Royal Enfield Scram 411 vs Yezdi Scrambler: Comparison Test Review

Styling & Quality

The Yezdi Scrambler looks cool and has that dual-purpose duty presence. It gets a front fender which is placed high, dual-purpose tyres, and a proper scrambler long seat. The folks at Yezdi have also given it spoke wheels and fork gaiters. The overall quality, however, isn’t up to the mark. For a motorcycle this size, the fit and finish could have been much better than what it currently offers.

The Scram 411 has a good road presence too, and the credit goes to its paint schemes. Most of these colours are bright and cool and that does turn heads. In terms of other styling aspects, well, the majority of it is from its ADV cousin. Having said that, the front wheel is different, and so is the headlamp unit.

Ergonomics & Comfort

Now before we go ahead and test these bikes in the city, it is extremely important to show you their seating ergonomics. Let's look at Scram 411 first. Out of both the bikes, the Scram 411 has a lower seat height at 795mm. That means, it is easy to get on the motorcycle and as soon as you do that, you’ll notice the pegs are neutral set. You got a handlebar that is easy to reach and the seat feels comfy as well. I prefer this ‘in the bike’ feeling because it gives a sense of comfort. It just tells me to go easy and maybe a little lazy on the bike. Interestingly, the Scrambler also has similar seating ergonomics but with some changes. The handlebar is positioned a little lower and that’s why you will notice that the hands are not extremely parallel to the ground. Plus, the handlebar feels much wider than the Scram 411 and that means it could give more control and leverage on the road as well as off-road.

Now that we have told you how these bikes are in terms of seating, it’s time to tell you one of the most important aspects of owning a motorcycle – parking. I say this is important, especially for people who live in metros for there’s always a lack of parking space, and that means you have to park the bikes in tight spots while avoiding any scratches on the bike.

Both these bikes have an accessible seat height, thus you can bend your legs while it is on the floor, and that gives more control over your motion. Now, due to the position of the pegs, it is easy to move the bike while seated. But the Scram 411 is three kilograms heavier than the Scrambler, and that’s why it is a bit of a task to move the bike around. Now, having said that, it is a task to move the Scrambler too. Blame the overall weight distribution.

Features & Tech

In terms of features, the Yezdi Scrambler scores higher points, thanks to liquid-cooling, six-speed gearbox, multiple riding modes along with switchable ABS at the back, and not to forget, the USB and type-C charging options.

The Scram 411 on the other hand, doesn’t get any of these. It does get dual-channel ABS, but like the feature on the Himalayan, the ABS can’t be switched off at the rear wheel. The Scram 411 also misses out on a basic USB charging option, which is a downer because the bike will be used in urban conditions and as well as on highways.

Performance & Handling

Now, when it comes to riding, which is a better bike in the city? The answer is the Yezdi Scrambler, mainly because it is more involving to ride. It gets a wider handlebar and that means you have more leverage. It feels lighter to ride around in the city traffic. The clutch is light to use. The gear shifts are precise. The brakes, too, work much better than the Scram 411. The Scram, on the other hand, feels a little lazy around the city. You can feel the weight. The clutch isn’t as light to use. And the brakes, well, the brakes were never good with this platform.

On the other hand, when we talk about taking the bike on a long ride, the Scram 411 performed so much better than the Scrambler. Firstly, the mid-range torque on the Scram is quite good and that lets you cruise at a steady pace. Plus, when there’s a requirement for overtakes, you can do that easily on the Scram, without the need of shifting gears. Sadly, the Scram doesn’t get a windscreen, so there’s continuous wind hitting your upper body. This also makes you ride the motorcycle at a steady 85-90kmph. The upside of cruising at this speed is very good fuel efficiency. This Royal Enfield churns out the fuel efficiency of around 30kmpl, which looks quite good against Scrambler’s 23kmpl.

The Scrambler, however, cruises decently well at 100kmph. But the overall NVH plays a spoilsport. The vibrations and the harshness are a little difficult to bear at high speeds. And things just don’t seem to get better, especially when you have a considerable distance to cover over multiple hours.

Now let's talk about something fun – off-road riding. Here, the Scram 411 wins by a big margin because, as we know, this bike is a sober Himalayan. So, its enduro abilities are impressive and friendly too. The motorcycle can jump, it can slide, and it can do this over and over again, every hour of the day. Even with its revised handlebar position, the Scram is still comfortable even for taller riders.

The Scrambler, too, is fun off-road. It is super easy to play with the motorcycle around. The bike can slide a lot, thanks to off-road ABS and yes, it can do lots of jumps. The only problem here was the off-road ergonomics. The handlebar is positioned a bit lower and the pegs are placed higher – this combination doesn’t allow you to hold the motorcycle the way you want it when riding off-road.

Fuel Efficiency

The Scram 411 with its long stroke motor churned out a decent 31kmpl and honestly, that’s a good figure to have for a motorcycle this size. However, the Yezdi Scrambler, which by the way, is a more modern motorcycle, gave us just 23kmpl. This figure drastically reduced the overall riding range in a tank full of petrol.

Which one to buy?

The Yezdi Scrambler is more modern than the Scram 411 by a decent margin. It gets liquid-cooling, a six-speed gearbox, three riding modes, and USB as well Type-C charging options. I mean it is clear from these aspects that this Yezdi is a well-thought-out motorcycle. And when you combine these aspects with that striking styling, the Scrambler becomes an extremely aspirational motorcycle. But there are a few things that fail to work in its favour. The 334cc, four-valve engine sounds harsh. It’s vibey and feels crude sometimes. And then there are those stiff springs at the back. Every time you go over some bad roads, the rear suspension doesn't work in your favour and at any preload level. The overall quality, too, could have been much better.

The Scram 411, on the other hand, has a really good fit and finish. The quality is so much better than the Yezdi. While it doesn't look as cool as the Scrambler, it does turn heads due to its colour scheme. And then there's the comfort level in the city and on the highway. The engine is refined and smooth. It has good torque and is tractable too. Out on the highways, it's far more comfortable than the Scrambler and, in fact, it is way more fuel-efficient too. I agree that the Scram 411 doesn't get the switchable ABS nor does it get any USB charging options. But it provides a far more superior riding experience — something that a lot of riders are looking for. With the Scram 411, you also get access to Royal Enfields' vast community experiences and also to all apparel and accessories. So, the Scram 411 is a better bike today and we would recommend that.

Photography by Kapil Angane

Final Scores