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Reise TrailR for Triumph Scrambler 400X – Enjoy the off road!

Transform your Triumph Scrambler 400X off road Reise TrailR Review

We rode our Triumph Scrambler 400X with Reise TrailR tires and here’s my review on it.

Before heading to Ladakh, we took some dirt track practice sessions in preparation for the trip. That’s when we realised that the stock MRF tires on the Scrambler sucks even for mild trails.

So we thought of trying the TrailR tires from Reise just for the Ladakh trip. These tires did a fantastic job! But it has its flaws too.

Pros of the Reise Trail R

1. Excellent off road grip of Reise TrailR

Reise TrailR tres are excellent off road. On terrains like dirt, rocks, stones, shallow sand, river crossings and so on, the grip is fantastic. You notice the difference when you make the transition from Tarmac to dirt roads in that you’ll not notice that you’ve actually transitioned the terrain.

Usually you’ll feel the lack of grip when you go to dirt from Tarmac but this tyre doesn’t give you that feeling. It’s that stable. This made riding on dirt roads in Zanskar and LAC so much fun. It’s so much confidence inspiring on dirt.

Only in slushy condition it performs same as any other road tyre as the mud clogs up with grooves. Apart from that, it’s a blast riding off road with these tyres. It’s so much confidence inspiring and makes you think less as the effort from your end needed to control the bike off road is very less.

That doesn’t mean it’ll make up for your lack of skills riding off road so I still recommend off road training and practice before you head to places like Ladakh or in general.

2. Braking Confidence

Usually blocky tires aren’t good when braking hard but surprisingly I felt confident in braking both off road and on road.

Cons of the Reise TrailR

Now Reise markets these tyres as 50:50 tyres but in my opinion these tires aren’t great on road.

1. Stability

The stability on tarmac isn’t good. The bike has a slight wobbly feeling on speeds higher than 80kph.

2. Cornering

Reise TrailR feels very unstable during cornering. It’s expected with knobby tires but these tires feel like knobbies on the road.

3. Constant Hum

It’s expected from blocky tires. There’s a constant buzz that becomes loud as you go faster on road.

4. Reduction in top speed on Reise TrailR

For some reason the bike struggles in terms of being stable at speeds above 100kph on the highway. This isn’t ideal for a bike like the Triumph Scrambler 400X especially on the highways.

Conclusion

The Reise TrailR tires are fantastic off road tires. If you are planing for a Ladakh trip, I’d highly recommend in getting these tires. Even if it’s for one trip, it’s totally worth it. The amount of fun and confidence you can get on the dirt with this is amazing. It’s suitable for Tarmac if you aren’t going at high speeds which is suitable for places like Ladakh.

But if you are planning to use it for touring, then these aren’t for you at all. It can do some city commute and mostly off road but not on the highways for sure. I do not recommend these tires for long distance highway touring. It’s more like a 70/30 tyre I’d say. 70 for off road and 30 for road.

If you are looking for touring on highways and do some trail riding, then you can consider either the Maxxis Maxxplore or the Reise TourR tyres.

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Maddog Scout X – A long term review on the Scrambler 400X

Maddog Scout X on the Triumph Scrambler 400 X Pros and Cons A long term review

Everyone knows the Scrambler 400x headlight sucks. And hence we got the Maddog Scout X auxiliary lights installed and rode around 6000kms with it. Here’s my review on it.

Pros of the Maddog Scout X

1. Brightness

The Maddog Scout X lights are sufficiently bright for a motorcycle. They have a good area of spread and you can adjust the focus as per your liking. They look small but perform big.

I’ve seen people using the Alpha version on bikes which are actually meant for cars and I think they’ll are a bit of an overkill and a hazard to oncoming traffic. Scout X is sufficient to give you confidence to ride in the night.

2. Build Quality

The quality of Maddog products is great. The lights are very sturdy and they can take a beating. The wiring and the switches also feel very premium and sturdy. They are waterproof. We have the switch pro installed which has a on/off indicator as well.

3. Warranty

As far as I know, only Maddog offers warranty for their lights in this price range. Other alternatives like HJG don’t offer warranty. So that’s a plus point from my side.

