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Triumph Speed T4 Pros

• Brings all the positive attributes in terms of design and build quality of the Speed 400 at an affordable price point
• Great ground clearance (gotten better) in real-world riding
• Torquey nature of the engine makes it easier to ride in the city. Power delivery is smooth and refined with hardly any vibrations
• Revised suspension setup offers a plush ride and good stability on the highway
• A non-intimidating bike which is very beginner-friendly while also being easy to recommend to older riders getting back to some easy riding after a gap

Triumph Speed T4 Cons

• For Rs. 23,000 more, the Speed 400 comes across as a better value for money proposition
• Loses out on a fair amount of kit compared to the Speed 400 (Ride by wire, traction control and engine immobiliser)
• Manual throttle means you experience slight jerks on closing the throttle at low speeds
• Non-adjustable brake and clutch levers, although they are light and easy to operate. Adjustable levers would have been a nice touch.
• Analogue + Digital speedometer could have been better executed. Currently, the rpm meter is hard to read.


Since the Triumph Speed 400 has already been reviewed by Team-BHP, this report will only focus on changes made to the Speed T4. To read the full official review, click here.

Introduction

Last year, the Bajaj-Triumph partnership was off to a successful start, with the Speed 400 and Scrambler 400X sending ripples through the industry with their aggressive pricing (especially the Speed 400!). The Speed 400 seemed to have it all - a powerful 400cc engine, modern-classic looks and impressive levels of attention to detail that you’d expect from a bikemaker like Triumph. The launch price of Rs 2.23 lakh, ex-showroom (introductory pricing for first 10,000 customers), was later bumped up to Rs 2.33 lakh, ex-showroom.

One year down the line, the competition in the segment has heated up with brands like Hero, Harley-Davidson and Royal Enfield, each offering a new product in the 400cc category. Triumph then, recently updated the Speed 400 with some enhancements to take on the likes of the new competition (read Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450). But what you see here is the new Speed T4, the most affordable Triumph motorcycle on sale in India currently. On paper, it simply comes across as a stripped out version of Speed 400 with lesser features and a detuned engine to make it more affordable. But, Bajaj Triumph says it is a lot more than that and has been specifically developed keeping the Indian market in mind. I, along with libranof1987, spent a few hours with the motorcycle to find out how.


Triumph launched the MY2025 Speed 400 at Rs 2.40 lakh (ex-showroom), while the Speed T4 is priced at Rs 2.17 lakh (ex-showroom), making it more accessible to a wider audience.

The Speed T4 shares a lot with the Speed 400 in terms of design:


Black finish for the frame and exhaust adds a nice contrast, especially on our Metallic White test bike:


At 1,406 mm, the Speed T4 boasts a 20 mm longer wheelbase compared to the standard Speed 400:


New '400' decal on the fuel tank side is exclusive to the Speed T4:


Dual tone finish on the top of the tank with 'Speed T4' badging. Notice the E20 sticker on the fuel cap:


Notice how even the welding joints get a smooth finish which adds to the level of attention to detail:


LED headlamp and turn indicators at the front:


Similarly, LED taillamp and turn indicators at the rear. Overall not many updates in the design department:


You get 43 mm telescopic forks on the Speed T4, unlike the gold finished upside down forks on the standard Speed 400:


Lots of changes here - axially mounted brake callipers with organic brake pads and 110/70-17 MRF Zapper bias-ply tyre:


Similarly, the rear gets a 140/70-17 tyre. Overall, the tyres offer decent grip for the 'take it easy' riding character of the Speed T4:


The exhaust on the Speed T4 has been tweaked to give it a more bassy firing. Sounds quite nice at idle:


Smaller rear sprocket on the Speed T4 gets 39 teeth compared to 43 teeth on the Speed 400 to give taller gearing:


Front section of the seat has been made slimmer to make it easy for shorter riders to rest their feet down:


Rear seat gets 10 mm extra foam padding to offer better comfort levels:


You get a steel handlebar on the Speed T4 with conventional mirrors unlike the aluminium handlebar and bar end mirrors on the Speed 400:


The instrument cluster has been carried over from the Speed 400, which means the rpm readings are still hard to gauge:


No ride by wire on the Speed T4 means it also misses out on traction control. The switches have a nice tactile feel:


USB-C charging port neatly integrated beside the instrument cluster:


Basic toolkit placed under the seat:


A peek at what's under the seat of the Speed T4:


One of the better designed saree guards on a motorcycle:

