Royal Enfield Scram 411 Long Term Review – First Report

Royal Enfield Scram 411 Long Term Review

The Royal Enfield Scram 411 is basically a Himalayan that went to the chop shop

The Scram 411 arrived at the MotorBeam garage in the first week of August, and I got a chance to make it my daily driver for 60 km. And what better time to ride the Scram than the rainy season? There is a reason why I say this and you will get a gist of it in this long-term report. During the monsoon, Mumbai roads turn into Dakar track! You get to experience crater-like potholes, flooded roads, and whatnot. So here is a chapter about my long-term experience with the Royal Enfield Himalayan Scram 411.

The first time I saw the bike in person while picking it up, I was a bit intimidated by its size and weight. I thought riding such a huge bike in Mumbai would be very inconvenient. But the Scram threw me in awe as it is quite easy to ride, not exactly beginner friendly, but still very easy. While on my way back home, I was getting familiar with the motorcycle, and I got along pretty well. I quickly downloaded Royal Enfield’s app and hooked up the Trippr navigation system. The Trippr meter guides you with turn-by-turn navigation, heck it even gives you a clear indication of whether to take the flyover or not which is very impressive and reliable. On the flip side though, the Royal Enfield app drains a significant amount of battery when used for long rides. It is best for last mile guidance which is always a plus.

Before riding this bike even I questioned its reason for existence; however, it is only once you ride this bike that you begin to realise its real intent. The Royal Enfield Scram 411 is an urban version of the Himalayan. It is a commuter-friendly bike that you can take anywhere in the city. The absence of a headlight mount, bikini cage and main stand make it less bulky and lightweight. Digging deep into the weight reduction, the Scram is 14 kgs lighter than the Himalayan! This makes it faster, easily manoeuvrable, and dynamically superior. The high seat, wide handlebar and 19-inch front wheel gives it a nice commanding feel, while the suspension makes the ride comfortable and pliant.

True to it’s being, the Scram enjoys being thrashed around and doesn’t feel under stress at any moment

The engine is rather pale in the low-end but has a rich torque rush in the mid-range, which makes overtaking easy peasy, while the top end is quite short-breathed. I didn’t enjoy pushing the engine too much as it vibrates a lot and gulps extra fuel without giving the desired power output. But I absolutely enjoyed galloping on speed breakers, dashing through the worst of potholes, and wading through knee-deep water on the flooded streets of Mumbai! This bike definitely feels indestructible as it doesn’t budge. You can take this one anywhere without a second thought and have zero regrets about it.

I still have a few gripes with the Scram as there isn’t much space for the pillion, and if you are carrying a backpack with you, your pillion is going to have a hard time. The second is the omission of the main stand, which is outrageous. And the vibrations in the top end are horrendous. While playing in the mud, I surely missed the front beak as there were times when muck splashed on my helmet. Personally, the 19-inch wheel felt enough as it performed equally well as the 21-inch unit on the Himalayan. What didn’t feel enough though, is the stopping power. The initial bite isn’t as strong, but the progression is good, and the overall braking feedback is just satisfactory.

Royal Enfield bikes have known to be strong, durable, and lasting, and the Scram is no exception! The chassis feedback is candid and adds to the rider’s confidence. The Scram leans in like a street-naked and carries itself with impressive stability for an adventure bike.
Here, the suspension is apt for two-up riding but has a bounce-back effect if you ride solo and really go all guns blazing through potholes! If you plan to do some serious off-roading, you should consider adjusting the rear mono-shock to make matters easy for your back.

Being an air-cooled 411cc motor, it has a tendency to heat up quite a lot in bumper-to-bumper traffic, but it’s bearable. During my time with the Scram, it returned an average fuel economy of 30 km/l, and a full tank would carry me around for one week. All the Royal Enfield bikes are known to have a notorious fuel gauge, which isn’t accurate enough, and the Scram is plagued with this issue too. The reserve light starts blinking randomly and goes off after some time, while sometimes it doesn’t go off even when there’s about 4 litres of fuel in the tank!

The Scram is priced at Rs. 2.55 lakhs on-road Mumbai, which makes it Rs. 15,000/- cheaper than the Himalayan. The price difference is less, but the confusion is more here! The Himalayan offers you a detailed instrument cluster, bikini cage, front beak, 21-inch wheel and a main stand for the extra price. If you happen to ride more in the city, I’d suggest you get the Scram. However, if you travel long distances, get yourself the Himalayan, and you will be happy with it. Remember, you can accessorise the Scram and turn it into a Himalayan and vice-versa. The aftermarket support for Royal Enfield bikes has always been strong! You can find parts for anything and everything.

What’s Cool

• Indestructible feel and heavy-duty build quality
• Great aftermarket support with a vast service network
• An easier version of the Himalayan takes away the intimidating factor

What’s Not So Cool

• Trippr meter doesn’t show call and SMS notifications
• Top-end performance isn’t the best
• No traction control