Cons of the Maddog Scout X

1. Focus

Maddog Scout X lights are more like flood lights and aren’t focused. That’s why I prefer lights like Vaishnu touring headlights. When on the highway, you need a more focused light to see farther distance than a flood light which helps you see the immediate surroundings.

2. Weight

The lights, clamps, wiring and accessories add additional weight on the bike which I’m not a huge fan of. That’s why I prefer replacement headlights over auxiliary lights like the Vaishnu headlights.

Cost of the Maddog Scout X

The Scout X lights along with the switch pro, wiring harness, clamps and labour charge comes up to 10k INR which is value for money considering the build quality and warranty.

For those looking for a good long lasting aux lights for your bike, Scout X is the way to go but I’d recommend replacing the headlight as it saves space and weight on the bike.

Links – Lights, Switch Pro, Clamps

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Easy Brake – A Long Term Review

Improve braking confidence on your triumph scrambler 400x and Himalayan Easy brake long term review

A year ago I had stumbled on this product called the Easy brake through a YouTube video. It’s made by pro spec, the same company that makes the Easy ride windshield extension and Easy clutch that I’ve used on my Himalayan, both of which have been extremely useful. So I was curious to try it out.

Easy Brake looks like an unassuming piece of plastic that attaches to your brake pedal. The main function is to provide a larger area of contact when you’re wearing a riding boot and improve the feedback. It also has an extension that allows easy application of the brake when you are standing and riding in off road terrain. 

I was very sceptical anbout its application in the real world scenario but I was pleasantly proved wrong. The Easy brake as the name suggests makes it easier to apply the brake and get feedback especially when you are wearing riding boots with think sole. While standing and riding it’s very easy to access the extension for an easy application.

This improvement in feedback and easy access translates to a lot of braking confidence in both highway and off road riding. I got so used to and comfortable with it that as soon as they came up a model for the triumph scrambler 400X as well, I went ahead and got one installed on it. We did the entire Zanskar, Ladakh and Kashmir trip with this and it has proven to be very useful.

Check out Easy Brake Here

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A perfect touring GPS setup for Triumph Scrambler 400X

A perfect touring GPS setup for the Triumph Scrambler 400X Tried & Tested

On my review on the Vaishnu LED touring headlight, many of you had asked me about the gps setup on the Triumph Scrambler 400X so I thought I’ll make a separate blog on it. Thanks for your interest.

Now to give credit where it’s due, this setup isn’t my original idea. I got inspired from a channel called Chennai Vlogger and he had a similar setup on his scrambler and so i thought I should try it out. And it works!

It’s fairly simple. First I got the windshield and it’s bracket from Triumph itself. It costs around 2.5k INR. I got the windshield a smoke black sticker from a local sticker shop which costs around 300 INR.

Next I got the gps holder for RE Interceptor 650 from Bizen. It attaches to the headlight screw and you can give an additional screw to the windshield bracket so that it sits tight. It costs around 1500 INR

Next I got BM 10H pro phone holder from Bobo which I’ve attached to the gps mount.

Pros of touring GPS setup for Triumph Scrambler 400X

Now the beauty of the whole setup is that the phone or any gps device for that matter sits right below the line of sight when you’re touring. This makes viewing the map much easier than having in installed anywhere else.

When you wear touring helmets it’s often difficult to tilt your head and keep looking down. I’ve had some close calls in city traffic where I’ve got distracted looking at the navigation. Here when it’s just below the line of sight, you don’t need to tilt your head. Just a glance below and you’ll have the maps for access.

Cons of touring GPS setup for Triumph Scrambler 400X

The only downside to this current setup is that it covers the speedometer a little at the top. I don’t mind that and if it’s matter of concern, use a smaller phone holder or even better, a carplay device.

Links to all these products – Bizen GPS Holder for Interceptor 650 Bobo BM10H Pro Phone Holder

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Is REISE TourR the best option for Himalayan 411 owners?

Reise TourR Long Term Review on the Himalayan 411 The best option for touring

It’s been more than 10000kms since I started using the Reise TourR on my Himalayan 411 and here’s my review on it.

After I changed to aluminium rims on my Himalayan from the new 450 and converted it to tubeless, I was curious to know what’s the hype with Reise tyres. I decided to go for the TourR one since my primary use case is touring.

