Bajaj found itself on cross-roads when the government announced GST 2.0 that benefited the bikes with a lower 18-percent tax bracket that sat below the 350cc threshold and the bikes above this displacement category attracted a higher 40-percent tax bracket.
Triumph’s entire small-capacity lineup that was intended to bring-in new customers to the hallowed British brand sat above the 350cc threshold, in turn attracting a higher tax rate. Bajaj decided to shoulder the additional tax bracket till the time they could come out with a lower-displacement engine.
Now, the brand has launched its entire line-up with the smaller displacement engine and here are all the mechanical and price differences between the ‘new’ 350cc engine compared to the outgoing 398cc engine, on paper.
Triumph 350cc vs 400cc mechanical differences
Bajaj has kept the bore intact and shortened the stroke
The spec-sheet of the 350cc and 400cc engine, when assessed side-by-side reveals that Bajaj has kept the bore intact and shortened the stroke, helping them to achieve this lower 349cc displacement. This has also resulted in the engine making its peak power 500-1000rpm higher up in the rev-range for the Speed and Scrambler models. Whereas, the Thruxton and Tracker, at 8,750rpm produce their peak power 250rpm lower in the rev-band compared to the outgoing model.
Triumph 350cc vs 400cc power differences
Torque takes a bigger hit with this downsized engine
Downsizing often translates into a drop in peak power and the story isn’t any different here. These new downsized models witness a peak power drop of 2-3hp depending on the model. For reference, The earlier 398cc engine was capable of 40-42hp in its full-fat tune but now the power figures stand at 37hp-40hp(barring the Speed T4), depending on the model. However, torque takes a bigger hit with this new engine losing over 5Nm compared to the outgoing model. The Speed T4 comes with a different state of tune and its revised power now stands at 29hp and 31Nm, marking a dip of 2hp and 5Nm, respectively.
Triumph 350cc vs 400cc power-to-weight ratio differences
The updated lineup sees a marginal drop in power-to-weight ratios
The weight has remained the same for all the models and with the reduced power, the power-to-weight ratio ought to go down. The updated lineup sees a marginal drop in power-to-weight ratios across the board. The Speed T4’s figure reduces from 172hp/tonne to 161hp/tonne, while the Speed 400 drops from 223hp/tonne to 206hp/tonne. The Scrambler 400 X now delivers 200hp/tonne, down from 216hp/tonne, and the more off-road-focused Scrambler 400 XC sees its ratio fall from 210hp/tonne to 194hp/tonne. Meanwhile, the Thruxton 400 records a comparatively smaller dip, going from 229hp/tonne to 218hp/tonne.
Triumph 350cc vs 400cc price difference
At Rs 1.95 lakh, the Speed T4 remains the entry-point in the lineup
The entire reason the 398cc TR-series engine has been downsized so it could fall under the lower 18-percent tax bracket and the prices have been dropped by up to Rs 11,000 across the board with prices varying according to models. At Rs 1.95 lakh, the Speed T4 remains the entry-point in the lineup and its price is the same as the outgoing model. The Scrambler 400 X reaps the most benefits with a price cut of Rs 11,000 compared to the erstwhile model. Despite the new engine, Bajaj has decided not to tinker with the nomenclature and continues with the '400' suffix.
All prices are ex-showroom, Delhi.
Vishal Venugopal
Azaman Chothia
