LAUNCH TEST – 2022 ROYAL ENFIELD SCRAM 411 - JUST BIKES

LAUNCH TEST – 2022 Royal Enfield Scram 411

Words: Phil Suriano

Photos: Courtesy of Urban Moto Imports and Phil Suriano

Ideally, I think we’d all like a motorcycle that could do a bit of everything. By that I mean a bike that’s smooth on the street, can be taken off road, leant into corners on tarmac with confidence and thrashed about in the loose stuff without a care. A bike that looks good doing all of these things and more would be nice, too. If you're after a bike that's a multi-purpose machine, especially if you’re at the beginning of your motorcycling journey, let me introduce you to the Royal Enfield Scam 411.

LAUNCH TEST – 2022 Royal Enfield Scram 411

I’m sure I’ve said this many times before, but the transformation of Royal Enfield from an anachronism to a global motorcycling powerhouse is nothing short of phenomenal. Think back a decade ago and the Royal Enfield name would have only been known by those interested in old British bikes, with maybe a few aware that production was still going on in India.

The modern Royal Enfield marque arrived in Australia about seven years ago and hit the ground running; the all-new, classic-look motorcycles immediately resonating with the local market. The first brand-exclusive outlet, at MidLife Cycles in Cremorne, Victoria, opened in 2016 and it’s been go-go-go ever since, with year-on-year growth that’s the envy of other motorcycle brands.

That growth has allowed Royal Enfield to expand their product range, and while they remain resolutely focussed on the middleweight (ie. 250cc to 750cc) category, they’ve explored a lot within those parameters.

We’ve seen the 650cc twins – Continental GT and Interceptor – added to the range of singles, the Himalayan adventure tourer introduced, the Classic 350 re-invented and, most recently, we've seen the Meteor 350 and Hunter 350 of the Classic 350 arrive, too.

Joining the range this year is the ‘Scram 411’ and I was one of the motorcycling media contingent invited to its Aussie launch this June

An Off-Roader. . . for the Street

The Scram 411, as you’ve probably guessed by the name, is a motorcycle in the street scrambler style; a style that first came to prominence in the ‘60s and has been revisited by a range of manufacturers since.

Royal Enfield’s take on the street scrambler formula starts with the Himalayan that reached our shores in 2017 and adds some elements to make it more suitable for the urban environment, without robbing too many of its off-road capabilities.

The Scram 411 uses the Himalayan’s frame, as well as its 17.88kW/32Nm ‘LS-410’ single-cylinder engine, five-speed gearbox, brakes, suspension and other cycle parts.

The differences start with the adoption of a street-friendly 19-inch front wheel (instead of 21 inches on the Himalayan), a lower seat and handlebars, reduced front suspension travel and reduced ground clearance.

Although it offers no more power than the Himalayan, the Scram is 6kg lighter, at 185kg dry. That means you can get away from the lights ahead of cagers without a worry.

An analogue speedo with LCD insert is paired with the Tripper app-based navigation system as standard, with dual-channel ABS also standard, but that’s it on the tech front.

While it shares much with the Himalayan mechanically, the Scram is noticably different aesthetically, deleting things like the front carrier rack/crash bars, front beak and windscreen, while redesigning things like the seat, sidecovers, headlight surround and mudguards.

Of the aesthetics, there’s been a conscious effort by Royal Enfield to give the Scram its own style, with the redesign complemented by a range of seven colour options. All were on hand for the Australian launch, which kicked off at Kingscliff in far north NSW and saw us travel the border region roads, with some time on the dirt at a Queensland motocross park, too.

Hey, Good Lookin’

After seeing the pre-release images of the Scram earlier this year, I was excited to see the real thing and first impressions didn’t disappoint. Royal Enfield had lined up examples of all seven options for us and each one of our group had their favourite.

For me, the ‘White Flame’ two-tone red and white was a winner (I must admit I’d preferred that even before seeing it in the flesh), but they all looked good.

As much as some riders don’t like to admit it, bike buying decisions are based on style to an extent, so Royal Enfield have ensured they’ve got a colour and graphic style to suit most tastes.

Before we hit the road, the Royal Enfield crew walked us through the bike and its features, which was a short lecture, as the “pure and simple” ethos behind all the marque’s products meant there wasn’t a lot of tech that needed explaining.

Tripper navigation and the mandatory ABS is the extent of the Scram’s technical sophistication, but that’s fine, as it makes the bike simple to operate – a key consideration in the LAMS market. It also keeps the bike affordable, which is just as important for first time riders.

Astride the bike, the first thing I noticed was the simplicity of the switchgear. Without riding modes, traction control, cruise control, launch control and other features, the Scram’s switchgear is simple to identify and operate; part of an overall design that’s very neat and tidy.

Of the instrumentation, the primary gauge provides all the key information, with an analogue speedometer and digital everything else – fuel level, odometer, gear selection and clock - that proved to be easy to read, both stationary and when on the move. The secondary gauge is for the Tripper navigation, but we didn’t trial that on the media launch.

