The return of the classics

While the world is moving forward at a rapid pace, some bike manufactures are moving in the opposite direction and introducing classic bikes with a modern touch. The return of the classics

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Ankit Tuladhar

Published at : March 29, 2016

Updated at : March 29, 2016 08:27

While the world is moving forward at a rapid pace, some bike manufactures are moving in the opposite direction and introducing classic bikes with a modern touch. The Ace British motorcycles with their introduction of the 400cc Classic and Scrambler, XY400 Classic and the XY400 Scrambler, is an example of just that; a friendly nudge to remind us of the good ol’ days.

Styling

The XY400 Classic looks exactly like how the bikes in the 80s looked like. There is a lot of chrome work done to the bike. The twin chrome exhausts, chrome front, rear fenders, chrome headlights and instrument panels give the bike a more classic feel. The rear end of the bike features a drum brake unit and twin rear shocks.

The XY400 Scrambler on the other hand opts for a matte black finish and misses out on the chrome work. Being a scrambler there is a single exhaust that is angled up to give it the scrambler look. Other than the exhaust and the matte black finish, the only other visible differences to the bike are headlight mesh, lower handle bars and dirt tires.

Performance

While 400cc might sound like a lot, and it isn’t in this case, the bike is geared more towards cruising rather than outright performance so the bike won’t be as fast as the other bikes in the 400cc category, like the Duke 390. Though these bikes put out only 29bhp they are no slouches. The 30Nm torque that the scramblers produce is enough to blast through traffic, have some fun in the highways or tear up trails. The exhaust note is quite deep for a stock exhaust and the little misfire crackles attracted some attention.

Handling

Both the bikes are on the heavier side but the weight somehow isn’t felt while riding the bike. The torque it produces and the nimble handling means lane splitting and manoeuvring the bike can be smoothly done. One particular gripe about this bike, however, is that the brakes aren’t satisfactory. They felt wooden, especially the rear brake as it was a drum unit. The brakes were shedding speed but it felt like it wasn’t doing anything so I had some confidence issues while braking. It took me some time to get used to these brakes. The upright seating position also makes it easy to ride in traffic.

Verdict

Both the XY400 Classic and Scrambler were a blast to ride. The Classic and the Scrambler are priced at Rs 560,000 and 610,000 respectively. This bike fits the bill perfectly for those who are looking for a classic bike other than the Royal Enfield line up. Personally, given the choice between the Classic and the Scrambler, I would opt for the Scrambler as it can do everything the Classic can with the added benefit of taking on off road trails as well.

Specifications