Triumph Scrambler 400XC (2025) – Review

The Triumph Scrambler 400XC reviewed here adds off-road styling touches that include wire-spoked tubeless wheels to finally offer what many were hoping for when the Scrambler 400X (reviewed here) was released in 2024. These traditional spoked wheels still aren’t an option from Triumph on the 400X, so if you want what really does seem a pretty-much complete Scrambler package from your dealer, this is the one to buy.

And I want to buy it. Here’s why…

Pros & Cons

2025 Triumph Scrambler 400XC - Price

Starting at £6,545 in ‘Vanilla White’, the ‘Racing Yellow’ on review here (and the ‘Storm Grey’) add £100 to the bill. Optional extras include a quilted seat, luggage, tracker and more, but the XC already comes with the sump guard, lower engine bars, high mudguard and screen that would add a total of £526.50 to the 400X. Look at it that way, and as the wire-spoked wheels that the 400XC includes aren’t an option on the 400X, they’re only adding £173.50.

Whichever way you cut it, the Triumph Scrambler 400XC is great value, and it includes two years of ‘Triumph Assist’ with European Rescue included.

It’s true that there are plenty of options when it comes to expensive motorcycles now, but we also have an ever-growing choice of much more affordable ones too, which aren’t that far from some of the prices in the ‘good old days’ despite what’s arguably a much better performing, higher quality and typically more reliable product… £6,545 is the equivalent of £325 in 1960.

The Triumph Scrambler 400XC was developed in partnership with Indian company Bajaj, and is built in Triumph’s Thailand and Brazil factories, as well as Bajaj’s Indian ones for global logistics.

2025 Triumph Scrambler 400XC - Engine & Performance

The Scrambler 400XC has exactly the same motor as the 400X (which is the same as the one in the Speed 400). This single-cylinder 398cc engine makes a claimed 39.5bhp (29.4kW) @ 8,000 rpm and 27.7lb-ft (37.5Nm) at 6,500rpm. Simon Hargreaves tested the 400X on the dyno at BSD and saw 34.6bhp @ 7,700rpm and 24.3lb-ft @ 6,700rpm.

It’s great to be riding a single again, but don’t expect the Triumph to be a lazy lumpy thumper – I had to look at the exhaust header pipe to check it wasn’t a parallel twin because the counter-rotating balance shaft does such a good job. It sounds great though, with a pleasing amount of character from the twin pipes, which I think look good, especially with the golden patina on the stainless header.

While I wasn’t expecting a lot, when I first pulled away on the 400XC I was a little disappointed, but after a few miles and a willingness to work the motor, it really comes alive at about 7,000rpm. That’s not to say it’s sluggish under this, and in fact it’s got a gentle delivery that suits pottering around on green-lanes, but it gives it a mild-mannered nature that also rewards if you put the effort it.

In the quest for ever more power, some bikes can leave me with a feeling that they’re asking me “is that all you’ve got?”. The beauty of a smaller machine like this is that you can thrash it without being in licence-losing speeds by second gear, and you feel like you’re the one that’s making it go quickly.

Given it’s a small-capacity single, I didn’t find it felt too stressed at motorways speeds. This slightly goes against Martin Fitzgibbon’s opinion in the excellent 400X review, but I was pleasantly surprised at how capable the Scrambler is on the motorway. 70mph sees the engine spinning at just over 6,000, which is relatively high, but there’s plenty left to get the analogue speedo’s needle almost vertical. Apparently it’s good for more than an indicated 90mph with little difficulty.

Overtaking cars on A roads isn’t a worrying task, though do be prepared to work the fairly smooth six-speed gearbox. Keep those revs up and the Scrambler will have no problems dispatching other traffic.

This bike isn’t going to pull your arms out of its sockets – Simon Hargreaves managed a 6.96 0-60 time, and in my testing using the speedo rather than GPS, I saw just over seven seconds. If you want fast, this isn’t the bike for you, but if you want rapid, don’t dismiss it as this is exactly the kind of bike I love on tight, twisty backroads…

2025 Triumph Scrambler 400XC - Handling & Suspension (inc. Weight)

Given the relatively affordable price I’m very impressed with the suspension fitted to the Scrambler 400XC. The 43mm upside down big piston forks and remote reservoir monoshock are the same as on the 400X – the same 1,500mm travel, the same lack of any adjustment besides preload on the rear, and the same brilliant balance of comfort and performance both on and off the road.

