Royal Enfield Scram 411 Review - Likes & Dislikes
Modified On Mar 15, 2022 04:05 PM By Arun Mohan Nadar for Royal Enfield Scram 411
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It’s the friendlier Himalayan alternative that we have been waiting for.
Royal Enfield has been on a roll over the past few years. From the 650 twins to the J-platform 350s, the new range of products has been really impressive. So when RE unveiled the new Scram 411, it was a bit of a surprise. The changes -- smaller wheels, a dash of new colours, and some revision in features -- aren’t significant compared to the Himalayan, its de facto ADV tourer.
Has Royal Enfield pulled a rabbit out of the hat, or is it another blunder along the lines of the Bullet 500 Trial?
Likes
Agility
The most significant differentiator of the Scram 411 compared to the Himalayan is that the former rolls on a 19-inch front wheel instead of the 21-incher. The smaller wheel size has made quite the difference, and the first thing you notice is how easy the bike feels to steer. This agility means you can cut through traffic with minimal steering effort.
The easy-going nature was also apparent when we rode on the highway as changing lanes felt swifter. Once we went off the road, it was a delight to steer the bike through tight trails, inspiring a lot of confidence. While the suspension travel at the front has reduced by 10mm, the deficit was hardly felt when we took it off-road.
Ergonomics
When it comes to ergonomics, the RE Himalayan is among the most comfortable motorcycles out there. But with the Scram 411, they have taken it up a notch higher. The handlebar is now 60mm lower and 20mm closer to the rider. This, coupled with the new single-seat, makes it even better ergonomically. You feel much more connected with the bike, and the handlebar also offers you better leverage. Seat padding is also spot on, and despite riding for almost two hours at a stretch, we didn’t have much to complain about. Seat height is marginally low at 795mm, and the ground clearance is 200mm.
Engine
Yes, the engine tune and specs of the Scram 411 are exactly similar to the Himalayan, and that isn’t a bad thing. The low-end torque from the long-stroke motor means that you don’t have to constantly switch gears when riding at city speeds as the bike keeps on chugging. Out on the highway, it manages a cruising speed of 100-110kmph, but with some vibes.
Colours
One of our grouses with the Himalayan was the limited number of colour options, and RE has certainly addressed that with the Scram 411. The new ADV is available in four dual-tone and three monotone shades. Since it’s positioned as a lifestyle offerig, a youth-centric motorcycle, the colour options are snazzy, fitting the objective. My personal favourite is the ‘White Flame’ shade that reminds me of the Cagiva Elefant Dakar bike.
New console
The RE Scram 411 features a single-pod part digital-part analogue instrument console sourced from the RE Meteor 350. While the details aren’t as comprehensive as the Himalayan, it doesn’t feel cluttered unlike its elder sibling, and it is easy to read on the move. The matte black finish around the bezel is also a neat touch. Tripper pod for navigation is an accessory across all the colour options, and it looks better integrated than the Himalayan, where it comes off as an afterthought.
Dislikes
No substantial weight loss
I agree I am not the best person to talk about weight loss, but one of the biggest challenges we faced with the Himalayan was its high kerb weight. We expected the Sram 411 to address this issue, but that hasn't been done, considering it's just 6.5kg lighter. However, this doesn't include the main stand (offered as an accessory), which itself weighs close to 1.5kg.
So when you take that into consideration, the weight loss feels almost negligible.
A drop in weight would have improved agility and given the rider more confidence while off-roading (less chance of injury if the bike fell on the rider). More importantly, it would have improved performance as well.
Brakes
Another Himalayan trait that the Scram 411 possesses is poor braking performance. While the rotor and caliper have been sourced from the Meteor 350's parts bin, it lacks bite and feels numb. One has to go hard on the brakes when stopping at high speeds, something that RE needs to work on.
Missing features
The Royal Enfield Scram 411 features the same console as the Meteor 350, but it doesn’t get a USB charger, unlike the cruiser. The USB charger would have been handy to charge your phone while touring. Another big miss is switchable ABS, which is surprising as it comes standard on the Himalayan. Given the off-road credentials of the bike, it’s a bit baffling that switchable ABS has been given a miss.
Quality and finish
Since the Scram shares most of its components with the Himalayan, the flaws too have been carried forward. Weld quality on the frame and headstock is crude, panel gaps were uneven compared to the other media units, and I could see exposed wires near the keyhole on my media unit. Quality levels have improved since the Himalayan first made its debut, but there’s still a lot to be desired.
The name
And finally, the name. It’s called the Scram, hinting that it’s a scrambler. Yes, you can take it off-road, and yes, you can even do flat-tracking on it, but it just doesn’t look like one. A traditional scrambler has a lot of retro design cues, and the best example of this is the Yezdi Scrambler. The Scram 411, on the other hand, is more of a variant of the RE Himalayan, and the communication should have been the same.
Verdict
The biggest takeaway from the Scram 411 is that it’s almost similar to the Himalayan in terms of capability and performance, only much more approachable. While the updates are subtle, they contribute significantly to making the Scram 411 easier and friendlier, unlike the Himalayan, which is a bit intimidating.
That said, it isn’t perfect, and we would have preferred Royal Enfield to iron out the issues we faced with the Himalayan. When you consider the pricing, the Scram is a better proposition than the Himalayan, considering it’s Rs 11,000 more affordable at Rs 2.03 lakh.
So if you aren’t a hardcore off-roader, the Scram 411 will be our pick for you. To sum it up, we think RE has indeed managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat with the new ADV bike.