Works for Triumph Speed 400, Speed T4, Scrambler 400X, Scrambler 400 XC & Thruxton 400

Setting the time on your Triumph 400 might seem confusing at first glance, but it’s actually a straightforward process once you know the steps. Whether you own a Speed 400, Speed T4, Scrambler 400X, Scrambler 400 XC, or the new Thruxton 400, this comprehensive guide will walk you through the exact process to adjust your motorcycle’s digital clock in less than two minutes.

All five models in the Triumph 400 series share the same 398cc TR-series engine platform and identical instrument cluster system, which means the time-setting procedure works the same across every variant. This guide is based on a detailed video tutorial and tested procedures that work for all Triumph 400cc motorcycles.

What You Need to Know Before Starting

The 24-Hour Time Format

One crucial detail that catches many Triumph 400 owners by surprise: the instrument cluster displays time in 24-hour military format. This cannot be changed to a 12-hour AM/PM format.

What This Means:

• Morning hours (1:00 AM to 11:59 AM) remain similar: 01:00 to 11:59
• Midnight displays as 00:00, not 12:00 AM
• Afternoon hours require mental conversion: 1:00 PM becomes 13:00, 6:00 PM becomes 18:00, and so on
• Evening goes up to 23:59 (11:59 PM)

Don’t worry—we’ll provide a detailed conversion chart later in this guide to make this transition easier.

Locating the ‘i’ Button

The ‘i’ button, also called the mode button, scroll button, or set button, is your primary control for navigating the instrument cluster settings. On all Triumph 400 models, this button is located on the left handlebar control cluster. It typically has an ‘i’ symbol or information icon printed on it.

Time Required

Once you’re familiar with the process, setting the time on your Triumph 400 takes approximately 90 seconds to 2 minutes. The first time might take slightly longer as you familiarize yourself with the button sequence.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Set Time on Triumph 400

Now, let’s walk through the complete process. Follow these steps carefully, and you’ll have your clock set correctly in no time.

Step 1: Power Up Your Motorcycle

Before you can access any settings, you need to activate your Triumph 400’s electrical system:

Action 1: Insert your ignition key into the ignition switch and turn it to the “ON” position. You’ll hear the fuel pump prime and see your instrument cluster illuminate with all warning lights briefly lighting up during the startup self-test.

Action 2: Locate the engine kill switch on your right handlebar. This red switch should be flipped to the “RUN” position (not the kill or stop position). When in the correct position, your instrument cluster will be fully active and displaying all information.

Why This Matters: The instrument cluster needs full electrical power to access the settings menu. Simply having the ignition on without the kill switch in the run position may not allow you to enter the configuration mode on some Triumph 400 models.

Pro Tip: You don’t need to start the engine for this process. In fact, it’s better to keep the engine off so you can focus on the display without distraction from engine noise or vibration.

Step 2: Navigate to the SET Menu

Now that your Triumph 400 is powered up, you’ll need to access the settings menu:

The Process: Press the ‘i’ button repeatedly. Each press cycle through different display modes on your instrument cluster. You’ll see various screens, including:

• Main riding display with speed and gear position
• Trip meter A
• Trip meter B
• Odometer reading
• Other information screens

Keep Pressing: Continue pressing the ‘i’ button until you see “SET” appear on your instrument cluster display. This is the settings menu access point.

How Long Does This Take? Depending on which screen you’re currently viewing, you may need to press the button 5-10 times to reach the SET display. Be patient and watch your screen carefully.

Visual Confirmation: When you reach the correct screen, “SET” will be clearly visible on the digital portion of your instrument cluster. Don’t confuse this with other displays—the word “SET” should be prominent and easy to read.

Step 3: Enter Clock Setting Mode

Once you’ve reached the SET display, you’re ready to access the specific clock adjustment function:

Long-press the ‘button: Instead of a quick tap, press and hold the ‘i’ button for approximately 2-3 seconds. This long press is the key to entering the submenu.

