Triumph Scrambler 400X Motorway Highway Vibrations and MPG with 15 Tooth Sprocket Upgrade

[@Skilpadjie1]

Just fitted a 15 tooth in mine. Incredible difference. I use for commuting to and from work and not on freeway. And it reduces gear shifting alot and makes 1st alot better on take off.

[@bankruptpensioner]

well done 👍. I find it makes the bike so much more usable 👍

[@ericwinter8710]

Love your presentations!

[@bankruptpensioner]

Thanks, Eric much appreciated. I'm trying to get better and better let's see where this goes.😆

[@jimgordon3468]

I have no problem with the 14 tooth sproket. I love the punch and grunt of it. If vibration is issue for you, add foam grip puppies. Also, add a 2mm rubber mount to the bar mounts. I am 6ft 3 225lbs. This bike tips. Super fun. Crack on mate.

[@jimgordon3468]

Rips... not tips.

[@bankruptpensioner]

Thanks for the tips!❤

[@alienbiker5036]

great review the info is very useful to me since if i get lane closures by me then i need to hit motorway for one junction and now finally getting my bike after the street bike debacle i can fit a 15 tooth sprocket

[@markpavlowski7223]

Just ordered a 16T front & 40T rear for my speed 400...will try each individually then together.

[@bankruptpensioner]

Sounds good Mark, let us all know of the results 👍

[@malcolmtaylor3231]

Hi Richard, enjoyed the video. I had planned to have a test ride on the Triumph speed 400, but when I rang our local dealer, they informed me they have sold their demo bike 😮. So I'll be having a test ride on the Royal Enfield Guerilla when our dealer gets a demo in, hopefully this week. Keep the videos coming.

[@bankruptpensioner]

Ahh Malcolm, I really need to test ride the new RE. Looks great fun

[@malcolmtaylor3231]

@@bankruptpensioner Hi Richard just got back from my tedt ride on the Guerilla, a very nice bike, plenty of power, it sits at 70mph very comfortably, and still some left for overtaking, that's plenty fast enough for me.

[@bankruptpensioner]

@@malcolmtaylor3231 well done. I need to take one out. What's the score? Are you going to order one? Is this your next bike? 👍

[@malcolmtaylor3231]

Not sure, it will either be a Guerilla or a speed 400.

[@larrywade9041]

I think you have a wonderful machine Ritchard. The one thing that I would have done differently is I would have bought a bit smaller top-box. Yours looks like a golf ball on a tee! Maybe it just looks big from the camera; I don't know. Hmm! Have a great day!! Cheers!! Illinois

[@bankruptpensioner]

😆, brilliant description 😆. It does look a bit large Larry. I'll get someone to follow me with the camera to see what it looks like - but I know what you mean 👍

[@tenorbanjoguy]

Thanks! I’ve ordered one for mine! Maybe you could try the other low cost mod for us, replacing the front pads with those from the Speed 400..thanks for doing the sprocket though, very helpful!!

[@bankruptpensioner]

Hi Ten, 👍, I shall look into that regard the pads. I have not heard of this upgrade but I will look into it 👍

[@markonmotos]

Fastest I've seen you go for a long time 🤣 Looking good apart from that bloody great box, I'm sure you need to sort your life out and down size that too and carry less crap around 😆

[@bankruptpensioner]

Never been so frightened 😆, And I was thinking of getting a new Givi Maxia 58L 😆. Maybe not now 👍

[@John-oy8nj]

I think most riders would get on with these smaller bikes. Cheaper to purchase and easy to live with and lots of fun.

[@bankruptpensioner]

Hi John, great machine for daily stuff and the odd weekend away I guess. The price is very competative 👍

[@david-r3u7z]

I have the Speed 400 and have fitted a 41 tooth rear sprocket as no 16t for the front was available and the rear had to be a Talon blank which I drilled to appear like a Renthal. The buzzing seems to be at around 50mph then goes at higher speeds.One thing to note is that the odometer overeads ie. 7 miles done and it actually reads 7.3 miles so that needs to be allowed for when checking fuel consumption which is around 90mpg.It is a great bike a better chain ie. DID has made it feel smoother as well.

[@bankruptpensioner]

That is interesting, I think you are right about the chain. The chain is just good enough. An upgrade to a quality DID would be a good way to go. I shall think about that 👍

[@aeron-mw7ofs]

I'm considering one of these as an every day bike .

[@bankruptpensioner]

Perfect daily Aeron 👍. You should go test ride one from the dealer. You will see how short the first and second gear is but don't let that put you off. 15 tooth resolves that little issue 👍

[@aeron-mw7ofs]

@@bankruptpensioner At 52 I just need something comfortable and reliable 👍

[@FrancysKrieck]

Thank you for the video! I´m curious about top speed in six gear and the acceleration in high revs in the real life (including a pillion or not). The bike it´s lazy with 15 tooth sprocket? Could you speak a little more for us?

