r/Triumph • u/MechanicNumerous5799 • 9h ago
Other From the 400 x to the 900
3 1/2 months and 3.3k miles later, I let go of my beautiful 1st bike and upgraded to the 900.
It’s cliche I know… new rider gets the sensible displacement bike and then trades it in for the more powerful version a few months later.
And honestly… I do wish I’d just gone 900 from the jump for financial reasons. Not to say in any way I regret owning the 400. Honestly wish I could have kept it, as truly the two bikes are quite different.
Each rider has their own relationship with responsibility and restraint. Starting riding at a mellow 41 years old, I wasn’t in danger of being an idiot and riding beyond my abilities. However, part of that mindset is also getting a beginner-appropriate bike.
Anyway I moved, and my new commute requires highway. The 400 is just not quite enough power or weight (for me) to feel solid going 70 + mph. The 900 is a very familiar feeling, but somehow completely different.
The torque lives down low, and it’s got a strong and meaty, tractor-like pull. It feels extremely planted and way less susceptible to cross-winds that can upset the chassis at speed. And I have to say - cruising at 70 at 3500 rpm is way less fatiguing than 7500 rpm, on both the bike and me.