[Axe77]

Triumph Scrambler 400 X Review

Triumph Scrambler 400 X Pros

• Quintessential Triumph design that looks distinctly like its bigger Scrambler siblings for the most part
• Build quality, fit and finish are among the best in the segment
• Thanks to its taller and more substantial stance, it does better visual justice to the 400cc ‘big bike’ feeling than the much more compact Speed 400
• Larger riders will also appreciate its relatively roomier ergonomics compared to the Speed
• Nice bespoke touches which lend aesthetic value as well as utility where needed - sturdier metal bash plate, headlight grille, twin barrel exhaust with the black cladding, round indicators, tank grips, step-up seat to highlight some
• 19” wheel, superior ground clearance, longer wheelbase and better suspension travel, all make for a much more stability-biased ride, in keeping with its Scrambler DNA
• 39.5 BHP engine is reasonably tractable with a strong pull. Smooth & refined power delivery at a kerb weight of ~185 kg results in fairly peppy performance aided further by a slick 6-speed gearbox
• Still a hoot to ride despite its taller stance and longer wheelbase
• Generous 16,000 km / 1-year service interval. Parts and service costs are also expected to be kept competitive

Triumph Scrambler 400 X Cons

• Missing features like connected tech, riding modes, adjustable clutch and brake levers, etc.
• Inexperienced riders (especially shorter ones) may find the 835 mm seat height a tad challenging
• Analogue + digital instrument cluster doesn't suit the bike's character
• Some ergonomic issues such as mirrors fouling with hand and footpegs flexing downwards while stand-up riding
• Vibrations at higher rpms
• Split rear seat is compact. Riders should carefully evaluate how comfortable the bike will be for two-up touring with luggage if that is a key use case
• Only single-sided saddle bag luggage is being offered by Triumph as of now. You will have to look at aftermarket solutions for double-sided saddle bags or wider luggage options
• Entire service experience remains uncharted territory with Triumph leaving a negative perception on this front in some parts of the country. Whether one can have a positive dealership experience under Bajaj’s watch is something that remains to be seen

Introduction

We rode the Triumph Speed 400 in July 2023 and came back suitably impressed with the first products to come from the Bajaj-Triumph collaboration. Ever since that ride, we’ve been waiting for the impending launch of the Scrambler 400 and we finally got to ride it last week. Our detailed official review of the Speed 400 is available to read at this link. The history of the partnership culminating into the development and the launch of these twins is set in the link above. In general, this review will focus on the distinctive aspects of the Scrambler.

From a business standpoint, it's been a busy few months since the launch of the bike. We were informed that as of the week of our media rides, close to 9,000 Speed 400s have been dispatched from Bajaj’s factory to its various dealerships across India. Dealer expansion is in full swing too. Readers will recall Bajaj's stated target of having dealerships across 120 cities over the next two years. To that end, as of 1st October, Triumph and Bajaj have already expanded their footprint from 14 to 25 cities and expanded the dealer touch points from 14 to 35. This is an encouraging sign and we hope that the partners manage to widen their dealer network to as many more cities as possible in the short to mid-term, for customers to have the necessary sales and service experience in their cities.

Other initiatives to entice customers include a 24x7x365 RSA at a nominal price of Rs. 500 as well as including the extended warranty into the price of the bike, as detailed later in this review.

Triumph Scrambler 400 X Pricing

When the Speed 400 was launched, most sections of the media were expecting an ex-showroom price of anywhere between Rs. 2.70 - 3.0 lakh. To launch the Speed at an astonishing Rs. 2.33 lakh (ex-showroom) was nothing short of pulling the proverbial rabbit out of the hat (Rs. 2.23 lakh for the first 10,000 bookings).

It's fair to say that prospective customers were now expecting the Scrambler at a similarly aggressive price tag, bench-marked to the Speed. Bajaj and Triumph have priced this at ~Rs. 2.63 lakh - Rs. 30,000 over the Speed 400 (and Rs. 40,000 for customers who are comparing it to the introductory 2.23 lakh price point).

