Modern Café Racer, Scaled Down…
With the recent discontinuation of the beloved Thruxton 1200, many riders assumed Triumph’s long-running café racer lineage had reached its conclusion — we among them. However, Triumph just announced that the Thruxton 400 will be getting a global release in 2026. Introduced in India last summer, the Thruxton 400 reimagines the brand’s most famous café racer in a lighter, more accessible form — while preserving the visual DNA and riding intent that made the Thruxton name iconic.
Positioned alongside the Tracker 400, which we featured earlier this month, the Thruxton 400 is not a just “café racer-inspired” neo-retro standard. Triumph says they designed the bike from the outset with sportier ergonomics, racier geometry, firmer suspension, and a silhouette that clearly traces its roots back to Triumph’s racing heritage.
With so few production cafe racers available in 2026 — really just the Royal Enfield Continental GT and Kawasaki Z900RS Cafe — we decided to take a look at this new lightweight entry, especially as it’s sure to be one of 2026’s most popular new platforms for customization.
The Thruxton 400 serves as the spiritual successor to the Thruxton 900 and 1200 — distilled into a smaller-displacement package that emphasizes agility, accessibility, and everyday usability. The design includes:
- Clip-on handlebars and rear-set footpegs
- A sculpted café-style fuel tank with knee recesses
- A solo-style tail section with classic proportions
- Low, compact stance emphasizing forward-leaning ergonomics
Unlike many modern retros that simply add café styling cues to a standard chassis, the Thruxton 400 is said to be designed to ride like a café racer — with a clear focus on road performance and rider engagement.
Thruxton 400: Engine & Performance
Powering the Thruxton 400 is Triumph’s 398cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder TR series engine, shared with other models in the 400 platform but tuned for a sportier character. Typical output figures:
- Power: ~40 horsepower
- Torque: ~27 lb-ft
While modest on paper compared to the outgoing 1200, the Thruxton 400 benefits from a far lighter overall package. The result is said to be lively acceleration, strong midrange response, and a rev-happy feel well-suited to canyon roads, urban riding, and weekend backroad blasts. The engine’s tractability should make it approachable for newer riders, while its responsiveness ensures it remains engaging for experienced café racer enthusiasts.
Where the Thruxton really ought to shine is the handling department, given the bike’s light weight (~370 pounds) and short wheelbase. Clip-on bars place the rider in a classic café crouch, shifting weight forward and enhancing front-end feel.
Combined with 17-inch wheels and firmer suspension tuning than the Speed 400, the Thruxton 400 is designed to reward precise inputs and confident cornering. It is not meant to be plush or upright — and that’s exactly the point.
Thruxton 400: Design & Styling
Visually, the Thruxton 400 is unmistakably a Triumph café racer. Signature styling elements include:
- Slim, elongated tank with period-correct knee cutouts
- Single-seat tail section inspired by vintage race fairings
- Minimal bodywork with clean, horizontal lines
- Round LED headlight housed in a neo-retro fairing
- Exposed mechanical elements reinforcing its classic look
The design avoids excessive ornamentation, instead leaning into restraint and proportion — qualities that defined the original Thruxton models. With the Thruxton 1200 retired, the Thruxton 400 becomes Triumph’s only true production café racer. This makes the Thruxton 400 especially significant, as it carries forward a lineage that dates back decades, but does so in a way that reflects modern riding (and market) realities.
Thruxton 400 Specs
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | Liquid-cooled, single-cylinder, 4-valve DOHC |
| Displacement | 398 cc |
| Maximum Power | ~41.4 bhp @ 9,000 rpm |
| Maximum Torque | ~37.5 Nm @ 7,500 rpm |
| Transmission | 6-speed with slip & assist clutch |
| Front Suspension | 43 mm inverted fork; ~135 mm travel |
| Rear Suspension | Monoshock; ~130 mm travel |
| Front Brake | 300 mm disc, 4-piston radial caliper; ABS |
| Rear Brake | 230 mm disc, single-piston caliper; ABS |
| Tire Sizes | 110/70-17 front; 150/60-17 rear |
| Seat Height | ~31.2 in (795 mm) |
| Wheelbase | ~54.1 in (1376 mm) |
| Wet Weight | ~388 lb (176 kg) |
| Fuel Capacity | ~3.4 gal (13 L) |
| Starting Price (U.S.) | From $6,295 |
The bike is the most expensive model of the Triumph 400 series:
- Speed 400: Roadster / standard bike
- Scrambler 400 X: Dual-purpose scrambler
- Tracker 400: Flat-track–inspired street machine
- Thruxton 400: Dedicated café racer
Why the Thruxton 400 Matters…
The production café racer segment has quietly thinned in recent years. Many manufacturers have shifted toward “retro standards” rather than true café machines. The Thruxton 400 pushes back against that trend. In 2026, it’s one of the only genuine café racers in production, and it’s sure to be a popular donor for custom builds — one of the main reasons we’re interested in the platform.
It may not deliver superbike-level performance, but for riders who want a café racer they can actually live with — commute on, carve backroads with, and enjoy without breaking the bank — the Thruxton 400 fills a rare niche. It has real café racer ergonomics, manageable size and power, modern reliability and emissions compliance, and classic styling that doesn’t feel forced.
Many workshops and custom shows rely on the major manufacturers for donor bikes, sponsorship, and support. In a time when many cafe models have faded out, the Thruxton 400 ensures the genre remains alive — and relevant. We look forward to seeing the first Thruxton 400 customs roll out of custom shops around the world.
