Triumph’s Speed 400 is the British manufacturer’s latest entry into the lightweight category. Designed in England but built in India, the Speed 400 costs just over $5,000. A recent price bump brings MSRP from $4,995 to $5,195. Its styling and design are inspired by the Speed Twin 1200, but the 400′s smaller engine, reduced curb weight, and lower price make the Triumph Speed model range accessible to more riders.
Triumph’s Speed 400 is powered by a 398cc DOHC liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine with Bosch EFI and a six-speed transmission. Chassis components include a hybrid spine/perimeter tubular-steel frame with a bolt-on subframe, a nonadjustable 43mm inverted fork, a monoshock with preload adjustment, and 17-inch wheels. The brake system utilizes a single 300mm disc with a four-piston caliper upfront and a single 230mm disc at the rear. Rider aids include ABS and switchable traction control.
Before hitting our in-house Dynojet 250i dynamometer, the Speed 400 weighed 383 pounds on our automotive scales. On the Cycle World dyno, the 2024 Triumph Speed 400 produced 34.6 hp at 7,780 rpm and 23.8 lb.-ft. of torque at 6,760 rpm. For reference, the 2024 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 produced 38.9 hp at 9,000 rpm and 23.9 lb.-ft. of torque at 6,670 rpm. Triumph’s TR series engine does its best work below 8,000 rpm. Its linear power delivery and a relatively flat torque curve provide punchy acceleration right off idle and through the midrange. After peak power is reached near 8,000 rpm, the engine starts to fall flat. Revving the engine to its roughly 9,200 rpm limit may be beneficial when connecting a set of tight corners, but short-shifting the bike to stay in the midrange will yield the best results.