When you are experienced in a certain field, there can often be very little that surprises you and those numbers shrink if you add in the adverb ‘pleasantly’, as in ‘pleasantly surprised’. It’s not that familiarity breeds contempt; just that many products are variations on a theme and bring very little that is new to the party.
The latest Triumphs, the Street 400 and the Scrambler 400 X to arrive in South Africa might be nothing new to the mid-lightweight motorcycle market – BMW and KTM already have very well-executed models in this category in the form of the 310 and 390 ranges respectively – but the manner of the Triumphs’ execution, the inherent quality and the performance, are sufficient to make you sit up and really take notice when you first swing a leg over and set off down the road.
The 400cc models are the first fruits of Triumph’s partnership with Indian manufacturer Bajaj and, if that makes you think of a product that is compromised in terms of quality, or that they might have lost their Triumph identity, then you really must dismiss those thoughts; put these alongside any of the existing Triumph models and you’ll be very hard pressed to find any noticeable differences. They even ride like a Triumph, even if it is hard to put that feeling into words.
The tie-in with Bajaj is important for Triumph not only for taking advantage of that company’s manufacturing expertise but also as a launch pad for breaking into the hugely important Asian markets. Why is this important? Well, it’s a minor point but, in India alone, 18 million new motorcycles were sold in 2023! And all of those 18 million bikes – or the vast majority at any rate – are small bikes, precisely where the 310, 390 and 400 sit. Now do you understand the importance of having a toe-hold in that market?
However, the Triumph 400s aren’t models built for a particular market; these are serious motorcycles in their own right, in terms of every conceivable parameter; physical size, feel, finish, performance, even the elusive ‘grin-factor’. Look at the price tag and you get no indication of this; ride one, however, and it’s a different matter.
The chassis and suspension set-ups are as near perfect as it’s possible to get. With only 170kg to move around, they are both agile and sure-footed without ever feeling intimidating. They both handle beautifully and have the poise of much larger and more expensive models.
Both models share the same 398cc single-cylinder engine, developing 40 horsepower in a nice, broad spread although the gearing is shorter on the Scrambler, making it feel slower, although, in reality, it loses out very little in terms of performance to the Speed model. By definition, a 400cc motorcycle has no right to be this entertaining or accomplished.
There’s plenty of performance; from 3,000rpm onwards, there’s a punchy delivery from the engine with a linear spread of torque that provides acceleration no matter where in the speed range you’re sitting. It will sit happily at highly illegal speeds on the highway but, really, the best fun is to be had on winding roads, where you can revel in the handling and the wave of torque from the impressively smooth engine. It’s another of those brilliant bikes that you can ride to within 10% of its ability and performance and still be entertained, knowing you’re never going too fast, too quickly for trouble to be lurking just around the next bend.
The gearing is quite short, meaning you’ll have to stir the gearbox plenty, and the engine can feel a bit strained at highway speeds as it sits higher up in the rev range than you might like, but there’s never any hint of impending mechanical doom, nor does the exhaust note ever become intrusive or unpleasant.
The ride quality is excellent; it doesn’t matter if you’re dawdling through town or pushing it harder on the open road, the suspension never feels out of its depth and offers the perfect combination of agile and secure handling and sufficient compliance to deal with our broken roads. It just shows how a well-setup suspension doesn’t need endless adjustability.
The brakes feel as though there’s not a lot of initial bite, a trait that the Triumph shares with the BMW 310 but, once you’ve got used to having to squeeze the lever harder at the beginning of your braking, you’ll find that there is nothing wrong with the power.
Equipment is reasonable; switchable traction control, ABS, full LED lighting, part analogue/part LCD dashboard showing a reasonable amount of info, including fuel gauge and gear indicator. There’s also a USB-C charging port.
We sampled both models and found plenty to like in both. Speaking purely subjectively, I preferred the size, riding position and roominess of the Scrambler model over the Speed but I couldn’t help but be impressed by the performance of the Speed. Not that the Scrambler is slow, but the Speed just seems a bit perkier. And neither is the Speed too small for taller riders. Whichever model you choose, you won’t feel short-changed or as if you’ve made the wrong choice.
What no one will be able to complain about is the pricing. The Speed 400 starts at R100,000 and the Scrambler 400 X at R110,000. By comparison, the KTM 390 Duke is R115,999, while the 390 Adventure is R122,999. The BMW G 310 R will set you back R112,750, while the G 310 GS is R123,300.
So, Triumph has got everything bang on the money: style, looks, quality, ride, handling, performance and, importantly, price. Junior models in the Triumph line-up they may be, but they punch way above their weight and uphold Triumph’s honour perfectly, and that’s really the most impressive thing.
For more information on the bikes featured in this article, click on the links below…
