QJ SRK 400: Road Test Review

Styling and Quality

The one thing that really stands out in the SRK 400’s favour is its styling. The motorcycle is a looker and it grabs eyeballs wherever it goes. Every design element of the motorcycle has a sense of aggression to it, be it the angry-looking LED headlamp, the sharp tank extensions, or the sleek upswept tail section. On the other hand, the chiselled bodywork is complemented by beefy USD forks and wide tyres, which add some mass to the design.

In terms of build quality, the SRK 400 is average at best. Don’t get us wrong. The paint quality or fitment of panels is quite good, but that’s about it. The switchgear is basic, and perhaps alright for a Rs. 2 lakh bike, but in a premium product like the SRK, we expected a greater sense of quality and fit and finish.

Ergonomics and Comfort

Coming to its ergonomics and comfort, the SRK 400 has an extremely accessible seat height of 785mm. I am 5ft 7inch tall, for reference, and the SRK 400 is one of the rare motorcycles on which I can flat-foot easily. The motorcycle offers an upright riding stance, while the wide handlebar provides great leverage.

Although overall ergonomics are comfortable, a slightly committed riding position would’ve gone well with the sporty nature of the bike. The footpegs too, could’ve been placed slightly higher-up and rearwards as they tend to scrape the tarmac as soon as you start pushing the bike around corners. And, although you don’t feel the 186kg kerb weight on the go, you feel the bike’s heft every time you push it around the parking lot.

Meanwhile, the suspension setup is tuned for a sportier ride experience. The front forks glide over road imperfections, while still maintaining the bike’s sporty character with a hit of firmness to it. The rear, however, was a mixed bag when we received the bike in its stock setting. The rear had an aggressive rebound, and it would kick back and transfer the jerks through your spine every time it went over an undulation.

Thankfully, the rear mono-shock gets rebound and preload adjustment, and after dialling down the rebound by 10 clicks and lowering the preload by a couple of notches, the rear started feeling much better. This setup offered a borderline plush ride quality, with only the nastiest of potholes or road joints unsettling the bike.

Performance and Handling

The QJ SRK 400 uses a 400cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine that pumps out 40.3bhp and 37Nm of peak torque. The engine is mated to a six-speed gearbox. Right from the get-go, ample amounts of torque is available from as low as 3,000rpm, making it extremely tractable in the city. You can potter around at 40kmph in sixth gear at around 2,500rpm, and even then, the engine pulls smoothly without any signs of knocking whatsoever.

Meanwhile, the engine comes into its own post 6,000rpm, which is when it pulls relentlessly like a locomotive. And courtesy of the aural symphony that the exhaust note offers, revving the engine hard puts a wide grin inside the helmet. The alert throttle response further augments this. The motor feels vibe-free till about 6,000rpm, but minor vibrations creep in on the handlebar and footpegs post 6,000rpm. While the motor is enjoyable across the rev band, the one negative is that it heats up in stop-go traffic. Moreover, it could do with a better gearbox though. While the gears shift with a nice click, you’d encounter an occasional false neutral at times.

Although the engine performance is extremely engaging, I can’t say the same about the motorcycle’s braking performance. Don’t get me wrong, the SRK 400 does get good stopping power. But, the front brakes lack a good bite, despite it getting twin discs at the front. You have to pull the lever with vigour to bring the bike to the stop. However, the progression and lever feel is good. Meanwhile, the ABS calibration could do with lesser intrusion under hard braking.

Coming to its dynamics and handling, the SRK 400 comes across as a mixed bag. The motorcycle feels front-heavy and isn’t the quickest to flick from one side to another. Compared to the KTM 390 Duke, which is the segment benchmark, the SRK 400 feels slightly lazier around fast corners and switchbacks. That said, the motorcycle tips into long, sweeping corners without much drama and carves its intended line.

Features and Technology

India as a market is obsessed with features, and that can make or break the product. And in the SRK 400’s case, the lack of modern features can be its biggest deal-breaker. It is one of the rare Chinese bikes that comes devoid of any noteworthy features.

The motorcycle comes equipped with full LED lighting, an LCD instrument console, and dual-channel ABS. That’s it. You don’t get Bluetooth connectivity, a traction control system, a slipper clutch or riding modes. Even a feature as basic as a USB charging port is missing on the SRK 400.

Fuel Efficiency

In BikeWale’s fuel efficiency test, the SRK 400 returned a mileage of 20.6kmpl. This included riding it in stop-go city traffic, with some open stretches. In our books, it’s a decent figure considering the high-revving 400cc motor and the heftier 186kg kerb weight. Given its fuel tank capacity of 13.5 litres, we can expect a range of close to 300km on a full tank.

Conclusion

The QJ SRK 400 is a surprisingly fun and engaging motorcycle to ride. Yes, it is heavier than the KTM 390 Duke and misses out on a lot of features, but it masks its negatives nicely once you crank up that engine. You’ll have a wide grin every time you whack open that throttle.

Despite its excellent performance, we still can’t recommend the SRK 400. The thing is, once you start spending more time with the motorcycle, the negatives become more pronounced. Moreover, QJ Motor lacks the required brand recall to lure customers into its fold. Add to that, the brand also suffers from a dearth of sales and service reach in India. So, for a motorcycle that costs Rs 3.70 lakh (ex-showroom), these problems are hard to overlook. That said, if you are looking for a reasonably good-looking twin-cylinder bike under Rs 5 lakh (on-road) with exciting performance, the SRK 400 makes for a lovely motorcycle.

Photography by Kapil Angane