‘You get what you pay for’ is one of those sayings we comfort ourselves with when the compromises in something that didn’t cost a lot of money become glaring on close inspection. Then you ride Triumph’s sub-$10k Speed 400 and the Scrambler 400 X and the narrative switches to, ‘What’s the catch?’
Thing is, there doesn’t appear to be a catch – at least not in the short term. These new Triumphs are, well, triumphs of the rare engineering feat of creating an excellent riding experience with few compromises in build quality for less than $10k ($8990 ride-away for the Speed, $9990 for the Scrambler).
Sure, many of its rivals have a lower retail price, but it’s still kind of hard to fathom how Triumph has managed to keep these 398cc single-cylinder, LAMS-approved hybrids of naked streetbike/off-road adventure and old-school styling so cheap.
Perhaps the unbranded non-adjustable 43mm fork? Others in this category have adjustment options, but the ones on these Triumphs are pretty good and may have taken a few design cues from a well-known gold-coloured brand.
Is it the ByBre four-piston brakes? These are Brembo’s cheaper option (think Squire if you’re a Fender guitar fan) pinching a 300mm (320mm for the Scrambler) fixed disc. Yes, others