Watch for “CLOCK”: After holding the button, you’ll see the word “CLOCK” appear on your instrument cluster display. This confirms you’ve successfully entered the time-setting mode.

What Happens Next: Immediately after “CLOCK” appears, you’ll notice the hour digit on your display starts blinking. This blinking indicates that the hour value is now ready to be adjusted, and you’re in editing mode.

If Nothing Happens: If the display doesn’t change to CLOCK or nothing blinks, you may not have held the button long enough. Release the button, wait a second, and try the long press again, holding for a full 3 seconds this time.

Step 4: Set the Hour

With the hour digit blinking on your Triumph 400 display, you’re now ready to adjust it to the correct time:

Adjustment Method: Press the ‘i’ button repeatedly—each short press increases the hour by one. The number will cycle from 00 through 23 (remember, it’s a 24-hour format) and then back to 00.

Finding Your Time: Keep pressing until you reach the desired hour. For example:

• If it’s 9:00 AM, set it to 09
• If it’s 3:00 PM, set it to 15
• If it’s 8:00 PM, set it to 20
• If it’s midnight, set it to 00

Passed Your Target? Don’t worry if you accidentally go past your desired hour. The display cycles continuously, so just keep pressing until it comes back around. Alternatively, if you’re just one or two hours past, it might be faster to continue pressing forward rather than cycling all the way back.

Visual Feedback: As you press, you’ll see the number increment on the display. The digit will continue blinking throughout this process, reminding you that you’re still in hour-adjustment mode.

Take Your Time: There’s no rush. The setting mode won’t time out quickly, so you can take your time finding the exact hour you need.

Step 5: Move to Minute Adjustment

After you’ve set the correct hour, it’s time to adjust the minutes:

Long Press Again: Once the hour is set correctly, perform another long press on the ‘i’ button (hold for 2-3 seconds). This tells the system you’re finished with the hour and want to move to the minute setting.

Minutes Start Blinking: After the long press, you’ll notice the minute digits now start blinking instead of the hour. The hour digit you just set will stop blinking and become static, while the minute portion becomes editable.

Confirmation: This blinking minute display confirms you’ve successfully moved to the minute-adjustment phase. You’re now ready to set the precise time.

Step 6: Set the Minutes

The minute-setting process works identically to the hour setting:

Press to Increment: Press the ‘i’ button repeatedly. Each press increases the minute value by one. The minutes cycle from 00 through 59 and then back to 00.

Set Your Exact Time: Continue pressing until you reach your desired minute value. For example:

• For 3:15 PM (which you’ve already set as 15 hours), press until minutes show 15
• For 9:45 AM (09 hours), press until minutes show 45
• For exactly on-the-hour times, set minutes to 00

Strategy for Large Adjustments: If you need to change the minutes significantly (for example, from 05 to 50), be prepared for quite a bit of button pressing. Each press only increments by one minute, so changing by 45 minutes requires 45 presses.

Accuracy Tip: If you’re setting the time to match a reference clock (like your phone), consider setting the minutes one or two ahead to account for the time it takes to complete the saving process. Alternatively, wait until your reference clock hits your target minute, then quickly press through to match it.

Patient Clicking: Yes, it can be tedious to click through many minutes, but remember—you won’t need to do this often. Most riders only adjust the time twice a year for daylight saving changes or after a battery disconnection.

Step 7: Save and Exit

After setting both hours and minutes correctly, you need to save your changes:

Final Long Press: Perform one more long press of the ‘i’ button (2-3 seconds). This is the save command that tells your Triumph 400 to store the new time setting.

Visual Confirmation: After this final long press, the blinking will stop completely. The time digits will become solid (non-blinking), indicating they’ve been saved successfully.

Automatic Exit: The display will automatically exit the clock-setting mode and return to your normal riding display. You should now see your newly set time displayed on the instrument cluster, no longer blinking.