The characteristic of the engine is the biggest differentiator between the Speed T4 and the standard Speed 400. It is the exact same 398cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder unit as the Speed 400 but comes in a lower state of tune putting out 31 BHP @ 7,000 rpm and 36 Nm @ 5,000 rpm (40 BHP @ 8,000 rpm and 37.5 Nm @ 6,500 rpm in the Speed 400). While a deficit of 9 BHP might seem like a lot on paper, keen-eye observers would notice that both power and torque, come significantly earlier compared to its counterpart, making them a lot more useable. In fact, according to Triumph, 85% of torque comes in from as low as 2,500 rpm. This has been achieved by adding 31% more inertia in the crankshaft assembly compared to the Speed 400. Combined with the taller gearing (it gets a smaller 39 teeth sprocket at the rear), makes it a very tractable motorcycle. Even with a pillion, I hardly felt the need to shift down into the first gear or even second gear at times while crossing an average-sized speed-breaker. The presence of a manual throttle body means that you do feel slight jerks on closing the throttle at low speeds in lower gears.

Out on the highway, the engine feels relaxed with hardly any noticeable vibrations at cruising speeds between 80-90 km/h with the rpm meter resting somewhere around the 5,000 mark (hard to gauge in the tiny digital rev meter). I preferred not to cruise faster than this for a prolonged period owing to the significant wind blast. Also, minor vibrations can be felt through the footpegs post 100 km/h. The taller gearing comes in handy here too as the engine easily pulls ahead from 50-55 km/h in sixth gear. When required though, you won’t have anything to complain about the gear-shift quality as it feels slick and quick to operate thanks to the light slipper-clutch. Triumph has also tweaked the exhaust system. As a result, it sounds more bassy compared to the Speed 400 and offers a good amount of thump (especially at idle).

Speaking of heat management, both libranof1987 and I noticed the radiator fan turning on frequently, despite a fairly overcast day in Pune. That being said, the heat emitted from the engine never felt excessive enough to make me uncomfortable. We'll have to wait for ownership reviews to see the effect on the fuel economy due to all the changes.

Refinement & NVH

Another upside to the engine working at lower revs is that it feels a lot more refined and smoother on the Speed T4 compared to the standard Speed 400. The vibrations have been kept in check for most parts and it is only when you rev above 6,000 rpm that you start feeling slight vibes through the footpegs.

Ergonomics and comfort

There are a couple of changes in the ergonomics department. First, the ground clearance has gone up to 170 mm on the Speed T4 from 158 mm on the previous version of the Speed 400 (MY25 Speed 400 gets 164 mm ground clearance). Second, the seat height too has gone up to 805 mm (from 790 mm). While this shouldn’t really be a problem for taller riders, Triumph has reprofiled the front section of the seat and made it slimmer to help shorter riders easily rest their feet down. The seat itself offers good cushioning (neither too soft nor too hard) for both city and highway rides. The width of the fuel tank also feels perfect to grab on to.

Suspension and Handling

Apart from using conventional telescopic forks, Triumph has also revised the steering geometry on the Speed T4. As a result, the wheelbase now stands at 1,406 mm (20 mm longer than the Speed 400). The effect of this in the real world is a slightly lazy front end. That being said, the motorcycle still feels nimble enough to make quick direction changes in city traffic and the longer wheelbase helps in straight line stability.

The rear continues to get a monoshock, albeit with 10 mm less travel. Overall, the suspension setup delivers excellent ride quality. Sitting behind libranof1987 while riding on a broken piece of tarmac, I hardly felt any bumps make their way up my spine, except for a couple of really sharp ones. This is further helped by the extra padding for the pillion seat. On smooth tarmac, the Speed T4 feels stable and I never felt the motorcycle losing its composure at any point. We didn’t try any hardcore cornering but I feel the Speed T4 will easily manage most corners unless you decide to channel your inner MotoGP rider and push it outside its comfort zone.

Braking

Braking duties on the Speed T4 are handled by 300 mm front and 230 mm rear disc brakes. The difference here (compared to the Speed 400) is that it gets axially mounted brake callipers and organic brake pads. While the stopping power is sufficient, the front brake lever does lack feel and bite. The dual-channel ABS works as intended and I never found it to be too intrusive.

Closing Thoughts

To sum up, the Speed T4 is a very well-rounded product. It retains all the positives of the Speed 400, especially the premium build while offering a very different riding experience at a more affordable price tag. But for Rs. 23,000 more, the updated Speed 400 offers a lot more kit, bling and power, making it seem a better value for money proposition. So, why should you buy the Speed T4?

