Meet the Fleet | Triumph Scrambler 400X
- Mar 15
- 5 min read
With its single headlight, no elaborate plastic body panels, and no massive panniers, does Triumph's smallest scrambler even count as an adventure bike? The answer is an absolute "yes!"
If you grew up ripping through forests on a Yamaha DT or Honda XL dual-sport, then you'll feel right at home on the 400X. With an upright, minimalist cockpit and punchy thumper powerplant, this bike is a lot more fun than it has any right to be for its price tag. It also gets the most compliments when I take it out on rides, for what that's worth.
As long as you think "minimalist" when packing this bike for a multi-day tour, you will come away impressed with its capabilities and fun personality.
Road impressions
We often get asked about whether our smaller adventure bikes are suitable for adult-sized riders, motocamping, or highways. The 400X has an exceptionally neutral and upright seating position. The small windscreen, low-mounted dashboard, and tall seat combine to give you a commanding view of the road or trail ahead. The handlebars are high and wide and the foot pegs are positioned in a way that keeps your knees and hips relaxed. As a 6'0" rider (1.83m), I have found the riding position to be comfortable enough for a 4 hour ride. Stand-over height isn't overwhelming due to the 400X's low weight, but short-statured riders will want to be cautious at stop-lights.
The single cylinder engine is quick and punchy at speeds under 65 mph (105 kph) but starts losing steam above 80 mph (130 kph). This bike truly shines on Utah's scenic byways where the speed limits hover around 55-65 mph.
It is, however, a lot of fun throwing this bike into corners; it makes you want to kick your foot out like a motocross star. Wind protection is minimal by design, but the windscreen directs a clean stream of air to your chest which feels great on a hot day. Triumph has done a good job isolating you from engine vibrations with ruber mounted handlebars and footpegs.
Dirt impressions
This is one of my favorite bikes in our fleet to off-road. With a sub-400 lb wet weight and flickable handling, you quickly build confidence when the pavement ends. You'll quickly find yourself standing on the foot pegs trying to kick the tail out.
The tank is narrow between the knees, making it easy to stand up on when navigating rocky sections or sandy washes. Despite its basic nature, the stock suspension has decent travel and damping for "soft-roading". As long as you remember this is not a dirt bike, you'll be satisfied with its performance. The rear suspension does include preload adjustment by C-wrench. Remind us to adjust it for your weight and luggage before you depart on a trip.
Flip the 400X into off-road mode and it loosens up the traction control for rooster-tails as well as turning off your rear ABS for super rad skid stops. Both can be fully switched off as well, but I have found Off-Road mode to be unobtrusive for my level of dirt riding. The stock Karoo tires lack lateral grip in loose gravel, so I appreciate being able to keep front ABS turned on to prevent the front end from washing out.
Touring & Camping
Unlike the other, more traditional ADV motorcycles in our fleet, the 400X requires a more minimal mindset when it comes to touring. Think "bike-packing", not "everything and the kitchen sink".
Like Triumph's larger 900 and 1200 Scramblers, our 400X and its high-mounted exhaust pipe only supports a single left-side pannier (which we haven't added to our accessory collection... yet). With creative packing, you won't have an issue preparing for a multi-day adventure ride. For example, if weather permits, consider hammock camping instead of packing a large tent.
Our rentable 30L Rhinowalk top bag can pack a surprising amount of gear on the rear luggage rack and supports stacking smaller Rhinowalk bags on the top or sides. Feel free to bring your own bag too, as there are several tie-down points for Rok-Straps. We only ask you don't use magnetic tank bags - the fine Utah dust quickly mars the paint.
For navigating, there is a USB-C charge port located next to the instruments to keep your phone topped up. This bike is also incredibly fuel-efficient; I've recorded upwards of 80 mpg (2.9L/100km) and over 200 miles (320 km) per tank no matter how I ride.
Limitations
Unfortunately, there will always be a trade-off when choosing a smaller, efficient engine. Don't be afraid to rev this bike out between shifts. It is geared from the factory to be more tractable when riding off-road, so you'll find it has shorter gears to keep it in the powerband (compared to the Speed 400, for example). Minimal wind protection and limited luggage capacity are the only other negatives.
A common quirk with this bike (and the Triumph 400 TS-series engines in general) is that on hot days, particularly in stop-and-go traffic, the engine may randomly stall. This is easily solved by a quick re-start. It happens so sporadically, we have not been able to pinpoint a remedy.
Conclusion
As mentioned at the start of this blog post, this is one of my favorite bikes in our fleet to ride off-road. I love grabbing the keys to the 400X for zipping around town running errands. The short gearing and torquey motor makes squeezing through traffic a blast. I've also done multiple half-day rides both on and off-road and have found it to be much more comfortable than its small stature would suggest. Considering how often someone stops me while riding to talk about this Scrambler, it suggests that others find it as endearing as I do. Throw your leg over and take it for a spin, I think you'll be surprised!
Who this is for?
Riders looking for something fun, stylish, and versatile
Someone who wants to adventure ride on a non-traditional on and off-road capable bike
Commuters or urban riders looking for tough yet efficient motorcycle
Who this is not for?
Those who want to bring all their luxuries when camping or traveling
Someone looking to replace a dedicated dirt bike
Riders who want to take I-15 all the way to the California coast
Specifications
Engine: 398cc single cylinder, 39 horsepower
Fuel capacity: 3.4 gallons
Average fuel economy: ~80 mpg
Ground clearance: 7.7 inches
Front suspension travel: 5.9 inches
Rear suspension travel: 5.9 inches
Wet weight: 395 lbs
Seat height: 32.9 inches
This is a great option for riders of all skill levels looking for a stylish, non-traditional motorcycle to explore Utah's backroads.
Click the link below to visit the 400X's rental page and make a reservation!
Photo credits: Original images by Utah Touring
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