There’s no tubeless option available for the Himalayan 411 profile and hence I went with KTM Adventures profile which is the closest option available. It’s a 130/80-17 tyre as opposed to the stock 120/90-17.

Pros of Reise tourR

1. Dry grip

These tyres offer a good grip off road even though these tyres are more designed for Tarmac. I used this tyre for my Ladakh trip and prior to that I used it for dirt track practice sessions.

What I’ve noticed is the side blocks do a great job in giving good grip when you are cornering on the dirt. The grip on road is decent and is comparable to the stock CEAT on the Himalayan 411.

2. Life

It’s too early to talk about the life but by looking at the tread pattern after 10000kms I’m guessing it’ll give a life more than the CEAT or the Maxxis

Cons of Reise tourR

1. Wet Grip

The wet grip on Tarmac is comparable to the stock CEAT. It good but not great. Even here I’ve noticed the Maxxis Maxxplore to be superior.

2. Braking Confidence

In braking, the TourR is comparable to the stock CEAT. Here too the Maxxis has a slightly better edge. These cons are just compared to Maxxis. But inherently these tyres are do a decent job.

In conclusion the Reise TourR is a decent tyre and is almost comparable to the stock CEAT on the Himalayan 411 in its performance with a slight edge over the CEAT in off road terrain and on life.

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The best mod for Triumph Scrambler 400X – 15t front sprocket

The cheapest and best mod for the Triumph Scrambler 400X 15t front sprocket review

The Triumph Scrambler 400X’s highly responsive and peppy nature of the throttle on the road can be a little too much and intimidating off road. There are two solutions to it. Either you can practice a lot and get used to it, or spend 250 INR and get the 15t front sprocket.

The one nature of the Scrambler 400X that we loved right from the time we test rode the bike is how responsive the throttle was. The bike is quick to rev even with the slightest throttle twist.

However when we started taking it off road, we found that nature to be quite uncomfortable especially when riding an unknown challenging terrain. The extremely sensitive nature of the throttle made it difficult to slowly manoeuver through the trails. The bike jumps even with the slightest throttle movement which gets intimidating.

So I decided to try the Speed 400’s 15t sprocket on the Scrambler 400X. It costs around 270 INR, labour cost excluded.

And now we did more than 4000 kms with it out of which 3000 kms were done in Ladakh and Kashmir. Long story short, it’s the best mod the Scrambler so far. So here are the pros and cons to the 15t sprocket on the Scrambler 400X.

Pros of the 15t front sprocket for the Triumph Scrambler 400X

1. Less Jerkiness

The biggest improvement is the reduced jerkiness especially at low speeds when riding off road. This makes the throttle response a lot more predictable and pleasant.

2. Less Aggressive Engine Braking

Just like the decrease in the jerky throttle, the engine braking also becomes less aggressive and smoother. This is again more useful off-road especially in sandy or slushy conditions. When you cut off throttle in these terrain, the sudden deceleration causes the wheel to dig in. The 15t sprocket smoothens it out and then engine braking is now more manageable and useful.

3. Taller Gear Ratios

The scrambler has very short gear ratios. Even in the city traffic I used to find myself in 6th gear if I wanted to ride in the lower half of the rev range. And while on dirt we found ourselves changing the first 3 gears quite often. With the 15t sprocket, the gear ratios have panned out perfectly.

The first gear is actually usable off road and you don’t need to frequently change gears in city traffic anymore. Surprisingly I didn’t notice any drop in lower end torque as expected. I think it’s mostly because Scrambler has more than enough low end torque to spare.

4. Higher Cruising Speed

One disadvantage of the Triumph Scrambler 400X is that the bike seems to get chocked up around the 6000rpm which roughly translates to 110 kph. Now since the ratios are taller, the bike sits at 300-500 rpm less at a particular speed compared to the 14t sprocket. So now you can cruise comfortably at 120 kph.

5. Smooth Running

Overall, owing to the above mentioned points I feel the bike in general has become smoother and comfortable.

6. No Change In Mileage

I have noticed a slight improvement in mileage on my Himalayan when I made a similar sprocket change. However in Scrambler I think there’s not much change in the mileage. We got a mileage close to 35 kmpl in Ladakh but there in general all bikes get good mileage and so I can’t attribute that to the sprocket. But there’s no drop in mileage for sure.

