Words by Leo Yip from Ellaspede.
An obvious part of running a custom motorcycle business for a decade and a half is being surrounded by bikes every single day, and whilst it’s a perk that’s yet to lose its lustre, some machines do admittedly blend into the background a little easier than they once may have. But getting the call up to ride a couple of brand new offerings through the beautiful Yarra Valley at Triumph’s Thruxton and Tracker 400 launch? Well that’s a novelty that remains as fresh and exciting as ever, but I’ll try not to let it interfere with my journalistic integrity. So why am I, Leo from Ellaspede, writing an article on Pipeburn? Well, Mark Hawwa had a scheduling issue and couldn’t attend so he gave me a call to cover for him in his absence… and here we are! I have neither the beard nor the charm of the man, but I will try my best.
These new variations of Triumph’s growing 400cc platform are aimed squarely towards the entry level LAMS market, though a compelling use case could also be made for riders looking for a manageable inner city commuter. Some personal ergonomic data before we proceed too far, I’m 5’6 (when I have my Cuban heels on) and weigh 68kgs. I have a wingspan of about 600mm and an in seam around 750mm. This aligns me quite well with the Tracker model, it falls more inline with what I am use to commuting on day to day, a modified DRZ400. Size wise the Thruxton didn’t feel overly dissimilar and whilst it wasn’t uncomfortable around town, the more compact riding position felt much better suited to flowing country roads than heavy city traffic. I had a bit of trouble pinpointing a seating position that felt ‘right’, shifting back and forth between wondering if the seat was too flat or bars weren’t quite low enough. After around four hours in the saddle I still can’t decide which one was the culprit, so perhaps I’ll put it down to my generous Cuban heels throwing out the intended geometry.
Performance wise, it’s a single cylinder 400cc bike – don’t ask the world of it because that’s not what the lil’ thumper was built to provide. The point of this bike for a large portion of owners will be to get you comfortable with riding and to do so in style. It provides a suitable amount of power encouragingly balanced with a light enough overall weight that those harmless tip overs that occur when starting out don’t become bigger issues than they need to be. As previously mentioned, the seat height is great for a shorty like me and the tapered knee areas of the Thruxton tank further accommodate the ease of comfortably planting ones feet on solid ground, which can be an underrated barrier to entry for new riders. Suspension is ample, as evidenced by the large pothole lurking behind a blind crest that the Tracker model managed to deflect without bottoming out on me.
Notable things that I liked – the power delivery was smooth, third gear seems to be where the bike loves to be ridden and it’s a very long gear. On the closed circuit track Triumph had set up for us, the bike reached about 150km/h with no sign of rattling to bits. It’s still a 400cc single cylinder and as such, neither model would be my first choice to burn up large stretches of highway riding – but both are absolutely capable in reasonable doses. The only real red flag I encountered was the switch block, particularly on the left bar, shared by both models. The passing switch protrudes in a way that had me unintentionally bumping it whenever I pulled the clutch in, resulting in the accidental high beaming of a lot of oncoming traffic who were surely confused when no speed cameras revealed themselves around the ensuing bends.
One feature that blew me away was the traction control, a handy safety feature for entry level models like these. Being in Victoria, we did encounter some wet weather, and when a particularly malicious oil patch stepped my rear end out the bike’s safety features definitely played a helpful role in righting the wheels without further issue. Features like this on a LAMS bike go a long way toward keeping such encounters as fun anecdotes and minor learning experiences, or perhaps even saving certain test riders from awkward conversations with Triumph marketing coordinator Jarryd, the only other witness to the hiccup.
Owning a custom workshop for as long as I have, it’s impossible to look at new releases without pondering how we’d chop it up given the chance – and well, the simplest thing you could do to these bikes is nothing. They’re absolutely fine straight out of the box, and as a motorcycle consumer I have to remind myself how fortunate we are these days. Allow me to go full unc for a moment and say that when I first got into motorcycling over two decades ago there was nowhere near the amount of choice for entry level bikes, and the options for ‘cool’ LAMS approved bikes were non-existent. My only saving grace was that a little workshop named Deus Ex Machina was just getting rolling and I was lucky enough to buy one of their first bikes. Otherwise, my quest for a reliable, classically styled LAMS approved bike may have left me empty handed. To have five variations of this Triumph 400 series alone is beyond being spoiled for choice!
Simple aesthetic adjustments can be facilitated through the Triumph parts catalogue, or alternatively, buying the bike and enjoying it as is for a few months before the likes of British Customs, Motone, BAAK and the host of other aftermarket producers targeting this well-served market have their model specific offerings up for sale. Would I personally spend the money to do a major custom job on the bike? Probably not. It’s a great bike as it is, and even the silhouette alone has that undeniable Triumph identity.
The design team have incorporated classic cues to each model with the elegance to avoid them appearing as afterthoughts on an existing platform. Modern takes on the bikini cowl and racing number boards add credibility with nods to their heritage. There probably aren’t a ton of owners who will be aware of flat track legend Gene Romero, or that Mike ‘The Bike’ Hailwood cut his teeth on a 500 Thruxton back in the late ‘50s – and that’s totally ok, you don’t need to be historian to appreciate the form factor.
These bikes tick a lot of desirable boxes. If you’re after an entry level bike that provides high end style and doesn’t come at the cost safety or build quality, then look no further. The same can be said if you’re chasing a light weight, nimble city commuter that provides all of the function without the uninspiring utilitarian aesthetic of its counterparts. The natural upstream progression to the 900cc and 1200cc offerings within the Triumph line up is an appealing prospect for new riders as their skills and needs evolve. The quality and capability provided for a sub-$10k asking price is, for mine, a winning option, and one that I’d happily jump on again.
[ Photography by Dean Walters ]