Triumph Thruxton 400 Review; Bringing Back The Café Racer Cool

The OG Triumph Thruxton 900 and then the 1200 brought the café racer cool back to modern classic motorcycling many years ago and even though both models have been discontinued, the effortless style and the perennial old-school grace continues to live on with the coming of the new Triumph Thruxton 400. It finally goes on sale in India and we rode the motorcycle in the hustle and bustle of Pune to see does it really do justice to the Thruxton brand or is it just another variant of the Speed 400.

Also Read: Triumph Thruxton 400 Launched In India

Triumph Thruxton 400: Design 

The Thruxton 400 dons the iconic café-racer styling, replete with a half fairing, clip-on handlebars, bar-end mirrors, and a bullet-style seat cowl, which is the nod to its 'Thruxton' heritage. It's a standout in the 350-500 cc class, with beautifully classic yet sprinkled with modern hints and good attention to detail that solidify its presence as one of the most handsome motorcycles in the segment. The other highlight on the Thruxton 400 is the Monza style fuel filler cap, which adds to the classic look of the motorcycle. The fuel tank design also sees a slight revision with bigger indents, so that you can grip the tank better with your knees.

Triumph Thruxton 400: Features And Quality 

The bike continues to get the same set of features as the Speed and Scrambler 400 X, which includes dual-channel ABS, switchable traction control and a USB charging port along with the same part LCD part analogue instrument console. At first glance, the fit and finish seem to be good, at par with the rest of its siblings in the line-up, which continues to be the benchmark in the segment.

Triumph Thruxton 400: Engine & Chassis 

Now this is where it gets interesting! The Thruxton 400 makes around 2 hp more than the rest of its siblings. The 398 cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine makes 41.42 hp at 9,000 rpm. The two extra horsepower comes from revised internals like new cam timings, new valve springs and a bigger airbox. The reason being, Triumph wanted the motorcycle to hit the 'ton' mark or 161 kmph, which is equal to 100 miles per hour. That was the gold standard for café racers back in the day and that's also the top speed of the Thruxton 400. The torque output stays the same at 37.5 Nm at 7,500 rpm and so does the gearbox, a 6-speed unit with a slip and assist clutch. 

Most of the chassis is the same as that of the Speed 400, with the exception of the rear sub-frame that has the same load rating. The suspension is retuned with different springs and dampers inside the fork tube. The front end gets 140 mm of travel while the rear gets 130 mm. The motorcycle is shod with Apollo Alpha H1 tyres instead of the Vredestein units on Speed 400.

Triumph Thruxton 400: Performance 

The Thruxton 400 easily feels the most lively of all the 400 cc bikes in Triumph's line-up. With the extra horsepower, bigger airbox and a 43-tooth sprocket, the Thruxton feels legit quick off the line and responds really well to throttle inputs. The acceleration is brisk and the motorcycle feels engaging to ride even at the top-end, with speeds going beyond 150 kmph.

Triumph Thruxton 400: Ride & Handling 

The shorter wheelbase and the sharper rake by 0.6 degree mean that the Thruxton does well to filter through traffic and corners the best in Triumph's 400 cc line-up. The grip from the Apollo Alpha H1 tyres is good even in the wet and the motorcycle feels well-balanced and neutral when you tip it into corners. The ride of course is stiff but that is expected. It is definitely not a deal-breaker but you will feel the jolts up your spine should you take big undulations at speed.

Triumph Thruxton 400: Ergonomics 

Like a typical café racer, the Thruxton 400 gets a committed riding position, with the clip-on handlebar now being 50 mm narrower & 156 mm lower than the Speed 400. The footpegs too are set 87 mm rearwards and 27 mm higher, giving you that sporty feel. The motorcycle offers a sporty feel and is more committed than the Continental GT 650 but a little less than the Yamaha YZF R15. This means that riding it in stop and go traffic for long will be a pain. On the open road, less so. At 183 kg, the Thruxton in 4 kg heavier than the Speed, but you are hardly going to feel the extra kilos on the move.

Triumph Thruxton 400: Price & Rivals 

The Thruxton 400 is priced at Rs. 2.74 lakh (ex-showroom), which is about Rs. 24,000 more than the Speed 400 and about Rs. 20,000 less than the Scrambler 400 XC. Its nearest rival is the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650, whose prices start at Rs. 3.26 lakh and go up to Rs. 3.52 lakh.

Triumph Thruxton 400: Verdict 

Triumph did well with the Thruxton 400. Sure, there was some amount of scepticism over its looks before its launch, but all of that has been laid to rest. The Thruxton 400 is a good-looking motorcycle, has a unique road presence and is one of its kind, at least till another café racer is launched in the 350-500 cc segment. The quality and the performance, coupled with the pricing makes for a strong proposition for those who want a beautiful motorcycle in their garage. It is a great choice for a modern classic enthusiast.