Triumph’s Stunning Retro-Styled Café Racer Is Finally Coming to the US

The snazzy, affordable, rider-friendly moto first appeared in India over the summer. Now it’s headed our way.

Black quilted motorcycle seat with white stitching and a gray and red accent on the rear section.

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Published December 17, 2025

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When I learned over the summer that Triumph was reviving the iconic Thruxton nameplate in a wallet-friendly, small-displacement silhouette, I felt a mixture of excitement and longing.

After all, at that time the bike was only announced for the Indian market, with no confirmation it would come to the US.

Person wearing a black helmet and brown jacket sitting on a red and white Triumph Thruxton 1200 motorcycle on a road with autumn foliage. — It took more than 350 days, but the best-looking bike of the year just might be right here. That is almost certainly the case in the sub-400cc category.

Fast-forward a few months and thank heavens: like other entry-level Triumphs introduced on the subcontinent and eventually rolled out on US shores, this beauty is due for the same treatment.

Meet the 2026 Thruxton 400, headed to North America in all its café racer glory early next year.

Looks could thrill

I can’t personally talk about this bike without addressing the style, which hits just enough retro notes to honor the original long distance-racing Thruxton Bonnevilles of the 1960s while still fitting right in on any city street in the 2020s.

Fun fact: the name comes from a UK track where Triumph claimed the top three places in the Thruxton 500 mile endurance race in 1969.

Red and white motorcycle front with round headlight and clear windshield. — The bubbly fairing and classic round LED headlight carry the bulk of this Thruxton’s delightful retro vibes.

Housing both the classic round LED headlight and a generous windscreen to tuck behind, the bubblicious fairing is perfectly color-matched to the bullet seat cowl, with the low-riding clip-on bars and contoured teardrop tank accenting the retro racing vibes.

Snazzy bar-end mirrors, a jauntily upswept pipe, chopped rear mudguard and floating plate hanger add extra flair to the package.

Black and silver Triumph Thruxton 400 motorcycle with red accents parked on wooden dock near stacked lobster traps. — Tip to tail, this Thruxton showcases Triumph’s masterful blending of modern and classic aesthetics.

In yet another display of Triumph’s commitment to compelling style, the bike rolls out in a variety of colorways.

While only the Phantom Black, Pearl Metallic White and Metallic Racing Yellow editions are listed on the site, the Racing Red appears in much of the imagery, so let’s cross fingers that one makes it over here as well.

Let’s go

When it comes to performance, this bike resembles the Tracker 400 I wrote about yesterday, in that while it won’t necessarily overwhelm you with power, it loads up on approachability and fun.

That starts with the same updated TR series 398cc engine, which makes 41.4 horsepower at 9,000 rpm and 27.7 ft-lbs (37.5Nm) of peak torque at 7,500 rpm.

Two retro-style motorcycles, one black and one red, parked side by side on a wooden dock by the water. — These two colorways feel destined to be the most popular, assuming they both make it to North America.

The low bars and rear-set footpegs tilt you forward into a more engaged, aggressive café racer riding position (the better to split the wind behind that fairing), setting you up for deep-leaning bliss in the twisties.

The seat height of 31.3 inches, combined with a narrow standover and a curb weight of 388 pounds, meanwhile, keep the intimidation factor relatively low for newer and smaller riders.

Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tires aid traction in the corners, while inverted big piston forks (5.3 inches of travel) and a preload-adjustable gas mono-shock rear suspension unit (5.1 inches of travel) smooth out every bump and pothole.

Motorcyclist wearing black gear and helmet riding a red and black motorcycle leaning into a turn on a paved road. — While this bike will absolutely deliver in urban environments, twisty two-lane roads beguilingly beckon.

As throwback as the looks are, the bike also boasts Triumph’s latest rider-friendly tech, including ride-by-wire throttle, switchable traction control, torque assist clutch and ABS.

Not to mention an analog speedo integrated with an LCD tach display and USB-C charging port, of course.

Availability and pricing

The 2026 Triumph Thruxton 400 rolls into dealerships in March 2026 at a starting price of $6,295.

Black, white, and red Triumph Thruxton 1200 motorcycle with a silver exhaust and sporty fairing.

2026 Triumph Thruxton 400

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About the Author:

Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.

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