Does Royal Enfield have the perfect weapon to take on the Bajaj-Triumph alliance?
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Does Royal Enfield have the perfect weapon to take on the Bajaj-Triumph alliance?
The Indian two-wheeler scenario has of late gained a bunch of new roadster motorcycles, out of which the Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 is the latest to join the party. Based on the very capable ‘Sherpa 450’ platform, Royal Enfield has made a couple of tweaks to the Himalayan’s existing architecture and in turn has come up with a nice visually appealing motorcycle. Plus, it not only has that touch of premium-ness, courtesy of those funky colour options, but also gets the plethora of features, as we’ve experienced with its ADV counterpart.
So, the million-dollar question now lies – Is it good enough to take on Bajaj-Triumph’s equally provoking and impressive roadster, the Speed 400?
Specification | Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 | Triumph Speed 400 |
---|---|---|
Engine | 452 cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder, DOHC, 4-valve | 398.15 cc, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4-valve |
Power | 39.7 bhp @ 8000 rpm | 39.5 bhp @ 8000 rpm |
Torque | 40 Nm @ 5500 rpm | 37.5 Nm @ 6,500 rpm |
Transmission | 6-speed, slip & assist | 6-speed, slip & assist |
With more power and torque comes better acceleration, and the table above demonstrates the same wherein the Guerrilla 450 with its bigger capacity engine is at a slight advantage here. As a consequence, this new Royal Enfield roadster should not only feel slightly faster, but quicker as well.
Both get a 6-speed gearbox with a slipper clutch. Additionally, what we have experienced so far is that the Speed 400 engine feels more connected to the rider than that on the Himalayan, whether this feels the same on the Guerrilla 450 or not remains to be seen.
(Also Read: Key Differences: RE Guerrilla 450 vs RE Himalayan 450)
Specification | Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 | Triumph Speed 400 |
---|---|---|
Front Suspension | 43 mm, Telescopic fork | 43mm upside down Big Piston fork |
Rear Suspension | Linkage type mono-shock | Gas monoshock RSU with external reservoir and pre-load adjustment |
Front Brake | 310 mm Disc Brake | 300 mm Disc Brake |
Rear Brake | 270 mm Disc Brake | 230 mm Disc Brake |
The Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 gets a conventional but wider 43 mm telescopic fork and a modern link-type monoshock. Both are tuned for 140 mm and 150 mm travel, which is ideal for the urban jungle. But with a modern 43 mm USD fork and a conventional gas shock monoshock RSU with preload adjustment — the Speed 400 has among the most sophisticated ride quality of all the bikes in this segment.
Beyond that, with bigger brakes, the Guerrilla 450 should have better stopping power than the Speed 400, and as we have found in our experience, the brakes are the weak link on the Triumph. Both are available with dual-channel ABS as standard but aren’t switchable in either.
Specification | Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 | Triumph Speed 400 |
---|---|---|
Width | 833 mm | 814 mm |
Height | 1125 mm | 1084 mm |
Seat Height | 780 mm | 790 mm |
Wheelbase | 1440 mm | 1377 mm |
Tank Capacity | 11-litre | 13-litre |
Wet Weight | 185 kg | 176 kg |
The Triumph Speed 400 is the more compact of the two. It measures 41 mm narrower and sits on a 3 mm short wheelbase. Therefore, it should be easier to live with daily, especially when it comes to exiting tight parking spots. Its light kerb weight should further make it less strenuous to ride in slow and heavy traffic situations.
But interestingly, despite measuring taller than the Triumph, the Guerrilla 450 has a more accessible seat height i.e. 10 mm lower than the Indo-British roadster’s. However, the Guerrilla 450 ‘s larger dimension should make it more spacious for taller riders and better suited for touring.
The Triumph Speed 400 looks authentically British and has excellent fit and finish levels. The new Guerrilla 450 has a distinct rugged appeal primarily because it is based on the Himalayan 450. And while the Triumph has sober and simpler colour options, the Guerrilla 450 is single-handedly, one of the funkiest looking motorcycles in Royal Enfield’s portfolio till now. Coupled with those buff dual-purpose tyres, there’s also a scrambler-ish appeal.
The Triumph Speed 400 loses the plot here because despite having a semi-digital console it misses out on Bluetooth connectivity. The Guerrilla 450 gets the benefit of Google Maps which no other motorcycle in this segment is available with. This is displayed via that 4-inch circular TFT cluster, which debuted with the Himalayan 450. It gets phone connectivity, and two ride modes, which can be controlled via a joystick on the left handlebar. This cluster is available with the top and mid variants, though. Still, the base variant gets the semi-digital cluster, as seen in the Hunter 350, and it comes with the Tripper navigation as an optional accessory.
The Speed 400 at ₹2.29 lakh is priced aggressively, while the Guerrilla 450 at ₹2.39 lakh feels quite competitive. Especially for the kind of equipment it boasts, and what it brings to the table. Another area where Royal Enfield has the edge over Triumph is its dealership network which means the Guerrilla 450 should be more easily available across our country.
The Guerrilla 450 is a winner here at least on paper. It has the looks, the features, and a competitive price tag. How both these bikes are to ride in the real world and can the Triumph pull a surprise is something we shall find out very soon. So stay tuned.
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