We’re now four months into 2023, and it’s clear that developments in the Triumph-Bajaj partnership have been progressing steadily over recent months. In February 2022, we got a good look at two Triumph single-cylinder variants, tentatively referred to as a Street Single and scrambler. Although things were delayed due to the global pandemic, the photos offered reassurance that development was getting back on track.
In December 2022, we got a look at what appeared to be a potentially more off-road-capable Triumph Bajaj single-cylinder variant. There are scramblers that are all about style and road bias, and then there are scramblers that can actually plunge into the dirt with aplomb. Could this upcoming bike be more of the latter?
That bike had spoked wheels, in addition to a high-mounted front fender and some luggage. Now that it’s April 2023, we have our clearest look yet at a Triumph Bajaj test mule out testing on roads in India, via this video from a YouTuber that goes by the name The Fat Biker. It’s believed to be a 400cc machine, although the expectation is that Triumph and Bajaj will offer a range of displacements as part of this collaboration.
The bike shown in this video has cast wheels again (a 19-inch up front and a 17-inch in the rear), not the spoked ones seen in December 2022. However, it does have high-mounted fenders front and rear, as well as an underslung exhaust with a dual-tipped canister mounted low on the right side. The seating position is a neutral and upright one, with mid-mounted foot pegs. There’s a single pannier shown in use on the left, a tank bag, and a top box that could be a future accessory, could be holding testing equipment for evaluation purposes, or even both.
It’s expected to be the Triumph-Bajaj entry directly into competition with bikes like the Royal Enfield Scram 411, the Yezdi Scrambler, and the Honda CB350RS. LED lighting is present throughout the bike, although the taillight cluster tucked up under the seat offers a more modern aesthetic than the typical round shapes found in the other lights on this bike. The speedometer is analog, but the brief glimpse we get appears clear and easy to read.
When can we expect a formal reveal of any of the new Triumph Bajaj bikes? Bike press in India believes it will happen later in 2023, which gives us eight months to ponder. We’ll look forward to seeing and finding out more, hopefully not too far into the future.