Seat height is 795mm, which is only 5mm lower than the Himalayan, but for shorter riders, every millimetre counts. At 178cm (5’10”), I could straddle the Scram and plant both feet on the ground easily.

On the bike, I immediately noticed that the seat felt comfortable, with the bars and pegs well positioned, too - easy to grab with a comfortable bend in the elbows. It made for a very upright riding stance.

Moving past the seat, I was impressed by the rear of the bike and how the tail light is neatly integrated. The rear indicators are less appealing, but the front indicators tie in better stylistically and are less obtrusive.

Wire-spoke wheels with black rims are standard, regardless of colour choice, but some of the colour options add complementary rim stickers.

Tyres are dual-purpose units, with what Royal Enfield calls a 70/30 road/off road split, reflecting the “street” part of this street scrambler’s focus.

Two-Day Tour

The Scram launch ride took us from Kingscliff out to Queensland Moto Park in Coulson on Day One for an overnight camp before heading to Ballina, NSW, on Day Two.

We were being led by the team from Salt Creek Motorcycles. These professional tour operators knew all the good routes in the region, so we were excited to be shown their part of Australia. Besides being tour operators, they also had a good workshop with excellent servicing capabilities.

Thumbing the starter button (Royal Enfield abandoned the kick start only recently), we were off and the first thing I noticed when we got the Scram onto the road was the ease of gear operation. Take off was gentle - as you would expect from a mid-sized bike - but the clutch action was surprisingly silky, with a smooth lever pull and easy gear location up and down the five-speed transmission that made the Scram relaxing to operate.

That being said, the bike’s short ratios meant I did find myself moving through the gears quickly when taking off from the lights to get up to speed, especially on main roads with speed limits of 70km/h and above.

Departing Kingscliff, we headed roughly due west, zig zagging through a bunch of small towns that included Canungra, Beaudesert and Boonah. The roads were mostly traffic-free and covered a mix of 70km/h to 100km/h zones, with plenty of corners, too, so we could explore the Scram’s handling, as well as its acceleration and general performance, at speed.

The Scram’s single-cylinder, air-cooled LS410 engine tops out at around 130km/h, so we weren’t taxing its performance in the 100km/h sections, but as mentioned, you do need to work the gearbox to get the bike up to speed.

The Scram operated comfortably at all our main road speed ranges, and while a little more power is always welcome, what this bike provides is perfectly acceptable and will suit LAMS riders to a T.

Larger singles tend to transmit engine vibration through to the rider, but that was barely noticable with the Scram, thanks to engine developments that have already been tried and proven on the Himalayan.

The balance of the Scram’s platform and its upright ergonomics meant I felt comfortable on the straights, while the smaller front wheel meant I could corner with confidence, too. Leaning into bends, the dual-purpose tyres provided enough grip (even on tarmac slick with rain) and the smooth power delivery meant the bike never felt twitchy, either mid-corner or on exit.

A Day – and Night - in the Dirt!

After riding on sealed roads at varying speeds, we arrived at Queensland Moto Park (QMP) to test how the Scram performed away from tarmac.

For those unfamiliar with the venue, QMP is located around 90 minutes inland from the Gold Coast and an hour south of Brisbane. It has numerous off-road tracks, covering MX, Enduro, Quads and SxS, Junior and even Freestyle MX, so all the main dirt disciplines are covered, with varying degrees of difficulty on some layouts. too.

To practice for competition, test your skills or just have fun, QMP is a great place to go, with adults, parents and children able to ride together in a safe environment. If you get a chance, drop in and have a ride.qldmotopark.com.au

At QMP, we got to jump, race and basically run the Scram around an environment it’s not really made for, but can certainly handle. Just to be clear, we weren’t launching our Scrams off big triples or table tops, but we did run them through whoops, berms and smaller jumps. Getting some air – even if it was only a few centimetres – was great fun.

The light weight that makes the bike so easy to handle on the road means you can throw it around on the dirt with confidence, too.

Ground clearance of 200mm on the Scram is only 20mm less than that of the Himalayan, while front suspension travel of 190mm is only 10mm less, so the Scram can soak up bumps and ruts off-road.

As evidence of that, I didn’t bottom out at any point over the variety of dirt that we experienced – even when riding “inappropriately”. That included some casual racing where a few of us took a spill, but it was all part of the adventure, with the bikes none the worse for the experience, either.

After an afternoon’s fun in the dirt, Royal Enfield and Salt Creek Motorcycles had set up a campsite and dinner for us within the confines of QMP.

June nights in Queensland are colder than you might think, so the Salt Creek crew got an enormous fire going that kept us warm as we discussed the day’s ride and shared our thoughts on the Scram’s performance.

More than a Commuter

After a night under the stars, we covered more road miles for the second and final day of our Scram experience, heading south to Ballina, where the media launch concluded.

