The time period “scrambler” doesn’t imply a lot as of late. Not like the scramblers of previous, which have been road bikes transformed for off-road use, immediately’s scramblers are usually simply restyled variations of current fashions with little to no significant enhancements made for off-road using.
Just about each main producer has executed this in a single type or one other, from BMW’s RnineT Scrambler to Honda’s newest SCL500. There are just a few 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 brief within the filth.
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 Velocity 400. The value was proper, and the Scrambler was undeniably good-looking, however how a lot totally different may it actually be?
I stated as a lot to the parents at Triumph, and its response stunned 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.
Truthful 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 somewhat filth.
Briefly: The 2024 Triumph Scrambler 400 X proved to be a classy road machine that would maintain its personal on delicate filth. 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.
Large type, small worth
Surprisingly succesful off-road
Comfy even for taller riders
Lovable single-cylinder engine
Suspension comes up brief within the tough stuff
Rear brake wants work
Pretty sluggish steering
Kurt Spurlock
2024 Triumph Scrambler 400 X Principal Specs
Plenty of little particulars like this aspect cowl helped lend the Scrambler X a premium really feel; (picture/Kurt Spurlock)
The Scrambler 400 X shares loads of components with its Velocity 400 stablemate. However Triumph made just a few notable adjustments that have been related to my off-road mission.
The primary and most vital 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 Velocity 400. Floor clearance has additionally improved to about 8 inches.
It’s additionally value 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 continues to be barely longer at 4.25 inches as a result of suspension and wheel combo. This could strike a great stability between dealing with on the road and stability within the filth.
The off-road mode characteristic can be distinctive to the Scrambler X. It utterly disables each traction management and ABS; (picture/Kurt Spurlock)
The 398cc engine, however, is precisely the identical, proper all the way down to the fueling. Nevertheless, Triumph noticed match to tweak the gearing considerably to higher swimsuit 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 edges of the gasoline 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 unique pad compound to cut back preliminary brake chunk and supply extra predictability on free surfaces.
The Triumph Scrambler 400 X Check
I loaded down the Scrambler with tenting gear; (picture/Kurt Spurlock)
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. Nevertheless, the vast majority of the terrain is both maintained gravel or unmaintained two-track filth 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 just a few 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 arduous enduro chops to perform.
Right here’s how that every one went aboard this budget-friendly motorbike.
On the Pavement
The Scrambler’s well-damped suspension feels proper at house on a twisty mountain street; (picture/Mitchell Payne)
My objective 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 experience. As such, I rode the Scrambler up from my house simply north of Atlanta, a roughly 60-mile haul with a great mixture of streets, cities, and freeways.
All issues thought of, the Scrambler was an incredible little road bike. Out on the freeway, the liquid-cooled single cruised fortunately at 70mph with loads of oomph left over for passing as wanted. It received somewhat vibey up round 80mph or so, nevertheless it didn’t shake my fillings out both once I was in a rush. The indicated high pace is round 100mph, in case you have been questioning.
There’s nothing fairly like a light-weight single cylinder for low-speed shenanigans; (picture/Mitchell Payne)
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 somewhat further effort to show in. The Scrambler’s well-damped suspension all the time felt secure and underneath management, however I needed to muscle it a bit to carry a line, which was enjoyable in its personal method.
Round city, I couldn’t ask for rather more. The Scrambler’s impartial using place felt commanding and relaxed. And there was all the time loads of leverage on the bar for low-speed maneuvers. The fairly low 32.8-inch seat peak made a simple attain to the bottom for each my 6’1” body and that of my 5’10” buddy.
The inventory seat on the Scrambler X is extra comfy and supportive than some aftermarket saddles I’ve owned; (picture/Kurt Spurlock)
Maybe probably the most surprising shock I discovered on the road, nevertheless, 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 up to now — not one thing you’d count on on a motorbike this reasonably priced.
Getting Soiled With the Triumph Scrambler 400 X
Enjoyable was had; (picture/Mitchell Payne)
To place it mildly, my off-road expectations for this bike have been low. Between the 19-inch forged 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, let you know that the Scrambler 400 X is a real dual-sport in road clothes. However I’m glad to report that it exceeded expectations by a protracted shot. That is no desert sled constructed to go smashing by the whoops. However should you’re seeking to do some sincere off-road exploration, it was nicely suited to the duty.
When switched to off-road mode, the Scrambler turns into greater than able to tackling two-track forest service roads; (picture/Mitchell Payne)
A lot of this was as a result of Scrambler’s easy one-touch “off-road mode.” This cuts each ABS and traction management off totally with a protracted press of the data button.
There’s no superior slide management or something on supply, 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 Avenue rubber offered sufficient grip to maintain the bike monitoring predictably, even once I was banging it off the rev limiter out of corners.
If gravel touring is your bag, the Scrambler is nicely suited to the duty; (picture/Mitchell Payne)
The identical went on your common two-track filth 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 received bigger and extra frequent, nevertheless, 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 truly be bounced off-track. However my wrists took quite a lot of abuse whereas hammering by the gnarlier sections of our experience.
The brand new liquid-cooled single delivers predictable energy within the filth; (picture/Kurt Spurlock)
As is commonly the case with “scramblers,” offroading on the Triumph required extra cautious line selections and rather a lot much less pace. It tracked its method by virtually something with a good 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 value sharing.
The Downsides of the Triumph Scrambler 400 X
So far as complaints go, I actually solely have two main ones value sharing. The primary is the rear brake, which I cursed constantly over the course of our 3-day journey. On the road, it was superb, however within the filth, it was an absolute stain on an in any other case spectacular bike.
The low-mounted rear brake pedal is sort of unattainable to make use of successfully from a standing place; (picture/Kurt Spurlock)
The principle challenge 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 method I knew my rear brake was working was when the rear tire locked up totally, which wasn’t excellent once I was rigorously selecting my method 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 solution to alter the lever (there’s solely a single locknut above the brake clevis), so I used to be resigned to working across the challenge for your complete journey.
The plastic skid plate is healthier than nothing, however the whole lot on this picture wanted higher safety, together with the radiator; (picture/Kurt Spurlock)
My different notable grievance was an absence of any actual safety behind the entrance wheel. The radiator hangs down into hurt’s method, and the coolant reservoir sits simply beneath it. This meant all that stood between me and a doubtlessly catastrophic occasion out on the path was a skinny plastic skid plate. Upgrading to aluminum safety on each counts could be cash nicely spent. And as luck would have it, Triumph affords a correct skid plate as a manufacturing facility accent.
Conclusions on the 2024 Triumph Scrambler 400 X
Nobody does retro-cool like Triumph; (picture/Kurt Spurlock)
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 advantage of merely being a Triumph motorbike.
The latter is arguably the Scrambler’s ace within the gap. There are better-handling road bikes for the cash (Triumph’s personal Velocity 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.
Once you image Bob Dylan using round with a lit cigarette and no helmet, he isn’t using 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.
On the subject of sheer bang for the buck, the $5,799 Himalayan 450 delivers related road 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 road bike, nevertheless, and magnificence isn’t the one purpose why.
The Triumph badge alone lends a sure credibility to the Scrambler 400 you’d by no means count on on a bike this reasonably priced; (picture/Kurt Spurlock)
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 financial system of made-in-India manufacturing. To place it one other method, the “cool factor” 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 road 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 along with your buddies on forest service roads.
It’s one bike that provides riders of any ability degree a style of the whole lot that’s nice about motorcycling. In different phrases, it’s an actual scrambler, and you may personal one for underneath six grand besides.
