Why the 400X?
Since the time we first rode it, we knew the Triumph Scrambler 400X would make for a good motorcycle to have in the garage. It felt light and easy to ride, had decent torque in the low and mid-range, and was comfortable to ride along with friendly seating ergos.
Then we took it for a 1000km intercity ride, and even though it did well, we did manage to find a few chinks in its armour. It came back again, this time for a fuel run and the numbers it returned were good for a 400cc motorcycle. So, overall, things were looking up.
But the thing is, every time we got the bike, it was a different piece. So, even though the bikes did well, we had no idea how the 400X would age. So, in order to wholeheartedly recommend the 400X to those seeking a go-anywhere-do-anything motorcycle (a GADA bike, if you will), we thought we should live with one for an extended period of time.
Here it is then, in Carnival Red.
The Specs
Now, even though we have talked about the specifications of this motorcycle many times over the course of months, we thought we would run through them again, though succinctly.
The Scrambler 400X uses a 400cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine that is quite closely related to the one you get in the new KTM 390 Duke. However, this one makes less power and torque, but is friendlier to ride at slower speeds.
The power is almost 40bhp, while the peak torque is nearly 38Nm. Add to it, its 185kg kerb weight, and the 400X walks away with a respectable power-to-weight ratio. Suspension and brakes are basic. You have non-adjustable upside down front forks and a preload adjustable rear off-set monoshock, while braking is handled by a 320mm disc at the front and a 230mm disc at the rear.
Tyres are MRF on/off-road units measuring 100/90 -19 at the front and 140/80 - 17 at the back. Guess, it is the sum of parts that make the Scrambler tick, and not so much the parts themselves.
The Plan
We will ride the bike in the city, take it out on the highway, do some light off-roading with it, and crucially make changes to the bike to overcome any shortcomings we find after living with it for an extended period of time. We will also compare notes with what we said earlier about the motorcycle to what we feel now. This should give us a good idea about how the Scrambler 400X ages under hard riding.
Product details
Make: Triumph
Model: Scrambler 400X
Kilometres this month: 580km
Fuel efficiency: 31.3kmpl
Price when tested: Rs 3.23 lakh, on road, Mumbai
Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi
Gallery
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Triumph Scrambler 400 X Handle Bar
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