[MandarMax]

Went to check out the Street 400 at B U Bhandari, Pune a couple of days ago. In summary, it felt a bit underwhelming. Maybe the short distance or traffic played a part, or perhaps my expectations were too high.

Here are my thoughts after the test ride:

Pros:

1. Engine and gearbox are tractable; it pulls well even in higher gears at low speeds.
2. Styling is decent, and the build quality seems okay for now.
3. Despite the good looking red colour in photos, the black looked classier in person. I'm leaning towards it if I decide to buy.

Cons:

1. No "wow" factor in terms of power or torque.
2. Felt smaller than anticipated with a hard clutch, hoping it smoothens over time.
3. Concerns about the brand's quality, longevity, and after-sales service.
4. Engine heat was noticeable, even on a cool day. This was also possibly due to constant test rides and abuse/hard revving from other test riders.

Other points:

1. Booking management seems completely messy. My early booking done on June 29th wasn't recorded in their tracker sheet. I had to show my receipt a couple of times and then they managed to locate the booking in one of their systems.
2. Overcrowded showroom with many being told to wait until December for new bookings.

Did a back-to-back test ride with the KTM 390 Adv. Preferred the KTM's height, presence, and build quality. However, the Street 400 felt better for city rides given better gearing and the ability to pull even in higher gears. The Triumph Scrambler might be a more interesting option given its stance and build and slightly more heft.

After riding the bigger Triumphs such as the Tiger 660, Bonneville and Speed Twin, I'm left wondering if the Street 400 will soon feel inadequate. My test ride of the Tiger 660 was a joy, making me question if I should wait and invest in a bigger bike. That being said, I might just change my booking from Street to Scrambler (if that's allowed) and wait for the test rides to start later this year. If that too feels inadequate then I guess I will have to take the plunge and get a bigger, pricier bike early next year.

[antz.bin]

Originally Posted by aneesh2M

What is all our Bhpians take on the said video and comments released by the channel even before the bike starts running on the roads.

I have added the following comment on the video.

The amount of hate and fear mongering is amazing! Have you even TRed the bike or visited the showroom? I doubt that, it seems like a khatte angoor situation.

Seriously? Boycott the bike? Kyu? Chinese dushman ki company hai kya jo boycott karna hai? Grow up guys! I have the 1st lot Pulsar 220. 14 years old. Still runs great and Bajaj fixed all the issues that came with the bike.

My trust is with Bajaj, the company now contracted by Triumph to market, sell and service all motorcycles (400 to Rocket 3) under Triumph brand.

I may have gone overboard with the 1st lot confidence but 1st lot or not, the bike is in warranty and any issues will be fixed by the company. If you are not too fussy about it, it should be relatively pain free. My Pulsar 220 Carb was the delivered on the 2nd day of deliveries in Maharashtra. I had some issues resolved with an official recall, issues that I didn't even realize existed before they were fixed. Maybe I was lucky, but that is what the warranty is supposed to be for.

[gtx2]

Got a test ride for the Speed 400 at BU Bhandari triumph Pune, bike is short for me personally, but the ride quality is lovely. Its a perfect city bike and would be good for touring as well. Engine is smooth and better than Honda H'ness/CB. Ride was comfortable and potholes were easily managed.

Exhaust note might not be to everyone's liking, there is no thump/dug dug.

[pratik_terni]

Originally Posted by kap04

I called Keerthi a while back, and it seems we can't transfer the booking, even if you do it will be considered as a new booking and you will lose the advantage. My booking number is in the 9xx , so he said I can expect a call back next month. Right now they have only contacted the first 100 customers.

During the time of booking, Keerthi Triumph was the only available option in Bangalore. We now have 2 other showrooms coming up in Mahadevpura and Whitefield respectively.
If the existing bookings are non-transferrable and all initial bookings are going to be handled by Keerthi, then what will these new showrooms do till then?

Hope Triumph/Bajaj allows moving away from Keerthi.

[Rajeevraj]

So after all the reading up and watching videos of the Speed 400. Finally got a chance to check out and test ride the bike at Khivraj Triumph Whitefield. My current ride is a Pulsar 200NS which is 10+ years old. When I bought the NS, it was the flagship model of the Bajaj Range and that reflected in the quality of the NS.