Cons of the 15t front sprocket for the Triumph Scrambler 400X

I’ve not noticed any con so far. Usually with a higher teeth front sprocket you tend to lose some of the low end torque but surprisingly that wasn’t the case with Scrambler. The bike is still damn responsive and engaging.

Still you can spin the rear wheel on dirt with a slight twist of the throttle and still it climbs steep hills like the high passes in Ladakh in low rpms with ease. That’s why I think the 15t sprocket is the best mod you can get for your Scrambler 400X.

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Vaishnu LED Headlight Review for the Triumph Scrambler 400X

A Game Changer For Triumph Scrambler 400X Vaishnu LED Touring Headlight Review RE Himalayan

I got rid of my auxiliary lights after installing this headlight. Here’s why I think Vaishnu LED touring headlight is a better alternative to aux lights for your Triumph Scrambler 400X.

Those of you who follow me on Instagram would know that I recently did a weight loss programme on my Himalayan 411 as a part of which I decided to get rid of the aux lights. There are many headlight alternatives ranging from switching to LED bulbs to changing the entire assembly and replacing it with aftermarket ones.

I stumbled on performance touring LED headlights from Vaishnu. I decided to try it on so that i can get rid of the additional weight of aux lights, it’s clamps, wiring harness and so on and boy it’s a game changer. And hence I decided to go with their headlight for Triumph Scrambler 400X as well!

Vaishnu performance LED touring headlights come as a headlight assembly unit. Although it’s a direct plug and play, I got the installation done by my mechanic on the Himalayan and the Triumph Scrambler 400X. I recommend you do that too.

It’s been more than 6000km on the Himalayan and about 200km on the Triumph Scrambler 400X since I’m using them. Let’s get into the pros and cons of Vaishnu Touring LED Headlight

Pros of Vaishnu LED Touring Headlight for Triumph Scrambler 400X

1. Brightness

brightness of vaishnu led touring headlight triumph scrambler 400x

The brightness and visibility of Vaishnu LED Touring headlight is excellent. It’s almost as comparable to my HJG and Maddog Scout X aux lights. Most of the times I just use the DRL because it itself is sufficient especially in city traffic. On the highways it’s sufficient enough to give a good visibility. Now I don’t do much touring after sunset so this headlight is sufficient for me to get me through emergency scenarios.

2. Well Demarcated Throw

Vaishnu LED touring headlight has a well demarcated throw like a focus light. It’s a projector headlight and has a specific area of throw. If installed and adjusted correctly, it doesn’t throw on the incoming traffic and doesn’t go too wide beyond our field of vision. All the brightness it offers is projected to a good area ahead of the bike.

3. Low wattage

The stock halogen headlight of the Himalayan is of 55w and makes less than half of brightness as the 24w Vaishnu LED headlight. This puts less pressure on the battery and increases its life. My battery is more than 4 years old now and it’s still running healthy.

4. Features of Vaishnu Touring LED Headlight for Triumph Scrambler 400X

It has three different colours or temperatures as they like to call it. One is pure white, next is yellow like the fog lamps and the other a warm white which is a mixture of both. They provide a dedicated switch to change these modes on the Himalayan. While on the Triumph Scrambler 400x, the colour change can be done with the stock switch. The high beam comes in two colour – pure white and yellow which is shared by the warm white and yellow dim light settings

The yellow light is particularly helpful in foggy conditions like when you ride in the western ghats during monsoon. You don’t need a dedicated fog lamp for it. It’s build in.

5. Build Quality

The quality of the wiring harness, the headlight assembly and the switch is good. So far there hasn’t been any issue with the headlight.

6. Customer Service

I had a minor niggle with a loose connection on my Himalayan. When I reached out to them, the team at Vaishnu were quick to respond in helping me out to diagnose and fix the issue.

Cons of Vaishnu LED Touring Headlight for Triumph Scrambler 400X

Vaishnu LED touring headlight for the Triumph Scrambler 400X doesn’t come with a mounting point for the stock headlight grill. When I reached out to them they told me that it was purposely avoided so that the grill won’t cast a shadow with the headlight as it does on the stock one. Nevertheless I wish it had a provision to install a headlight grill for safety purposes.

