[kedar3223]

To the initial/high mileage users, what's the feedback on the 16k km service interval? Do you have to make frequent visits to the SC to get things adjusted/lubed/fixed? Does it feel like a genuine once a year service bike for usage of around 12-14k km a year.

[Utkarsh_Govekar]

Hello everyone,

I have serviced my Speed 400 at 4500 Kms as a part of preventive maintenance. I had no faith in Triumph's claim of 16k Kms. Last service was done in October 2023.Preventive maintenance initially helps a lot as I have experienced on my 2009 Yamaha FZ. I believe that if we service much before the claimed interval of the manufacturer the engine life will last much longer than expected. Along with regular oil change my right side fork seal was leaking due to my rough usage of the bike. But still I am very satisfied with the ride quality of this bike. I got the work done at Aakash Motors in Bavdhan, Pune. Since rush is less with them, the quality of work done was top notch. We used 2 ltrs Motul 7100 10w50 Fully Synthetic engine oil. Fork oil used was Maxima Racing oil 5w 400ml. Oil filter was purchased at Chinchwad service centre for Rs 79/-.Fork seal is the same as the KTM ones, which Aakash had in stock. Chain Lube used was Putoline Drytec ceramic wax. I missed the air filter as I had underestimated how bad it would be at 4500 Kms. I really recommend to change the air filter as it's very cost effective at 350-400/- only. My Air filter was clogged upto a certain level. I am planning to service it at every 5-6k or 6 months. Aakash himself has good experience in handling big bikes and dirt bike Racing since 2 generations of his family. I am mentioning his adress below for reference.

Aakash Motors
S.No.34, Bhunde Wasti, on Oxford Golf Resort Road,
Bavdhan Bk, Pune-411021
Ph. 9403412335
https://maps.app.goo.gl/AUjtJJBDbC5xdC1S9

Do check out this small video😁:-
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6bzu...AxYTFuc3Jqdw==

[dkaile]

Taking delivery of the Triumph Speed 400 for my friend - 08-05-2024

My childhood friend and I, both having crossed 55, were always in love with motorcycles. While I had 4 in the stable, my friend had recently sold his solo Duke 200 and was on the lookout for a light and nimble bike for city use. He asked for my advice and we zeroed in on the Speed 400 in Blue. I had got the Classic 350 last year, for the same use case scenario, but for me pillion comfort was paramount for my wife's local shopping sprees. He on the other hand would mostly be riding solo. Hence the Baby Triumph it was.

As there was no Triumph dealerships in Meerut, we searched online and got quotes from the Noida and Okhla dealerships. But then, a long time acquaintance whom I knew since the last 13 years from Capital Harley, had recently joined Triumph Noida as Branch Head. He gave a good offer and that sealed the deal. The photos and VIN number was checked and the 10th digit was an 'R' signifying the Mfg Year to be 2024 and the bike was available for immediate delivery.

So we reached Triumph Noida at opening time -



And there it was in full glory. It was love at first site. Notice the bigger Speed 900 besides it. The fit and finish was impeccable in comparison, considering both had a price difference of almost 7 lacs!



A view from the other side. That Saree Guard looked hideous and it was decided to remove it promptly before delivery -



This was our final pricing and the dealer friend threw in 5k worth of accessories free on his personal behalf -



The under-seat area was checked. I was surprised to see an extra lock cylinder (encircled in red) being given free with the spare key by Triumph/Bajaj. I have not seen that with any other manufacturer. Do they expect their locks to go bad so soon?



The single piece seat bottom, with area to lock in the 2 main tools (in red), a L key and a Spanner. Though they do give a Rear Suspension Adjuster separately.



The speedo was on 16km as the dealer had asked my specific permission to ride it down 12 kms from their Vaishali Workshop, where they were unloaded, to which I had agreed -



The bike was tanked up with XP95 as the same was the fuel of 1st choice in the Owner's Handbook -



The Owner's Handbook in pdf, in case anyone is interested, is posted in the end of this post.

A view of the cockpit. Fuel cap has a E20 sticker on it -



Left hand controls with Info button -



Right Hand Controls with a Hazard Flasher button -



The Bike was now transferred to their nearby other workshop for fitting of accessories and removal of saree guard. Very neat, clean and immaculate, impressed -



The Bike was put on the lift -



And raised to complete the jobs. The removal of the saree guard was a simple job and required removal of just 3 nuts, which were tightened back in place after it's removal, so that they don't get misplaced for any future use -



A closer look at the beautifully crafted and finished Engine and those cooling fins -



And that full SS exhaust pipe -



Rs. 2788/- is the MRP of the Lower Engine Bars, that we got fitted -



And Rs. 3185/- for the beautifully crafted Luggage Rack Kit, that we did not fit yet and kept with us for future touring purposes. Quite reasonable, I would say -



The Knee Guards were installed. A view of the Left Side one -



And the Right Side One -



The Tank Guard -



The installation of the Lower Engine Guards was a tedious process and took nearly half an hour, as it 'officially' involves, removal of the Exhaust Header Pipe. Triumph even provides a new Exhaust Header Gasket in the kit for this purpose. But the technician was able to install it without removing the full exhaust. Though it would have been helpful if clear installation instructions were provided with the kit like other manufacturers (read Harley, BMW etc.), which they were not! -



