Triumph 400

[Jamie N]

Has anyone owned or ridden one of the 'new' Triumph 400 singles? I was just looking at the specs and saw 40bhp, 170kg, top speed just under a ton. This reads like the spec of a mid to late 70's Yamaha RD400. Can this be right? Is this the best Triumph can do 50 years on?

[bonio]

Great question, but no I haven't. 

[Simon Davey]

@Jamie N

The Missenden flyer on YouTube had one as a journalist bike. He didn't want to take it back, and spoke very highly of it. 

[KiwiBob]

You're comparing apples and oranges!

RD400 was a 2 stroke twin .. Triumph 400 is a 4 stroke single!

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I have met a few guys on them when I've been out. Without exception they have been very enthusiastic about the bikes, both in terms of build quality and performance. A couple of them had bought it as a lighter weight alternative to their usual litre plus bike and found they rode the 400 more than their bigger bike.

[RideWithStyles]

Owned a twin 500cc 46hp over over 200kg that could do over a ton after dropping from a 1000cc triple, on the road for normal use it’s still quick off the line and get up and go mid throttle which makes it capable and engaging.

 

fuel was three of not four times more efficient, tyres, chains etc lasted at least twice as long even with an experienced old hand, insurance was quite a drop so all in all I wouldnt feel the need to jump to big engine bikes at all in today’s society.

 

now on a 650 inline four with 77hp,if you treat it the same it’s slower. If you can keep it above 9thou everywhere and apply the throttle before you need drive it’s can be a bit faster but very unnecessary and tiring for normal road use.

Edited August 15, 2024 by RideWithStyles

[Karlossus]

Yeah I've got one. It's a great bike. It's my first "big bike" after a 125. I sometimes wish I'd got a bigger bike but I suppose it's ideal for what I need. I use it almost daily for my commute (about 12 miles total) and I have to handle it in and out of my little terrace back yard. I find it very fast and excellent tyres and handling. 

[muldoon74]

Will watch this thread with interest as considering one of these as my first bigger bike...

 

I don't intend to tour Europe (not got the money or the time) so something capable of the odd UK trip but mainly fun on A/B back roads is going to be ideal for me I think.. 

[Capt Sisko]

On 12/08/2024 at 23:30, Jamie N said:

I was just looking at the specs

And that's your problem, are part of it anyway, you're looking at just selected aspects of the spec and ignoring others, plus you're forgetting the overall riding experience. Honda NC750X don't produce any headline screaming BHP, but it produces what it does in a way that makes them easy to ride. Royal Enfield 650s produce even less, but they both sell very well and owners seem quite happy with them. Even my R1250RT with it's impressively claimed 136bph isn't about the horsepower, it's about how it produces 90% of it's torque form just 2,000prm and the way the 'package' is so useable in the real word. 

 

The test reports of the new Triumph 400 have all been mostly positive, (but don't forget journalist like to keep on the right side of the manufacturers if they want their freebie to the next p*ss up, sorry, next model launch), but it will be interesting to see if what the real world riders make of them.

 

Oh, and by the way, I was 20 in 1981, I had a Red & White RD400E and it was a absolute scream!

[Nick the wanderer]

I was 18 in 1981 and had a 400/4. One of my mates had the RD400 and another the CB400 Super dream. They were more evenly matched than what you may think.The RD shot off quickest but the 4 strokes had better top end. We were laid on the tanks in those days and went all over the place.

[bud]

It's not so much what triumph can do. It's more of a case of what the licence will do. Even the KTM 390 can't make the full 47bhp, as it's too light.

It's built to conform to licencing regulations, and be sold in india. So job done as far as Triumph are concerned.

It's a really competitive market now in  the 400cc range. But i  think Triumph will do well with this.

[johnakay]

I'm on Facebook forum of the Triumph 400.

I was interested in getting on but it appears there a lot of niggling problems. engine cutting,warped disc and several other faults .

granted not all have these problems in mr flyer it cut out on him to but it the red cut off switch which cut the engine.

yamaha had this problem to on the 1 st gen tracer 700. I had one never had a problem.

so it can be sod laws that you get a gremlin or a good bike.

all bikes have problems of sort.