While the price difference over the Speed seems to be have caused some disappointment amongst the acutely value conscious, viewed in isolation, its still a decent value proposition for the Scrambler. To my mind, this is fair money for what you’re getting in the Scrambler although it may not be as aggressively positioned as many were hoping.

[Axe77]

Design & Styling

The Triumph’s classic Scrambler DNA is clear in every respect when you walk around the bike, showcasing a clean and classy neo-retro silhouette. The Scrambler 400 is every bit a Triumph classic, clearly demonstrating the design philosophy of its older 900 and 1200 siblings.

From a design perspective, there are three most prominent distinguishing features compared to the bigger Scramblers. The first is the monoshock that underpins this 400, as opposed to the twin RSUs on the larger bikes. The second is the predictable decision to offer a more pillion-friendly designed upswept exhaust. This is in keeping with its mass market aspirations, contrasted to the high-set style exhaust, which is a distinctive design feature of the full-fat offerings. The third is the choice of alloy wheel design where the bigger Scramblers have the spoke wheels, which do better justice to its classic heritage as well as its Scrambler performance. Barring these three elements, the 400 looks very much like a slightly junior version of its bigger siblings.

The bike is extremely well proportioned and stands nice and tall, true to its Scrambler heritage, boasting a reasonably tall seat height of 835 mm. Compared to the more compact Speed, the wheelbase is longer, the handlebars taller and wider and the entire rider triangle is more upright with a revised rake and trail as well. This lends a more substantial look and feel to the bike compared to its roadster sibling.

There are a number of distinct visual cues as well that stamp its Scrambler identity. The seat is a two step design in a lovely brown colour with contrast stitching. The headlights have a useful protective grill with the Triumph logo tastefully worked into the centre. There is a stronger metal sump guard below, a radiator grille as standard and differently designed and sturdier 10-spoke alloy wheels to give it that rugged look. The upswept exhaust has a lovely double barrel design with a black cased finish.

The Scrambler comes in three colours - matte khaki green (which by far seemed to be favoured by most), rich metallic red similar to the one on the Speed and all-black. The test ride units were limited to red and khaki green.

The rear features the same subtle but classily designed LED lights with a slightly redesigned grab rail which leaves a lovely naked look when viewed from the rear. Given that they've gone with a monoshock though, I feel the rear would have looked cleaner with a tyre hugger than the extended tail which holds the number plate.

The quality of components, combined with immaculate attention to detail to the minutest styling cues give it a premium feel on the whole. Some may nitpick and say that this is a somewhat soft take on a Scrambler instead of the more hardcore image of the 900 and 1200. I do think, however, that the design / specification departures on the exhaust design and alloy wheels are in keeping with its mass market aspirations combined with its price segmentation and these are perfectly understandable compromises in the larger scheme of things.

Overall, I’d say this is a design that is likely to offend few and find favour with most and full marks to Triumph and Bajaj for such a fantastic effort.

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

Top-notch and undoubtedly class-leading. This does not feel like a cut-price, built to cost effort by any measure. The effort expended in its design also comes out in the build. The general touch and feel of the switchgear are in line with segment standards. Wiring too is organised neatly with no ungainly visual elements in plain sight. Paint quality seemed to be of a high order and I could not see any quality gaps in the overall fit & finish of the bike.

The quality from the seats and lights, right down to the nuts and bolts is excellent – every obvious touch point felt good to touch and built to last. Over the few hours that I spent with the bikes, I could not see any glaring issues and the overall quality exuded by the bike was confidence inspiring. The same was the experience during the ride itself where it did seem to be a well-put-together bike, ready for the rough and tumble of our daily riding routes.

