Middleweight showdown

Triumph took a big step forward on a couple of fronts last month. First, it gave its dealers a new range of 400cc entry-level machines to take on the likes of Royal Enfield worldwide and provide an option for novices and small-bore bike fans at home. And secondly, it unveiled the latest stage of its production partnership with the giant Bajaj Auto firm in India, which is building the first tranche of the new machines for its home market.
BDN saw the bikes at an exclusive global press launch at the Bike Shed Motor Co club in Shoreditch, London. There are two new machines: the Speed 400 roadster and the Scrambler X 400 street scrambler. Both use the same all-new 400cc single-cylinder engine and variations of the same steel tube frame, with bespoke chassis mods for each bike’s intended purpose.

Triumph was keen to emphasise that the bikes have the same build quality and finish levels that they apply to their bigger bikes, and while the show bikes may have had extra-careful preparation, they matched up to that description. Gold anodised fork outer tubes, high-quality stainless finish exhausts, powder-coated engine cases and deep paintwork all echoed the bigger Hinckley machines, and at first glance, you could mistake either 400 for one of the 900 or 1200 twins.

The spec and tech levels of the bikes are also strong. The 40hp engine is water-cooled, with four-valve DOHC heads, and Bosch ride-by-wire fuel injection, switchable traction control and ABS. That puts it on par with the best in class – KTM’s Duke/Adventure 390 and the BMW G310 R/GS – rather than the more sedate Royal Enfield Meteor 350 with its 20hp air-cooled two-valve engine.

The seriousness of the partnership with Bajaj was also on show at the event. CEO Rajiv Bajaj was there to shake hands with Triumph boss Nick Bloor, and Triumph CCO Paul Stroud repeatedly praised the Indian giant’s development, engineering and production capabilities. Also showing the power of Bajaj, and perhaps a little surprisingly, the new 400s will go on sale in India before anywhere else, with Bajaj production starting this month. The UK, Europe and other markets will be served by production from Triumph’s factories in Brazil and Thailand, with bikes hitting the UK and remaining markets at the end of 2023. Perhaps sensitive to how that might be perceived, Triumph made a point of saying that the design of the new 400 bikes and engine is exclusively theirs, rather than being a joint deal with Bajaj, and the motor will only appear in Triumph machinery going forward.

As ever, Triumph staff were tight-lipped on other applications, but we’d expect to see this powerplant used in more than the current two bikes in the near future – a modern Street Triple type roadster, a proper mini-adventure tourer and a Bobber-style retro would all be obvious routes to take. Added to the upcoming launch of a range of 450 and 250 motocross and enduro bikes, it seems like exciting times ahead for Triumph dealers.

NEW ENGINE
The new Triumph TR400 engine is a totally new, and utterly modern design. It’s a water-cooled 398cc single, with DOHC, four valves, 89x64mm bore and stroke, balancer shaft, Bosch ride-by-wire fuel injection, six-speed gearbox and slipper/assist clutch. Peak power output is 39.5hp at 8000rpm and it has 28ft.lb of torque at 6500rpm.

NEW BIKES
The Speed 400 fits into Triumph’s Speed range of modern classic roadsters. It has a steel tube frame, with aluminium monoshock swingarm, preload-adjustable rear shock and 43mm USD front forks. A ByBre four-piston radial front caliper looks after the stopping with a 300mm disc, and wheels are cast aluminium, 17in at both ends.

The Scrambler X 400 slots in under the Street Scrambler 900 twins, with similar styling touches and a mild off-road design. Compared with the Speed, there’s a larger 320mm disc up front, and a 19in front rim. The ABS is switchable for off-road use, the suspension has longer travel, and there are hand guards, a sump guard and headlight protector as standard. Both bikes also come with premium tyre fitments by Metzeler: Karoo Street on the Scrambler and Sportec M9RRs on the Speed.

Perhaps the biggest remaining question is how much they will cost? The Royal Enfield 350s are around £4000, and KTM’s Duke 390 is around £5500, so that would be the expected range to fit into.