Initially available only in India, but expected to be introduced to other markets, Triumph has officially announced the Thruxton 400 Café racer model to complement the other 400cc single-cylinder models already in its lineup.
The new bike has unique styling (see photos) and a new engine tune that yields a 2 hp increase compared to the existing models for a total of 41.4 hp.
Gearing has been revised slightly to increase top speed and for a more relaxed, high speed, cruising. This is coupled with the fact that the new engine has a redline 1,000 rpm higher.
More aggressive steering geometry, together with clip-on handlebars and rear-set foot pegs is intended to provide sportier handling.
The new bike also has slightly longer suspension travel than the Speed 400 at both ends (10 mm longer).
This is an attractive addition to Triumph’s lineup. We fully expect this model to be available in other markets, perhaps following an announcement at EICMA later this year.
OK ! Enough is enough ! WHY are my comments almost ALWAYS awaiting moderation AND approval ? ? ?
Is it my spelling ? My smooth tone of expression ? My New England accent ?
Let’s knock off this BS and get the flow of ideas going down stream again.
Geeze Louise !
This message is approved by Reginald Roughspur 3rd base hitter, and cranky leftover.
Responding to Steves good report on 400 Triumph.
I am looking for an appox 400 lb scrambler to put on the back of my travel trailer for funsy on my trips. I took the triumph 400X scrambler for a test ride, and was very close to purchasing it. They are pricing this level of bike very nicely nowadays, not taking into account all the “fees” they add. Well, in hindsight, since I’ve been riding quite a few different bikes to comparison, I was underwelmed (SP). Let see, engine was not powerful enough and had to be rev’ed quite a bit. The engine could do it, but it was annoying. The brakes definitely were not very powerful, just adequate. It was very comfortable. As an older, experienced motorcycle rider, I was impressed by the machine, very well made, but it just wasn’t enough. I think I need more horsepower to enjoy my rides. I’ve decided to go a little more upscale in the engine department, up to the >600 cc range to give me the power I require. It is tough to keep the weight down in the >600 segment, so luckily I have patience. We shall see…
Good report, bike sounds a little disappointing on its own, considering the 400cc class. A ton of 600s to satisfy out there, but the weight thing is an issue. For my very abbreviated riding needs, prefer 500cc. Hopefully.
To put this in perspective, my first bike was a 1981 KZ550 – 50 HP and 450-475 pounds all in. Underpowered but adequate up to 75mph and fun to ride. The Thruxton 400 is 50-75 pounds lighter (depending on whose numbers you use), with vastly better rubber and better brakes, but short 8 HP. Could it be lighter and use more horsepower – sure – but I like the way it looks and I bet it’ll be fun to ride.
In the mid eighties a Harley bagger made 50hp on a good day and weighed around twice as much as this bike. If they were ridden faster than about 65mph they would rattle your soul. Yet people were snapping them up like condoms at the Olympics.
I wonder about all these small displacement thumpers now days. Balance shafts are a wonderful thing and all. But these little guys are going to have to spin up a bit to pull much speed. I guess my age and experience would make it hard for me to relentlessly flog these little guys if I needed to hop on a freeway for a little while due to a can’t get there from here issue. I do aggressively avoid freeways as hopelessly boring. Why would anyone want to ever be bored on a motorcycle? If I designed a highway system for motorcycles there would be a lot more motorcycle tire shops. Have any of you guys ever seen a motorcycle tire shop?
This is a test, it is only a test.
One of the very best things about motorcycling, even on a open straight highway/freeway that some would call BOORING, is you can not think about anything except what you’re doing. There are no daily worries or concerns.
A magic carpet with a rubber backing.