Features and Instrumentation

Let's start with the feature set via the spec sheet. The bike comes equipped with ride by wire throttle, slipper clutch, ABS, and immobilizer. It does not come with riding modes but instead has switchable traction control (with a simple binary setting that allows it to be either on or off). The sole difference is that unlike the more road-biased Speed, the slightly more mud-friendly Scrambler also has a binary control for ABS, which can be set to ON or OFF via an Off Road setting.

The switch gear itself is quintessentially Triumph and relatively simple and intuitive to operate as the classic line has always been. It displays the most important data through a simple “Information” switch that toggles through the menus, including two trip meters, real-time FE, average FE, distance to empty (DTE), traction control settings, a fuel gauge and necessary warning lights. While riding the Speed, the DTE had seemed to act a little glitchy and every now and then it would show 990 km before switching back to a more realistic readout. I did not thankfully experience this on the Scrambler media bike that I was allocated.



The speedometer is not its strongest design win in my opinion. They could have either gone with a completely classic twin dial setup or alternately gone with a more modern single neo-retro round digital speedometer - my personal preference would have been the simple and elegant design found on the bigger Scramblers. Instead, they’ve gone with a round analogue speedo on the left that morphs into a digital instrument towards its right. Overall it just looks awkward and from a design aesthetic sense, falls in no man’s land. The RPM readout too is extremely underwhelming as a short vertical bar and giving it a more prominent place in the speedometer would have been nicer, even if it meant flipping the speed itself to a numerical readout. But these aspects are subjective and I’m sure many will find the design perfectly fine.

Notably, of course, it is firmly in the analogue / semi-digital camp and it doesn’t seem ready to accept any sort of smart connectivity features as an add-on. Bajaj calls this equipping the bike with “relevant tech” and while of course, this is a marketing spiel at some level, endorsing the decisions they’ve taken to achieve their cost and sale price targets, I can relate to these decisions. I seriously doubt I’d miss connected tech on a bike in this segment and am happier that they’ve given it the right specs and features in the areas that matter most. As someone who does go off road at every chance I get, I particularly appreciate the ability to switch ABS ‘On’ / ‘Off’ via the “Off Road” setting.

Wheels & Tyres

The bike is equipped with sturdier 'for India' spec cast aluminium alloys with a 100/90 R19 tyre in the front and a slightly slimmer than Speed 140/80 R17 tyre at the rear. The alloy wheel design is slightly different from the Speed with an even sturdier construction contributing in part to the additional weight that the Scrambler carries. Unlike the Speed, which has two OEM tyre options, the block pattern tyres available on the Scrambler are limited to the MRF Zapper Kurve F.

While the international offerings are equipped with Metzelers, these tyres will sit at a price point that is more in tune with this price segment. With their harder compound, they are also likely to last a more realistic 18,000 – 20,000 km as opposed to the international options, which may provide a relatively shorter life.

In the limited ~120 odd km of riding the bike, I found the tyres alright. However, I don’t believe I pushed the bike hard enough on tarmac or ventured in extreme enough off-road conditions to have a definitive view. I would like to reserve judgment on this aspect only if I can experience the bike over a longer duration and in more varied conditions. In particular, I’d be interested in knowing how these perform in the wet, specially when going off the tarmac.

Ergonomics and Comfort

Seat height is a reasonably tall 835 mm with a slightly tapered front seat to aid reach to the ground. The handlebars as we mentioned are also taller and wider but the seat to footpeg geometry is nice, upright and neutral. Also, the way the bike is designed, it should be comfortable for a wide range of riders while the bike is on the move. Shorter folk, however, may find the reach to the ground a tad awkward, especially if they are less experienced riders.

While overall, especially while seated, the ergonomics are excellent, there are two distinct misses on this front, particularly while riding standing up. I struggled to find a suitable position for the mirrors, which tends to foul with the forearm when riding standing up. I must add though that the adjustments were hurried. The second aspect that is absolutely inexplicable is the prominent downward flex in the footpegs. While standing and riding, this feels extremely unsettling and really is something the Triumph / Bajaj designers should revisit. I specifically gave this feedback to the Triumph design team - hopefully if we get some aftermarket footpeg options, this is something that will be easily fixable.

