Triumph Scrambler 400 X: An Offroad Evaluate

The time period “scrambler” doesn’t imply a lot as of late. In contrast to the scramblers of previous, which have been avenue bikes transformed for off-road use, at present’s scramblers are usually simply restyled variations of current fashions with little to no significant enhancements made for off-road driving.

Just about each main producer has accomplished this in a single kind or one other, from BMW’s RnineT Scrambler to Honda’s newest SCL500. There are a couple of uncommon exceptions on the market (Ducati’s Desert Sled and Triumph’s Scrambler 1200 XE come to thoughts). However for probably the most half, they’ve all come up painfully quick within the dust.

Bearing that in thoughts, I couldn’t assist however roll my eyes when Triumph introduced its new $5,595 “Scrambler” 400 X alongside its India-built stablemate, the Pace 400. The worth was proper, and the Scrambler was undeniably good-looking, however how a lot completely different may it actually be?

I mentioned as a lot to the oldsters at Triumph, and its response shocked me. They advised me I ought to give the Scrambler 400 X an opportunity on my subsequent off-road journey. This occurred to be all 350 miles of the brand new Chattahoochee BDR-X.

Honest sufficient.

I parked my Yamaha WR250 within the storage, loaded up the Scrambler 400 X, and set off for the mountains of North Georgia to see how this budget-friendly two-wheeler handles slightly dust.

Briefly: The 2024 Triumph Scrambler 400 X proved to be a trendy avenue machine that might maintain its personal on delicate dust. The impressively reasonably priced machine had the chops to deal with freeway cruising and a 350-mile backcountry route — all this whereas sporting the plain cool issue of a British model steeped in historical past and tradition.

2024 Triumph Scrambler 400 X Predominant Specs

The Scrambler 400 X shares loads of components with its Pace 400 stablemate. However Triumph made a couple of notable modifications that have been related to my off-road mission.

The primary and most important is that the Scrambler will get an additional 10mm of suspension journey up entrance and one other 20mm on the rear. This brings whole journey to five.9 inches entrance and rear. Each ends have barely tweaked damping in comparison with the Pace 400. Floor clearance has additionally improved to about 8 inches.

It’s additionally price noting that regardless of related appearances, the Scrambler 400 will get its personal distinctive body. This body employs a steeper rake angle of 23.2 levels to compensate for its bigger and heavier 19-inch entrance wheel. The path remains to be barely longer at 4.25 inches because of the suspension and wheel combo. This could strike a great stability between dealing with on the road and stability within the dust.

The 398cc engine, alternatively, is strictly the identical, proper right down to the fueling. Nonetheless, Triumph noticed match to tweak the gearing considerably to raised go well with off-road obligation. The Scrambler bundle additionally features a plastic skid plate and plastic hand guards, in addition to mesh grilles over the headlight and radiator for cover.

Rubber knee pads line the perimeters of the gas tank, and the footpegs are bigger and extra aggressive with detachable rubber inserts. Final however not least, the entrance brake caliper is barely bigger at 320mm and has a distinct pad compound to cut back preliminary brake chew and supply extra predictability on free surfaces.

The Triumph Scrambler 400 X Take a look at

Our take a look at route was a roughly 350-mile loop that primarily ran across the scenic backcountry of the Chattahoochee Nationwide Forest. Parts of the route happen on winding paved roads. Nonetheless, the vast majority of the terrain is both maintained gravel or unmaintained two-track dust roads. There may be additionally a handful of nasty, rutted 4×4 trails.

As is the case with most BDRs, the route isn’t significantly technical. There are a couple of sketchy climbs and descents, free rock gardens, muddy sections, and a handful of shallow water crossings. However there’s nothing right here you’d want exhausting enduro chops to perform.

Right here’s how that every one went aboard this budget-friendly motorbike.

On the Pavement

My aim for this evaluate was to make use of the 2024 Triumph Scrambler 400 X as a dual-sport or mini-ADV. This meant attending to and from the enjoyable stuff was a part of the trip. As such, I rode the Scrambler up from my residence simply north of Atlanta, a roughly 60-mile haul with a great mixture of streets, cities, and freeways.

All issues thought-about, the Scrambler was an important little avenue bike. Out on the freeway, the liquid-cooled single cruised fortunately at 70mph with loads of oomph left over for passing as wanted. It acquired slightly vibey up round 80mph or so, but it surely didn’t shake my fillings out both once I was in a rush. The indicated prime velocity is round 100mph, in case you have been questioning.

On twisty roads, I’d say the Scrambler was good however not nice. The engine was a keen companion, cranking out enjoyable, usable torque in virtually any gear. However the bigger and heavier entrance wheel required slightly additional effort to show in. The Scrambler’s well-damped suspension at all times felt secure and beneath management, however I needed to muscle it a bit to carry a line, which was enjoyable in its personal approach.

Round city, I couldn’t ask for rather more. The Scrambler’s impartial driving place felt commanding and relaxed. And there was at all times loads of leverage on the bar for low-speed maneuvers. The fairly low 32.8-inch seat top made a simple attain to the bottom for each my 6’1” body and that of my 5’10” buddy.

Maybe probably the most surprising shock I discovered on the road, nonetheless, was the Scrambler’s seat. It was unbelievably comfy, even after a full 10-hour day within the saddle. With its barely scooped form and supportive foam, the inventory seat jogged my memory of the Corbin I had on an previous journey bike, which was most likely my favourite saddle so far — not one thing you’d count on on a motorcycle this reasonably priced.