Summary of my observations below. Since I have been riding the 200NS for 10 years now, many of my observations will be in reference to the NS.

The Showroom:

• This showroom of Khivraj is a smaller one on Whitefield Main Road near KR Puram-ORR Jn. Khivraj has another one opening near Electronic City on 19th August. This they say is an Experience Center.
• No proper parking at the this Khivraj Center. As it is right on the main road, it is a no parking area. If you are on Two Wheeler there is a lane up ahead where you can park.
• Showroom staff were welcoming. First question was whether you had already booked the bike(Does not matter with which dealer).
• They are giving preference to folks who have prebooked. Had a look at my booking receipt, had to fill a test ride form also.
• As it was late afternoon on a weekday, not much crowd at the showroom and was able to take the ride almost immediately.
• Booking cannot be transferred. For those who have pre-booked, as per them, deliveries will be done in August or latest first week of September.
• If you book now, expect deliveries around mid October.

The Bike:

• We always anticipate that first in person view of any vehicle we are interested in. Was not disappointed. There were 3 display bikes. The first sight impression was very good.
• Does not look small at first sight. Looks sufficiently sized and well proportioned. Of course next to the other Triumph Machines, it looks small, but not out of place.
• I sat on the display bike and again, as all reviews indicated, felt very comfortable.
• I am 5 feet 10. Did not feel the bike to be small under me. A picture also attached below.
• Again, as all reviews indicated, extremely well put together and finished. Cannot find fault with that.
• Having said that, I had a nagging feeling if it will age well. I don't know what made me think that, just a feeling.

The Ride

• The test ride route given was on Whitefield Main Road, around 6-7km.
• As I sat on it, everything felt comfortable and familiar. Felt at home with the bike from the get go. This is one aspect that Triumph and Bajaj have nailed. It is a 400cc bike which is definitely not a small one, but somehow the bike is not intimidating at all. I am sure even a new rider will feel right at home on it.
• Switch it on. There is an initial rumble which settles down. The way it sounded was again 'nice', but nothing to be wowed over.
• The riding position is slightly more relaxed than the Pulsar NS. Was very comfortable with it immediately.
• It is a fast bike. You twist the throttle, it takes off pretty smoothly and builds up speed quickly. The 40 Horses and the Torque is evident.
• At the same time, it does not feel scary or out of control. Again feels pretty 'nice'.
• Gear Shifts were precise. Saw some posts indicating the gear shifts were not great. I did not feel so.
• Maneuverability, braking, turning radius were all good. Perfect city commuter. Felt lighter than my 200NS.
• Could not take it over any proper bad roads, went through some rough patches and agree with the comments on the ride. Super smooth. Great work on the suspension.
• Horn is meek and weird.
• Could definitely feel the heat. Nothing concerning, but even in the short ride with not much slow traffic, could feel the heat. The Sales guy attributed it to the back to back rides and it being a new bike. But definitely something to watch out for.
• Once I got back, another person wanted to test out the pillion. Once he sat, I felt the pillion pegs were set too high(at the seat is flat). His knees seemed to be too high up and did not look very comfortable. Those expecting to ride with pillion for longer distances, please do a couple of rides with pillion to check the comfort.

The Conclusion
Overall, one thing is clear- Triumph and Bajaj have pulled of something game changing for this 400cc segment. Most current bikes in the segment are intimidating in some way- Either their looks(Enfield, Jawa,Yezdi) or the way they need to be ridden (KTM390). Triumph has managed to bring out a 400cc bike that is very powerful, but at the same time very forgiving and 'nice'. You don't feel intimidated while looking at it, sitting on it or riding it. To top it all, the almost unbelievable pricing. It is a mass market 400cc bike that everyone and anyone can own and ride and we will see 1000's on the road soon. The glowing reviews across the board also is a testament to that. You really cannot find fault with it. It is like the Creta of the bike world.

So what do I think? Personally, felt a just a little underwhelmed. The word that comes to mind for everything about the Speed 400 is 'nice'. Somehow I did not go 'wow' over any aspect.

• Is it a great bike? - Yes!.
• Is it a upgrade over my 200NS in almost all aspects and perfect for my current needs? - Yes!
• After waiting 10+ years, is this a revolutionary upgrade that tugged at my heart and made me want to own it immediately?- Here the answer is No. I did not fall in love with it.