I'm 5'4" tall and that’s me seated on the bike, in head on and side on views. Note that I still can’t comfortably flat foot on even one side at my height:




The bike weighs in at about 185 kg (kerb) thanks to some India-specific add-ons like the saree guard, front number plate and its bracket, the India spec wheels and tyres, grabrails, etc. A small aesthetically well-designed wind deflector is an accessory. Only those riders who specifically want the wind protection can opt for it while others may well choose to give this a miss, given it may not be critical for cruising in early triple-digit speeds.

While I obviously only rode solo, the pillion seat, thanks to its split design seemed a tad compact for larger pillions. This is not unusual for a Scrambler, but for folks who are considering this for frequent two-up touring with luggage, I would advise them to carefully consider the seating comfort with their preferred luggage solutions added. On a quick glance, I got the feeling that the overall seating is not as generously proportioned as other direct rivals like the 390 Adventure or even the Himalayan which are perhaps a hint more touring friendly. Again, I didn’t have these bikes simultaneously at hand for a direct comparison, but I’d encourage prospective buyers to consider this aspect once before taking a decision, if this is a significant use case for such riders.

Fuel Tank Capacity & Range

The fuel tank capacity is 13 litres and assuming fuel efficiency is in the ballpark of 27 – 28 km/l, this should be good for about 250 – 270 km before the bike requires a refill. Slightly frugal highway riding might help it nudge closer to the 30 km/l mark but these are all company-claimed figures and we did not get the chance to test them in the real world. The Triumph Scrambler 400 X is E20 compatible, with a sticker on the fuel cap prominently proclaiming this.

Maintenance

The bike comes with a class-leading service interval of 16,000 km / 1 year, similar to Triumph’s bigger bikes. I suspect some of us may still want to do some basic maintenance more frequently, but all in all, a one-year interval (assuming you’re within 16,000 km in that period) is still a good place to be.

During the press briefing for the Speed 400, Bajaj had claimed that the overall cost of ownership of the Triumph 400s over a 3-year horizon will be cheaper than the corresponding Royal Enfields. They did not specifically mention which REs are “corresponding” but suffice to say, whether its cheaper to the last dime or not, that should give folks comfort that the cost of ownership is consistent with the domestic 400cc class and prospective buyers should not fear big bike like wallet-busting upkeep.

Hopefully, Bajaj will also take suitable operational measures to ensure the best possible quality of service. That is one area where some Triumph dealers need course correction. However, it is relevant to note that for these bikes, Triumph Bajaj is going to expand from 14 odd dealerships to close to 120 just in the first phase. A notable chunk of these new dealerships, I’m sure, is from the existing fold of dealers selling Bajaj or KTM bikes. So this is a network that Bajaj ASMs and dealer management network already have a ready equation with. I hope they leverage this suitably to deliver a proper premium brand, high-quality experience to its 400cc bike owners, both from the standpoint of technical abilities and overall quality and integrity. During the Scrambler press briefing, we were told that these workshops will conform to the Triumph World Black Standards.

Standard & Extended Warranty

Bajaj and Triumph are including a 5-year extended warranty in the price of the bike. This basically includes a standard 2-year unlimited km warranty and tags on an extended warranty of an additional 3 years and 45,000 km on to that. Basically (as explained to me by a local dealership), whatever the odometer reading at the end of 2 years, the customer will get a warranty of a further 45,000 km over that up to a period of three years. We think this is an excellent proposition and something that should give prospective customers a lot of confidence in becoming early adopters of these brand-new products. This is as explained to us by a dealership though so I’d encourage prospective customers to specifically validate this if considering a purchase.

