Triumph Speed 400 & Scrambler 400 X Review | Motorcycle Test

Triumph Speed 400 & Scrambler 400 X Review

Review by Rennie Scaysbrook, Images by Gareth Harford

In this strange little subculture we’re all a part of, one question has always remained steadfastly stubborn: How do you entice new riders into the fold? There were times when the question was more easily answered. Take the early 1970s for example. A slew of small-capacity bikes aimed at making motorcycling fun — a type of fun anyone could enjoy. And one marque even produced the immortal line, “You meet the nicest people on a Honda.”

As bikes started getting sportier in the ’80s and ’90s, entry into our world proved a little more daunting, but the last 10 years have seen a gradual reversal back to the good times of the 1970s, and yes, you can thank your local hipster for changing the corporate line of thinking.

Scramblers and café racers inexplicably went out of vogue until the Deus revolution of the mid-2000s bought them roaring back via a plethora of good (and not good) bike builders, so it was only a matter of time before the mainstream manufacturers began building bikes that didn’t require a welder’s ticket to run.

One marque that’s always been front and center of the retro-style ethos, has been that great British brand, Triumph. Triumph’s been hard on the new bike trail in 2024 with the…big breath… Stealth Edition Modern Classics, Speed 400, Scrambler 400 X, Thruxton Final Edition, new Tiger 900 GT, GT Pro, and Rally Pro, Scrambler 1200 X, Scrambler 1200 XE, Daytona 660, and the TF 250-X motocross bike.

The latter may yet prove to be Triumph’s biggest release for a generation as it has recently showed promising speed in the AMA Supercross series.

However, the Speed 400 and Scrambler 400 X are just as important because they give Triumph an answer to two important questions The first one was asked at the start. How do we get new riders on board? And the second is: How do we get access to the biggest motorcycle market on the Indian subcontinent? It’s an area where little bikes rule and anything above 600cc is pure overkill. Every other market will come second to this, regardless of what the Triumph honchos tell you.

However, just because a motorcycle is made in and for India (yes, the Speed and Scrambler range will be made in India, as well as Thailand and Brazil), doesn’t mean the rest of us can’t get in on the fun.

Whether you’ve got lots of miles under your belt or not, it’s a splendid time to venture into the area of small-capacity motorcycles. KTM’s 390 lineup, a result of its partnership with Bajaj, exemplifies this. And by the by, Bajaj is also in cahoots with Triumph, having a hand in crafting the Speed and Scrambler 400 X models.

Kawasaki’s got their Ninja Z400, Honda has the CB300R, Yamaha is in the game MT-03, Husqvarna’s got the Vitpilen 401 — the array is extensive. These little bikes have evolved into solid performers in terms of reliability, but they also offer enormous fun for the rider, regardless of experience.

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The Street and Scrambler 400 X variants share the same core, with a few distinctions. The Scrambler boasts a 19-inch front wheel with a Metzeler Karoo Street tire wrapped around it, and there’s an off-road mode integrated into the traction control and ABS systems letting you lock the rear brake on loose terrain. There’s also a tad more suspension travel, a different exhaust muffler, and a taller handlebar tailored for the art of scrambling. Because everyone likes to scramble.

Beneath the surface, both the Speed and Scrambler 400X house a brand-new 398 cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine churning out 39 horsepower and 27 lb-ft of torque. While it may not prompt one to flex one’s biceps in awe, this powertrain offers ample punch for most riding scenarios.

Such a level of power means variable riding modes are useless, so it’s handy Triumph has mapped the throttle beautifully to provide a seamless torque delivery from idle. This will be good news for newbies, especially given the overall size — especially of the Scrambler — is that of a full-size bike. You could be forgiven for thinking these were 600s, not 400s.

At $8,990 for the Speed and an extra $1000 for the Scrambler 400 X, you’re paying a pretty penny for what could very well be your first bike, but the overall fit and finish is up there with bikes far higher in the price range. The paint, fittings, hose-routing, little nit-picky things that drive real bike journalists nuts are all thankfully well sorted.

However, similar as they are, let’s test these things independently, since they are aimed at essentially different customers.