I am Brazilian (from Foz do Iguaçu, in the south of Brazil), and what you said about long, straight roads without curves is something I don’t really like either. Here in the countryside of southern Brazil, there are many two-way roads full of curves, and that’s what entertains me. But between staying home for the weekend and hitting the road, I’ll always choose the road — any road — whether it’s on a 125cc or a 1300cc. Big hug, brother! Just hope Trump doesn’t start taxing my weekends down here in southern Brazil too… 😂
Hi folks. I have a GB 500, which has been wonderful on back roads. Still have great memories of humiliating a 911 on a narrow, curvy
back road. Couldn’t pass him, however.
I had taken up the the GB 500 because my R1 just made my riding too fast, too dangerous.
I think that this group of bikes should be wonderful for curvy back roads. Going to compare the Triumph to the Aprilia 457.
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I wonder if all these under 500cc bikes are selling. Is it a hopeful build it and they will come thing? I suppose if I still lived in Paris I would know. Trends change quickly and obviously there. Around the time I left Mash motorcycles were popping up all over the place. They look like Yamaha XTs from the 80s. Most of the people who live in urban cesspools tend to favor singles or lower displacement twins for shredding traffic. Anything that is bigger, heavier and more powerful is a liability when it’s not about how fast you go as much as it is about how many cars you pass. I suppose in areas where they don’t lane split that changes a bit. I’m glad that I don’t go to high traffic areas by motorcycle here on New Hampshire. Once you get used to simply shredding your way through traffic it’s hard to just sit in it like just another cow in the herd.
My understanding is that the lightweight class of bikes is selling very well here in the US (relative to our comparatively small market) and selling VERY well in most other motorcycle markets in the world. These would represent “big” bikes in Southeast Asia.
Jeez – I thought I had fallen into a Conde Nast rabbit hole there for a minute.
All I want for Christmas is a 500cc single that sounds like a pair of uncorked Buick Wildcats starting a J-58.
Farmers complain about the weather no matter what it is. The weight of the motorcycle is only a hindrance if the center of gravity is too high. A slightly over 40 hp single cylinder motorcycle has limitations beyond the wet weight. I think the design suits twisty two lanes and gentle mountain passes. A CRF 300 Rally probably has near the same power to weight ratio and that units intention is going off-road where every pound counts.
I wonder if the engine and suspension upgrades will make it to the Speed 400?
Do they have license plates on the front fairing?
At least that mini fairing takes the eye away from the exaggerated tilt of that nasty seamed tank. If Triumph wants the tilted look on all their bikes, perhaps they should fit 15″ front wheels!
Tank seams are a good thing, displays fuel leakage sooner, and sturdy surface when removed tank needs a landing surface.
This is an entry-level and/or budget bike…not a flagship machine. The seam is seamless to most.
That seams to make sense, but they seamingly cause many unseamly comments, seamlessly embedded in these posts, perhaps created by a some verbal seamstress.
No Tommy, go back to your sewing or no porrige tonight.
Don’t understand why a single cylinder fairly small bike should weigh over 400 pounds. With only one front disk wonder what the stopping power will be? A bike of this caliber to my mind should not weigh anything more than 350 pounds. I’ll stick with the Ninja 400 or 500.
Because street bike fans in general will defend heavy motorcycles all day long. They’re on my case all the time for daring to suggest the industry could do better. The Righteous Defenders of Mediocrity live to silence decent.
And cue Mick, who reliably asserts that the motorcycle makers refuse to do a thing that has never been accomplished, despite everyone agreeing it would be better, because they just don’t want to?
It’s heavier because they built it to a low price and decided to concentrate on other things their customers appreciate more while resulting in a profitable product for themselves.
Speed 400 wet is 375 pounds, Cafe 400 is 9 pounds more, so . . . 384 pounds wet. Seems reasonable to me, especially with fuel. Too light on a street bike can be bothersome on the open hwy in a cross wind.
Why is everybody reluctant to go thumper 500 cc properly ?
My information states a wet weight of 183 kg. for the Thruxton 400 not the Speed 400
https://www.etvbharat.com/en/!technology/triumph-thruxton-400-launched-in-india-price-features-specifications-enn25080706712
My information is from Total Motorcycle and this article.
