ROYAL ENFIELD SCRAM 411 (2022 - on) Review

There is no denying the Royal Enfield Scram 411 is a pretty slow scrambler motorbike and fairly basic in its tech, however like the Himalayan it is also incredibly charming and enjoyable to ride and with a price tag of £4599 (£100 extra for white flame or silver spirit paint options) it remains excellent value for money.

Not everyone wants to go charging around the countryside, as the Himalayan’s sales demonstrate a large numbers of riders are happy to just plod around enjoying the whole two-wheeled experience.

Now, with the Scram 411, they can do so in greater comfort while also benefitting from a higher level of cornering ability on a bike that is a bit less ‘old man’ thanks to its fresh styling. It’s just a shame the front brake remains terrible.

The most noticeable change the Scram gets over the Himalayan is a 19-inch front wheel where the more adventure-based bike carries a 21-inch item. However the two bike’s frames are identical so the change in the Scram’s chassis geometry is simply down to the reduction in wheel size.

Come the corners the more front-end biased Scram feels keener to turn than the Himalayan, which tends to remain quite flat in bends, but as your confidence increases so does your corner speed - and that’s when you spot the suspension starting to show its budget nature with a wallow or two as the pace ups.

It certainly doesn’t detract from the enjoyment of the ride, and the fatter front tyre offers better grip than the Himalayan’s skinner item despite carrying the same CEAT Gripp XL rubber, but maybe a slight upgrade of the forks would have been fitting for this sportier model. And definitely uprated brakes!

The single two-piston caliper may be built by ByBre, who are a subsidiary of Brembo, and comes armed with a braided line as standard but it is still left woefully lacking in bite and devoid of feel.

With hardly enough power to even activate the ABS, despite the Scram’s relatively slow pace and chunky-treaded tyres you are always left wishing for far more stopping power. Also, oddly for a bike called a Scram (presumably short for scrambler...), the rear ABS can’t be disengaged for off-road riding as it can on the Himalayan.

Pleasingly, one area Enfield have upgraded is the comfort levels. When MCN tested a Himalayan on the MCN250 route, after 250 miles we were disappointed about how firm the bike’s seat felt. Enfield have addressed this on the Scram and the seat is noticeably far better padded with much more give in its foam.

The 795mm seat height (5mm less than the Himalayan) is nice and low and despite the bars being identical, they feel taller in their position due to the new seat, sitting you nice and upright, further improving comfort levels.

The 411cc air-cooled single is the same motor as used in the Himalayan and let’s be honest, it isn’t the most powerful of engines. With only a five speed gearbox it is happy enough to get to 60mph but ask much more and it quickly runs out of puff, meaning brisk overtakes are off the table and by 70mph it is really starting to struggle.

It would be easy to criticise the motor and question why Enfield haven’t given it a bit more grunt but that would ruin its easy-going nature and if the Himalayan’s sales are anything to go by, owners aren’t fussed about performance.

It is solid, reliable, can easily record mid-60mpg figures and aside from its vibrations making the mirrors next to useless, it is what it is and it suits the bike’s character perfectly. For urban riders, the clutch is lovely and light and the gearbox fairly positive.

The first thing to note is that Enfield offer a three year warranty on the Scram 411, which is excellent to see. Will you need it? Owners seem a little disappointed about the level of finish on the Himalayan, but there again, what do you expect when you consider its price tag? Indeed, our Royal Enfield Scram 411 owners' reviews indicate some quality issues, including poor welds and a rev counter that occasionally lets water in.

This is a bike you need to make a conscious effort to keep on top of its finish with anti-rust spray or the rot will set in- quite quickly... When it comes to the motor there are remarkably few issues, especially when you consider they generally spend a fair amount of their time getting hammered, which is good news.

Overall it seems as if Enfield have overcome the early quality control issues and all should be well with the Scram – just keep it clean!

Only real complaint owners have about the cost of the Enfield is the fact it needs a service every 3000 miles and that involves a valve-clearance check. There again, the motor has a simple ‘nut and screw’ valve adjuster system and it is only a SOHC air-cooled motor with two valves, so prices aren’t horrific.

Oddly, the oil only requires changing every 6000 miles, but it seems silly not to do it every 3000 alongside the valve clearances. Budget £100 for a 3000-mile service and £180 for a 6000-mile one from a dealer – although it is very simple to do at home, especially the oil change.

Insurance is cheap and with mid-60mpg figures easily achieved, so is running the bike! In terms of value for money, the £4599 (when launched Scram 411 doesn’t have many rivals. You can look at the £5799 Benelli TRK502 or Leoncino 500 Trail for £5599. The KTM 390 Adventure is £5999, the Voge 500DSX £5499.99, the Honda CRF300L is £5599 and the Herald Brute 500 is £6950. In this context, the Scram 411 is bang on the money.

In 2023 the price had increased to £4849, and £100 more to secure White Flame or Silver Spirit colourways.

The Scram 411 is built to a budget and while you get ABS as standard and the Tripper Navigation pod with turn-by-turn navigation via Enfield’s the free app, that’s about it.

The dash, which is new for the Scram, has an LCD insert featuring a gear indicator and fuel gauge, which is good. Enfield will be rolling out a range of both accessories for the bike and riding kit for you and it won’t be long until aftermarket companies follow suit due to the popularity of the bike.

Happily, as it has the same chassis as the Himalayan, a lot of parts such as luggage racks etc should be interchangeable.