
By : RAHIL SHAIKH
MUMBAI :
The Bajaj-Triumph alliance has come up with a blockbuster of a motorcycle, especially considering the introductory price tag of Rs. 2.33 lakhs (ex-showroom). The price tag was something that no one had even imagined and for the first 10,000 customers, looks like a steal deal. The Speed 400 is going up against a wide range of Royal Enfield motorcycles, the newly launched Harley Davidson X440, Jawa 42, Honda H’ness 350 and a few other motorcycles in the same segment.
In terms of looks, the retro vibes of the bike really do exude the Triumph essence but with a fresher touch to it. The golden USD forks add a bit of premium feel to the front end, and when combined with the round LED headlight, gives a real clean front fascia to the motorcycle. The side profile on one side is dominated by the huge saree guard, however, on the other side, the brushed silver finish of the exhaust really gives off a premium motorcycle feel. The back profile is not that attractive, but serves the purpose of the retro styling. Minimal styling should be the apt phrase to describe the rear profile here.
The first thought that came to my mind when I brought the motorcycle to life was a very soothing exhaust note. When idling, the exhaust note is very nice but as I went up the rev range, the prominent screaming of the single cylinder engine was audible. The motorcycle has its own flaws but overall is a jack of all trades. The bike accelerates in tandem with you rather than leaving you feeling like it's leaving you behind, like you do on the KTM Duke 390, which is the wild card.
The Speed 400's tank is relatively small, making it difficult to hold onto. Your shoulders and legs end up working a little bit harder as a result. I realised that the motorbike dips pretty nicely from side to side when turning, but lack of traction on the tank does not inspire confidence. The seat is well cushioned and riding with a pilion does not seem to feel cramped. The rear set footpegs and raised handlebars provide a relatively comfortable riding triangle for the rider.
The gearing of the baby Triumph is on the shorter side but delivers linear power throughout. Riding is fairly smooth and instills a sense of calmness, however, as you go up the rev range, about 5500 RPM and above, the bike starts to vibrate quite a bit. If you snap the throttle and try to squeeze every ounce of power from the bike, the ride is quite vibey and can be felt through the handlebars and footpegs. The clutch is light and you do not need to add a lot of throttle input in order to swerve through traffic and it is a big plus for the motorcycle.If you find yourself getting a little lazy, the bike can still gradually increase speed from 20 km/h in third gear. Overall, the 398cc, liquid cooled motor does a good job in distributing the 39.5 BHP and 37.5 Nm of torque.
One thing that was noticeable on the highway was that there was no need to pin the throttle to reach highway speeds. Easy throttle inputs and you reached 100 km/h in no time. Unlike the KTM Duke 390, the bike feels like butter on the highways and just glides through. In terms of adjustability, the bike only comes with rear preload setting and nothing more. The motorcycle is set up on the softer side and deals with potholes with ease. The softness of the suspension does not get in the way until you attack a corner at high speeds and then you feel that the motorcycle does not want to do that. The braking performance is quite average and nothing surprising. They do their job well and nothing more. There is no sharp initial bite and they seem really progressive in terms of stopping the motorcycle.
Overall, the Triumph Speed 400 is a good all-rounder with the British DNA instilled in it. The instrument cluster is too much on the retro side and misses out on the most basic Bluetooth connectivity offered nowadays. The switchgear are nothing to brag about but get their jobs done even with the below par finish. The Speed 400 might not be an authentic Triumph but is a good start for someone that wants the Triumph badging at a really affordable rate.