Triumph Speed 400 (2024 - ) review

Mid-capacity singles like this Speed 400 may seem a bit of a niche choice but there is, in fact, a decent spread of options, ranging from budget air-cooled retros like the Mash Five Hundred and Royal Enfield HNTR 350 through to modern, sportier options like the KTM 390 Duke and Kawasaki Z400. Beyond that there are also more purist alternatives, like the British-built Herald Brute 500 and CCM’s boutique beauties. Cleverly, Triumph has identified a yawning gap in both performance and price between them all, leaning successfully on the old-school appeal of the Modern Classics range in which the Speed 400 sits but equipping it with the performance, suspension and brakes to keep contemporary bikes honest. So, you get all the cool of a retro but the performance of a modern, the Speed 400 both attractive and built with a level of quality and attention to detail that makes its (just) sub five-grand price look a total steal.

In another neat twist Triumph has managed to gift the Speed 400 the stance and visual substance of a ‘proper’ bike while still keeping it small, light and compact enough for beginners. The slimline single-cylinder motor helps, the fact your legs don’t have to straddle a wide engine or gearbox meaning even smaller riders should comfortably be able to get both feet flat on the floor with the 790mm seat height. The riding position is nice and neutral, with enough weight over the bars to offer a sense of grip from the front wheel without putting too much load through your wrists or risking neck strain keeping your head up. While it does feel small there was enough room in the seat to peg ratio for your six-foot tester not to feel too cramped, the Scrambler version worth trying for its slightly longer cockpit and wider bars if you do feel scrunched up.

It’s a retro naked, so don’t go expecting a huge amount in the way of practicality. But for the kind of short hops, commuting and Sunday blasts along the lanes most owners will be using it for that’s fine. While it does have enough oomph to keep pace on motorways that’s not the Speed 400’s comfort zone, so the lack of wind protection isn’t too much of an issue. A small flyscreen available via the accessories range might help on that score, though we didn’t get to try it out on the rest ride. The optional rear luggage rack and 30-litre topbox are there if you want them, but for style-conscious riders arguably spoil the look somewhat.

It might riff on the old-school looks but the Speed 400 is a totally modern bike in terms of its engine, performance and braking. Which puts clear ground between it and more basic retros like those from Royal Enfield’s 350 range. For starters the 40 horsepower of the Triumph is pretty much double that of Enfield’s air-cooled single, and is matched with a thick wedge of torque running from tickover to redline accessible from any ratio in the six-speed ‘box. The light clutch makes flicking up and down the gears easy enough, or you can just lean on the torque and let it haul from the higher gears as you choose – on the twisty roads we were riding even fourth was fine out of tight bends, though it was more fun to shift down for the hell of it. The big single disc up front is, in the modern style, grabbed by a radially-mounted four-piston caliper and has plenty of power and feel through the lever as well. ABS is, of course, included.

There’s none of the adjustability fancier moderns like the KTM 390 Duke offer but, in the Triumph style, the factory settings feel great out of the box and the fat-tubed ‘big piston’ upside down forks are a significant step up from the flimsy looking units on more retro rivals. Same out the back, and while the monoshock set-up doesn’t look as authentic as the twin-shock arrangement on the bigger Speed Twins it does mean more precise suspension action, with adjustment for preload only on the off-set spring and damper unit. We didn’t encounter many bumps on the smooth roads of our Spanish test route, but the damping support felt good, with no unsettling diving under braking or other bad habits. Handling-wise the Speed 400 nails the sweetspot of being both friendly for beginners and, seemingly, rewarding for more experienced riders as well. And while it might look old-school it’s got the foundations to keep tabs with anything in the A2 category. True, on faster roads you’ll find yourself working hard to keep up with bigger bikes. But on twisty lanes and B-roads the Speed 400’s combination of agility and grunt really come into their own, and plaster a huge smile on your face.

While it’s a chunk more than some of the more retro alternatives the Speed 400’s starting price still looks good when you factor in the extra performance, the quality of the parts used and the general fit and finish. It also makes that first step on the ladder of the Triumph range look that more attainable, and as your experience grows and you potentially unlock that full A licence the temptations of the 900 and 1200 models in the Modern Classics range suddenly look more in reach. In the meantime that smaller engine capacity should help with insurance costs for younger, newly qualified riders and, while we didn’t get a chance to measure it accurately, Triumph claims of 80mpg+ economy should see what little fuel you put in it go a long way.

Everything on this bike, engine included, is brand new, so we’ll have to consider this a holding score for now. But given the two 400 models have the potential to out-sell the rest of the Triumph range combined if things work out as planned no expense has seemingly been spared in terms of development resource. So, you’d have to hope they prove reliable. While powerful the engine is also relatively understressed, and designed to work in places like India where riding conditions will be a lot harsher than the UK. We’d say we’re optimistic on that score.

Standard stuff here, with a two-year manufacturer warranty that can be extended at extra cost by up to two years any time within the first 18 months of ownership, and carries over to any subsequent owners as well. Which should help resale value. Once you’ve got your 500-mile ‘break-in’ service done the generous 10,000-mile intervals beyond that offer extra peace of mind, even if it’s unlikely many owners of a small bike like this will be exceeding that in any given year.

No frills here, which is the way Triumph reckons buyers of bikes like this want it, on the basis an attainable purchase price matters more than fancy bells and whistles. The analogue speedo fits the Modern Classic vibe as well, a small LCD screen within it offering a basic rev counter (an improvement over the digital one buried in the menus on the 900s) and trip info while a USB-C port on the side of the binnacle is there to power your phone or whatever other bar-mounted accessories you may want to add. There is ABS and switchable traction control but not much else in terms of rider aids. Triumph knows its customers love the option to customise their bikes with official accessories and there are plenty to choose from as budget and taste dictates, be that knee pads for the tank, engine protection bars, ‘bullet’ indicators and more.

The younger riders Triumph is pitching to with this new 400 range may be cost conscious and restricted in the power of the bikes they can ride but they’re also very style driven, the Speed 400 ticking all these boxes and then some. There are cheaper ways to enjoy the fashionable retro vibes, of course, but the Speed 400 is also considerably more capable in terms of performance and handling, as well as being very easy to ride. This, and the modernity of the engine, brakes and suspension, are all very confidence inspiring, and may be just as appealing to older riders looking for something fun for sunny Sundays that doesn’t tie up a load of cash or time in terms of upkeep. In summary this is back to basics fun in an affordable package anyone can enjoy.