Sure, compare it to the semi-active suspension on my own R1250GS and I know which one I’d rather ride to Spain and back, but the Triumph’s spring and damping rates work great with my 14 stone (90kg) bulk.

The tubular steel frame is again the same as that on the 400X, which in turn means that, while it might look like the Speed 400 it’s actually 20mm longer at the front. Triumph could have saved money by keeping the same frame throughout various platforms, but it’s clearly done all it can to bring in bikes that suit their purposes at very attractive prices.

The 400X is 9kg heavier than the Speed 400 and the 400XC is heavier still at 186kg ready to ride (that’s 7kg more than the X). It’s still not a lot though, and the weight is carried well, making for a bike that’s well balanced whether you’re riding it or moving it about. To give you some perspective, the 400XC is just one kilogram heavier than the Ducati Scrambler Icon and Royal Enfield Scram 411, but that smaller motor means it’s 35kg lighter than Triumph’s Scrambler 900.

On the road I was blown away by the Triumph Scrambler 400XC, the suspension dealing with some rough Fenland routes admirably while also staying in very good control when I gave it a work-out on my favourite back roads. Safely keeping your corner speed is how you make good progress on a small-capacity bike, rather than relying on brute force to accelerate hard once straightened up, and I never had any moments on the Triumph where I didn’t feel like I could have given it a bit more lean. Mid-road imperfections don’t upset this Triumph, and the damping has a great balance of coping well with harsh potholes and speed bumps while remaining firm and controlled enough for higher-speed shenanigans.

The roads were patchily damp during my cold mid-November testing and I’d love to have been enjoying this bike on a sunny summer’s day, but it’s further credit to Triumph’s chassis engineers that this ‘budget’ motorcycle gave me such a massive grin on some roads that, realistically, I couldn’t have ridden any faster on an S1000RR.

I’m a terrible off-road rider, but what appeals to me about something like the Scrambler 400XC is that I’m far more confident taking an unexpected turn onto some dirt roads and green-lanes with this than I am on my GS. On a wet but firm dirt track I got on great with the little Triumph, happily tipping it around between my legs while stood up as I dodged the deeper pot-holes and cow-pats.

On a muddy byway things didn’t go as well – the Metzeler Karoo Street tyres might look the part, but they lacked the bite to deal with a very slippery surface, the rear often sliding away and the front occasional tucking. A better rider would have stood up and let the bike move around beneath them, but I spent most of my time sat down… and at one point laying under the 400XC after the front washed away.

My foot was caught under the bike (thanks to the Sidi Taurus boots my ankle didn’t protest), but the Scrambler was easy to pick up and get going again. The only damage (sorry Triumph) was the end of the front brake-level snapping off as the handguard twisted up and sheared it. Thanks to the notch cut about an inch from the end, I still had a full brake lever to be able to continue riding.

My muddy exploration didn’t go well but I still long for this bike in Summer when I know I could have more fun on some of Britain’s byways. It’s no good for the tougher sections of the TET (Trans European Trail), but whether you want to broaden your biking horizons or simply aren’t afraid to admit that some bikes make you nervous on off-camber gravelly lay-bys, the Scrambler 400XC could be just the machine to get you out and enjoying yourself more.

2025 Triumph Scrambler 400XC - Comfort & Economy

The 835mm seat height might end up a bit lofty for some, but the Scrambler 400XC’s single-cylinder motor makes it a narrower stand-over than some other machines. I’m 5’10” and can get my feet down flat, which gives me a lot of confidence, but there’s not a lot of slack in there – shorter riders will need to try it for themselves but at least the relatively low weight and the good balance means this should be less intimidating than some other bikes.

Despite being fairly compact, the Scrambler fits me very well. When getting spirited on back roads it’s easy to slide forward in the seat and get my weight over the front, but on the open road there’s plenty of room to shift my bum backwards and enjoy the space between my feet and my hips, and between my shoulders and the fairly wide bars.

The bike’s not so wide as to make filtering a problem – and the light chassis is easy to toss between cars – but there’s a definite solidity to the build quality that makes this feel more expensive than it is.

When riding off-road I got on well with the standing position, the only thing I noticed being that the levers felt like they’d benefit from being tilted down a bit; with my fingers resting on them my wrists felt stretched.

