Is This Ridiculously Affordable Triumph the Brand’s Best-Looking Scrambler Yet?

That’s a tall order, but given its price tag, the forbidden fruit known as the 400 XC is unquestionably one helluva bike.

By Steve Mazzucchi

Published May 22, 2025

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Updated May 22, 2025

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In at least one alternate reality, my first and (as yet) only motorcycle is not my beloved Triumph Bonneville T-100 but rather a Scrambler 900. Hot damn what a beautiful bike.

But back in the day, the salesman I spoke with about it took one look at me and crushed my dreams with a nonchalant “Oh, we really don’t recommend that bike for beginning riders.”

triumph scrambler 400 xc hero — The Racing Yellow variant features a tank, flyscreen and mudguard that nicely match the 400 XC’s inverted forks.

While he probably saved the city of New York from a disastrous crash, I’ve been obsessed with scramblers ever since, especially Triumphs.

Continuing to invade my dreams, the brand recently unveiled another surprising stunner, the Scrambler 400 XC — with a size I probably could have handled back when I started.

The 400 XC boasts many of the same features as the 400 X, plus unique touches that make it, for lack of a better word, scrambler-ier.

Best-looking ever may be a long shot, but its charmingly old-school vibes put it in the conversation — at a price well below the current 900 to boot.

Popular pedigree

Before we go even further, let me address the “forbidden fruit” element here. The cold hard truth is that right now, this bike is only available in India.

However, the bike it is derived from, the 400 X, is now available in the US, so I hold out hope that the XC will eventually follow suit.

triumph scrambler 400 xc moto white — I’d be happy to saddle up the Vanilla White colorway … if they were fresh out of Racing Yellow.

And why wouldn’t it? The 400 X has proven to be a big hit, and the 400 XC boasts many of the same features, plus unique touches that make it, for lack of a better word, scrambler-ier.

As the name suggests, the 400 XC features a similar 398cc liquid-cooled, single-cylinder, 4 valve, DOHC engine making 39.5 bhp at 8,000 rpm and 37.5 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm.

Other shared specs include the seat height (32.9 inches), fuel tank (13 liters), suspension travel (5.9 inches front and rear) and brakes (320mm fixed front brake disc with a four-piston radial caliper; 230mm rear brake disc with a single piston caliper).

Superior spinoff

So what’s different? Everything that makes this bike such a head turner, of course.

First off are three colorways specific to this bike: Vanilla White, Granite and my (and probably everyone else’s) personal favorite, Racing Yellow.

triumph scrambler 400 xc wheels — Classic spokes support each tubeless-tired wheel — a 19-incher up front and a 17-incher at the back.

Not only does this tank shade really pop, but it also basically matches those glorious golden inverted forks, which may be intentional.

Speaking of matching, the 400 XC also features a color-matched flyscreen and high front mudguard over the front wheel, two elements giving off that “I actually ride this thing on dirt and sand” energy we all desire, even if we never actually do it.

The bike also features an aluminum sump guard, radiator guard and lower engine bars.

triumph scrambler 400 xc moto action — While many of its owners may stick to tarmac, this bike can indeed go off road. Just maybe not *too* off road.

In a real throwback move, the bike also swaps the 400 X’s alloy wheels for old-school spoked ones.

Last but not least, the 400 XC comes complete with a classic scrambler-style number plate below the seat on the kickstand side. You know, in case you wanna race this thing.

Availability and pricing

The Triumph Scrambler 400 XC is available in India for ₹ 2,94,147, equivalent to roughly $3,437.

Editor’s note: The 400 X costs ₹ 2,67,207 (~$3,122) in India but starts at $5,795 stateside, so it is likely if the XC makes it over here, the price will be over $6,000 (but well under $7,000).

Triumph Scrambler 400 XC

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About the Author:

Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.