By Joe Berk
Well, what do you know? Triumph is the latest moto manufacturer to jump on the small bike band wagon with the announcement of their new 400cc single-cylinder motorcycles. Not to be too snarky, but better late than never, I suppose. Harley did the same thing a year or so ago with their 350cc and 500cc motorcycles, but the Harleys were supposed to be manufactured and only available in Asia. More’s the pity, although I get it: A small bike wouldn’t go well with the typical Harley crowd.
Back to today’s topic: The new 400cc Triumphs: I like them.
Triumph announced two models: A Speed 400, and a Scrambler 400. They look like Triumphs, which is to say they look fabulous. I like the colors (each will available in three different color themes) and I like the looks.
With a published 40 horsepower, the bikes will probably be good for 100 mph, and that ought to be enough for any sane rider. I’m guessing the bikes will get something around 70 miles per gallon, and that should be good, too. Triumph turned to Bajaj (in India). There’s nothing wrong with that. Triumph’s Bonneville line is manufactured in Thailand. My Enfield 650 (which I’ve been riding for three years) is manufactured in India, and its quality is magnificent. Prices on the new Triumphs haven’t been announced yet. If the Mothership can keep the dealers from pulling their normal freight and setup chicanery, these bikes should be a good deal (but expecting dealers to abandon their larcenous freight and setup games is, I realize, probably wishful thinking).
On that Harley thing I mentioned above: QianJiang (also known QJ Motor) bought Benelli (an Italian motorcycle company) in 2005. QJ took the name and started offering bikes made in China but labeled as Benellis (I saw them at the Canton Fair a few years ago). The QJ/Benelli bikes are not bad looking, but I’ve never ridden one and I have no idea how good (or bad) they are. It’s that very same Benelli (i.e., the Chinese one) that Harley announced would be making 350cc and 500cc small Harleys. The Harley plan was that their smaller models would only be sold overseas (i.e., not in America). Harley makes and sells more motorcycles than I ever will, so I suppose they know what they are doing. But I think they are making a mistake not bringing their small bikes to America.
Let’s not forget the new BSA Gold Star, another made-in-India Britbike reported here on the ExNotes blog about a year ago. That one is still in the works, I guess. For a delivery date, the new BSA website still says “available to order soon,” which is to say we have no idea when the new BSA Goldie will be here.
While all this is going on, my friends in Zongshen (they make the RX3, the RX4, the Zongshen 400cc twins, the TT 250, the San Gabriel, and now the RX6 650cc twin that CSC imports to the US) tell me that the craze in China has gone full tilt toward bigger bikes. That’s why they introduced the RX6. I was the first journalist/blogger/all around good guy in America to ride and report on the RX6. It’s a good bike, but I’m not a fan of the movement toward ever larger motorcycles. I’m convinced that my RX3 was the best all around motorcycle I ever owned (especially for riding in Baja), and I’ve written extensively on that.
I’m looking forward to seeing the new Triumphs. Hell, I’d look forward to seeing the new small Harleys and the BSA, too, but maybe that’s not in the cards. Why the fascination and appreciation for small bikes? Take a read here.
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I always like to go see and ride all of the new models,we have never had a BMW or Triumph dealer close by.Maybe I should open one.Kymco is another interesting brand,enjoy 😉💯
Triumphs are my preference between the two.
Triumphs are da’ bomb. Ask anyone.
Agreed.
I am 62, started out 50 years ago on a 2 stroke 100cc Kawasaki and have owned a little bit of everything over the years. Big bikes, small bikes, street and dirt. In the end, machines in that 250 to 400 range are the best displacement for me. I currently have too many bikes ( ask my long suffering wife ) in the fleet but the two that I actually ride are my Suzuki TU250 for the street and the CSC TT250 in the desert around Las Vegas. Nice to see that manufacturers and riders are coming to their senses.
That TT 250 is a great bike.
I have no interest in Chinese motorcycles. None. Nada.
Mainly for political reasons I admit .
But a country that enslaves its citizens and uses slave labor while ignoring every environmental concern does not get my support . Nothing happens in China without involvement of its communist dictator government . Including motorcycle manufacturing.
Motorcycles to me are my hobby . I may not be able to avoid buying Chinese goods ( thanks Joe Biden )
In general , but I can surely avoid Chinese motorcycles as i do Nike products .
Triumph . I don’t like the colors or the graphics. They still weigh more than an old 500 triumph twin desert sled , so we will see how actually small bike they are. And prices?
BSA – can’t wait for this. Pretty sweet looking! But price and availability ?
God bless the Austrians . I think it’s Ktm derived? Maybe I am wrong . But I don’t think it’s Chinese or Indian
Enfield – underpowered or I may have bought one by now. None look as nice as the old hand pinstriped singles . Oh well. The twins won’t replace my T100 hinkley . But I keep an eye on the singles.
Harley- those bikes actually are coming here. They will be used in moto training programs .
I think the BSA is Indian. I could be wrong.
I should research some of these topics I suppose . I still haven’t looked it up .
With apologies to Steppenwolf,
I am waiting on EV magic carpets.
Rotax motor . Idk whom owns that company now.
Going by memory . A long standing British frame company was bought by one of the big Indian companies. That frame company designed the new bsa frame. And as I said, I don’t know who owns Rotax now. It was Canadian then Austrian then?
But I THINK the bike is “made in England” even if the components are made by Indian owned companies.
Perhaps someone reading can clarify ?
Indian
! I always thought it was bizarre that we had Enfield Indians and Indian Enfields.
Nice looking bike. A bit heavy for a 400cc single. A 1960’s Triumph 650 weighs about the same.
40hp will be nice.
On the topic f small bikes. I reach for the RD350 most often. It’s just fun to ride and smells wonderful.
That is a beautiful bike. I had hoped the last time I stopped at Tinfiny you would offer to let me ride it. But, it wasn’t to be…
Hell, I didn’t know you wanted to ride it. You have to ask, I’m bad at picking up on my surroundings.