Triumph Motorcycles may soon include a smaller 350cc engine in its existing 400cc lineup, which may have slightly less performance.
Triumph Motorcycles can make a strong comeback in India due to huge tax benefits, as new bikes with engines less than 350cc are going to be launched on 6 April 2026. Bikes with engines above 350cc attract 40% GST, while those with engines 350cc or less attract only 18% tax. In such a situation, the price difference increases significantly, and that is why companies are now considering reducing their engine size, so that the bikes can become more affordable.
According to the new information, instead of making a completely new engine, Triumph may reduce its existing 399cc liquid-cooled engine to 350cc. For this, internal changes in the engine like change in bore size can be done. This will reduce the company’s expenses, reduce development time and also provide huge tax benefits.
The biggest impact of this change can be seen on the price. The new sub-350cc bikes may be cheaper than the existing models by around Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000. With this, Triumph can make a stronger hold in the entry-level premium bike segment. For example, the Triumph Speed T4 could be priced around Rs 1.75 lakh (ex-showroom), making it more attractive to customers.
Recently, a new bike has been spotted testing in India, which is believed to be Speed T4. This bike looked almost similar to the current model, which makes it clear that the company will not make much changes in the design and will focus only on engine and mechanical updates.
Currently, Triumph’s lineup includes bikes like Triumph Speed 400, Triumph Scrambler 400 Since all of these are above 350cc, they attract higher GST. If these are brought within 350cc, then Triumph can further strengthen its position in the market.
However, making the engine smaller may result in a slight reduction in performance. The existing engine gives about 40 hp power and 37.5 Nm torque, while the new engine can give about 34-35 hp power. Still, it won’t make much of a difference in everyday use, especially if the refinement and ride quality of the bike remains intact.
If Triumph is successful in this strategy, other companies may also take similar steps. Companies like Bajaj Auto and KTM may also update their 400cc bikes, such as the Dominar and NS series, to suit the new tax rules to maintain competition in the market.
