It really, really depends on what type of riding you do now, and maybe more importantly, what type of riding you think you might do in the future. City, urban, suburban, solo riding, I would think the 400 would be a good choice. If you anticipate stretching your legs a bit more, the 400 might not be right for you. Also, ergonomics can play a role. While I really like the Speed 900, the current model is too cramped for me legroom-wise. The 400 is a bit more relaxed and the Scrambler 400 is even more relaxed. Try to be realistic about how you think you'll use the bike and make your choice based on that. Good luck.
Thank you for all the tips and suggestions. ill try to narrow it down a bit. So first of all this bike will be mainly used in my free time for fun. Probably tours and probably country/mountain roads. Not offroads, but probably not a lot of high ways and not a lot of city streets/commuting. Im 180cm / 5.9‘ so i dont know what will be more comfortable for me. Both felt great sitting on standing still (Havent tried test driving them but felt much better than other im 179cm / 5.9-5.10, will the 900 feel too cramped? I dont think ill be usually riding more than a hour or two without taking a break.
Mainly country roads but the country roads in switzerland can be pretty narrow so i think ill appreciate good agility. And im not too worried about droping the bike but nevertheless im inexperienced and the higher price tag hurts twice as much.
I have a feeling that exactly this is gonna happen to me aswell, so im trying to avoid it. But im worried to be overestimating myself and end up in the long run loosing more money than if i go first 400 than 900.
Hello, I completely and totally know what you’re going through. I am 57 years old and have always wanted to get a motorcycle. My mom always forbade me but now that l can make my own decision (rightly or wrongly) I have decided to go with what I (selfishly) want to do with my free time. I am an avid road and mountain bike athlete, so I know my way around dodging obstacles, weight distribution etc. and believe me I justified just about every decision to myself and my wife. I started with a Vespa GTV 300 on May, 2024. Sold that in June 2024 after taking a motorcycle safety course. Luckily I sold that for what I paid for it except for a couple of upgraded parts. I then bought a lightly used Triumph Speed Twin 900. Rode that from June to about October 2024. Got bored and watched hours of videos on the 2021+ Speed Twin 1200 with the upside down fork, etc. I decided I needed to go the 1200 and be done with it. I took a BATH on the ST900 to the tune of about $4k as I really thought that was the bike for me so I upgraded rear suspension, seat and tires. Now I can’t use any of what I upgraded as everything is good on the 2024 Speed Twin 1200. I did change the tires to Michelin Road 6 from the Metzeler Racetec RR as I live in the Pacific Northwest (rains a lot here). My life lesson: get the bike that you see yourself riding 2-5 years from now and save yourself the hassle and expense of upgrades. You will lose 30-50% at every trade in. Test ride a couple of your top 3 and be realistic with what you can afford and your ability. The ST 1200 is a heavy bike. For some reason the ST 900 has the same “wet weight” but the 1200 does seem heavier. If you can test ride. I wanted the triumph as it’s almost “Norton” quality without the Norton price tag. I also wanted something that resonated well with my riding style (think DGR, café style riding, some light road trips, etc). The Triumph community is unique and quite proud so I decided to go with a British brand, although I know it’s no longer built there. just my own humble thoughts and opinions.
I am 77 years old and I’ve owned 9 bikes over my lifetime starting with a Honda 150 up to a Harley Road King. I bought the Bonne T120 Black last year have not looked back. Power when you need it and cruises quite effortlessly; some say that they like the extra power over the 900; not much weight difference.
Well thats actually a reason to get the 400. get the cheaper one, save up and gain some experience and upgrade to a t120 after a couple of years…
I think im gonna take the safe choice and buy a used bike to get some xp and eventually upgrade to a speed 900 or even a t100, witch might be a new thread all together. Although the 400 looks great and im sure is a great bike, i dont feel its gonna satisfy me for over a year and buying brand new to sell it in sbout a year or so seems a bit excessive. Thank you all for your tips and suggestions.
@Micha808 Yes get the bike you have in your heart and mind. Just take the first few rides like you are training and the rest will fall into place. Do let us all know how you go.