3 reasons to buy the Triumph Tracker 400 and 2 reasons to skip it

The Triumph Tracker 400 is the newest addition to the Indian-made Triumph lineup and, on paper at least, the most distinctive of the lot. It draws its design inspiration from flat-track racing, with a wider fuel tank, chunky dual-purpose tyres, number board-style panels and a flyscreen. Here's what works in its favour and a couple of reasons it might not be for you.

Reasons to buy the Triumph Tracker 400

Eye-catching, distinctive design

The Tracker 400 is the most visually striking motorcycle in the Indian Triumph range. The wider tank, cast aluminium headlamp mount, flyscreen and number board panels give it a strong, individual character that you won't find anywhere else at this price. During our time with the bike, it attracted more attention than any of the other single-cylinder Triumphs – and for riders who want something that stands apart from the crowd of retro-styled commuters in this segment, that matters. The tail section, shared with the Thruxton, is the one visual weak point, but it doesn't significantly detract from the overall look.

Handling and comfort

Despite the off-road-styled MRF Revz AT-03 tyres, the Tracker 400 is a genuinely capable and entertaining handler. The sharper 24.5-degree steering rake angle that it shares with the Thruxton 400 makes itself felt in the corners, and there is good lean-angle clearance available. More impressive is how well the suspension balances firmness with compliance – it inspires confidence at higher speeds while still absorbing rough roads without fuss. The sporty, leaned-forward riding position created by the lower and wider handlebar and repositioned footpegs adds to the sense of connection without crossing into discomfort over longer rides.

Price

At Rs 2.46 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Tracker 400 is priced Rs 14,000 more than the Speed 400 and Rs 24,000 less than the Thruxton 400 – a sensible position in the range given it shares the latter’s engine tune and suspension character. It comes with the same full feature set as the rest of the Indian Triumph lineup, including switchable traction control, a semi-digital display and a bi-directional quickshifter, making it good value for what you get.

Reasons to skip the Triumph Tracker 400

It's a tracker only in name

The Tracker 400's flat-track styling is exactly that – styling. Look beneath the chunky tyres and number boards, and you're riding a bike based on the Thruxton 400 with a sporty steering geometry and a more aggressive riding position. There is no off-road capability to speak of, and the dual-purpose tyres, while they look the part, would have been better replaced with road-biased rubber that lets the chassis show what it can actually do. If you're buying this expecting anything beyond a road-focused sporty roadster, you'll be disappointed.

High-rpm vibrations

The Tracker shares the Thruxton 400's higher state of tune – 40hp versus 37hp on the Speed 400 – but that extra performance comes with a noticeable increase in vibration above 8,000rpm. During our time with the bike, the buzz through the handlebars, footpegs and tank became more intrusive than on the Speed 400 once the revs climbed, and sustained highway cruising above 110kph required more mental effort to manage. For a bike that is otherwise well-suited to longer rides, this is a genuine drawback.

from Autocar India https://ift.tt/0qAU34O