Verify Your Setting: Take a moment to check that the time displayed matches what you intended to set. If it’s incorrect, don’t worry—simply repeat the process from Step 2. It becomes much faster the second time around.

Return to Riding: Your Triumph 400 is now showing the correct time, and you can turn off the kill switch and ignition if you’re done, or start the engine and get riding!

Understanding the 24-Hour Time Format: Complete Conversion Guide

Since all Triumph 400 models use 24-hour format exclusively, here’s a comprehensive conversion reference to help you quickly set the correct time:

Early Morning Hours (Midnight to Noon)

• 12:00 AM (Midnight) = 00:00
• 1:00 AM = 01:00
• 2:00 AM = 02:00
• 3:00 AM = 03:00
• 4:00 AM = 04:00
• 5:00 AM = 05:00
• 6:00 AM = 06:00
• 7:00 AM = 07:00
• 8:00 AM = 08:00
• 9:00 AM = 09:00
• 10:00 AM = 10:00
• 11:00 AM = 11:00

Afternoon and Evening Hours (Noon to Midnight)

• 12:00 PM (Noon) = 12:00
• 1:00 PM = 13:00
• 2:00 PM = 14:00
• 3:00 PM = 15:00
• 4:00 PM = 16:00
• 5:00 PM = 17:00
• 6:00 PM = 18:00
• 7:00 PM = 19:00
• 8:00 PM = 20:00
• 9:00 PM = 21:00
• 10:00 PM = 22:00
• 11:00 PM = 23:00

Quick Conversion Rule

For PM times (afternoon/evening): Simply add 12 to the hour

• 1:00 PM = 1 + 12 = 13:00
• 5:30 PM = 5 + 12 = 17:30
• 11:45 PM = 11 + 12 = 23:45

For AM times (morning): Use the hour as-is, just add a leading zero for single-digit hours

• 9:00 AM = 09:00
• 3:15 AM = 03:15

Why 24-Hour Format?

Many modern motorcycles, including the entire Triumph 400 series, use a 24-hour format because:

1. It’s the international standard in aviation and military contexts
2. It eliminates AM/PM confusion
3. It’s widely used in many countries around the world
4. It provides clarity when scheduling long rides or trips

After a few days of use, most riders find the 24-hour format becomes second nature, especially for common times like their commute hours.

Troubleshooting Common Triumph 400 Clock Issues

Even with clear instructions, sometimes things don’t go as planned. Here are the most common issues Triumph 400 owners encounter when setting the time, along with solutions

Problem 1: Can’t Reach the SET Display

Symptoms: You’re pressing the ‘i’ button repeatedly, but the SET screen never appears. The display cycles through trip meters and other information, but skips the SET option.

Possible Causes:

• Ignition not fully turned on
• The kill switch is in the wrong position
• The button is not being pressed properly

Solutions:

1. Double-check that your ignition key is turned fully to the ON position, not just in accessory mode
2. Verify the engine kill switch is in the RUN position (typically pointing downward or toward the front)
3. Try pressing the ‘i’ button more deliberately—some units require a firm, definite press
4. If you have multiple buttons near the ‘i’ button (like hazard or mode buttons), ensure you’re pressing the correct one
5. On some Triumph 400 units, you may need to be in a specific display mode first—try it from the main riding screen

Problem 2: CLOCK Mode Won’t Activate

Symptoms: You can reach the SET display, but when you long-press the ‘i’ button, nothing happens—no CLOCK display appears.

Solutions:

1. Hold the button longer—try counting to 4 seconds instead of 3
2. Make sure you’re pressing and holding continuously, not tapping
3. Release the button completely and try again after waiting 2-3 seconds
4. Some units are sensitive—try applying more pressure while holding
5. Check if your button might be damaged or sticky (rare, but possible)

Problem 3: Time Keeps Resetting

Symptoms: You successfully set the time, but later you notice it has reset to an incorrect time, often 00:00 or a random hour.

