The new Triumph Scrambler 400X 2024 in the everyday test

It's no secret that the looks and features of the A2-compliant Triumph Scrambler 400 X won me over instantly and put an expectant smile on my face. With its two-tone tank, sporty handguards, and two-piece brown leather-look seat, the bike is a clear eye-catcher. The tires consist of a 19-inch front and a 17-inch rear Metzeler Karoo Street tire. The coarse tread pattern and the size proportions of the tires immediately reveal that the Scrambler doesn't shy away from rocky terrain either. In addition, the golden USD fork, the caged LED headlight, and many other details quickly spark the interest of onlookers - in this case, of course, mine, and also that of many pedestrians in and outside the city. With market prices of 6045 Euro in Germany and 6695 Euro in Austria, this head-turner is well within an affordable range. The bike shares its electronics, tank, and engine with its Modern Classic sister model - the Speed 400 (Test of the Speed 400 in Barcelona). Whether the bike would also live up to its visual promise remained, of course, to be seen before setting out on the first ride.

After the first few meters, it became increasingly clear to me personally that despite the 835 mm seat height (a result of the 19-inch front wheel and 150 mm of travel), a genuinely safe riding feel is ensured. The upright seating position, wide handlebar, and ground clearance made for completely uncomplicated, everyday-friendly handling. The first half hour of riding through the city proved to be good preparation for the twisty road ahead in the nearby mountains. Stop and go, fairly brisk acceleration, a small turning circle - no problem for the newcomer. Even though the Speed 400, the sister model of the 179 kg speedster, is known for its more sporty character, my experience was exactly the opposite. Since this isn't meant to be a comparison of the two bikes, I'll leave the experience on the Speed 400 out of it as much as possible - but in my eyes, the Scrambler performed quite smoothly even through tight corners. Based on previous experience with similarly treaded tires on the road, I was pleasantly surprised by the grip and agility. There was also no annoying humming while riding, as I've experienced, for example, at lower speeds with the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR. Even though 40 hp isn't the world, and the real push forward only becomes noticeable from third gear onward, the performance of the Triumph Scrambler 400X is completely sufficient for everyday use.

The only prominent drawback of the bike (subjectively speaking, of course) slowly but steadily surfaced after a few hours of riding: the braking performance. The 300 millimeter single disc supplied by ByBre and its brake pads could use a bit more "aggressive" bite to eliminate the high hand force required. Since the Speed 400's brake system had previously shown noticeably more bite on the same route, the difference seemed quite considerable in this case. Overall, though, the system does its job and also comes with switchable traction control and ABS - a clear advantage for off-road riding.