Hope to see and Test Ride the Harley X440 to see if the quirks of that will appeal to me. Then will take a call.

Couple of pictures:

[Proxima]

Originally Posted by MandarMax

After riding the bigger Triumphs such as the Tiger 660, Bonneville and Speed Twin, I'm left wondering if the Street 400 will soon feel inadequate. My test ride of the Tiger 660 was a joy, making me question if I should wait and invest in a bigger bike.

A multi-cylinder like the Tiger 660 is in a different league altogether.

That said, I'm wondering who is a prospective buyer of the Speed 400.
- Someone (perhaps just out of college) who wants a high powered single cylinder will probably buy the KTM 390 (Duke or Adv)
- Someone who wants an old school single cylinder will get the Classic 350 (or soon to be launched Bullet 350)
- Someone who can afford a multi-cylinder will definitely get that.

I think someone who wants a refined single cylinder who cannot or does not want to spend extra for a multi-cylinder AND who does not care for the old school feel AND who does not mind a 'smaller sized' motorcycle will consider the Speed 400.

I don't think Royal Enfield has much to fear at this point.

[ani_meher]

Originally Posted by Proxima

I think someone who wants a refined single cylinder who cannot or does not want to spend extra for a multi-cylinder AND who does not care for the old school feel AND who does not mind a 'smaller sized' motorcycle will consider the Speed 400.

I don't think Royal Enfield has much to fear at this point.

I loved the Classic 350 (not the Bullet 350 in current avatar, hopefully in UCE version it will be better). But the clutch seems too heavy. There should have been a slipper clutch on Royal enfield classic models. Felt the CB350 to be bit too loud with bit wierd gear ratios and harder suspension, but with beautifully light clutch. Curious to see how Speed 400's clutch feel is.

[Pinkesh_CBR]

Originally Posted by ani_meher

I loved the Classic 350 (not the Bullet 350 in current avatar, hopefully in UCE version it will be better). But the clutch seems too heavy. There should have been a slipper clutch on Royal enfield classic models. Felt the CB350 to be bit too loud with bit wierd gear ratios and harder suspension, but with beautifully light clutch. Curious to see how Speed 400's clutch feel is.

I own CBR 250r. It's an amazing bike. But riding it in the city is tiring because of its gear ratio. Clutch is light but you have to change gears frequently. Same goes for CB 350 as it has the same kind of gear ratio. I've ridden Classic 500 & I loved riding it in the city because of its low end torque. You don't need to change gears frequently. Also I felt handling is more nimble than CBR.
Now Speed 400's low speed & higher gear performance looks interesting as per youtube videos. Eager to take a test ride because of it. I know it'll be amazing on the highway so is ADV 390. But ADV 390 also has issues in city riding as the power it contains in a single cylinder engine.

[lazyrev]

Originally Posted by Proxima

A multi-cylinder like the Tiger 660 is in a different league altogether.

I think someone who wants a refined single cylinder who cannot or does not want to spend extra for a multi-cylinder AND who does not care for the old school feel AND who does not mind a 'smaller sized' motorcycle will consider the Speed 400.

I don't think Royal Enfield has much to fear at this point.

I am one of the plenty of people I know who are really not into RE styling and at the same time want something that is a decently powered single cylinder. I have had a 2012 Apache for almost 10 years and have been starved of something that fits my needs. The duke and RC are not versatile enough and cost quite a bit, for many of us young-ish office goers that want to buy groceries and take our partners on a ride to the mall on weekends.

This segment is sizeable since everyone who owns a pulsar, apache, hornet, gixxer 150-250cc bike can easily slide into the category that speed 400 has created. Practical and fun, while also feeling like a solid upgrade. We dont HAVE to get retros anymore. We havent had any options in this space yet so it isnt fair to say it doesnt exist. The hunter has just about scratched the itch and it has sold well because of it. Also, twins tend to become bigger (>600cc) and more expensive.

I would say that RE does not need to worry a lot about people who want REs but they do need to worry about growing their lineup to attract those who don't. Hope my point makes sense.

[itsMridul]

Originally Posted by lazyrev

I am one of the plenty of people I know who are really not into RE styling .... for many of us young-ish office goers that want to buy groceries and take our partners on a ride to the mall on weekends ...