This isn’t a bike I’d choose for long-distance two-up touring as it’s not got the power, but my 5’3” wife Helen was surprised at how comfortable she found the Scrambler. She’s no Amazonian, but her legs weren’t cramped and the seat was comfortable enough for some fun days out.

I’m far from the most economical rider, but I saw an average 67mpg on the Triumph Scrambler 400XC with some sedate riding. Less than the 74mpg that Triumph claims, but still enough for up to 192 miles if I ran the 13 litre tank dry.

But… when I started thrashing it on back-roads, the average dropped to 56mpg (160 miles theoretical range), and besides the lack of wind protection this (unsurprisingly) isn’t an ideal motorway commuter – watching the live economy figure it hovers around 50mpg (143 miles) on dual-carriageways when you’re keeping up a pace.

The Triumph’s range to empty display is a rough guide only – it’ll sit at a figure for a long time then suddenly drop, most annoyingly from ‘30 miles’ to just horizontal lines as you realise you’re about to run out. I rode seven miles after the display switched, and when I got to the filling station at 136.5 miles I seemed to have about half a litre left in the tank.

Realistically, if you ride gently you’ll likely be looking to fill up after about 160 miles or so to avoid getting twitchy, but if you’re working the bike hard, plan for 120 mile fill-ups.

2025 Triumph Scrambler 400XC - Brakes, wheels and tyres

Those Metzeler Karoo Sports are what I’d choose for a bike like this if I were spending most of my time on road, but on muddy tracks the 100/90-19 front and 140/80-17 rear might be better shod with something blockier like the Metzeler Karoo 4, which I’d certainly try for some on and off-road fun.

Despite the wire spokes, these are tubeless wheels thanks to the spokes passing through the outside edge of the rim, making it a lot easier to repair a puncture at the side of the road.

The brakes are the same as on the 400X: A single 320mm fixed front disc with a four-piston radially-mounted caliper and a 230mm single-piston on the rear. ABS is of course standard (though you can turn it off), and the calipers are made ByBrembo… Bybre, the brand’s lower priced range.

Braided brake lines are standard, but as you’d expect at this price and on this style of machine the radial caliper isn’t matched to a radial master cylinder. There’s not a lot of initial bite from the front brake – it needs a good squeeze in more sudden stopping scenarios – but that’s arguably better if you’re riding off-road. If it bothers you, try swapping the front pads for the compound used on the Speed 400. Both the brake and clutch lever are span-adjustable.

On dip, the Scrambler’s dash is too bright and overpowers the beam making it very hard to see on unlit roads

2025 Triumph Scrambler 400XC - Equipment

While the round LED headlight with a plastic grill might look good, the Triumph Scrambler 400XC is not much fun to ride at night. On unlit roads the dipped beam has a good spread but it’s a little dim. The real problem though is that it’s overpowered by the bright dash backlight. Cover this up and it’s a lot easier to see where you’re going, and main beam is very good (if slightly marred by shadows from the grill) and helped by the automatic dimming of the dash. This feature gives me hope that Triumph will add a dimming ability on dipped beam to the 400XC’s dash via a firmware update (though I don’t know if there’s an ambient light sensor built in) or at least give the owner the chance to adjust it.

The Scrambler’s dash is very nicely designed with a traditional analogue speedo and an LCD display to the right that shows revs, fuel level, time, range to empty, current gear, odometer, two trips and current and average fuel consumption.

Traction control is fitted and can be turned off, but it’ll automatically re-enable when the engine is turned off then back on. If you want to turn the ABS off you need to enter ‘off-road’ mode, which also disables traction control. Once the engine’s shut down off-road mode will be disabled for the next start-up.

The Triumph’s dash has a display segment for heated grips, but none are listed in the online configurator.

Something I noticed while cleaning the Triumph Scrambler 400XC (and this would be the same on the 400X) is that mud can build up at the upper front of the swingarm – behind the engine – and is quite tricky to clean out as it doesn’t really have anywhere to go if hosed / jet washed. I had to soften it up with the Kärcher then scoop it out with the handle of my brush.

Triumph and after-market manufacturers offer various luggage options for the Scrambler, and this – along with some auxiliary lights – is what I’d invest in as there’s only a tiny amount of space under the seat, so I’d want somewhere to carry a lock, my camera kit and some snacks.