[Axe77]

Riding the Triumph Scrambler 400 X

Triumph had organised our media ride at a place a little off Kolad, in the interiors of Maharashtra. The location provided ready access to some inner broken B roads as well as straight access leading up to the smooth and flowing twisties of the Tamhini Ghat. While there were some trails going around these routes as well, I was completely alone without a backup car like most. So I simply did not want to risk getting overly adventurous and that too with a test mule. I managed to get 100 – 120 km of riding on a mix of broken small inner roads, as some of the pictures will show, as well as some lovely flowing tarmac where one could push the bike a bit.

Before we come to the ride review, let's spend a little time on the few changes to the bike compared to the Speed. The engine remains the same as the Speed – i.e. – the brand new 398cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine sporting a four-valve, double overhead camshaft setup producing a healthy 39.5 BHP @ 8,000 rpm and 37.5 Nm @ 6,500 rpm delivered via a relatively linear torque curve. However, it has undergone a few tweaks to customise it for this scrambler-styled offering. While the frame architecture of the chassis remains the same, the head stock is further away from the rider as compared to the Speed. The bike also sports a steeper rake angle and increased trail thereby inspiring a lot more confidence in the varied conditions it’ll be subjected to. The front:rear weight distribution has been tweaked to a 48:52 ratio from the 47:53 of the Speed. The other key change is on the sprocket – where the Speed has a 43/15 set up, the Scrambler sports a 43/14 setup in order to boost low-end performance. Other related changes of course are mostly to the ergonomics of the bike which have already been discussed in the previous post.

As with the Speed, given its identical engine setup, the Scrambler too remains smooth and measured in how it delivers its power. The engine is reasonably tractable so you can pull the bike back even if you're in a higher gear than you should be, without the engine complaining too much. Most of the power delivery observations that were made to the Speed hold good for the Scrambler as well and we will not delve into those in too much detail to avoid repetition.

For me personally, given that the majority of my riding experience in recent years has been on more upright adventure-style bikes, the Scrambler immediately felt much more like familiar territory compared to the Speed. I liked its more generous proportions and upright riding posture and despite its tall stance, thanks to its narrow seat and low kerb weight, the bike never felt unwieldy or overwhelming to me. While the riding character is obviously not as sharp as the Speed, the bike is still immensely chuckable and brings in a fun-to-ride quotient in typical Triumph fashion.

Even though its performance is not explosive like the much more aggressive KTMs, it is still playful enough whether you are blazing down broken roads or blasting down on smooth tarmac with twisties, like what we had on offer on the route to Tamhini ghat. I didn’t manage to clock / time my runs the way I could on the Speed, thanks to our time at the Chakan test track, but I expect the in-gear acceleration and top speed figures to be similar to the Speed barring some difference on account of the different sprocketing / final drive for the Scrambler and its slight extra weight.

In terms of different use case scenarios and riding conditions, this Scrambler retains its easy, flickable characteristic and is going to be a fairly versatile companion. It should be a breeze to nip in and out of city traffic, as well as at ease for highway duties and any trails or mild off-roading situations should you venture off the beaten path. I’ve done reasonably adventurous sort of riding on a 19” alloy front wheel without feeling any deal breaker issue or missing larger 21” spoke wheels so I don’t expect this to be any different. It should get the job done in most such situations without any fuss for the rider.

The bike should have enough grunt for two-up riding as well although if you plan to tour with a pillion on this machine, I expect its sweet spot to be in the 80 – 100 km/h zone. The step-up seat is also something users should carefully consider from a pillion comfort standpoint. It is a typical scrambler style of seating and larger pillions may find the pillion seat a tad compact, especially over longer distances.

Refinement & NVH

The engine is very refined with a nice throaty growl from the exhaust. I believe they’ve tweaked the exhaust tune on the Scrambler to provide a slightly more pulsy note but honestly, the difference may be extremely nominal between the two bikes.

Just like the Speed, while there is no excessive buzz or vibrations during typical riding conditions, some vibrations do creep in beyond 7,000 rpm or so. The mirrors, again like the Speed, start blurring out somewhere post 6,000 rpm - something to be mindful of. I personally didn’t find the vibrations a fatal issue, but opinions and tolerance towards this is clearly varied and this is, again, something each rider may want to consider carefully based on his / her own preference.