Cost of Vaishnu LED Touring Headlight for Triumph Scrambler 400X

Vaishnu LED touring headlight costs around 8900 INR for ones without DRL and 9900 INR for ones with the DRL. They have two different styles for the ones with the DRL. I’d suggest you to get one with the DRL as the DRL itself is quite sufficient to use in city limits.

Is Vaishnu LED Touring Headlight a value for money product?

IMO Vaishnu performance touring headlight is a value for money product as the total cost is cheaper than Maddog Scout X which comes upto 10k including the wiring, clamps, switches and so on. I removed my HJG aux lights after installing this headlight. It inturn helped me take off some weight from my Himalayan 411. I’m going to remove the Scout X on Triumph Scrambler 400X and sell it off thereby saving some weight on the Scrambler as well.

Don’t load up your bike with unnecessary accessories. What I’ve learned throughout these years is that loading up the bike might look cool but it affects the mileage and performance. All these part weights adds up to a significant amount. Heavier the bike the difficult it gets to enjoy bike to its full potential. That’s where useful and functional accessories like these headlights come in very handy.

Should you get Vaishnu LED Touring Headlight for Triumph Scrambler 400x?

If you are someone like me who doesn’t tour primarily at night and need some lights to get around in the early morning and late evenings, then this light is perfect for you. You can save weight and space on your bike by not installing additional clamps and wiring for aux lights. These lights are a direct swap for your headlight.

If you are someone who primarily tours in the night, which I never recommend, then these might not be enough. It’s better if you go for even powerful aux lights. For the 99% of users who aren’t satisfied with the stock headlights of the Triumph Scrambler 400X, Vaishnu LED Headlight is the perfect choice.

Get your unit here – Vaishnu LED Touring Headlight for Triumph Scrambler 400X

Get your unit here – Vaishnu LED Touring Headlight for RE Himalayan 411

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Accessory that’s a necessity – MX Universal Handguards Review

Aftermarket Handguards for Himalayan and Scrambler 400X MX Universal Handguards Review

I have always used hand guards on my Himalayan and it has saved my levers and hands in case of falls in remote locations. More than an accessory I consider them an absolute necessity. Himalayan’s stock hand guards were good enough for a few falls. I decided to go for an aftermarket one only because the stock was an open ended one and in each fall, it’d come loose.

I found MX Universal handguards online and thought of giving it a try. After using it for almost 3k km both on and off road, I was really impressed by the quality that I got one for the Scrambler 400X too. So here are the pros and cons I noticed.

Pros of the MX Universal Handguards

1. Build Quality

The overall quality of these hanguards is very good. It’s very sturdy and has regained its shape even after some serious falls off road.

2. Optional DRL

MX has both a DRL version and a non DRL version. You can use the DRL version for better aesthetics. I didn’t want unnecessary pressure on the battery and hence went for the non DRL one.

Cons of the MX Universal Handguards

1. Poor Quality Screws

The screws that come with the handguards have already started rusting. I wish they provided better quality screws for fitment.

2. Compatibility issues

Although it fit perfectly on the Himalayan with the Magnum Motorsports handlebar, it took some work to get it fixed on the Scrambler 400x. On the Scrambler they had to be bent to a point where there’s a constant tension on the screw that holds the handguards to the handlebar. As a result, during a serious fall, the screw gets bent and stuck inside the handlebar and to get it out is a task.

Overall the MX handguards are a good alternative to the stock handguards. Only thing to keep in mind is to get good quality screws extra and to check whether these will fit your bike or not before purchasing it.

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Tour tension free! – Skyshop C400 TPMS Review

Now tour tension free on your motorcycle Skyshop c400 TPMS long term review

Knowing whether my motorcycle tyres have enough air in them or not is the biggest headache I have while on tour. By the time you get a feeling that it’s low, it’s probably too low that you are risking a puncture at any moment. Even if you have a inflator with you, checking the pressures everyday is tiring.

I came to know about the aftermarket Tyre Pressure Monitoring System from a video and decided to give it a try. I ordered the Skyshop c400 TPMS from amazon and boy it’s a game changer. It’s very accurate and has a margin of error of only 1-2 psi after i repeatedly checked the readings with the ones in petrol pumps and with my own inflator.