Even though made in Royal Enfield land, I can not believe 400 plus pounds for a 400, wet. Dosn’t make a big difference, never gonna be a racer screamer anyways.
Total motorcycle does not list the Thruxton 400 on their website, just the Speed 400. Probably not listed because this import is still in flux. I really believe the bike as built in India will weigh 183 kg. But will 25 pounds (speed 400 weight is 375#s ) make a large difference? Probably not. Even at 375 pounds for a single cylinder bike the weight is obscene. It’s my humble opinion. My preference is for a flickable quick bike. I don’t find cursing along without some excitement pleasurable. I want a bike that puts a smile on my face.
Harry – My numbers stand. I did not state the weight of the Thrux came from Total M, rather the Speed did. Also the current article was the source for the Thrux increase wt over the Speed, all of which were Wet (fork oil, Battery, fuel, Engine oil, and a little Gator-Aid to go).
Yes too HEAVY for a dirt or scrambler, or mo X, or trials, but reasonable for a slugo street cruiser.
I’m currently in Bangkok Thailand. This week flying out to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. Going to stop at a Triumph dealer in both countries. Will get an honest weight of the bike. True, a bike any bike, is purchased for your riding style. Again, for me a single cylinder basic street bike at around 400 pounds is obscene. The traffic in Bangkok is crazy with most of the riders on 125 and 150cc scooters zipping in and out of traffic. Only seen a few bikes greater than 400cc. A heavy 400cc bike, which is not very flickable, in Bangkok would simply not work.
If you haven’t checked out the temples that the forests are eating in Cambodia yet you should really go check that out while you’re in the ‘hood. The photos that I took there are about the only photos from all my travels that I still look at from time to time. I use one of the for my ccomputer desktop. Hire a private guide that will take you to some of the temples that the general tourists, who can’t easily get around, won’t go to. They don’t cost much, and it’s worth every penny.
The Best tacos I’ve ever ett were in Ubon Thailand 1969. One baht each but what made them Special were 4 mild spices and itty bitty spoons for precise application.
Don’t forget the chicken cowpot.
My next stop is Kota Kinabalu, part of Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. Nice blend of urban/rural. The town is very cosmopolitan with good healthcare, a nice nightlife and expat community. Going to find a guide, “ToursbyLocals” and visit the state parks in Borneo. There is supposed to be a rope bridge over a deep valley that I need to experience. Will look at Cambodia.
On my way to Cambodia I also flew through Kuala Lumpur. The flight that disappeared from there left an hour after we did. Kinda creepy.
The GB 500 supposedly weighs 390 pounds, is quite flickable. The
thruxton supposedly weighs 403 pounds. GB 500 had 30 horsepower on a good day, the Thruxton has considerably more, plus the benefits of better suspension and brakes. Sounds like the Triumph clan will be much better. For information on the R1, check out the Cycleworld you tube with Kevin Cameron on you tube.
It’s worth noting that the claimed weight is for the India market bike. They have some requirements that are different from most other markets, including a sari guard, which is a large, metal cage to keep traditional women’s clothing from getting caught in the rear wheel when they ride side-saddle on the back. These images exclude it because the seat cowl is in place but I’d bet this has a passenger seat and comes with that big, steel guard, which has to weigh a few kg’s by itself.
Funny how people say stuff like that without having any experience to back it up. I regularly ride a bike that weighs over 100 pounds less and I never notice any cross wind issues that aren’t present on any of my off the rack way too heavy street bikes. Yet people with giant megaton touring bikes tend to complain about it. It’s just another old argument like the crazy ones the cruiser guys use. Like wearing a helmet will break your neck or grabbing the front brake will throw you over the bars. Or the ever popular had to lay ‘er down to avoid a crash. It’s basically a version of the old road hugging weight bit. One thing a light bike will do if blow over off the kickstand if you don’t park it with the kickstand down wind. But that’s not hard to do.
