Is The Triumph Speed 400 Really THAT Good? 

Why do people always suggest that 40 bhp from a 400 is not a lot? It's good for over 100 mph somewhere...400 2 strokes of the late 70s and 80s were producing slightly less, and we talk of their performances: this is a single cylinder 4 stroke? Pretty amazing. Seems to go very well in your film and enough to go anywhere, anyhow?

I got the scrambler version of this as a second bike, and its so much fun to ride. My poor liter bike is just sitting around while I'm having fun on the Triumph. It will absolutely do pretty much anything outside of track days. Its light, lively, sounds great, handles well and you can absolutely wring its neck on the throttle with fearing massively breaking every speed limit out there. I can only recommend getting a test-ride on one.

USofA based. I was looking at the Enfields and KTM 390s for a light play bike to do a hundred miles or so on a nice afternoon. I love my Tiger Explorer and, while it's absolutely lovely for an 8,000 mile ride, it's a bit much for a short jaunt. Triumph announced the 400s and I was completely taken by the appearance. I've been riding since 1961 and this brought me back to the days of my misspent (but thoroughly enjoyed) youth. I bought one and it has far exceeded my expectations. Absolutely lovely and if I grab a bit too much throttle, it won't launch me into the middle of next week. I'm in northern Virginia and there are a lot of great little roads that go over the Appalachian mountains and along the rivers. This bike is perfect for them. I did put a tail tidy on mine to get rid of that absurd tail. Looks much nicer. IMHO.

My father just bought one yesterday! I guess he decided he wanted something light and nimble to rip around the city but either way, videos like this are what sold him on it. It's such a fantastic machine for the price. Of course it has a few little things that could be different or better but that applies to just about any machine (car or motorcycle). 39.5 hp for a 400 is really solid. I owned a 2009 Kawi KLX250SF and I swear that thing had at best 20 hp, but it was still a blast to ride.

With regard to the seat...during my 40 years of motorcycling, with 19 different machines of all types, I have never found a motorcycle seat that wasn't uncomfortable after 90 minutes.

Got my Blue Speed 400 last week as a second bike but now riding it all the time I absolutely love it no problems whatsoever love the graphics on the tank and for UNDER £5000 its the bike bargain of the century

Phew! That is good as I pick my one up next week from Bulldog Triumph. I test rode the same one as you. Loved it, so ordered a black and grey one a couple of months ago. 👍

Hello, I am the owner of a Speed 400. Over the past few days, I have driven 1500 km, and the more I ride it, the more I like it, especially in the city and on country roads. My favorite gears are 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Keep the engine RPM between 6000 and 8000, and you'll experience the true pleasure this engine offers. The suspension and brakes are good. I noticed that the speedometer has a fairly large error, which is a minor downside for this great motorcycle. It would also be nice if the Triumph dealership offered more accessories. Or if other companies like Akrapovic, Rizoma, etc. would provide some.

It's been 15 days i got this bike same colour. Enjoying it each and every time i take it for a ride.. It is my daily office commute and i reach office in just 10 minutes which earlier took me 20.

I have to say for the money it’s an amazing bike and I’ve done over a 1,000 miles on one

Nice informative road test, wish I had some quiet country roads near me like you have! 😉

Great looking bike Dan you guys in england have great fun on the bike

Love the little giggle on b-roads 😀 I am thinking about buying this bike, really love how it looks and it's suited my height.

Yes your review dose help, I am been thinking of buying one. Next I am going to book a test drive. Thanks for a very fine review.

My favourite route between Odiham and Hursley through the Candover valley. Perfect for the Speed 400.

A comparison with the CB300R would be interesting.

Love your videos Dan. Nothing flash. Good, sensible commentary and thankfully no odd ,…. 360 degree video. Keep it up.

Good looking bike. Thanks for the review Dan. I had a CB300R about four years ago and that was fun too if you kept it on the boil. The two 400's probably appeal to a different customer than the Royal Enfield J series bikes. The 350 has half the power and prefers plodding. I've slowed down quite a bit lately, so my Classic 350 suits me. But if the Speed 400 had been available when I bought my CB300R I'd have found it hard to refuse 😊

I've been waiting for this! I'm so torn between this and something a bit bigger like a Trident as my 2nd bike (first being my XSR125 for CBT)

Haha I love it how you gotta make a point that this bike is still capable of overtaking. It's a 400cc engine with around 40 hp - plenty enough to overtake and ride in a spirited way.