Your words just resonate with mine, I could not have put those better.

I was riding a pulsar 150 for literally 10 years, after which the itch to upgrade began. After much consideration and keeping in mind the financial as well as practical aspects, took a Duke 200 home. The power on tap used to give instant grin and we did a few short and long weekend rides.

The real issues began after the initial excitement. Both my wife and I gain some weight, and she just refused to be on the pillion seat. The seat being hard as brick did not help either. So, sold it and settled with wife's scooter instead.

But the itch for a new motorcycle has not gone, and booked a Meteor 350, as there was not many choices available (Honda's Bigwing strategy for CB 350 ). But eventually cancelled the booking because I was not fully into the RE style (and also the weight!!). Then this launch of Speed 400 got me excited again. It almost ticks all the boxes, just have to see the pillion comfort. Hopefully soon.

[vzvish91]

Originally Posted by itsMridul

..launch of Speed 400 got me excited again. It almost ticks all the boxes, just have to see the pillion comfort. Hopefully soon.

I too am looking forward for the testride. Although most of the time I will be riding solo, but I cannot discount comfort of pillion rider for those one-off situations.

From what I've seen so far, if pillion rider space & comfort is a must for you, then I'll suggest that you testride Suzuki Vstrom SX 250.

Please do post your pillion comfort review when you get to testride Speed 400

[neoonwheels]

Originally Posted by lazyrev

I am one of the plenty of people I know who are really not into RE styling and at the same time want something that is a decently powered single cylinder. I have had a 2012 Apache for almost 10 years and have been starved of something that fits my needs. The duke and RC are not versatile enough and cost quite a bit, for many of us young-ish office goers that want to buy groceries and take our partners on a ride to the mall on weekends.

This segment is sizeable since everyone who owns a pulsar, apache, hornet, gixxer 150-250cc bike can easily slide into the category that speed 400 has created. Practical and fun, while also feeling like a solid upgrade. We dont HAVE to get retros anymore. We havent had any options in this space yet so it isnt fair to say it doesnt exist. The hunter has just about scratched the itch and it has sold well because of it. Also, twins tend to become bigger (>600cc) and more expensive.

I would say that RE does not need to worry a lot about people who want REs but they do need to worry about growing their lineup to attract those who don't. Hope my point makes sense.

Completely agree with this. Also Speed400 is a good bike for someone like me who wants to return to biking after a gap of 10 years and dont want to spend too much given the uncertainty of whether I would stick to biking for long.

Interceptor was on my wish list before I booked Speed400 and the only factor that put me off was its weight. Also its weight distribution is not as good as Speed Twin 900 (Both weigh same). Given I am vertically challenged, I wanted something easy to ride and then if I stick to biking, upgrade to something bigger capacity. Speed 400 is a perfect stop gap arrangement I could as for

The bike is very tractable in city traffic and has enough grunt to take you places on highways. A nice combination which is hard to come by.

[lazyrev]

Originally Posted by itsMridul

It almost ticks all the boxes, just have to see the pillion comfort. Hopefully soon.

Seeing your guys' post, I'm glad to see I am not alone in feeling this way .
I have test ridden the bike and it is a work of art. I am just waiting for deliveries to commence now. More sleepless nights.

Btw, I took my wife with me and she loved the pillion seat. For reference, she is used to the old apache rtr 160 seat and she said the speed 400 seat is much more plush. It is decently spacious too. What helps the most in my opinion is the superb suspension. It absorbs everything that the pillion usually feels and gives them confidence when speeds are higher.

I hope you like it too. All the best!

[Sebring]

I like the way you came out of the 'high expectations' bracket. Soon the practicalities will face us. Eagerly looking forward to your Harley experience on that page

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Hope to see and Test Ride the Harley X440

[spectre13]

I'd paid 2000/- during the intial booking and I'm among the first 10000 customers. I got a message from Triumph that my bike will be a part of the first batch. The sales guy at Shaman Andheri insists that I make the full payment. Is it a good idea to pay in full (as against the 25k as a lot of people have done without even seeing the allotted bike in flesh? Also, the 23.6K insurance is for 5 years OD+TP, but no nil dep. Is that a fair amount or should I risk checking outside rates?