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450 km with my Triumph Speed 400: Comparing it to my old Duke 200

From performance to looks to attention to detail, this motorcycle feels like a true Triumph. The body feels like the elder Speed Twins.

BHPian nr07 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Update after 450 km

I would like to finally speak about some of the positives of the motorcycle. I know many reviewers would have more or less spoken about this, which is why I didn't bother to post them in my original thread. However, I would like to look back at a few things.

Finally the Pros

I thought the mirrors would be problematic. They aren't

My thoughts before the purchase were that the mirrors were more aesthetic than practical, and that they wouldn't be as useful as regular ones. However, the mirrors are perfectly adequate and look great on the motorcycle. The only minor gripe is that, compared to regular mirrors, you have to move your head to see them (as opposed to just moving your eyes). However, this tradeoff is worth it.

Reviews find the seat too soft. They are good.

The seat has a nice feel to it. It feels a little firm at first, but you sink in a little after a while. I know sinking in is not great as your butt needs support, however, I have done multiple 1.5-hour rides in one go and have not felt any issues. If you have read this thread, you would know I am very picky about comfort. Plus, the bouncy suspension of this bike works well with the seat. Bouncing on a hard seat would suck. As opposed to the suspension issue, the weight works for the seat. I guess heavier people would sink more easily and find this uncomfortable.

The handling puts a smile on your face

Dare I say it, I find the motorcycle more flickable than the Dukes. It's just amazing. It maneuvers excellently. Handling is why I did not want to switch from the Dukes, and this bike does not make me miss it (for this aspect). No complaints.

80-120 is comfortable cruising

I try to stay below 100 and struggle because the bike has more to offer. However, at 80, you aren't going to feel anything. It is equivalent to riding a Duke 200 at 50. It will feel unsatisfying, but the bike does it very easily. You can very easily go to 100KM/h at 15-20% throttle. You need more effort to keep the bike at lower speeds than the other way around.

This is a Triumph

From performance to looks to attention to detail, this motorcycle feels like a true Triumph. The body feels like the elder Speed Twins. The logo on the tank reminds you of the Trident. The headlamp looks like one-half of the Rocket 3. The fit and finish are great. Yes, some parts do speak Bajaj, but overall, it’s not an Indian bike with a foreign expensive bike logo like some others.

Great up to 6000 RPM

Amazing power without any discomfort up to 6000 RPM. You can overtake very easily.

Hazard working when the bike is off

In case you don't know, the hazard lights can be turned on, and then you can switch off the motorcycle and remove the key. It comes in handy sometimes and also feels cool to show off!

Some more cons

The instrument cluster is horse poo

I know it's supposed to be retro, but for everything else the bike has to offer, this cluster has even less to offer than the gen 1 KTMs. This is where a lot of cost-cutting went. There's barely any information, and things are hard to see. So many times, I have forgotten to turn off the turn signal.

Question: Would you trade off the immobilizer and hazard for a better instrument cluster?

Motorcycle hates below 30km/h

I know a short-stroke 40bhp bike is not supposed to like low speeds, but I misled myself from reviews that this motorcycle, with great tractability, can do lower speeds. It can, but it doesn't feel good. The handle feels heavy, and the bike feels vibey in lower gears. If the roads are undulated and you are solo and 65KG like me, the experience is worse. (refer to original thread)

Some flimsy parts

A life lesson for me and reflections

Be it phones or laptops or motorcycles or anything else, I have always believed in going for upgrades during a switch. For example, if my phone costs X now, my next phone should cost X+(more money).

Well, it works most of the times however not always! After I had an accident, I stopped riding at higher speeds. Mostly stay at 80 or below. 100 is max! And, However, a trip brought back my passion for fun riding. I would still ride below 80-100 but pull the motorcycle harder (7000-8000 RPM on the Duke with lower gears). This was a fun experience but I thought more power would make it even better. This is where the Speed 400 came in as the perfect bike. Looks like a retro, has some characteristics of a KTM and does not like to go beyond 120 (vibes and all). However, this was not a practical decision. I feel like 25-30bhp is ideal for my use case for the fun quotient. Not a deal breaker, just a lesson for me that I do not need to go up a notch at everything at every time!

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

 
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