It’s probably a sign of the times that we’re reporting on a new bike for the UK which has been on sale in India for a while. Even more interesting is that it’s a ‘British’ bike: the Triumph Scrambler 400 XC.
As with the Hinckley firm’s bigger machines, ‘XC’ means a bit more offroad ability, but with the basics unchanged. So, the 400 XC has the same 39bhp single-cylinder engine and steel frame, with aluminium swingarm, monoshock suspension, USD forks and ByBre brakes. But it has wire-spoked Excel aluminium-rim wheels, and Metzeler Karoo tyres instead of the more road-biased cast wheels and tyres on the basic Scrambler 400. You get new bodywork, too, with a new high-level beak front mudguard (plus a normal front fender) and a headlamp flyscreen.
• We’re a little more interested in another bike which has just appeared in India first, too – the Triumph Thruxton 400. It’s a neat half-faired variant of the Speed 400 single, with a little more horsepower, up to 41.4bhp from 39, and a neat set of classy bodywork. Expect to see more info and an official UK launch in the next couple of months.
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