Triumph Speed 400

My gut feeling is Triumph will sell two Speed 400s for every Scrambler 400X. The Speed has a broader appeal to more riders, and it’s not just in the looks.

Last year, I spent a decent amount of time on the Speed Twin, the 900 cc variant of the bike almost everyone thinks of when picturing a modern-retro Triumph ride. Interestingly, the 400 has a 25mm taller seat height than the 900’s, and while that may not seem like a big deal, over a long ride, I’d take the 400 over the 900 on comfort alone.

Like its Scrambler brother, the Speed runs non-adjustable 43mm inverted Showa Big Piston Forks (BPF), but gets slightly less wheel travel at 140mm up front and 130mm at the rear via a shock that comes with preload adjustment only.

The ride quality is surprisingly good for such basic suspension. The Speed turns quickly and sharply at low speed in the city but will also play enthusiastically when you get moving in the twisties. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable bike to be on when you hit tight corners because the lack of mass between your legs thanks to that single-cylinder motor, which enables you to flick it into corners really hard. But here lies a trick to the Speed.

One must resist the urge to get too heavy-handed with the steering inputs as the soft suspension can easily be overworked. Instead, take your time, be a little more measured with your inputs, and despite it having rather springy suspension, you’ll have a grand old time.

The single-cylinder motor produces more than enough performance in the mid-range between third and fourth gears for tight backroad riding, and although it’s kinda pointless on Aussie roads, I did manage to see 157km/h with a tailwind during the test—which is more than enough to see you go to the big house (just tell them you were on a Hayabusa).

My biggest issue with the Speed (and the Scrambler, for that matter) were the measly front brakes. They don’t have enough feel or bite at the lever for my liking, but, on a positive note, you have to really squeeze the lever for the ABS to kick in, so you won’t be getting any of the ABS juddering unless you absolutely need it. Oh well, you get what you pay for sometimes.

Triumph Scrambler 400 X

The Scrambler 400 X gives off a distinctly large presence, way more than a 400cc bike has any right to. While the Speed 400 has a sense of compactness, you could easily mistake the Scrambler to be twice its size and aimed at much more experienced riders.

A bit of digging through the specs revealed when comparing the 400 to the Triumph Scrambler 1200, the 400 shares the same seat height as the 1200. It measures 834mm, and is only marginally lower in overall height without the mirrors, at 1168mm compared to the 1200’s 1183mm. So, you can see why I don’t think it’s really a learner bike at all.

Also, the Scrambler has a longer wheelbase than the Speed at 1418mm thanks not to a longer swingarm, but two more links in the chain. And the longer wheelbase is matched to slightly steeper steering geometry with the Scrambler running a 23.2° rake compared to the Speed’s 24.6°.

The result of all this is excellent stability on the street and also off-road. The Scrambler gets slightly longer-travel suspension, another boon for off-road riding, but dirt roads is probably about the max for this bike—you’re not going into KTM 890 Adventure R territory here.

The same brake problems I found with the Speed persist on the Scrambler, but this isn’t as much of a problem off-road as you need to be a little more deft in how you apply the brakes on dirt to stop it all washing away. The fact you can disengage the rear brake in off-road mode is certainly a plus for those more dirt-minded riders out there.

However, Triumph may have just hit the sweet spot for off road-riding with its 39 horsepower motor. This is the near perfect level for everyone from Toby Price to, well, normal people, to have a damn good time on a slippery dirt surface.

The lovely throttle response really shines through on the dirt, and given the motor has such good bottom-end torque delivery, it makes for a really enjoyable engine when it gets time to get off the blacktop.

The Scrambler also runs a black muffler for a bit of individuality, and it’s a very smart looking machine. My guess is, as mentioned earlier, the Scrambler 400 X will cater to more experienced riders given its size and its surprisingly capability as an off-road machine. Sometimes looks and perceptions can be deceiving.

For more info head to the Triumph Motorcycles Australia website or your local Triumph dealer.

2024 Triumph Scrambler 400 X Specifications

2024 Triumph Speed 400 Specifications