First Ride: Triumph’s 400 XC aims to bring lightweight scrambler excitement

What is it?

It’s been a busy few months for Triumph, with this British bike manufacturer introducing an avalanche of new models designed to expand its presence in a variety of segments. Following on from the standard 400 X, this bike – the new 400 XC – has been designed to introduce some off-road focus to Triumph’s small-capacity motorcycle, bringing with it the possibility of some added character.

Sitting within the brand’s ‘Modern Classics’ line-up, the 400 XC is a bike which – in theory – should be able to deliver both on and off-road. We’ve been trying it out to see what it’s like.

What’s new?

The 400 XC takes the same basic structure as the regular X and brings more of a Scrambler style. As a result, you’ve now got new wire-spoked wheels with lighter aluminium rims and tubeless Metzeler Karoo Street tyres for more capability off-road, alongside a new front mudguard and larger flyscreen which should help keep some of the weather off the rider. A staggered wheel size – 19 inches up front and 17 inches at the rear – helps to give the 400 XC more of a Scrambler stance on the road, too.

There’s some added protection, too, in the form of an aluminium sump guard and engine bars which can help to block some of the bike’s key components from getting damaged in the event of a drop.

What’s it powered by?

As with the regular 400X, the XC uses a single-cylinder engine with 39bhp and 37.5Nm of torque, delivered at 8,000 and 6,500rpm respectively. There’s a six-speed manual gearbox handling that power, too, alongside a torque-assist clutch. Sent through a twin-outlet exhaust, it’s a characterful little unit and is one which, Triumph says, should return around 74mpg, so trips to the petrol station should be few and far between.

After fuel and fluids, the Scrambler 400 XC tips the scales at 186kg, which is a shade less than Royal Enfield’s Scram 440, one of this bike’s direct rivals. Braking is handled by a single 320mm disc up front with a four-piston caliper, and a 230mm disc at the rear linked to a single-piston caliper.

What’s it like to ride?

Just like the regular 400 X, the XC is an easy bike to get up to speed with. With its confidence-inspiring seat height, shorter riders needn’t feel out of their depth on the XC and with its wide bars, it feels planted and easy to handle right from the off. There’s a characterful exhaust note, too, and it really does have some of that old-school Scrambler character to it.

This isn’t a quick bike, mind you, and getting up to motorway speeds takes some forward planning. Sitting at 70mph in sixth gear causes the engine to feel quite strained and the rev counter will often flash near the limit even when at cruising speeds. We didn’t get a chance to put the XC through some hardcore off-roading, but through gravel and easier terrain, it got on just fine. More serious off-roaders may look to upgrade this bike’s tyres, as though they’re chunkier than your standard road tyre, they still have a distinct lean towards riding on tarmac. However, the XC’s on-road refinement is impressive and though you do need to work the little single-cylinder engine hard to complete overtakes, it’s a very rewarding and enjoyable riding experience overall.

How does it look?

Make no mistake, the Triumph 400 XC brings lots of visual appeal to the table. Our test bike, finished in a bright yellow shade, looked far larger than you might expect and, in classic Triumph fashion, is backed by lots of great features.

The tall flyscreen and chunky mudguard do help to give this bike a go-anywhere appearance and the stubby exhaust only adds to this. Altogether, it’s a great-looking bike – to our eyes at least – and there are some additional colour options for riders who don’t fancy the canary-yellow version.

What’s the spec like?

Priced at £6,545, the Scrambler 400 XC is one of the cheaper bikes in the Triumph range. It does represent a premium over standard Speed 400 and 400 X models, mind you, which come in at £5,245 and £5,845 respectively. Unless you’re really planning on taking your bike further off the beaten track, either of those bikes offers the same great level of performance and an equally lightweight nature but at a much lower price.

That said, the XC does get lots of cool touches for the money. For instance, you can’t add the spoked wheels of the XC to any other 400 model, which helps to make this model more appealing. For the price, you also get a smart LCD display and switchable traction control and a dedicated off-road mode, which deactivates the ABS for more control over poor terrain. Each time the bike is switched off, these settings revert to keeping everything on, which could prove a little bit of a pain if you’re spending a lot of time off-road.

Verdict

Triumph has been on a roll of late and the 400 XC feels like an extension of this. While it might be the most expensive single-cylinder model it offers, the XC feels like the most compelling of the bunch thanks to its smart design and surprisingly refined handling.

While riders who don’t have any desire to head off-road would be better served by more on-road-focused 400 models, we reckon that nearly all bikers will find themselves leaning towards the stylish and characterful XC.