It looks like Triumph just out flaked Honda in the sub 500cc Scrambler market. I think Honda just phoned in the CL500 and it looks like Triumph put some effort in the 400X. Lets see if this Indian made bike will be reliable. The same company makes the KTM 390 and they seem pretty reliable.
Honda CL500 vs Triumph 400X
- Thread starter Finklejag
- Start date
I would pass on any motorcycle made in China or India.
Cheap Chinese/Indian junk. I would pass as well.
I like the looks of the new Triumph. It should be a good seller.
Trumper-Thumper - not much to dislike.
Lots of small reliable bikes come out of India. I think that 400x is great looking bike that would likely be a great commuter.
Both look fine to me, especially the triumph.
The honda just needs a different paint color, like red or blue.
The honda just needs a different paint color, like red or blue.
Very similar bikes but the Triumph does look a lot better, upside down forks with more aggressive tires, basically in the end it all comes down to a thumper vs twin. Neither one will do much of anything off-road, with these I might do gravel roads, dirt road depending on conditions, grass fields and that's about it for me... for really anything off-road you should be looking at the V-Strom, Tiger, GS, etc...
IMO Triumph should've just taken the 900 and miniaturized it. Overall I'm happy to see the manufacturers bringing out these smaller displacement bikes for beginning riders and Triumph didn't have anything for that segment.
I haven't demo'd Scramblers yet but all the other Triumphs have been spot on and I'm sure this one will not be any different. For me if I owned one of these it would be for around town or hitting some back roads on the weekends but would make for an excellent choice as a commuter.
IMO Triumph should've just taken the 900 and miniaturized it. Overall I'm happy to see the manufacturers bringing out these smaller displacement bikes for beginning riders and Triumph didn't have anything for that segment.
I haven't demo'd Scramblers yet but all the other Triumphs have been spot on and I'm sure this one will not be any different. For me if I owned one of these it would be for around town or hitting some back roads on the weekends but would make for an excellent choice as a commuter.
The Honda is true to its 70's scrambler roots - a road bike with adventure cosmetics, overweight and poor handling for anything but the mildest gravel roads. (Speaking as a Honda fan.) If they really get it right, it'll burn the passenger's leg to bacon just like the originals!
The Triumph comes closer to having some off-road chops, but they put the front fender too close to handle any mud.
When addressing this category, you have to keep in mind that anything from the factory called a "Scrambler" was always a mostly-street bike.
Anyone who lightly dismisses Indian motorcycle quality hasn't been paying attention lately. There are reasons to avoid China besides quality or racism - if they continue agitating over Taiwan, the parts supply chain may freeze, and the first failure you have you'll own a dead bike.
The Triumph comes closer to having some off-road chops, but they put the front fender too close to handle any mud.
When addressing this category, you have to keep in mind that anything from the factory called a "Scrambler" was always a mostly-street bike.
Anyone who lightly dismisses Indian motorcycle quality hasn't been paying attention lately. There are reasons to avoid China besides quality or racism - if they continue agitating over Taiwan, the parts supply chain may freeze, and the first failure you have you'll own a dead bike.
Thanks Cujet, I've already watched that one as I am a subscriber of his, he's a Triumph fanboy rightfully so but he will tell you what he likes and dislikes about the bike, for me his reviews are typically pretty good. A lot of the bikes I've been looking at which is mostly Triumph gets released over there first and he seems to be one of the first ones in line to get one and talk about it.
Hmm...
Triumph - though the Hondas basic platform is well proven,
I like that speed 400...
Triumph - though the Hondas basic platform is well proven,
I like that speed 400...