Suspension and Handling

The bike sports a 43 mm upside-down big piston fork suspension at the front, with 150 mm wheel travel while the rear is brought up by a gas monoshock RSU with an external reservoir and 10-step pre-load adjustment, again sporting 150 mm of wheel travel. Each is made by Endurance, a Bajaj sister concern.

I didn’t check the stock setting in which they gave me the bike, but I found the ride quality supple enough for comfort in my time spent on some broken B roads. The suspension set up is outstanding and the bike was perfectly at ease going through typically broken roads, potholes and whatnot - at no point did it feel skittish or even too firm. The ground clearance is of course excellent. I can confidently say it's more than capable of handling whatever our regular roads throw up.

Handling, despite the 19” wheel, longer wheelbase and taller stance remains as engaging as one expects from any Triumph and even in Scrambler guise, this 400 X is immensely flickable, agile and quick to change direction as and when you need. This bike can be pushed and it'll be rewarding enough, specially with the go anywhere peace of mind that comes with its XL ground clearance. Don't expect manic performance or raw thrills - this is a more sophisticated and measured riding experience - but pushed hard, it's playful enough for most.

Braking

Brakes are by ByBre, Brembo's budget brand that is now almost par for the course in this segment with both the KTM Duke and Harley 440 X also opting for these. The front brake has a 320 mm fixed disc with a four-piston radial caliper, while the rear sports a 230 mm fixed disc with a floating caliper. Braking power is more than adequate and just like the Speed, I did some planned urgent braking on a few occasions and found them to be up to the mark. Again, segment standard components here give no cause to complain about their performance.

Closing Thoughts

Just like the Speed, the Scrambler rides beautifully. There's hardly a fatal flaw and they've clearly delivered a brilliantly engineered, premium product at an honest price. But unlike the Speed, I do believe that the Scrambler has its work cut out just a bit more. The Speed has clear blue sky in price between itself and the more enticing Duke 390 and reasonably distinct product delineation with the Royal Enfield Classic, Hunter and the Hero Harley 440. The Scrambler, however, is expected to go head-on against what is expected to be an extremely capable 2.0 iteration of the Himalayan (452) with the base (X) variant of the 390 Adv not being too far off the mark either. While the Triumph and Scrambler brand equity is compelling, that of the Himalayan as well as the KTM are not to be scoffed at either. The launch of its closest competitor is expected close on the heels of the Scrambler and I can’t wait to see these two brands slug it out for their share of the market. The competition will only stiffen further once the next generation of the 390 ADV also hits the market.

All in all, the 400cc segment is getting extremely competitive and with such a range of extremely capable products, in the ultimate analysis, the customer is definitely the winner.

[Axe77]

Triumph Scrambler 400 X Images

Stylish scrambler looks make the bike stand out from almost every angle:


Generous 1,417 mm wheelbase (Speed: 1,377 mm) combined with a generous 195 mm ground clearance (Speed: 158 mm) is more stability biased and provides excellent go-anywhere ability:


Blacked-out engine with machined fins forming centre stage. The look is completed with the trademark triangular crankcase sitting below it:


All-LED headlamp with the tastefully designed headlight grille specific to the Scrambler:


USD fork suspension from Endurance. Front shocks have 150 mm travel - 10 mm more than the Speed. Prominent Triumph logo on the fuel tank is tastefully executed:


Rear monoshock boast 150 mm travel - 20 mm more than the Speed:


Block pattern style tyres. The Indian bikes only have a single tyre option from MRF:


Nice upright handlebar with the round mirrors:


Analogue speedometer with integrated multi-function LED is identical to the Speed with the only difference being the Off Road mode that switches ABS On / Off:
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Round mirrors provide decent visibility although there is some blurring post 6,000 rpm:


