Triumph Speed T4 Review: Less Bling, More Value?

The new Speed T4 is the new entry-level Triumph model and is based on the Speed 400, but with some mechanical changes to give it a slightly ‘different’ and relaxed personality. According to Triumph, the Speed T4 is not a ‘base variant’ and was developed at the same time as the Speed 400, with performance tuned for the Indian buyer and developed specifically for the Indian market. But Triumph decided to launch it later, apparently to ‘protect’ the price point of the Speed T4. At ₹ 2.17 lakh (Ex-showroom), the Speed T4 costs ₹ 23,000 less than the Speed 400.

Also Read: Triumph Speed T4 Launched At ₹ 2.17 Lakh

It promises to be more than just an affordable entry-level variant, but it still has its task cut out, to make a mark in the world’s largest motorcycle market. More importantly, it must get more Indian riders into the made-in-India Triumph family. The big question is, will it be able to get in fans of the Royal Enfield 350s to look at the Triumph 400s?

Also Read: All You Need To Know About Triumph Speed T4

The Triumph Speed T4 is now the most affordable model and is based on the Speed 400 but with some important changes.

Triumph Speed T4: Design & Features

From a design standpoint, there’s not much change in the aesthetics of the Speed T4, compared to the Speed 400. It has more or less the same silhouette, and similar stance, but the differences pop out only when you take a second look. The most glaring difference is the absence of the gold-finished upside-down forks, which are now replaced by 43 mm telescopic forks. Visually, that seems to have taken away some of the visual mass from what is essentially still a compact motorcycle, and the Speed T4 looks even more petite.

The Speed T4 has different graphics on the fuel tank and side panels, but the dead giveaway is the absence of the gold-finished USD fork

The exhaust now wears a blacked-out look, as does the throttle body covers, and the steel hydroform handlebar. To give it its distinct identity, there are new Speed T4 graphics on the fuel tank, and on the side panels, with a big “400” splashed across the tank to underscore that it’s still a 400 cc model. To my mind, the blacked-out look is nice, but in all honesty, the absence of some brushed metal finish makes the T4 feel less premium in the showroom, when parked next to the Speed 400. And to compensate for the lower price tag, are what you’d call slightly lower-spec components than the Speed 400.

Also Read: More Affordable Triumph Scrambler 400X Spied

The Speed T4 has a longer wheelbase, taller seat height and different tyre sizes than the Speed 400.

Triumph Speed T4: Dimensions & Cycle Parts

The 17-inch wheels are shod with tyres of different construction, MRF Zapper Bias Ply tyres, and not Vredestein Centauro radial tyres that the Speed 400 now gets. And tyre sizes are slightly different as well. While the T4’s front tyre gets a thinner sidewall with its 110/70-17 size, the rear tyre width is less than the Speed 400, with its 140/70-17 size. The taller tyres also raised the seat height to 806 mm. The wheelbase has increased by 20 mm, and the steering geometry has been changed. All those changes mean it’s not sharp and as quick as the Speed 400 in changing direction but is still stable enough and predictable to keep you confident. Ground clearance has also changed to 170 mm.

The Triumph Speed T4 has axially-mounted brake calipers with organic brake pads.

Triumph Speed T4: Braking Performance

In the braking department, the Speed T4 gets axially-mounted calipers with organic pads, not the radially-mounted calipers with sintered pads of the Speed 400. While stopping power is adequate in city speeds, but it lacks the feel and bite which the Speed 400 offers, particularly while slowing down from higher speeds. There’s still dual-channel ABS, and it works well. For emergency braking, you do need a good squeeze of the brake lever, but it works, and overall braking performance is definitely better than any Royal Enfield 350.

On the spec sheet, the Triumph T4 seems to out-gun the Royal Enfield 350s on every other parameter, pun intended. There’s more power, more torque, and a wider usable engine range with a freer revving engine. The Speed T4 also has less weight, wider tyres, and even a 6-speed gearbox with a slip and assist clutch. So, does it make for a good choice? Better than a Royal Enfield 350? Or does it even make for a more practical choice than its sibling, the Speed 400?

Also Read: Triumph Speed T4 Vs Speed 400 Differences Explained

The 398 cc, single-cylinder engine makes 30.6 bhp at 7,000 rpm and 36 Nm at 5,000 rpm.

