2026-on Triumph Tracker 400 review
Triumph Tracker 400 expert review
Triumph’s Speed and Scrambler 400 X models have been selling like hot cakes for the past couple of years. The combination of sprightly performance and confident handling, attractively packaged and presented at an affordable price, made them instant hits, and set a new standard for the lightweight A2 licence friendly class.
And while there’s an obvious appeal to novice riders, their easy-going nature piqued the interest of anyone wanting manageable motorcycling without sacrificing style.
The range has now expanded to include two new models, a café racer style Thruxton and the flat-track inspired Tracker, but are these just cosmetic variations on a theme or have Triumph upped the game to entice us with something different? We’ve been riding the Tracker 400 to find out.
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Is the Triumph Tracker 400 right for you?
Reasons to buy:
+ Overall quality matches more expensive Triumph motorcycles
+ Engine, suspension and brake performance are all well-measured
+ Accomplished road bike that just happens to be sub £6k and A2 compliant
Reasons to avoid:
– Fuel tank edges can cause discomfort to inner thighs
– Front brake feel lacks initial bite and hampers confidence
– Vibrates noticeably when higher in the revs so motorway travel could get uncomfortable
Let’s start with the details, because that’s where the engineers at Hinckley have been focusing their attention. The tubular steel main frame is the same as the existing 400, but it’s now wrapped around a revised version of the 398cc single cylinder TR engine, which boasts a reworked inlet cam profile and new state of tune.
These mild modifications have increased power by a couple of units to 41.4bhp, and although torque remains the same at 27.6 lb.ft, both peaks have been pushed 1000rpm further up the rev range. The result is a broader spread of oomph, with a step up in delivery from around 6000 rpm and more fizz towards the top end.
Response from the ride-by-wire throttle feels less abrupt off idle and has allowed the peppy single pot thumper to blossom into something even more engaging and tractable.
Eager to please, it spins up quickly, and although there’s a noticeable increase in vibrations as it gets busier, it’s never at a frequency or intensity to cause any discomfort – and the double-barrelled exhaust (borrowed from the Scrambler) ultimately transforms it into character anyway.
The slip and assist clutch is super light and gearchanges reassuringly involving thanks to a typically Triumph mechanical clunk. Neither clutch nor brake lever is adjustable though, which may be an issue if you’re short on reach.
A single, four-piston Bybre radial caliper and 300mm disc provides braking duties up front, and while it is meaty enough to scrub off speed effectively, the stopping power comes in without much in the way of initial bite.
It’ll be unintimidating for a novice rider, but as confidence builds, that lack of feel at the fingertips could leave you wanting more. The rear brake has ample power and range to help steady the chassis through turns, aid slow manoeuvring and provide extra muscle to curtail progress when required.
Suspension gets a tweak, with a reduction in travel for the 43mm inverted forks of 5mm to 135mm.
Around town there’s a slight choppiness to the ride, but once the suspension gets a chance to settle into its stroke it feels more composed, and for basic, non-adjustable units (barring the rear monoshock’s preload) is impressively plush.
Pushed harder, it soaks up punishment in a controlled and progressive manner, recovering admirably quickly in readiness for the next manoeuvre.
A shorter wheelbase and steeper rake, achieved via an adjustment in yoke offset, makes the Tracker quicker to steer than the Speed and bestows on it a joyous element of flickability.
Any instability that brings is kept in check by OE fitment Pirelli MT-60 RS tyres, which despite having a blocky tread pattern provide a confidence inspiring contact patch on the tarmac. They’re well in keeping with the dirt track aesthetic too, which extends to the new fly screen, highly sculpted fuel tank, ‘400’ emblazoned number board and neat seat cowl.
The riding position also plays a big part in how the Tracker feels and handles. Footpegs are set further back and higher than the Speed (86mm and 27mm respectively to be exact), which, combined with a taller seat (805mm) and wider handlebars, provides a classic ‘elbows out’ stance.
Our only niggle is that the raised edges on the rear of the tank are rather prominent and rub on the inner thigh, particularly when you’re squeezing with your knees.
Details spotlight
The analogue speedo with LCD tacho and info display is as clear and concise as it gets, but the indicator warning light (below right of N) is easy to miss.
Now you see me
LED lighting all round is sharp and classy, with twin DRLs in the main headlamp unit to herald your impending arrival.
Pillion perch
Underneath the snazzy seat cowl is a full-length suede bench with plenty of room for two. A sturdy grab rail gives passengers something to hang on to.
MCN Verdict
Triumph have done a great job in creating a bike that gives you the feeling of riding a dirt ready flat-tracker, without compromising what is essentially a sweet handling and eminently agreeable road bike.
Rather than changing anything radically, the clever manipulation of a few millimetres or fractions of degrees to the chassis and riding position has transformed the highly rated Speed 400 into arguably the most rideable model in the firm’s sub-500cc family.
The Tracker 400 is fun, feisty and flatteringly forgivable, a great platform on which to grow or simply enjoy as a less demanding experience than beasting about on a bigger bike.
For the price, build quality is exemplary, and while some details, such as switchgear, hint at the budget price tag, the Tracker exudes a high-end finish typical of the brand and offers genuine value for money.
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