When a brand is known for the largest capacity series production motorcycle in the world, what can one expect when they lower the displacement a bit? Well, a bit is an understatement but the question still stands. And the answer to that question is FIREWORKS! Because that is exactly what entailed when Triumph announced the Speed 400 and the Scrambler 400 X. Impressive specs, the iconic Triumph badge, and a price tag that swept everyone off their feet sound good and all but how good these motorcycles are in the real world? 

While we have to wait a bit for the pricing and reviews of the Scrambler 400 X, we got to test the Speed 400 and we came away mighty impressed. It may not be an understatement to say that the Speed 400 may very well be the disruption the entry-level performance motorcycling was in dire need of. With many options in the market but a fair few relatively stale, the Speed 400 came in swinging and, spoiler alert, it knocked a fair few out! But before all that, a little background and some details. 

It isn’t news to anyone that Triumph joined hands with Bajaj Auto for this project. Their alliance has been known for a while and we have waited with baited breaths for the result of this partnership. We were personally very thrilled with the proposition as well. After all, Pulsar is at the core of xBhp and still a part of the xBhp Garage while the titan of two-wheelers, the Triumph Rocket 3 R also sits proudly as a part of it. 

The spy shots came out a few days before the launch. The motorcycles looked good. Then the specs were revealed that impressed us further. But then the price announcement took everything to a whole new level making the entry-level Triumphs the talk of the town all around. The Triumph Speed 400 is priced at INR 2.33 lakh (Ex-Showroom, India) with a special discount of INR 10,000/- for the first 10,000 customers. This is a masterclass in the art of competitive pricing and taking the market by storm! 

The manufacturing of Speed 400 and Scrambler 400 X will be taken care of by Bajaj. These motorcycles will be manufactured at a new facility called Chakan 2 in Pune. It is 5 km away from the main Chakan plant and has a capacity of 25,000 units. Out of these, 20,000 are allocated to KTM and initially, 5,000 to Triumph. But we’d say that number stands to go up substantially based on the response to the Speed 400. 

We have spent enough time waxing lyrical about the Speed 400, now let us see how they really go. Starting with the design, both the Speed 400 and Scrambler 400 X are inspired by the bigger modern classics in Triumph’s lineup. Some Bonnie bits, some Trident bits and all of that topped off with phenomenal fit and finish along with striking colours. 

The round headlamp and round rear view mirrors set these motorcycles up as signature Triumph modern-classics. The differences between the two are based on their application; seat (single-piece and split), exhaust cans, tyres, and some other stylistic differences along with a unique set of tyres for each. 

Although both motorcycles look dissimilar, they come equipped with the same features, such as a new semi-digital cluster (an analogue speedometer paired with an LCD screen), ride-by-wire, traction control, dual-channel ABS, and all-LED lighting. Both models also get the same 43mm USD front forks and a mono-shock with preload adjustability. Even they have the same 230mm single-disc brake at the rear. However, the front brake on the Speed 400 is a 300mm single disc with a four-piston calliper, while the Scrambler 400X gets a 320mm single disc brake with a four-piston calliper.

In terms of colours, Speed 400 offers three; Carnival Red, Phantom Black, and Caspian Blue. The Scrambler 400 X will be available in three dual-tone colour schemes; Carnival Red with Phantom Black, Matt Khaki Green with Fusion White, and Phantom Black with Silver Ice. Both the motorcycles get a digital-analogue display and, very rare in the class, can be customized with heated grips!

Both the Speed 400 and Scrambler 400 X are powered by a brand-new engine christened the TR-series. Displacing 398cc, the single-cylinder engine is good for 39.5 bhp of power and 37.5 Nm of torque. The power is transmitted to the rear wheel via a 6-speed transmission unit. Our test ride started from Bajaj’s Chakan plant and we headed to Lonavala and then Khopoli via Khandala. That’s almost 100 km of the Speed 400 impressing us beyond comprehension. 

Initially, we got to test the Speed 400 at the Chakan test track but since that’s not the intended use case for it, we were not allowed to take photos or videos there. But that did not stop us from putting the Speed 400 through its paces. Amazingly enough, we were able to see 170 on the speedo at the straight! The claimed top speed is 145 km/h and yet, some riders managed 175 km/h as well. Proof enough that the engine is a powerhouse. Speed is a good name for this one, we’d say.

More importantly, the motorcycle feels very natural to ride. From the seating to the rider’s triangle and from the seat height to the kerb weight, this is one easy motorcycle to ride. So when we found some traffic as we started from Chakan, the Speed 400 was more than up for it. It also dealt with rain, potholes, and narrow roads just fine. Again, a very natural motorcycle to ride and one that grabs a fair few eyeballs owing to the massive Triumph logo! 

On the open roads as well, the Speed 400 coloured us impressed. Twisties are a lot of fun onboard as the Speed 400 feels poised and composed through all kinds of corners. Braking is on point as well and we had no qualms in that department as well. Onwards to the more interesting bit; the tyres. 

For the India-spec Speed 400, one might get either MRF Steel Brace or Apollo Alpha H1. Yes, might. The tyres are to be allocated randomly and it has been done to reduce dependency on a single supplier. Though both sets are W-rated and worked just fine in all conditions, the international spec could be seen running either Metzeler Sportec M9RR or the Pirelli Diablo Rosso 3. Also, the wheels have been tweaked for the India-spec Speed 400. The construction and material are different from the international spec as we get tougher ones to withstand our roads. 

The more prominent difference between the Indian spec and the international spec is the weight. The Speed 400 that we get is 6 kg heavier, at 176 kg, owing to the various impact guards and the saree guards. Despite the extra 6 kg though, we found Speed 400 to be very nimble and easy to manoeuvre. So what we have here is a power-packed motorcycle that handles well, is comfortable and easy to ride, and is a ton of fun to thrash around. Add to that a feeling that a motorcycle this good and from a brand like Triumph is made in India… After a long time, we finally have a motorcycle that is just right in every aspect. 

With all that, it has a lot going against its competition and more than anything, the price. The Speed 400 competes against the newly-launched Harley-Davidson X440, Royal Enfield Hunter 350, and KTM 390 Duke. The Scrambler 400X takes on the likes of Royal Enfield Scram 411 And Yezdi Scrambler so now we wait for that!