Triumph Speed T4: Engine & Performance

The 398 cc, single-cylinder engine is the same as the Speed 400, with the exact 89 mm bore and 64 mm stroke. But there are quite a few changes under the skin. For starters, it gets a heavier flywheel, with 31 per cent higher crank inertia, and that makes the Speed T4 feel different, along with a meatier exhaust note. Instead of ride-by-wire, it gets a cable-actuated throttle and the Speed T4 gets a manual throttle body, instead of the electronic throttle body of the Speed 400. The gearing has changed as well, with a 39-teeth rear sprocket, compared to the 43-teeth rear sprocket of the Speed 400.

The Speed T4 has a 39-teeth rear sprocket compared to the 43-teeth rear sprocket of the Speed 400

The result is that maximum power has dropped from 39.5 bhp to 30.6 bhp, and there’s a 1.5 Nm drop in peak torque as well, although there’s still 36 Nm of peak torque, which kicks in 1,500 rpm lower in the revs, at 5,000 rpm. In city speeds, the low-end grunt of the engine is immediately noticeable, which makes the Speed T4 feel quite urgent, as soon as you set off. It indeed has a calmer, more relaxed personality, but if there’s a sense of urgency you’re looking for, it certainly has that.

The Speed T4 is all about low- and mid-range torque, rather than outright acceleration and top-end performance. It's still an entertaining roadster.

Overall engine refinement seems to have improved as well, particulary in the lower revs, and it’s a more relaxed engine than the higher-revving state of tune of the Speed 400. But even with the Speed T4’s chilled-out, easygoing vibe, there’s no dearth of performance. You can sit at 100 kmph quite comfortably and it has still got enough shove to go to 120-130 kmph. But it’s at high speeds and higher revs when you feel some vibes from the engine. Relaxed, chilled out – if that’s the kind of riding you want, the Speed T4 will not disappoint you. But if you prefer a quicker ride, with higher-revving performance, the Speed 400 is the one you should look at, within the Triumph family.

The Speed T4 has predictable and balanced dynamics, if not as quick to turn in as the Speed 400.

Triumph Speed T4: Ride & Dynamics

The Speed 400’s ride quality has always been good, and the Speed T4 also doesn’t disappoint. Ride quality is plush, but with pretty sharp handling when the corners come up. The telescopic fork and the changed steering geometry are things which will be noticed. But even if the T4 isn’t quite as sharp and predictable as the Speed 400, it still has very likeable road manners and maintains a level of flick-ability and composure around corners that is quite impressive.

Also Read: Triumph Speed 400 First Ride Review

The Triumph Speed T4 is quite a nice motorcycle, but the question is, will it be able to attract buyers?

Triumph Speed T4: Verdict

Eventually, the Triumph Speed T4 is quite a nice motorcycle. It’s got an easy-going character; it’s got loads of low-end torque and it is quite fun to ride. But what matters to the consumer is desirability, and road presence. In that department, the Speed T4 somehow still lacks that spark, that desirability. After all, it’s still a compact motorcycle, it’s still not a substantial motorcycle. And consumers in this segment want a little bit more bling, some more chrome. Perhaps with the same state of tune in the engine, a slightly more substantial motorcycle, with a longer wheelbase, with more chrome and flashier elements, would have really made the Speed T4 a slightly more desirable motorcycle. Something like a Triumph Bonneville 400 instead could have really set Triumph on a different trajectory, which the Speed T4 has so far not been able to do.

Also Read: Opinion - Can Speed T4 Help Triump Crack The Classic Segment?

The Speed T4 will need to win hearts, and that's an uphill task, more so, because of the more desirable Speed 400 than any other rival.

Eventually, to get more numbers for Triumph in that segment, the Speed T4 still needs to play catch-up. And that’s a shame, because it’s the closest to what any Royal Enfield fanboy will prefer, in terms of engine character and personality. And even though the Speed T4 may have a lot going for it, consumer interest hasn't been that great, compared to its sibling - the Speed 400. As any motorcycle market observer will tell you, the spec sheet isn’t really a true reflection of how the product fares out in the real world. After all, consumer preference is more complex than what the product offers. And that’s what the Triumph Speed T4 must capture – the heart of the customer. And winning hearts isn’t so easy, no matter how good you are.

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