In the end, if you have a decent piece of equipment, it will work well. There are literally billions of people who can safely ride bicycles in any weather without adding a ton of ballast to them every time the wind blows. And they don’t even have to be fancy bicycles. I lived in The Netherlands for two years. The place never shuts down due to wind. People of all ages get around on bicycles every day. The place rocks.
NO experience ? Have you ever ridden in the open deserts of Southern California, or up and down the Owens Valley, or Death Valley, or in a Santa Anna wind. The physics are the same everywhere, Light, Height, and Wetted side surface area all count in an unstable and unpredictable ride. Experience . . . 55 years on a Yamaha 55 to a Triumph 3 cylinder Thunderbird and Triumph Scrambler, and most displacements in between. Oh yeah the Banning Pass on the route twix Palm Springs and Calexico.
So there, so double there. Fun in the sun.
What makes you think other people’s opinions aren’t formed by experience? Just because you don’t mind being blown around on a dirt bike doesn’t mean it’s not happening.
As a deeply experienced cyclist I can say wind has a VERY large impact on handling and confidence. Anyone who’s had semi trucks pass them while riding would agree. My Dutch cycling friends would also agree (crosswind tactics are a bicycle racing specialty, just like climbing is).
OK Mick, you are wrong regarding light bikes and cross winds, and I do have the experience to back that up. Desert winds, Santa Anna winds, and Pacific coastal breezes, mountain passes. All up and down the west coast to Washington and inland to Arizona and Nevada over 5 decades. Weight and mass among other things ( height, steering geometry, surface area, CG ) all count on how bothersome a side wind savages a long day ride. The optimum weight 4 street, including performance for overall satisfaction all day, is 450 to 500 pounds. To be clear I’m talking open sit down go fast highways. Anything lighter can be uncomfortable in a cross wind of as little as 25 mph. Of course you can’t be too light to fun around corners on a calm day. It all depends.
I have ridden everything from a Katana 1100 to a 1972 Harley Sprint 350 SS, my current ride believe it or not, I have ridden all over California and never had major issues with cross winds. The one time I can remember is near Sand City. The wind was blowing across the dunes from the bay and blowing sand across the freeway. I don’t know the wind speed but the sand looked like a stream that was flooding over the road. I simply put my feet behind me over the license and laid down on the tank with my left hand resting on the handlebar. I simply got my profile as small as possible. Yeah, the bike wiggled a little but I have had far worse on cushion tracks racing flat track. My Sprint weighs about 290 pounds and makes about 30 hp. It’s a 72 but not stock. I didn’t see any performance specs on this bike. I wonder how it compares to my Sprint.
Bryan – Wow, I am really impressed with your “still” riding a HD 350, in a VERY positive sense. Brings back wonderful memories at Skip Fordyce in the 60s and a very under appreciated motorcycle. A friend ran an earlier version in desert enduros well, just had to replace bash plates often enough to amuse me. This is one atta boy for you, and thanks for keeping the beast thumping.
Singles should survive.
Dual front discs are for pigs, race, or posers. Not necessary on medium/small bikes.
Gourantee this 400 will stop.
I have 6 street bikes ranging from 295 pounds to 480 pounds. My DRZ400SM which is significantly modified is 295, and I have a 650 Cafe Racer that I built that is 300 pounds. On the other end of my spectrum is a Ducati ST2, again modified a bit coming it at 480 (with hard cases). I like light-weight bikes…but I will tell you if I spend a day on the ST2, and the next day on my light bikes – they feel absurdly small. Granted, they are used on different type of roads and rides – and nothing beats a light-weight bike on very twisty back roads…but a 300 pound bike can feel a bit squarely on grooved or broken pavement. My point is…not every bike has to be extremely “light”. The 20+ pounds lost on the ST2 are hardly noticed when the cases are empty…but do help when they are full.
I think a 400cc street bike with 40 horsepower is just right in the 375 pound range. Light enough to be tossable, with enough mass to provide stability when needed. If you need to shave a few pounds, an aftermarket exhaust and a fender eliminator kit should do the trick.