Happy owner of Speed 400 here.. Note that this Indian Co called Bajaj makes more motorcycles in a month than Triumph makes in a year.. Also, Bajaj owns almost 50% stake in KTM !

Nice review thank you sir

@EnglishBikerDan, this review reminded me of your Honda CB300R review. I'm really curious to know how the two bikes compare to each other, and what reason(s) you would choose one over the other. Obviously, the Speed 400 has a little more power and torque, but the real world performance for someone like me (5'7" and 165 lbs) seems like it's nearly the same...?

I love mine, just a great little bike. Having loads of fun with it. And I 'trained' myself to get it going in 2nd gear as the 1st is useless, so basically I'm driving it as a 5 gear, way more relaxed.

I have a speed 400 and have covered 400 miles so far and really like it. At motorway speeds 70 mph the mirrors on mine do vibrate you can see shapes but there is nothing sharp about it But at 60 it’s all clear. You are correct about it being a bit snatched the odd Time at slow speeds in low gear but nothing to write home about. I am 5”2’ with 28 inside leg and with a slight shift of the hips can get a good foot planted. The 400X would have been just tall for me. But the speed 400 has been a great wee bike good looks good handling good brakes good fuel consumption great price.

Tested the Scrambler. Decent for a 400 at the price point. Nimble, good at low revs, and can pull up to 150kmh and a bit more on a flat road but the vibration.... kicks in at around 120kmh, felt it on the bars and seat. It's the thumpy type of vibration, not the buzzy type like some 4 cylinders, but they are pretty pronounced as the speed goes up. The Speed 400 is a tad more nimble with a narrower handlebar making it easier to split lanes. Small roads ok, highways not so.

I love the “95 mph… in Mexico” even you’re in the UK 😅😂

Got one yesterday…yes it’s great!

After watching almost a hundred reviews and riding it in person, you are the first person saying this has stiff suspensions. I do not understand why.

Supermoto and Enduro style bikes with this motor would be good Mr Triumph👍

IIRC the Triumph throttle is an electrical one. The 'fly by wire' throttles just politely ask the ECU if you can go a bit faster please, and sometimes the ECU says no. or maybe in a minute.....

People are comparing these to the Hunter 350 from RE and thinking the RE saves you a thousand pounds. However, the service intervals on this are 16,000kms vs 5000kms. It’s a big difference!

Thank you for the review! I love your gloves! Could you tell me the brand? Keep the rubberside down!✌🏼

I am hoping to buy a scrambler as I have owned lots of Triumphs in the past but I must admit I have a couple of reservations. I sold my tiger a few years ago mainly because of the weight and bought a KTM 390 ADV. It's a bit lighter than the Triumph 400 and on a run to Portugal I I was getting somewhere between 75-80mpg which on a long run could make the Triumph quite a bit more expensive to run at only 60mpg. I have alway managed to get 200 miles to a tank and also there is a bit more wind protection and luggage options. I've had a test ride on the Scrambler and found that it was not a lot different to to the KTM although a bit easier to flatfoot. The KTM will out accelerate it by a small margin but not enough to make a huge difference. The main selling points for me are the service intervals and price, when I bought the KTM 3 years ago there was nothing as cheap as it for the technology and for adventure riding on the highway and mild off roading. Now there are a few bikes around this price range. The KTM is due a valve adjustment which considering the cost of the last three services will be ridiculously expensive and a lot of his would be negated as the Triumph has longer service intervals and the valve clearance is not such a problem on them, also buying a new bike I will have warranty for the first couple of years. So still a bit indecisive, have looked at the 450 Himalayan but it's a bit heavier, although as it comes with a back rack and top crash bars that has to be taken into consideration. I have also looked into the CFMOTO 450MT which has been getting rave reviews but not very easy to get hold of yet and not really proved in the long term although they are tied in with KTM and I've not had any problems with mine.

12:40 "This is the seat." 😄

I sat on one of these in the dealership and I defiantly feel that the hand position is good however I'm not a fan of how far forward the pegs feel. My daily is a Street Triple and I'm used to the semi aggressive position but I feel this 400 could have been maybe an inch or two further back on the pegs. I almost think the passenger pegs are possible to ride with.

This chap is a Jedi.... he waved his hand and that blue car vanished... incredible....

@EnglishBikerDan which bike do you prefer between the Royal Enfield hunter 350 and Triumph speed 400. Btw nice video!!

