- I will most certainly never use the bike for touring, the max it would go to is Lonavala, so touring credentials or top end grunt didn’t mean much to me.
- Booking experience and delivery:
- Engine and gearbox:
- Ride and handling:
I will most certainly never use the bike for touring, the max it would go to is Lonavala, so touring credentials or top end grunt didn’t mean much to me.
BHPian tp_dominator recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
I got this beauty on the 23rd May. I am also somebody who is returning to bikes after long – close to 9 years. My priorities for the bike were clear:
- It should be easy to ride daily in the traffic (if need be).
- The suspension should be comfortable and pliant – this was most important considering my last serious bike was the Ninja 250R.
- No manic nature and smooth power delivery (read good low end and mid range grunt).
- Budget between 2 to 3 lakhs on-road – last year I was searching in the 8 to 10 lakhs bracket but felt it would be an overkill if I don’t ride much.
- Don’t need an ADV styled or track focused bike – ADV styled only considered for the suspension superiority to other bikes.
- I will most certainly never use the bike for touring, the max it would go to is Lonavala, so touring credentials or top end grunt didn’t mean much to me.
I checked out almost all the bikes in the segment, below is just a brief about them (in no particular order) – all the views are my own and the bikes were only tested to meet my above criteria, others opinions might differ greatly:
- Yezdi Scrambler – the bike felt alright but the suspension was a bit firm, the bike also sits low and I wanted a bike to not hide under my frame. The knuckle guards fitted on the showroom bike were of cheap quality. Overall, did not feel good after checking it out. Rejected.
- Honda CB 350 – the bike felt nice to ride, almost perfect for my needs along with Honda reliability – this was going to be the logical choice. Shortlisted.
- BMW G310 GS – did not feel special when I rode it, the test ride bike was also a bit battered and I had gone with a friend who picked up the G310 R, also did not want to spend exorbitant amounts on the service and spares. Rejected.
- Honda CB 200X – the engine was smooth and ride was comfortable but I felt it would feel at home at cruising speeds of 80-90 which was fine and it was lesser on-road than my budget too. Shortlisted.
- Dominar 400 – already had one. Purchased in 2017 and sold in 2018 with just 3k on the ODO, the bike was not meant for the city, did not enjoy it much. Rejected.
- RE Meteor 350 – good bike with a smooth engine, only bummer being the waiting period, fit my requirements while also looking cool. The power was on the lower side though and something just did not connect. Rejected.
- All the KTMs – ADV 250 and 390 were unsuitable for my use cases so gave the KTM showroom a pass, if I had any intention of hitting the highways often with the bike, would have stretched and picked up the 390 Adventure. Rejected.
- All other remaining contenders – Xpulse, Himalayan, Yezdi Adventure – rode them all but again did not connect with any – no use case for the capabilities these bikes offer. Vstrom 250SX was just launched but did not want to buy a Suzuki and honestly Scram 411 took my heart away.
- RE Himalayan Scram 411 – the new kid in town, I had been eyeing this and with the positive youtube reviews of it being an everyday Himalayan – my mind was already inclined towards it. Rode it once and was sold on the low down torque and suspension alone. The seat was comfortable too and seat height was not an issue for my 5’9″ height. Also, it was available for delivery the same day and had three color choices to choose from. Shortlisted and booked – from the heart.
Booking experience and delivery:
The booking was smooth, booked it on Sunday, 22nd May and got it delivered on Monday, 23rd May 2022. I had the option to choose from White Flame, Skyline Blue and Blazing Black. I feel bikes look best in black so chose the Blazing Black one after looking at all of them at the stockyard.
At PDI:
All inclusive, it cost me 2.62 lakhs with 5 years extended warranty and few accessories – engine guard, knuckle guard, bike cover and master cylinder guard. The delivery experience was a very plain affair but honestly I expected nothing so it was fine, just wanted the bike to be ready and ride out and that’s what happened exactly.
At delivery:
ODO at delivery:
Rider’s view:
The Scram connected to me like no other bike connected in the past. It taught me a few things which I never pondered upon until I got this. Below are a few pointers on the bike.
Engine and gearbox:
The tried and tested BS6 Himalayan engine is a joy to ride inside the city with good low end torque. I am not too technically inclined so please pardon me if I just explain it in layman’s terms. I can pull the bike from 20kmph in 3rd gear effortlessly and it feels happy to cruise at 60-70 kmph which is the max I have taken it yet. The gearbox is also sure slotting and no false neutrals yet. Have just ridden the bike for 150 kms till now so I will comment on this later when I ride some more. Till now haven’t felt much of the vibes on the handlebar or the footpegs.
Ride and handling:
The ride is supple – it takes bad roads in its stride and does not transfer the jolts to the rider’s spine. Heck the ride quality on this bike is way better than my 17 inched Ford Ecosport’s in the city. It dismisses bumps and potholes like nobody’ business and if you are about to hit a huge bump, just stand and you won’t feel a thing. Straddling is also comfortable and easy on this one.
The seat is also wide and comfortable and I don’t feel numb in my crotch area which I feel on other bikes after riding for a while. The bike is nimble too and its easy to maneuver in the city and close those gaps in the traffic. You can zip in and out of traffic easily and the handlebar is at a comfortable height to not feel intimidating.
Other points are already covered in a lot of reviews so I just wanted to give a brief overview of the points I recollected. Feel free to ask any questions about the bike if you may have. I will share more pictures and ride experiences after I clock more kms. I will also share likes and dislikes at a later date – mostly after the first service.
Till then ride safe everyone and let me Scram!
Keyword: Royal Enfield Himalayan Scram 411: Delivery & initial impressions