Comfortable, stylish and well-designed seat for the rider:


Seat has a lovely brown shade with contrast stitching. Note the tapered design that aids easier reach to the ground:


Scrambler 400 emblem is prominently displayed on one side:


The other side shows the same branding in a different style:


Twin-barrel silencer has a lovely two-tone design:


Clean and simple LED tail-light with the Triumph logo on the back of the seat. Redesigned grab rails give it an even cleaner looked when viewed from the rear:


Triumph boasts of about 25+ accessories for the Scrambler 400 X. An accessorised bike was displayed:


A couple of pictures showing the red bike as well:




Disclaimer: Triumph India invited Team-BHP for the Scrambler 400 X test-ride. They covered the expenses for this riding event.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Engine_Roars]

Lovely review & a lovely product. I had booked this one the day bookings opened. I have not heard anything from the dealer yet & I am in no hurry either but I think this is going to make the child in me very happy.

[Himanshu809]

Amazing and detailed review as always from T-Bhp and Axe77. Thank you for keeping up the standards as always. I love the dark green colour on it, it goes really well with the brown seat and the golden forks. Wish speed had this colour combination as well. The white stripe with the triumph logo looks really classy as well. A better execution of the logo than speed I believe.

I agree with the fact that though Scrambler might be a good bike but thanks to more competition and higher price bracket it will be a harder sell for triumph unlike speed 400 which was a no brainer at its price.

[davelok]

If not for the seat height, the khaki green Scrambler 400X would have been the bike I'd have bought instead of the red Speed 400. It would have paired quite well with my dark green Duster AWD too.

It might be better for riders to swap these round mirrors for something wider (with a stalk that gets out of the way of their hands). While the mirrors themselves are great as bar end mirrors, they only work well for vehicles at some distance due to their tiny size. If there is someone trailing you closely in traffic in a car, it is difficult to see what they're up to, or what exact kind of vehicle they're driving. Mirrors on the XPulse seem better to me in this respect.

[RT13]

Sweet. I was an early bird booking and I’m going to hold on to it until I can do a test ride but this seems like it’s exactly what I was looking for.

[nasirkaka]

Thank you for a nice and in-depth review!!

I know, 100-120 kms is not long enough saddle time, but would like to know more on how the bike fares off the road. Hows the standing and riding posture? Are we leaning in and hunching to much like the SX250, or more upright like Himalayan, or in between like 390 adv? Flexing of foot pegs is a big concern, wonder how could this have been passed. Is the foot peg position same as speed 400, or is it lowered and forward placed a bit. Hows the suspension? Is it too soft like the 310 gs, or form like Xpulse?

Visually, i like the bikes (esp scramblers) which have an upright stance and not a crouching one, much like sports bike. Triumph's bigger scramblers have that stance as seen below. Sharing a rough visual of what i had in mind.

Looking forward to test riding this one.

[AulusGabinius]

People are already trashing it in the YouTube comments and comparing it to the new Himalayan. Personally I liked Big Bear Customs' review. This isn't remotely comparable to a Himalayan of any displacement. The closest you could compare this to IMHO are the Yezdi Scrambler, the V-Strom 250SX, and the Scram 411, and even then this is only in terms of design and off-road capability, and maybe highway performance where your realistic cruise speed is about a 100-130, which the Yezdi and the V-Strom can just about do, but the Scrambler does more easily. The closer pick is maybe the KTM Adventure 250, which is quite a bit cheaper, and the 390 Adv X, which is a bit more expensive. Both of those are pretty similar in equipment, and the Adv X is closest, I think.

[aviator1101]

Fantastic detailed review as always. The minute aspects of touring with pillion was nicely covered.

Two small queries:-

1. If details of the issue of flexing of footpegs could be shared. Is this a design flaw or a metallurgy issue?

2. The position of the coolant reservoir just behind the bash plate is not a very comfortable one. How is the overall strength of the bash plate? Is it a cosmetic protection or capable enough to take on hits and yet prevent the reservoir?