I saw this in the flesh. Next to a speed twin 900. I thought the 400 looked the better built bike. The speed twin 900 bar and mirrors looked odd and weedy. The switch gear on the speed twin 900 also looked cheap too. The 400 looked so much better with bar end mirrors and an over size bar. And it's switch gear appeared to look more substantial.

I want one because it has the brand new "assist n slitcher" clutch. 👌

Looks really good. Could be my next bike 👀

Great video. It is this bike or the KTM 390 adventure for me. Strange contrast I know, but it is because my heart is with the sound and looks of the Triumph (I have a little Suzuki Tu250x and I love it), but my head is with all the extra technology on the KTM. Roads where I now live are mountainous, twisty and sometimes gravelly to say the least. I'm riding my Suzuki on them and increasing my skills, but it seems the KTM might be a better back up than the Triumph for me if they fail?

I'd like to test ride this, and the Husky Svartpilen 400, which reportedly does not have the high RPM vibration issues like the Triumph has.

is it possible at all, to find out what engine oil and grade they use in Britain and update?

I like the look of the bike.

Watching this it reminds me of my old 390duke. Try as i might the i could never get s ton out of it. I think that might be slightly quicker than this though?

I was interested in these Triumph 400's, and I get to see a lot of bikers in my job, very recently seen a few of these 400's start to come through and I ask the riders about them, but so far it's not been a great look. The last guy I spoke to about his Scrambler 400 laughed and then told me how he picked it up brand new last week and it already broke down after 17 miles, and another guy I recently spoke to about his Speed 400 was also starting to have issues after only having put about 1500 miles on it. I'm a Triumph die hard myself, own a Speed Four and a TT600, both have eaten so much money and driven me to the poverty line with their issues and faults over the years 😂(still love them though!), but I must admit, from the people i've met, I'm kind of let down by these 400's which is a shame, generally seeing loads of praise for them online, but people I meet with them have had issues fairly early on. Here's hoping these are just teething problems, new model quirks that just need ironing out, nice looking bikes though.

I've had nothing but issues with my speed 400 since I bought it three weeks ago in the UK. The engine cut out at 65mph in 6th gear, then numerous times in 2nd. Now it's currently in my garage unable to start with a load of warning lights on the dash and unable to detect a gear, I've requested to return it for a full refund. Apparently Triumph are aware of these electrical faults and there are a lot of issues being reported on owners forums but very little discussed on any youtube reviews.

I've just placed an order for the blue Street 400. Took one out for a test ride. Only bad point was the lean angle with the side stand down. You can see it on your video. It's just too upright. These bikes will topple over with a gust of wind...

The hesitation will no doubt be down the fuelling. A remap on a dyno would be an interesting experiment.

Must stock bikes need an aftermarket seat as makers thin out the padding to reduce seat height...

Yes, i have one too. Do you experience buzzing through the handlebars? I have a lot of vibes through my handlebars, enough that my hands become numb after a while. Also the throttle is herky jerky. Other than that, it’s good for the price. Thanks for sharing!

Having completed my license on a MT-07, I was spoiled by it's power and fun, and now am skeptical of why would one go for this instead of getting the SV650 for less than 1k gbp more (thanks to mad deals on remaining stock, at least here in poland). Any ideas? What does this bike (or bikes of this class in general) do better than the slightly bigger ones?

How often the ABS 'intrudes' is all down to your tyres and the road surface, the ABS only cuts in when the wheel stops rotating and is skidding, so bad tyres or slippery road mean ABS will cut in more.

I'm very interested in this bike, but would hate to switch my 3-year-old Yamaha MT-03 for one, only to find that I prefer the Yam. A test ride is not really long enough to get a proper feel for the bike, and I have not come across anyone who has done a direct comparison with an MT-03.....

Bro high time to review again this year's Honda 750 adv scooter bro

Mine would not start the first day that i got it. Got it to the shop and they i guess fixed it and now it is doing it all over again and it is back in the shop again. I made a video of what it is doing on my channel. I would turn the key to start and and got nothing, i would then turn it off and turn it back on and it would fire right up. It does this ALL THE TIME!!

it was either this bike or the CF Moto 450NK, I'm so glad I went for the CF Moto

Those are some beautiful gloves, what brand are they?

I came for a speed 400 and left the dealer for a speed twin 900 :)

Thanks nice bike , but we have to ride in crap weather invariably and they seem not to put any mudguards on modern bikes. Until they do I won’t buy.

