Is Triumph Scrambler 400 X better than Royal Enfield Himalayan
What's the story
With its comfortable riding ergonomics and go-anywhere capabilities, the Himalayan has become one of the popular offerings for Royal Enfield in the past few years. It was responsible for popularizing offroading in the middleweight segment with its affordable price tag.
However, Triumph Motorcycles is now planning to steal the crown from the homegrown champion with its all-new Scrambler 400 X.
Which one is better?
Context
Why does this story matter?
Designed from scratch as Royal Enfield's first dual-sport adventure-touring model, the Himalayan made its debut on Indian shores in 2016.
The motorcycle received overall positive feedback from critics and customers alike for its touring abilities and offroad performance.
Now, Triumph Motorcycles, along with Bajaj Auto, have decided to take down the popular ADV offering from the top spot with their jointly-developed scrambler.
Design
Triumph Scrambler 400 X looks more pleasing
Royal Enfield Himalayan features a sculpted 15-liter fuel tank, a prominent beak, a circular headlamp, a wide handlebar, a raised windscreen, split-style seats, an upswept exhaust, and wire-spoked wheels.
Triumph Scrambler 400 X flaunts a muscular 13-liter fuel tank, a circular LED headlamp, a raised handlebar with knuckle guards, split-type seats, dual-barrel upswept exhaust, a semi-digital instrument cluster, and 17-inch cast aluminum alloy wheels.
Information
Triumph Scrambler 400 X weighs less
Royal Enfield Himalayan has a seat height of 800mm, a wheelbase of 1,465mm, and a kerb weight of 199kg. In comparison, the Triumph Scrambler 400 X has a saddle height of 841mm, a wheelbase of 1,418mm, and tips the scales at 186kg.
Performance
Triumph Scrambler 400 X packs a more powerful engine
Powering the Royal Enfield Himalayan is a 411cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that puts out a maximum power of 24hp and a peak torque of 32Nm.
Triumph Scrambler 400 X is fueled by a 398cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine that generates a maximum power of 39.4hp and a peak torque of 37.5Nm.
The former gets a 5-speed manual gearbox. The latter has a 6-speed manual gearbox.
Safety
Both bikes are equipped with disc brakes and dual-channel ABS
In terms of rider safety, both the Royal Enfield Himalayan and Triumph Scrambler 400 X come equipped with disc brakes on both wheels, along with dual-channel ABS.
The latter also has switchable traction control and ride-by-wire throttle.
The Himalayan gets telescopic front forks. On the other hand, the Scrambler 400 X has inverted front forks. Both have a rear mono-shock unit.
Verdict
Which one should you choose?
In India, the Royal Enfield Himalayan can be yours between Rs. 2.16 lakh and Rs. 2.28 lakh. On the other side, we expect the Triumph Scrambler 400 X to cost around Rs. 2.5 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom).
In our opinion, the Scrambler 400 X makes more sense with its powerful engine and aggressive design, along with better suspension setup and electronic riding aids.