Getting Soiled With the Triumph Scrambler 400 X

To place it mildly, my off-road expectations for this bike have been low. Between the 19-inch solid entrance wheel, restricted suspension journey, and street-biased rubber, I used to be mentally ready for a 3-day, 300-mile sufferfest adopted by a less-than-glowing evaluate.

I can’t, in good religion, inform you that the Scrambler 400 X is a real dual-sport in avenue clothes. However I’m blissful to report that it exceeded expectations by an extended shot. That is no desert sled constructed to go smashing by the whoops. However for those who’re trying to do some trustworthy off-road exploration, it was properly suited to the duty.

A lot of this was because of the Scrambler’s easy one-touch “off-road mode.” This cuts each ABS and traction management off totally with an extended press of the information button.

There’s no superior slide management or something on provide, however due to the engine’s entertaining but approachable 39.5 peak horsepower, traction is successfully “built-in.” I actually needed to make an effort to get the bike to do something squirrely.

On maintained gravel, the Scrambler X was simply plain enjoyable. The engine was peppy and keen. And the street-biased Metzeler Karoo Road rubber offered sufficient grip to maintain the bike monitoring predictably, even once I was banging it off the rev limiter out of corners.

The identical went on your common two-track dust street. The Scrambler’s well-sorted damping made probably the most of its 5.9 inches of journey and did a good job absorbing potholes, roots, or rockier sections.

The tall handlebar and mid-mount controls made for a reasonably comfy standing place. And there’s even a pleasant slim spot to wedge your knees between the tank pads and the entrance of the seat to grip with my legs. 

Because the obstacles acquired bigger and extra frequent, nonetheless, the Scrambler positively began to indicate its limitations. I discovered the underside of the fork when trudging by uphill rock gardens or rooty descents. It was uncommon for the bike to really be bounced off-track. However my wrists took plenty of abuse whereas hammering by the gnarlier sections of our trip.

As is commonly the case with “scramblers,” offroading on the Triumph required extra cautious line decisions and quite a bit much less velocity. It tracked its approach by virtually something with an honest diploma of composure, however you’ll by no means mistake it for a long-travel path bike, both.

So far as complaints go, I actually solely have two main ones price sharing.

The Downsides of the Triumph Scrambler 400 X

So far as complaints go, I actually solely have two main ones price sharing. The primary is the rear brake, which I cursed constantly over the course of our 3-day journey. On the road, it was tremendous, however within the dust, it was an absolute stain on an in any other case spectacular bike.

The principle subject right here is that the lever wanted to journey a good distance earlier than I felt any suggestions. Most of the time, that meant the one approach I knew my rear brake was working was when the rear tire locked up totally, which wasn’t superb once I was fastidiously selecting my approach down a rocky hill.

To make issues worse, the pedal sits about an inch beneath the footpeg, which made it extremely awkward to articulate once I was standing on the pegs. There’s no significant method to alter the lever (there’s solely a single locknut above the brake clevis), so I used to be resigned to working across the subject for your complete journey.

My different notable grievance was an absence of any actual safety behind the entrance wheel. The radiator hangs down into hurt’s approach, and the coolant reservoir sits simply beneath it. This meant all that stood between me and a probably catastrophic occasion out on the path was a skinny plastic skid plate. Upgrading to aluminum safety on each counts can be cash properly spent. And as luck would have it, Triumph gives a correct skid plate as a manufacturing facility accent.

Conclusions on the 2024 Triumph Scrambler 400 X

For a sure sort of rider, the Triumph Scrambler 400 X is actually the one sport on the town. It’s reasonably priced and had bonafide functionality each on and off-road. Moreover, it delivered an air of credible curb enchantment and retro-cool by benefit of merely being a Triumph motorbike.

The latter is arguably the Scrambler’s ace within the gap. There are better-handling avenue bikes for the cash (Triumph’s personal Pace 400). And there are extra succesful off-roaders (Honda’s 300L). However you merely can’t manufacture the deep cultural affiliation Triumph has earned during the last century.

If you image Bob Dylan driving round with a lit cigarette and no helmet, he isn’t driving a Royal Enfield. The identical goes for Steve McQueen, Marlon Brando, and Clint Eastwood, and I say Royal Enfield deliberately right here as a result of the elephant within the room is clearly the newest Himalayan 450.

With regards to sheer bang for the buck, the $5,799 Himalayan 450 delivers related avenue manners whereas providing significantly improved off-road functionality with a spoked 21-inch entrance wheel, extra suspension, and higher floor clearance. It lacks some enchantment as a avenue bike, nonetheless, and magnificence isn’t the one purpose why.

Royal Enfield is essentially seen as a made-in-India model that’s leveraging the enchantment of an iconic British marque. Conversely, Triumph is an iconic British model that’s leveraging the economic system of made-in-India manufacturing. To place it one other approach, the “cool issue” is already baked into the Scramber 400 X, whereas Royal Enfield nonetheless has some work to do within the hearts and minds of the motorcycling public.  

On the finish of the day, this avenue bike delivers timeless type at an outrageously low worth. It was additionally enjoyable within the corners and fairly competent off-road. These gave it loads of functionality for dual-sport touring together with your buddies on forest service roads.

It’s one bike that offers riders of any ability stage a style of every thing that’s nice about motorcycling. In different phrases, it’s an actual scrambler, and you’ll personal one for beneath six grand as well.