Royal Enfield Scram 440 Review: More Power, More Fun!

Photography: Arvind Salhan

The Royal Enfield Scram 440 is the successor to the Scram 411, based on the last-generation Himalayan ADV with the LS 411 engine. While the Himalayan has moved on to a completely new platform, Royal Enfield has decided to give the Scram a much-needed upgrade. With more performance and refinement in the powertrain, as well as a six-speed gearbox, does the Scram 440 make sense in 2025? Those were some of the questions I had before thumbing the starter.

Also Read: Royal Enfield Scram 440 Launched At Rs. 2.08 Lakh

Engine & Performance

What is immediately noticeable is the exhaust note and overall refinement in the Scram 440’s engine. Even though the LS 440 is a bored-out version of the LS 411, Royal Enfield has made significant improvements in overall noise, vibrations and harshness (NVH) levels. The results are apparent. The Scram 440 revs freely, and the exhaust note is nice and meaty, with some lovely pops and crackles for accompaniment. In numbers, the LS 440 (with a 3 mm bigger bore than the LS 411), makes 25.4 bhp at 6250 rpm and 34 Nm at 4,000 rpm, just 1 bhp and 2 Nm more than the LS 411. 

Also Read: Royal Enfield Scram 440 Vs Scram 411 Differences Explained

But it’s the engine refinement and the fuelling, which has made all the difference, along with the gearbox and clutch. The gearbox is now 6-speed with the sixth working as an overdrive for relaxed cruising, with the engine spinning lower and with better top end performance as well. The pull-type clutch offers a light lever feel and is a convenience in traffic. But it’s at highway speeds where the Scram 440 has a noticeable advantage than its predecessor. 

The engine spins at lower revs in sixth gear, and overall cruising speed is also higher, along with more effortless in-gear acceleration. The LS 440 clearly is the most impressive character of the Scram 440. It can sit at 100-120 kmph all day long, but what could have been better is the refinement of the gearbox. There are no misses, and it’s precise, but the gear shifting feel is a little clunky, which could have been further improved to complement the engine.

Also Read: Royal Enfield Scram 440 Unveiled; Gets 443 cc Engine

Ride & Handling     

Whether in the city or on a twisty road, the Scram 440 has predictable dynamics. It’s not sharp, but it has decent handling around corners. The brakes have been improved, with bigger pistons, and offer better stopping power than before. And when you do decide to go off-road, the Scram 440 manages to chug along over all kinds of surfaces. Not surprising, considering the RE Scram 411 was quite an off-road capable motorcycle as well.

Rocky surfaces, sand, slush and most kind of minor off-road obstacles are despatched without a whimper, even though the Scram 440 has less suspension travel than its more expensive ADV sibling, the Himalayan 450. For light off-road work, or even for “soft-roading” the Scram 440 is well-equipped to handle most situations any tourer will encounter, unless you’re seeking superlative off-road capability. 

In high-speed handling though, like its predecessor, the Scram 440 has a minor weave. It’s not alarming, won’t throw you off balance, or is cause for concern, but it’s noticeable. And then, there’s the weight. At 196 kg kerb weight, the Scram 440 isn’t particularly suited for jumps and the like, and its somewhat front heavy nature is more suited for off-road scrambling with both wheels on the ground. 

But it will still nonchalantly clamber over all kinds of surfaces if exploring the unknown is your sort of thing. The 41 mm telescopic front fork with 190 mm travel, the monoshock with 180 mm of travel and 200 mm ground clearance is more than adequate for all kinds of minor off-road duties. And with its 795 mm seat height, the Scram 440 is also accessible and approachable, to a wide range of riders with different build and height.

Design & Features

In terms of design, dimensions and proportions, not much has changed on the Scram 440 from its predecessor. But there are subtle and noteworthy updates. It now gets a LED headlight, new colours, and more importantly, alloy wheels with tubeless tyres on the higher variant – called the Scram 440 Force, which is available in a choice of three colour options – Force Blue, Force Grey and Force Teal. The lower-spec Trail variant gets wire spoke wheels with tube-type tyres and is offered in two colour options – Trail Blue and Trail Green.

On the features list, the Scram 440 gets dual-channel ABS, which is now switchable on the rear wheel, with the press of a button on the left handlebar. The part-analog, part digital instrument console has been carried forward, and it gets two trip meters, an odometer, fuel gauge, gear position indicator, speedometer and clock. Fuel consumption or distance-to-empty readings would have certainly been helpful. 

The Tripper navigation pod is an optional extra, which will cost around Rs. 5,000. The rear sub-frame has been strengthened as well, and owners can mount a top box, and the sub-frame now has payload capacity of 10 kg. On the features list, that’s about it. The Scram 440 is simple, functional, and somewhat rudimentary, but everything comes together and does the job.

Verdict

With all the updates, the Scram 440 gets a minor price revision as well, with ex-showroom prices now starting at Rs. 2.08 lakh for the Trail variant, going up to Rs. 2.15 lakh for the Force variant. With an improved engine, a six-speed gearbox and reinforced frame, the Scram 440 does manage to hold its own, even with its more capable, and more expensive sibling, the Himalayan in the Royal Enfield line-up.

More importantly, it makes sense as an everyday motorcycle which can be used for the daily commute, some weekend adventures and even for the occasional long-distance ride. Eventually, the Scram 440 manages to make a strong impression with the improvements that it now comes with. The Royal Enfield Scram always had its own fan following and with the updates, the new Scram 440 should keep it relevant, at least for a few years more. 

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