

Hi Pratik, I have been using the Duke 390 for over 4 years now and I can confirm that you are right that the motorcycle is extremely unhappy at higher gears at low speeds. It will make you feel how unhappy it is by jerking around and providing snatchy throttle responses. However, that is the nature of the beast. But I can confirm that there are no vibrations whatsover; the motorcycle is silky smooth. I have ridden my motorcycle for 23xxx kilometers and I can confirm that it is like a hot knife through butter. There are no vibrations at all either on the handlebar or the footpegs or anywhere on the motorcycle. The vibrations are only present if you lug the motorcycle at higher speeds in low gears. Otherwise none.

Also as a bonus; at speeds between 90 kilometers per hour to 130 kilometers per hour the motorcycle becomes one with your body and obeys your every instinct even before your brain turns it into a command. Forget vibrations; the motorcycle feels like an extension of your body and you can feel every pebble on the road as you motor along. This would not be possible if you had external factors (engine vibrations / chassis vibrations or any type of resonance). If you want something hardcore - look no further than the Duke. If you want something middle of the road, I guess the Speed 400 is the one for you. I have not yet ridden the Speed 400 so my conclusion of the 'middle of the road' remark is purely me picking out the common denominator amongst the many comments on this thread + youtube reviews which say the Speed 400 seems to be a jack of all trades - master of none

[ani_meher]

Originally Posted by SAS

Any idea how comfortable the scrambler will be for a 5' 6 person?

You will struggle to put a single flat foot, or will need to tiptoe. Tall sole shoes may help slightly.

Originally Posted by Grr7

As a corollary to above posts, can it be assumed that the riding stance/posture for tall riders would be odd or not as comfortable since this bike is programmed the other way?

Yes. At above 6 feet, speed 400 will look tiny. I suspect that even scrambler may seem small, because except the height, other dimensions are same as speed, which is already a nimble bike.

[iron.head]

If I might add my 2 cents, I'll say that KTM/Bajaj spent quite a while to improvise the 390 engine and has been perfected over the years. So much so that this keeps the price of the 390s quite high and very much to Bajaj's dismay. The only resort to lower the price on the 390 Adventure was to remove the IMU and the sensors. 390s are priced almost 2x outside of India.

Speed 400 on the other hand has a much lower price to start with and possibly lacks the engine characteristics of the 390 and I truly believe in when they say that you get what you pay for. My bet would always be on the KTM as I would hate to have engine repairs anytime earlier than 60,000 or 100,000 kms.

[abtyagi]

Originally Posted by SAS

Any idea how comfortable the scrambler will be for a 5' 6 person? Im that height and would prefer the Scrambler to the Speed. I know its not launched as yet, but some guidance from others on the forum will help me make an informed decision. I would like the scrambler, the only doubt in my head would be seat height. Else will go for the Speed

This is a reference video for a 5'10 tip-toeing on the scambler.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMIAMyVwW6M

[gtx2]

Originally Posted by pratik_terni

I managed to get a short test ride the Speed 400 on Friday and a slightly longer test ride on Saturday. I am considering the Speed 400 as a replacement to my 9 year old CBR for city and occasional highway rides.

Observations:

I loved the comfortable seating position, the comfort, the light clutch and the flickability that the bike provided in the city. I did not notice any bothering vibrations that took my attention away from the overall riding experience.
A friend who rides an Interceptor, agreed with the observations as well. My friend did find the performance to be a bit sluggish, since he is used to the Interceptor. He did admit though that it was definitely a better bike to be ridden in the city since the Interceptor is heavier and has a harder clutch which is enough to cause discomfort.

Going through the same . Speed/Scrambler 400 or Interceptor. Same observations same confusion. Interceptor with all its positives is not a comfortable bike compared to speed and the Speed surprisingly is very smooth considering the single cylinder engine.

Will Speed 400 bother the rider on longer rides and will the vibrations/heat eventually start to be an issue is a question which will only get answered when ownership reviews start to come in.