After cleaning the bike (a great way to get to know any machine), I was still impressed with the overall finish and attention to detail. From the aluminium swingarm to the use of stainless fasteners in many places, this looks and feels like a quality machine.

2025 Triumph Scrambler 400XC - Servicing

The Triumph Scrambler 400XC has an impressively long 10,000 miles / 12 months service schedule (whichever comes first) and includes a two-year, unlimited mileage warranty.

Here are the key service items that could have the biggest impact on the price of servicing:

The 400XC’s dash has a service interval reminder that needs to be reset by a dealer. There’s no mention in the owner’s manual of how to reset it yourself.

2025 Triumph Scrambler 400XC - Rivals

Triumph Scrambler 400X - You can save some money by dropping the wire-spoked wheels, crash bars, sump-guard, high-level mud guard and screen, plus there are arguably some more interesting colour options, but our guess is that the XC will be the one that holds its value best.

Royal Enfield Bear 650 - More power and more torque come at the expensive of a lot more weight too. Still, the bear 650 is a great-looking machine with some classic vibes that make it well worth a tet ride.

Ducati Scrambler Icon - You can get the Ducati Scrambler Icon Dark for £9,695, but the yellow at £700 more is surely the best looking. And once you’ve pushed your budget this much further up you maybe won’t mind paying that bit more. BikeSocial’s Steve Lamb loves his original Scrambler – it brought motorcycling back to life for him many years ago – and he was impressed with this new model. There’s a lot to love about the Ducati, and it’s certainly much more powerful, but the Triumph doesn’t feel like an inferior option, despite leaving you plenty of change for fuel and some funky new riding kit. And a decent lock of course.

Triumph Scrambler 400X | Price: From £5,845

Read more

Power/Torque

39.5bhp/27.7lb-ft

Weight

186kg (kerb)

Royal Enfield Bear 650 | Price: From £6,899

Read more

Power/Torque

47bhp/41.7lb-ft

Weight

214kg (kerb)

Ducati Scrambler Icon | From £10,395

Read more

Power/Torque

72bhp / 48.1lb

Weight

185kg (kerb)

The Rally Raid Triumph Scrambler

If you want the most off-road capable 398cc Triumph Scrambler, consider the range of updates available from UK manufacturer Rally Raid.

The company offers a fork internals upgrade, a higher-spec standard-height and low seat-height shock, luggage racks, fat-bar conversions, a rear mud flap and much more.

If you have the 400X and hanker after spoked wheels, Rally Raid even offers premium tubeless options with Excel rims on its own in-house machined hubs. You can find out more about the Triumph Scrambler 400 upgrades from Rally Raid here.

2025 Triumph Scrambler 400XC - Verdict

Don’t let anyone tell you that the Triumph Scrambler 400XC is a beginner’s bike. Granted, it’d be a great choice for anyone new to biking but there’s a huge market of riders who are realising that having fun on a motorcycle doesn’t need to mean having all the power or the highest tech.

I own a BMW R1250GS and the 400XC had me seriously considering whether I want to downsize, though I won’t: the GS is faster, more comfortable and more capable. It’s also going to take my wife and me to Spain next year. But the 400XC as a second bike? Hmmm…

Are there ‘better’ bikes on the road? Sure – there are faster, better handling and more practical motorcycles you could buy. Are there ‘better’ off-road machines? Without doubt, but the Scrambler isn’t meant to excel in any one field because it’s an all-round… dammit, I can’t think of a more apt word… fun bike to ride.

If you want a small, lightweight sportsbike, buy the Speed 400 or something like it. If you want a lightweight adventure bike go for the new BMW F450GS, the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 or any of the other options.

The more than capable suspension, the willing single-cylinder motor and the great riding position make this a very wise buy – it’s only let down by the headlight at night. What really matters though is that it also looks and feels nothing like a ‘budget’ bike. There are lower-priced machines out there, but there’s very little on this Triumph that makes it look cheap. It’s something I’d be very proud to have in my garage, and to park up outside a café after one hell of a fun ride there.
And that’s why I hope to buy one…

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2025 Triumph Scrambler 400XC - Technical Specification

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MCIA Secured gives motorcycles a rating out of five stars (three stars for bikes of 125cc or less), based on the following being fitted to a new bike as standard:

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• A vehicle tracking system with subscription

The higher the star rating, the better the security, so always ask your dealer what rating your bike has and compare it to other machines on your shortlist.

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