[@bankruptpensioner]

Hi Fran, thanks for the comment. I think the engine is more than powerful enough to take the 15 tooth. I have no issues on the roads for acceleration. In fact, I think it maybe faster taking into account the longer run in each gear making less time for gear changes. I ride on the road and this simple upgrade is better for road use. Slow riding on the dirt (which most riders will not persue) may well benefit from the original 14 tooth. Cruising is now better. On the twisty A roads, I am shifting between 4th and 6th rather that just plodding around all the time in sixth. Therefore, there is a bix more fun factor. Two up, no issues at all. Motorway, no problems on acceleration to 70 and beyond and it seems very happy at 70 or 80. I am assuming when the dial reads 80, that I am really doing somewhere around 73mph. Hope this helps 👍

[@xiuzhanie5303]

I just fitted my scrams with 15t. After rode more than 100miles, i think i miss the old scrams character, the wildness. Now, im 50-50 wheter to stick with 15t or go back to 14t

[@bankruptpensioner]

that's a good test. Having played with the 15, change it back to the 14 and see how you feel again. I should do that myself as a video 👍.

[@anthonybrown4874]

Have you thought of fitting a screen on it as i find the wind blast a bit off putting at motorwsy speeds, mine has just been delivered and as yet my initial impression us that its too small to be of meaningful benefit. I usually get an indicated 81mpg on my commute around 220 to a tank though from myman mathe its more like 74mpg.

[@bankruptpensioner]

Hi Anthony, actually, I ordered a generic from ebay, £78 Puig. Brilliant screen but, the fittings to the headlight bolts just do not work. I wan in duscussion with the sellers (who are being absoloutly fine) in how we address this.You may be right on the MPG, its the second fill from owning the bike and I have been adventurous on the throttle. I need to do a lean mean test to see how good the MPG can go 😆

[@nicholasjarrold8649]

Morning Richard great little ride round taking in all roads what top speed on it with the extra tooth 90mph do you think I know it is well over but be nice to see what it would do I’m starting to think about one for a winter bikes just to ride the back roads through winter until the salt goes down obviously then it stays in garage and mpg is great for a ride out 70 miles is about what I’d do on each ride out so cheap winter fun take care

[@bankruptpensioner]

Hi Nicholas, great winter hack and that's what I bought it for. Will soon need to give it a really good clean and slap some ACF50 all over. That should give it the protection it needs 👍

[@IndigoJo]

A lot of the people who use service stations to fill up are using company fuel cards, so they're not paying for it themselves and won't be paying the service station rate but a pre-agreed rate. (Or they're desperate, or are from out of area, or country, and making long motorway journeys and don't know where to get it cheaper until they get where they're going.) What does the after-market sprocket do to the warranty? It's great to know that a simple replacement part will solve a problem anyone who's taken these bikes on the motorway has noticed, but you don't want to void your warranty.

[@bankruptpensioner]

Hi Jo, I guess you are right with the fuel. Company cars etc. I don't think the warranty will be affected. At worst, and a fault occurs with the bike, put back the 14 tooth. If triumph were that picky, I could understand it, but Triumph know they have shipped the speed and the scrambler with too small front sprockets. Not sure how it got past QA - but I suspect as this was also built for the indian market, the lower gearing might be a plus on their roads.

[@steviepaynter7456]

Hi very intrested in this. Been thinking of getting one of these as a second bike to pootle around on.

[@bankruptpensioner]

It's better than a pootle bike Stevie 👍. Go test ride one and let us know what you think 👍

[@ChrisMason-q4w]

I used to get 78 mpg on my Street Cup 900.

[@MichaelWilliams-jc2ui]

Same with my T100. Nearly 80mpg if I ride like an old man (I am!) but can drop to 60-65mpg if I nail it!

[@bankruptpensioner]

Thats, great 👍

[@udmbfckx2916]

USD $7.35 to $8.92 for a Gallon of Gas? Here in the States it is less than half of that. Then again Federal and State taxes are to blame for a good part of the price of a gallon, the main culprit being the States, with California at a highest of $4.77 and Texas at a lowest of $2.76, the difference being in the Politics of each state. Thanks for your video, I also have a Scrambler 400X stock and find 1st gear almost useless, taking off a stoplight in 2nd. I am from the almost totally flat State of Florida, most people ride fast on the straight hwys when there is no traffic, such as I-95, I-75, the Turnpike, US-27, etc, so I need to keep at least a "slow" 80 MPH (75 GPS verified?) speed to stay alive in the slow lane. This will help to that end. The only dirt ridding that I will do will be gravel or mostly flat dirt roads on the way to a campground, so I don't need that 14T for the first gear vis a vis the Sport model which brings the 15T stock.