Outside India, all bikes are built from Triumph factory- in Thailand.

HELP ME. I ve been debating for about three months between the Triumph Speed 400 and the Kawasaki Vulcan S. By the time I get the options I want for each, along with the dealer fees and tax and title I'm looking at probably $6500 for the Triumoh and $9800 for the Kawsasaki. They both have enough power for me for the way I ride. The problem might be the physical size of each. My wife is crippled due to cancer, cancer treatments and cancer surgeries. She gets on before I do, sort of side saddle and then scoots back, so I'll install a passenger backrest on each. I love the looks of the Speed 400, but is it physically big enough to ride two up? I'm about 5'6" and 175 lbs, while she is 5'5" and 125 lbs. Like I said, I love the looks of the Triumph, but is it physically large enough to ride two up?

The best part is you can do 30mph in 6th as well. Just open throttle and low end torque pulls hard I generally sit around 30 in 6th no issues at all

Saw one today the silly gob was running just the straight pipe sounded like shit and for all the noise it was fighting itself to gain any speed

Super Popular!

15:18 that’s what she said 😂 ❤

Need your review on the 2024 Honda CB650R! When is that coming? ✌

600 miles on mine so far and loving more each day

I own one. The 1-2 shifting sucks. The sweet spot for the engine is 45-55mph.

It won't set the world on fire, but 40 hp and 170 kilos wet still make for a very decent power-to-weight ratio. Plus just over 5k for all the tech and modern features that are on offer... and for a Triumph? Seems like a bit of a bargain. I wonder if we have RE to thank (at least in part) for Triumph producing this bike - seems to be aimed straight at folks eyeing the Interceptor or Conti GT.

The Speed 400 is less than £3400 (4300 USD) here in Thailand.

I'm looking at a second bike and I cannot decide between this one and the Scrambler 400 X.

Please compare this bike to CB500F. Drive it since years. Before I tested the ktm390 and found it horrible: You take gas and feel fast, but if you watch the tacho it was just 60.

It looks the business.

Would you recommend this as a downgrade just for weekend fun? Im Getting away from the big ccs 👍 looking for another toy to join my honda monkey 🤣🤣 keep up the good work 👏👏

Do they sell windscreen for that model?

Love the style but at 185cm I am too big for it. It feels like a kid's bike when I sit on it. I prefer tall dual sport bikes.

If this bike had Bajag on the tank would you like it as much? Does the name on the gas tank hold more merit than it should ?

New riders better off with this or a trident 660?

The ABS will only make itself noticeable if you actually lock up a wheel. Simply braking hard will not actuate the ABS.

bit of a dog after my Ducati, but it'll do...seems like a toy...pretty to look at...3,4,5 gear are responsive but certainly nothing that will pull you off the handlebars...very light and nimble...

❤

Problem with the bike is it's got an 820 seat height I know I own one and measured it.....hence too tall for my wife to ride also

I wonder how it compares to the Scram 411🤔

Well I threw my leg over one at local dealer and quickly got off it and even quicker got back on my on my speed twin and rode home , didn’t need to ride just a totally wrong sit for me no need to ride it , tried the scrambler 400 and that was awful 😅 each to their own I guess

You “heard” 95 miles is achievable 🙄😂 always nice watching your videos Dan

It's a Bajah !

This…? Or a second hand Trident with double the bhp and a sweet triple engine?

Throttle lever has turbolag 🤪

No but it’s a fair price for what it is. You wouldn’t want to go any real distance as your hands would be numb for hours

To many problems with this model . Look at the forums. Not for me.

Those jeans will come off on quicker than a brides nighty on that tarmac then skin then a bit of bone even at 50/60mph. Take the advice or leave it get some leather mate.

Great bike but my 500 Hornet shades it.

deadmou5

Much emphasis on the origins of the bike. But is this important? The only bikes KTM makes are the off-road bikes and the big stuff. Small stuff is made by Bahaj and the mid weight products by CF Moto. Only the 1000CC road bikes are actually made in Austria. Triumph gets one bike toll manufactured and people lose their minds😂😂😂

Of course its over hyped. Its a new model so everone is talking about it. Makes sense

Its too small for that price 😢

I think it's strange that mainstream bike journos refuse to compare it with the duke 390 and new husky. Both are way quicker, loaded with tech and come out cheaper (at least in Australia).

sorry to hear that this is a cheep bike, you repeat it several times. Please give it some more credit, it is actually brilliant