On the road, some of my fellow journos described the Scram’s braking as underwhelming, and I must admit I thought braking response was a bit spongy, too. The Scram’s brakes consist of a single 300mm front disc with a two-piston caliper and 270mm rear disc with single-piston caliper, backed by dual-channel ABS.

While a sharper bite on lever/pedal application would be welcome in my view, it may intimidate learner riders, so a more progressive response to braking input is probably the smart way to go. Of course, there’s the assurance of ABS, too.

At QMP, we disengaged the ABS to allow some rear-wheel slides in the dirt, but it should be noted that the Scram’s ABS is not switchable and you shouldn’t attempt to disengage it, primarily for safety, but also for warranty reasons.

My second day in the saddle made it clear just how comfortable the Scram is – after an hour or so on the road, I wasn’t looking for a place to stop and stretch.

In my opinion, the two-day launch provided a good taste of the Scram and its abilities. It’s a bike that’s much more than just a daily commuter, even though it could fill just that role admirably.

For me, the Scram is a bike you can do your essential riding on during the week, then load up with enough gear and essentials for a weekend away, riding both regular roads and adventure type tracks. The balance, light weight, power and suspension travel mean you can transition from road to off road effortlessly. That level of versatility can’t be said for many other bikes in the LAMS market.

An Impressive Machine

After two full days on the Scram, I can say that it exceeded my pre-ride expectations.

There’s very little on the bike I would change and my minor gripes are very minor indeed.

Firstly, I would remove the rear number plate holder and switch out the rear indicator set. I understand that the style, size and position of these items are mandated to meet compliance requirements, but I think a more compact light and indicator treatment at the back would smarten up the bike’s appearance.

It would be nice to have the option to disengage the ABS, too, but that was coloured by my experience at QMP. Switchable ABS would add to the bike’s cost and is a feature most new riders probably aren’t looking for anyway.

In terms of what I liked about the Scram, the size, ease of use and engine performance were all positives, but what I was most pleasantly surprised about was how comfortable it is to ride, especially for an extended period. The seat is well-shaped and padded, while the ergonomics don’t put any strain on points of your body, like the wrists and lower back, that other bikes can. If your riding involves a long commute, you’ll appreciate the comfort the Scram offers.

Versatility Plus

I suspect that most Scram buyers will be drawn to the styling and fulfill the urban riding criteria that was behind its creation, but it’s nice to know that, if you want a commuter that has the ability to be taken onto the dirt, the Scram can handle it.

The cheap buy-in means any damage from mishaps in the dirt won’t be too onerous to repair or replace, while that LS410 engine makes the Scram cheap to run, too.

If you’re considering buying a Himalayan or other soft adventure bike, but want something with more street appeal and practicality for the urban environment, then the Scram is a great option.

More hustle for the Himalayan and Scram 411

Mid Life Cycles, Melbourne’s Royal Enfield concept store and renowned custom builder, has turned its attention to the well-established Himalayan adventure model and the new Scram 411, with a focus on ‘Look Better, Go Faster’.

Applying lessons learned over more than a decade of modifying bikes to improve performance and add those custom touches, from record-breaking 650 Twin salt racers to classic bobbers and café racers, Mid Life Cycles offers packages that enhance the basic strengths of Royal Enfield’s model line-up, including the adventure-bike Himalayan and urban raider Scram.

“We recently built a hero-bike Himalayan for a long-time customer and ex-motocross racer who wanted all the benefits of the Himalayan – light weight, good ground clearance, durability – plus more of everything,” says Mid Life dealer principal Michael Catchpole.

“Some parts, such as the YSS suspension and performance exhaust system, were tried and true, but we added a new high-performance camshaft and a few tweaks to bring out the grunt and growl.

“He’s now got a bike that looks the goods, rides easily and goes hard enough off-road to keep his old racing mates honest!”

The Mid Life team has applied this experience to the Scram 411, with so many custom and performance parts working equally well on the new bike as they do on its adventure brother.

“We’ve done several custom Scram 411s and now have plans to go all the way, with tuned suspension, engine mods - including a high-comp piston, gas-flowed head and performance camshaft - and a few more tweaks suited to each rider’s needs and style, whether on-road or off.”

Mid Life Cycles’ engine performance packages for the Himalayan and Scram 411 range from $795.00 through to $2,995.00. They’ve also got suspension kits, custom seats by Majestic Moto and a cool solution for that low-hanging standard tail-piece on the Scram!

Give them a call on (03) 9421 3765 or email: [email protected]

SPECIFICATIONS – 2022 Royal Enfield Scram 411

ENGINE

TYPE: SOHC 2-valve 4-stroke single

CAPACITY: 411cc

BORE x STROKE: 78mm x 86mm

COMPRESSION RATIO: 8.5:1

ENGINE START: Electric

IGNITION: Digital

INDUCTION: EFi

COOLING: Air

EXHAUST: Single