As ironic as it may sound, the Speed T4 is not for someone looking for speed and power. It is for someone who likes to ride in a relaxed manner and the Speed T4 manages to do that quite well. The Hero Mavrick 440 (priced between Rs. 1.99 - 2.24 lakh, ex-showroom) and its American sibling, the Harley-Davidson X440 (priced between Rs. 2.40 - 2.80 lakh, ex-showroom), are two motorcycles in this segment that offer a similar riding experience, but the Triumph manages to one up them in terms of power and build quality. The Speed T4 also manages to outclass the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 in the aforementioned characteristics and more, but the latter is significantly more affordable at Rs. 1.75 lakh, ex-showroom, so that is something to keep in mind. All said and done, both the Speed T4 and Speed 400 are two well-rounded products and no matter what you choose, you won't be left wanting for more.

Thanks for the review!

Now I wonder whether Triumph will go a segment below T4. There were rumors earlier that 250cc version was also under development with the 400s. With the T4 now in existence, does it make sense to to launch the 250cc ? (if at all it was in development).
T4 being barebones in terms of features, I feel they might not be able to price the 250s significantly lower than this.

Thanks for sharing.

Do you feel the vibration profile of the bike has changed? Does it buzz as much as the regular Speed 400 in let's say a speed of 100KM/h?

Also, the suspension reacts a bit differently when with pillion compared to when riding solo on the original Speed 400. Would like to see a solo ride test as some reviewers are saying suspension is on the stiffer side.

A Dead on arrival bike.

Why would anyone buy this bike with so many downgrades. USD forks, significant low power, TC, Ride by wire, Engine Immobilizer, lower grade tyres.

The tag of cheap version of Speed 400!! (Which wasn't an aspirational badge to begin with).

So much work has gone onto this bike, that they could have launched an upgraded version of the Speed 400 by addressing the existing issues. The sales would have gone much further!!

Sometimes the launch of a cheaper variant is to make your existing "cheap" variant more value for money. That could be the case here. There is also the possibility of differentiated distribution arrangement for each of these models where the T4 isn't placed within top tier urban centers and more for mofussil areas

If the mileage is also an improvement over the Speed400, then I think the T4 can actually build its own case. It makes much more sense for someone who doesn't hit the highway often or already has a bigger motorcycle for highway runs.

The T4 runs calmer, is a bit smoother, should run cooler and doesn't have unnecessary power for city runs (40 bhp is not 'essential' for today's crowded city streets) so if it also more fuel efficient, then that is a very good option.

PS: I would pick my R15 over my Interceptor for riding inside the city any day :thumbs up

Great review. The bike looks promising on paper honestly. Still have to wait and understand what the market response is towards this. If not anything Speed 400 sales will rise and that's a win for Triumph. But good to have options in the market. Triumphs quality levels are exceptional for the price.

Excellent write up, if you ignore the specs, the T4 makes the HD440 overpriced, (even though HD440 is distinctive in its own right)

What a brilliant review. Thanks for sharing such intricate details of the bike and love the overall layout of the review.

Coming to the bike, I think Triumph saw a lot of customers lining up to the showroom but getting put off by the price, so they wanted to have something for every interested customer. But, I am not sure if a 23K difference will attract people to T4, or rather make it easy to upsell the 400 actually.

For all the equipment dropped off from the 400 to make T4, the commendable part is that the quality of whatever stays is still up to the mark. The attention to detail remains the same and it does not look like a made to cost product even now. Kudos to Triumph (and Bajaj) for that.

I still feel the 400 is a formidable buy and anyone wanting these bikes should go for 400. You get much more of a bike for that price difference.

This product is totally unnecessary In my humble opinion, what good does diluting an existing line-up do to a company? This would just end up reaching the wrong hands, just like the other bajaj products (no disrespect to the existing owners here) more mature riders would buy the updated regular speed 400 over this.

I feel, one would outgrow this T4 sooner than anticipated! If this sells, well and good but I don't feel it would!

Bajaj has the advantage of platform sharing but this model feels unnecessary to me.

Happy riding,
surjaonwheelz

The price difference between speed 400 and T4 and massive cut down in almost all departments makes me think whether the T4 is value for money and also with Bajaj giving discount of ₹10k on Speed 400 makes me think it is better to wait for Mar 25, when I am sure there will be a good offer for T4 at least.

Will wait till then for the discounts and any initial niggles to be sorted.