Thanks

[Axe77]

Thank you for the responses everyone.

Originally Posted by nasirkaka

I know, 100-120 kms is not long enough saddle time, but would like to know more on how the bike fares off the road. Hows the standing and riding posture?
...
Flexing of foot pegs is a big concern, wonder how could this have been passed. Is the foot peg position same as speed 400, or is it lowered and forward placed a bit. Hows the suspension?

So a few things. I did not on harder trails but experienced plenty of broken roads (and some very mild off road for a very short distance). The seated posture is very comfortable with a nice upright stance as I wrote. So is the standing posture. At least for my height I found it nice and upright without undue crouching. The overall riding triangle even for standing and riding is fairly spot on. Nothing to take away from that. I think its only the distinct flex in the footpeg that I found a bit surprising but I don't believe that's a fatal issue.

The suspension is also fairly compliant and true to being a middle of the path Scrambler, it performs wonderfully on broken roads and mild trails. The beauty is that the overall package (including the suspension) also comes together really well on flowing tarmac where it can be fairly chuckable round the corners with the suspension never feeling unduly wallowy.

I think if I had to nit pick, the only weak link in this package I suspect will be the tyres and though I want to reserve judgement based on riding it in more varied conditions (wet, dry) as well as varied terrain, my sense are their performance is par for course at best. Those who are more particular on this may even choose to swap it out for superior brands like a Metzeler Karoo or Pirelli STR or similar.

Originally Posted by aviator1101

Two small queries:-

1. If details of the issue of flexing of footpegs could be shared. Is this a design flaw or a metallurgy issue?

Please see my response above. I think its a design 'choice' perhaps - but not one that I can understand or relate to. I doubt its a flaw and definitely not a metallurgy issue.

2. The position of the coolant reservoir just behind the bash plate is not a very comfortable one. How is the overall strength of the bash plate? Is it a cosmetic protection or capable enough to take on hits and yet prevent the reservoir?

The bash plate is a solid metal one and fairly sturdy and confidence inspiring. I think there's a close up image in the last post IIRC. Its certainly not like the plastic hand guard which at most you can expect to provide wind protection and not protection to the handlebars / levers from a bad fall. For that, even on my Tiger I'd upgrade to barkbusters or similar heavy duty protectors. The bash plate should be able to take par for course hits and I'm assuming people will treat this and tour on it like a Scrambler and not an out and out rock climbing enduro styled machine.

[nasirkaka]

The overall riding triangle even for standing and riding is fairly spot on. Nothing to take away from that. I think its only the distinct flex in the footpeg that I found a bit surprising but I don't believe that's a fatal issue.

Seems like sorted ergonomics for 75th percentile. It would be a tough call to choose between this and the upcoming H450. My heart is more inclined towards the H450 purely for its better capabilities off the road, but this one is a close second. Exciting times ahead.

[klgiridhar]

Great review Team . I am really looking forward to test riding this. My primary focus would be on the refinement.

Hearing mixed reviews on the refinement. Most say that it is refined until 100 kph but at that speed and above, there is a noticeable buzz which is undesirable if our daily ride involves lot of highway riding. If I remember correctly, Powerdrift's review of Speed 400 claimed that the sweet spot for cruising is between 80-100 and also I remember Schumi from Motor Inc. claiming that his hands went numb after extended period of riding. Looking forward to experiencing it myself. In case if the above situation is true, then it is underwhelming to say the least, especially for a bike with 40 bhp and top speed close to 160.

I currently own and ride the Honda CB350RS for the past 2.5 years and clocked close to 20000 kms. Most of my riding is on highways. It is extremely refined but lacks immediate punch at triple digit speeds and also during two-up riding. If the Triumph twins' sweet spot is around 100 or below it, then it doesn't make any sense for people owning something from 250-350cc class and looking for something more powerful and refined for highway cruising at triple digit speeds.