I'm going for the RE guerilla coz the dealer is only 2 miles away and I like the new guerilla 450.

same power and slightly heavier.

[AstronautNinja]

12 minutes ago, johnakay said:

I'm on Facebook forum of the Triumph 400.

I was interested in getting on but it appears there a lot of niggling problems. engine cutting,warped disc and several other faults .

granted not all have these problems in mr flyer it cut out on him to but it the red cut off switch which cut the engine.

yamaha had this problem to on the 1 st gen tracer 700. I had one never had a problem.

so it can be sod laws that you get a gremlin or a good bike.

all bikes have problems of sort.

I'm going for the RE guerilla coz the dealer is only 2 miles away and I like the new guerilla 450.

same power and slightly heavier.

This is the difference between a "friday afternoon" and a "wednesday morning" bike. Was everyone in a rush to get home for the weekend or did it get the attention it should of.

[johnakay]

1 hour ago, AstronautNinja said:

This is the difference between a "friday afternoon" and a "wednesday morning" bike. Was everyone in a rush to get home for the weekend or did it get the attention it should of.

I don't come on here often smarty pants.

[Geordie Oldie]

Cheaper to buy the brand new triumph 400 than a 45 year old RD400.

 

I might be tempted by the new triumph, looks a bargain.

[AstronautNinja]

13 minutes ago, johnakay said:

I don't come on here often smarty pants.

What? I was in agreement...... "so it can be sod laws that you get a gremlin or a good bike"

[Fozzie]

On 12/08/2024 at 23:30, Jamie N said:

Has anyone owned or ridden one of the 'new' Triumph 400 singles? I was just looking at the specs and saw 40bhp, 170kg, top speed just under a ton. This reads like the spec of a mid to late 70's Yamaha RD400. Can this be right? Is this the best Triumph can do 50 years on?

My old man has a RD400 from the late 70s he restored. Beautiful thing, and I love a 2-stroke. I’ve had a couple of rides on it.

 

But comparing their peak power and using that as a measure of how far we’ve come is flawed.
 

The RD has very old tech on it, and needs upgrading with the electronic ignition to run anything resembling the word “well”. It makes its peak power for a split second and it’s considered more linear than other 2-strokes. The brakes are weaker than things found on a modern bicycle, and the suspension seems to have been put together by the guy who invented the pogo stick. The fuelling is forever keeping you on your toes. 
 

The Triumph 400 makes similar power, that will undoubtedly be more linear and useable. It has modern brakes and suspension, and I suspect it can be relied on to cover bigger distances with much greater ease and comfort. And it doesn’t need to burn oil to churn out a similar peak horse power.

 

So on the contrary, the new Triumph is in many ways a good example of how far bikes have progressed.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

12 hours ago, AstronautNinja said:

What? I was in agreement...... "so it can be sod laws that you get a gremlin or a good bike"

I would suggest you might have replied... 

 

Well, thank goodness for small mercies.

[RideWithStyles]

Triumph do know how to make great bikes, and have been making good ones for many years, granted they have had hiccups over the years quite abit ago (who doesn’t?  don’t even say Honda) but most of them problems have been somewhat under close control directly or part sources.

 

Yea can be variables, particularly if the foreign labourers and factory where this model is built, doesnt have the customer own eyes watching the whole time, slacking, cutting corners, bodging, other issues (if you want to assume) don’t get addressed as quickly, so if you were really bothered about reliability issues with these newer manufactured models in this way I’d given them a good few years to iron out before I’d commit to buying one.

Still better than the Chinese owned and made bikes though.

if I'm being cynical.

[johnakay]

What? I was in agreement.

oo I do apologise  I miss read it.

yes that could be the case and often is.

they're made in India to Triumph specs by baja m/bike makers.

they had the triumph for a year before we did. plenty on you tube but cannot understand them.

they to have or had problems.

it can be a hit or miss with new bikes.

I've a few new bikes since 2003 and been fortunate not to have problems like some have.