All installation finally complete. These total accessories were around 8.5k but we payed 5k less on them as had been agreed. Also installation labour of these accessories were made free by the Branch Head -



In the meantime it was Lunch time and we took a Whopper at the adjoining Burger King. Lolz -



The Bike was finally back at the showroom and ready for delivery. The cleaner look, without the saree guard, looked better to me -



Out on the road -



The Noida Head informed me that they will be opening a local dealership in Meerut this month. That will be the 1st Superbike Sales and Service setup in Meerut. Nice for us -



My friend is 6' like me and he was supremely comfortable on the 80km ride home. All's well -



Cheers...

[skviknaraj]

The extra lock cylinder is for using with Triumph luggage accessories like the top box and the saddle bag so that one key can be used across the bike.

Very thoughtful of Triumph.

Originally Posted by dkaile

........
The under-seat area was checked. I was surprised to see an extra lock cylinder (encircled in red) being given free with the spare key by Triumph/Bajaj. I have not seen that with any other manufacturer. Do they expect their locks to go bad so soon?

...

[VijayAnand1]

Brilliant and congratulations to the owner. Triumph and Bajaj simply have nailed it with this one, be it quality, fit, finish and overall yum factor of owning a Triumph.

A couple of points of interest that I liked from the brochure..

The motorcycle is filled with a year round, Organic Additive Technology (known as OAT) coolant when it leaves the factory. It is coloured orange or green, and contains a 50% solution of monoethylene glycol based antifreeze.

1. Triumph D2053 OAT coolant (premixed) is coloured orange.

2. HP THANDA RAJA B OAT coolant is
coloured green.

These premixed coolants provide freeze protection to at least -34°C
(-29°F). Do not mix coolants of different types and colours. Mixing coolants of different types will reduce the performance of the coolant and reduce its life. When replacing coolant, it is recommended to thoroughly flush the cooling system with clean water.

I think we could all do with this one

The use of products containing silicone will cause discolouration of the
chrome and stainless steel parts and must not be used. The use of abrasive cleaning products
will damage the finish and must not be used

Cheers!
VJ

[Dtovio]

Has anyone with Speed 400 noticed any sound (like metal plates clanking/metal resonating sound) coming from the radiator side (not sure, but could be from place else too) of the bike at and above 4000 RPM constantly, with the noise only worsening over high revs and speed. After 120 kmph the noise just goes crazy.
I've tried going to the service centre for it, but no nothing +ve, except that it is default.
Has anyone tried something for it, if they had any noise issue? Mine is from the time I had taken the delivery of it and still have it.
It would be great help if anyone has done something for it.

[kedar3223]

Saw a speed 400 with the scrambler split seat. Looks awesome and I guess it's the better seat of the two. Has anyone managed to fit or see a speed with the scrambler handlebar? Hows the riding posture?

[MDED]

Dear Fellow BHPians,

Preface:
I recently sold my RE Classic 350 2017 model with 40,000 kms on the ODO for a decent price. The main reason for selling the Classic was "vibrations". In Bangalore traffic, the vibrations at slow speeds and on high speeds were causing pain and numbness in the right hand. The bike had done around 38000 kms on the ODO and maintained in mint condition (I have always kept my bikes in mint condition, right from Passion Pro-2009, Unicorn-2017). I was able to fetch a good price on OLX and sold the same. To be on the safe side, I had filled the sale documents online on VAHAN portal and got the signature from the buyer and uploaded all the signed documents online and took appointment for document submission at RTO and ensured that the new buyer submitted the same at the concerned RTO. Within 2 days of sale, RTO approved the ownership transfer and on mPARIVAHAN the new owner name reflected.

The conundrum:

Prior to selling my classic 350, I had taken Test Rides of Speed 400 and CB 350 RS. I did not consider any other bike, as I am 35 plus and don't like the naked (fiber) bikes and prefer retro style relaxed riding posture bikes. Hence, kept only these two bikes for my active consideration.

The paper specs of Speed 400 vis-a-vis CB 350 RS appeared more tilted in favour of Speed 400, however I am unable to decide which bike it should be. In the meantime, I approached Keerthi Triumph for a quotation. Their quotation included Incidental, Logistics, Transportation and registration service charges of Rs.4,824/-. I inquired with the SA and he informed that these charges has to be paid. I reasoned with him mentioning that these are illegal charges and as per Honourable SC and HC of Delhi order, dealers are barred from charging the same. However, he and his managed held their ground with regards to levy of this charge. I also obtained quote from another Triumph dealer (KHIVRAJ) and their charge was Rs.6,383/-. Khivraj told they wont discuss on these charges and it has to be paid.

To validate/counter their claim with regards to these charges, I obtained quotations from Hyderabad, Goa and New Delhi dealers and all of them mentioned "Handling Charges" of Rs.1500/-.