Possible Causes:

• Weak or failing battery
• Loose battery connection
• Didn’t complete the final save step properly
• Electrical system issue

Solutions:

1. Check your battery: A weak battery (below 12.4V when not running) can cause settings to reset. Test your battery voltage or have it checked at a service center
2. Inspect battery terminals: Ensure battery connections are tight and free from corrosion. Loose terminals can cause intermittent power loss
3. Repeat the setting process carefully: Make sure you’re completing the final long-press save step. The blinking should stop, indicating the save was successful
4. Monitor for pattern: If the time resets every time you turn off the ignition, this indicates a power retention issue—visit your Triumph dealer
5. After battery replacement: If you recently replaced your battery and the time keeps resetting, the new battery may be defective or incorrectly installed

Problem 4: Display Blinking Won’t Stop

Symptoms: After setting the time, digits continue blinking, or you’re stuck in edit mode and can’t exit.

Solutions:

1. Perform the long-press save step (hold ‘i’ button for 3 seconds) to exit and save
2. If that doesn’t work, try pressing the ‘i’ button multiple times quickly to cycle through
3. As a last resort, turn off the ignition and kill switch, wait 10 seconds, then turn back on—your settings may not save, but you’ll exit the mode

Problem 5: Wrong Time After Setting

Symptoms: You set the time carefully, but when you check later, it’s wrong—usually off by several hours.

Common Causes:

• Forgot about the 24-hour format and set PM time incorrectly
• Accidentally continued pressing and didn’t notice
• Time zone confusion

Solutions:

1. Double-check your conversion: Remember, 3:00 PM is 15:00, not 03:00 in 24-hour format
2. Write it down first: Before starting, write down the target time in 24-hour format to avoid mistakes
3. Reference the conversion chart: Use the detailed chart provided earlier in this guide
4. Take your time: Don’t rush through the setting process—accuracy is more important than speed

Problem 6: Can’t Find the ‘i’ Button

Symptoms: You’re new to the Triumph 400, and you can’t locate the button mentioned in the instructions.

Solution: The ‘i’ button location is consistent across all Triumph 400 models:

1. Look at your left handlebar
2. Find the cluster of controls (usually including turn signals)
3. The ‘i’ button is typically marked with an information symbol (i)
4. It’s usually a small, round button that’s easy to press with your thumb
5. Refer to your owner’s manual page on “Instrument Cluster Controls” if still unsure
6. Watch the original video tutorial linked at the end of this article for a visual reference

Conclusion: Master Your Triumph 400 in Minutes

Setting the time on your Triumph 400 series motorcycle—whether you ride a Speed 400, Speed T4, Scrambler 400X, Scrambler 400 XC, or the stylish new Thruxton 400—is a simple process that becomes second nature after doing it once or twice.

Key Takeaways:

1. All five Triumph 400 models use the same procedure for setting the time
2. The 24-hour format is standard and cannot be changed
3. The process takes about 2 minutes once you’re familiar with it
4. The ‘i’ button is your control for navigating and adjusting settings
5. Long presses are used to enter modes and save settings
6. Short presses increment hours and minutes by one

Remember the Simple Sequence:

1. Turn on the ignition and kill switch
2. Press ‘i’ until you see SET
3. Long-press for CLOCK mode
4. Set hours with short presses
5. Long-press to switch to minutes
6. Set minutes with short presses
7. Long-press to save and exit

With this knowledge, you’re now equipped to keep your Triumph 400’s clock accurate year-round. No more checking your phone while riding or arriving late because you misjudged journey time. Your instrument cluster will display the correct time, helping you plan your rides, commutes, and adventures with precision.

Whether you’re navigating city traffic on your Speed 400, exploring trails on your Scrambler 400X, or carving canyon roads on your Thruxton 400, having the correct time is one small detail that contributes to a better, more organized riding experience.