[@bankruptpensioner]

I remember when prices for gas started going up in the US. Many upset but I guess the higher prices have settled now where people get used to it. Go get a 15 tooth and i am sure you will be happier on the freeways, maybe still in the slow lane but the extra tooth allows the bike to stretch that bit further - and it does have the power. I was two up on the UK motorways at 80 no problem - and it maintained the speed on the hills (slight inclines to be fair). 👍

[@turboslag]

Would be interested to hear 400 owners opinions on the headlight? I have a Speed 400, first bike I've had with an LED headlight, and it's terrible! Brightness is ok, nothing special though, my 2018 Enfield C5 Pegasus with a good ol H4 halogen puts it in the shade for that! No, it's the beam spread. Dip or main beam there is very little spread so when taking sharp turns on unlit roads at night, the road to your left or right is invisible, you literally cannot see the verge or curb. It is literally dangerous!! Even my 1967 Velocette Viper with 6 volt electrics and a tungsten headlamp bulb is better! Apart from that, the ridiculous gearing and no coolant temp indication, it's a great machine! After watching a few owners vids about changing the countershaft sprocket to 15 tooth, I reckon it could be improved even further by knocking a tooth off the final drive sprocket. A genuine 80 at 6 to 6500 rpm would be ideal. Even if it needs cogging down to 5th on long steep inclines it would fine. Also, if I'm being picky, the front end is a bit harsh on choppy surfaces, although I'm still running it in, so the forks may still have to loosen up. If they don't, I might change the fork oil to a lower viscosity. Regardless though, still a hell of a bike for the price!

[@bankruptpensioner]

Hi Turboslag 👍. Intesresting comment on the LED lights. Funny, i thought the same from my Tiger 900. It was like a weak throw and a lot of the road did seem a little ........ dim??? Not like bikes of the past where full view of corners and the potholes were fairly obvious. Mmmm........interesting and I thought it was me. We keep moving up in the price due to newer (not neccessarily better) technology but things are no massive leap forward.

[@turboslag]

@@bankruptpensioner Can't deny that I'm disappointed, I was looking forward to having an upto the minute, super headlight! I like the daytime light though, I think that is a very effective safety feature. I'm going to play around with the headlight adjustment, it was actually way out as delivered due to a poor pdi by the dealer. If that doesn't improve it I'll be taking it up with Triumph, there is no way an unsafe headlight is acceptable.

[@robertbelasco3859]

In US -3.76 liters = 1 US gallon. Not 4

[@bankruptpensioner]

thanks for the correct Robert, much appreciated. I shall remember this 👍

[@barriebland8765]

I don't really see the point of you owning a Scrambler 400x (which is not an off road bike) and then making changes to it, to improve it, when you have T120 that does all you need on the road. wouldn't it be better to buy a bike you can take off road or a proper touring bike ? Just my opinion....

[@bankruptpensioner]

Good point Barrie 👍. I thought about the T120 and it not being a proper touring bike. But then, what is a proper touring bike? I went to Austria and back on the T120 and it was great, not perfect, but great. I have done other trips on the Tiger 900 and again, great, but not perfect. The only thing that is really changing is me. I am getting older, less fit, and leaping onto a massive bikelike the Tiger just gets harder. The T120 is so easy to ride and mount. A simple bike. Now, the 400x. I bought this for better use in the winter. I dont want to take the t120 into the salt. The t120 is spring summer and autumn whereas, the 400, I can take it out in the freezing weather and sludge and not be too concerned about loosing it on a bend - and of course, it is super light and should a spil occur, I should be able to pick it up 😆

[@bally632]

Hi, just want to tell you a video suggestion for you to watch. It's on here,motosnax is the channel. On there you will see a video triumph 400 gps speeds. It looks like the speedo is over reading by quite a lot. At indicated 87mph is a genuine 77mph,at indicated 74mph it's a genuine 66mph,so wouldn't worry about cruising at 80mph on motorway as your probably only doing genuine 70/71. His video is in kmh so I converted it. Perhaps you could do a similar video to his in mph for UK viewer's 🙂

[@bankruptpensioner]

Hey Bally, you are right. Triumph seem to have a bad habit of being inaccurate on the speed. No idea why. And based on the tech, no reason to be over clocked on speed. I think the 80MPH is probably more realistic to the 70MPH true 👍

[@bankruptpensioner]

Hey Bally, you are right. Triumph seem to have a bad habit of being inaccurate on the speed. No idea why. And based on the tech, no reason to be over clocked on speed. I think the 80MPH is probably more realistic to the 70MPH true 👍

[@m2menuiserie540]

@@bankruptpensioner And if the speedo is optimistic your MPG calculation is going to be 1O% optimistic, too. Sorry. Btw, use graphite in your sticky filler cap lock. Oil will eventually gum it up.

[@bankruptpensioner]

@@m2menuiserie540 I think you are right on the numbers. I need to do a couple more tests to see what real speed the bike is doing. Good call 👍. Good advice on the filler cap - I shall do exactly what you say. Of to the shop later today 😆.