After having made my mind that it has to be Speed 400, I wrote to Triumph India customer care and the escalation was sent to Keerthi. The senior official from Keerthi told he will waive off the charges partially and like other dealers will charge Rs.1500 for handling.

I am still aghast at the attitude of the dealers, wherein despite court rulings they are still collecting handling charges illegally. To find out whether Honda also charges this, I reached out to BigWing dealer in Bangalore and in their quote no such charge was mentioned.

Considering the overall fracas created by Triumph, I am still in two minds whether to go ahead with Speed 400 or go for CB 350 RS.

What I like:

Speed 400:

1. Low end grunt and torque
2. Excellent suspension and clutch
3. Feels like upgrade from Classic 350

Honda CB 350 RS:

1. Brand value in India and its engine reliability
2. Seat and the way it looks
3. The exhaust note

What I don't like:
Speed 400:

1. Heat from the engine/radiator area
2. Soft seats
3. Dealer attitude

Honda CB 350 RS:

1. Doesn't feel like upgrade from Classic
2. Silly front mudguard, which is of no use
3. Rusting reported by owners

Hence, requesting the learned forum members to help me in choosing from the above bikes. I will be primarily riding the bike on broken/potholed roads of Bangalore and occasional highway tours of 100-300 kms.

NOTE: Please do not pay any handling/logistic charges for any vehicle which you propose to buy.

If you have read till end, I sincerely thank you for your time.

[skviknaraj]

Originally Posted by MDED

.......
.

Have you manually calculated what is the RTO charge based on the Ex-showroom price?

18% of Rs.2,17,857/- comes to Rs.39,215/-. So a difference of about 5000/- is there between the quoted RTO fees and calculated fees.

Difference is that Triumph has mentioned the cost separately where as Honda has included under registration itself.

Yes they are illegal. You ask the showroom, they will say that their margin is less and they will have pay commission to the RTO officer and hence they want us to pay up for the bribe for registration.

So you are left with the following options, if you don't want to pay up:

1. Try to get the vehicle registered yourself. This is near to impossible to get done as dealer should only take the vehicle for registration and not owner.

2. Get the dealer to give you some package or discount for this amount. Negotiation?

3. Pay this charge, get the vehicle and spend time fighting out in court.

4. Don't buy from these dealers. Get the vehicle from where they do not charge this amount ( Temp in another state, and get it registered in your RTO, by yourself.)

I did remember reading once that the court has ruled that these charges can be levied provided they have mentioned in the quotation/invoice and provided a receipt.

This may / may not be a trivial charge, hopefully these do not mar your ownership of the bike.

Let us know how it goes.

Cheers,
Viknaraj

[MDED]

The cess and infra cess aggregates to ₹43,530 for CB350 RS. Honda dealer is not pulling a fast one!

[skviknaraj]

Originally Posted by MDED

The cess and infra cess aggregates to ₹43,530 for CB350 RS. Honda dealer is not pulling a fast one!

My bad, sorry. Will try to get more information for registration in KA.

So do you think you can Triumph to waive these charges?

[FocusAssist]

Speed 400 is too loud and viby. Its very small as well, but suits some.
350RS is a weird bike.

Why not stick to the Reborn 350? Its way better in terms of feel compared to CB350RS and not as rowdy as Speed 400.
Or better wait for Classic 650 Twin if you want an upgrade.

I don't think RE riders can go back to other manufacturers.

[Manudon]

I have been having the same exact fight with Triumph dealers. They are quite brazen about these charges. I have decided I will buy only from a dealer who is fair in their pricing, and from another state if I have to, and get it registered myself. More loss for dealers trying to make extra money in this illegal way.

[MDED]

Originally Posted by Manudon

I have been having the same exact fight with Triumph dealers. They are quite brazen about these charges. I have decided I will buy only from a dealer who is fair in their pricing, and from another state if I have to, and get it registered myself. More loss for dealers trying to make extra money in this illegal way.

I have also written to PMO for the said malpractice. The complaint had been routed to state government complaint redressal system. You can book with Keerthi and tell them that you wont pay handling charges and chances are that they will come down to ₹1500 which is being charged by all the dealers across board.

[Manudon]

Originally Posted by MDED

I have also written to PMO for the said malpractice. The complaint had been routed to state government complaint redressal system. You can book with Keerthi and tell them that you wont pay handling charges and chances are that they will come down to ₹1500 which is being charged by all the dealers across board.

My fight with Triumph is much larger - I am picking up a Tiger900 where the handling charges of 26K are quoted by BU Bhandari in my home state of Goa. I have written to Triumph and BU Bhandari management highlighting this malpractice and also lodged a formal complaint with Triumph by calling their helpline, but there is not even a single response on email or call back from Triumph side which was honestly quite a let down from the brand. So it seems quite clear that in India, the dealers will rule the roost and we are not an important market for Triumph head office.

If I go for the bike, I will find a dealer who is willing to be straightforward - their margin on the big bikes is definitely more than enough to make up for the illegal 'Documentation charges' that I am asking to be waived. Let the bad dealers lose their business. I have found Hyderabad and Chennai dealers to be much easier to deal with as compared to BU Bhandari.