Overall, the bike did not fall short of my expectations: It was nimble and easy to handle in traffic thanks to that 19in front wheel, smoother than the Himalayan with a revised, longer gearing that makes it nicer to ride at low speeds, along with a more comfortable seat. Suspension is stiffer than the Himalayan but still much more comfortable than comparable standards, like the Svart 401. I’m looking forward to spending more time on the bike and really traveling with it, the way it was meant to be used, tackling mixed roads and light to medium off-road.
At its price, it competes directly with its sibling the Himalayan (currently starting at 338k), the KTM 390s (Duke, Adventure, Svartpilen and Vitpilen 401), and entry-level bikes from CFMOTO, Bristol, etc. Offhand, this is how I think they stack up:
Pick any of the 390s if speed is a priority and you are tall enough:
390 Duke for the lightest, near cheapest, and most sporty
Svart 401 for a super light, stylish city bike that can handle light touring (my personal pick of the 390s)
390 Adventure for more aggressive riders that want to go off-road and tour, or riders moving up from small dual sports
Vitpilen 401 for pure style and a sporty ergos and ride, NOT for touring
Himalayan for lovers of off-road-biased touring, those who want a chill ride, and short riders
CFMOTO and Bristol for cheapest bikes with extra electronic features, for short riders too
The Scram 411 for a jack-of-all-trades bike that can commute, tour longer, look great at cafes, offer a chill ride, while having the capacity to bring luggage using the Himalayan’s accessories. Also good for short riders and lower than the Himalayan.
As you can tell, I’m pumped about the Scram as it really does check so many boxes in its class, so much so that I find myself wanting one as a daily bike and something to thrash around on light trails. It’s lighter than my Interceptor while having that tractable engine from the Himalayan that’s so easy and stable off-road.