Features of Skyshop C400 TPMS

Skyshop C400 TPMS comes with two screwable button sized sensors with built in battery that goes on on the nozzle and one screen that shows you the tyre pressure as well as the tyre temperature readings. This screen comes with a screw mount which you can attach on your handle bar. The screen is rechargeable and they say it’ll last 2-3 months in one single charge based on the usage. It’s been 4 months since I charged it last and it still shows full charge.

It has an auto off feature meaning that it’ll get switched off if it doesn’t sense any movement for few minutes and comes back on when it detects motion. I don’t use this feature meaning that i don’t keep it on always. I switch it on only when i want to check the tyre pressure.

The screen module has two switches. One is an on and off switch and the other a toggle switch to adjust the time, unit of measurement and minimum and maximum values to trigger the alarm and so on. The screen has good visibility even at broad daylight. You can adjust the brightness as well.

Concerns

The pressure sensors won’t cause any wheel imbalance issues. I have it installed on both Himalayan and Scrambler400X and I haven’t had any wobbling issues even at high speeds. The only issue is that once you switch on the screen, it’ll show you the previous reading values and you have to wait 3-5 minutes for it to show the current value.

Cost of Skyshop C400 TPMS

Skyshop C400 TPMS costs around 2600 INR and I feel it’s a must have for everyone who does long distance highway touring. Paired with a good electronic tyre inflator, you can take off a huge burden of guessing the tyre pressure and not being able to find help when needed the most.

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Carbon Racing Windshield for Triumph Scrambler 400X – A Review

Make The Triumph Scrambler 400X touring friendly Carbon Racing Windshield Long term review

In my recent blog on the touring accessories for the Scrambler 400X, the one accessory which seemed to raise the most concern among viewers was the Carbon Racing Windshield for Triumph Scrambler 400X. So here’s a long term review and answers to FAQs.

The Scrambler 400X is an amazing motorcycle. The only thing that prevents it from being the most enjoyable on the highways is the strong wind blast especially after we installed the handlebar risers. That’s when we installed the windshield from Carbon Racing. It’s been 5000 kms since then and here’s my list of pros and cons about it.

Pros of Carbon Racing Windshield for Triumph Scrambler 400X

1. Wind blast reduction

The windshield reduces the windblast considerably esp on the torso ie abdomen and chest. It’s not tall enough to cover your entire body and doesn’t completely eliminate wind buffetting. Don’t expect the Scrambler 400X to become an adventure tourer once you install this windshield. It significantly reduces the windblast upto your shoulder level, if you are some where around 5.5’ like me. This reduces fatigue when you spend long hours on the highway as you don’t need to put much effort to hold on to the bike at higher speeds.

2. Looks

Aesthetics is subjective. Even I didn’t like the look of the windshield on the scrambler at first but it kind of grew on me and now I think the bike looks better with the windshield.

Cons of Carbon Racing Windshield for Triumph Scrambler 400X

1. Wind drag

I’ve noticed a slight increase in the wind drag. This is noticeable only after 120 kph so it’s not a deal breaker IMO.

2. Number plate and high fender position

Since the windshield uses the stock number plate mounting point, you’ll need to go for an aftermarket number plate holder. You also cannot install the high fender accessory that comes from Triumph.

FAQs

1. Does Carbon Racing Windshield for Triumph Scrambler 400X cause any instability?

In theory it may cause instability since it mounts on the handlebar also. But in real world scenarios, I’ve not noticed any instability even at 160 kph on the handle other than the bouncy nature of the suspension.

2. Does it increase ambient temperature around the body?

My Himalayan 411 visor used to cut off so much of the wind buffeting that I used to feel very hot even while riding at high speeds. This windshield doesn’t have that issue since it has a small window that lets enough air to your body to keep it cool.

3. Does Carbon Racing Windshield for Triumph Scrambler 400X hinder visibility?

Absolutely not. If you are someone not used to riding with a windshield, you might take some time to get used to it but it doesn’t hinder visibility in any way.

4. Does it transmit vibration to the handlebar?

No. I’ve not noticed any increase in vibration or buzz in the handle bar after I installed the windshield

So in conclusion, I thought the Carbon Racing windshield is a good product that helps reduce wind blast on the Scrambler 400x to a great extent. I’d recommend it to everyone who’s primarily into touring on the Scrambler.