Triumphrat

Saltybottoms

Hi, all. Okay, I've wanted a Triumph for a long time. There's just something about them that works for me. I'd like to get some input on which model would be right for my first one. Here's my parameters.

A. I'm not a rider, never have been, but there's no time like the present, right?

B. I'm 53, 6 feet, 210lbs. Athletic, but still 53!

C. Most riding would be in town, (Clearwater/Tampa for you locals) not in-city. Occasional highway riding.

D. Not inclined to be a Cafe' Racer. But don't want a dog, either.

Input?

Saltybottoms

And, yes--riding classes are in order.

WildBill

Go to your nearest dealer and check out the entire Bonneville line,see which one stands out.Being a NEW rider,if you're smitten by Triumphs(as well you should be)they would be the easiest and probably safest for you to start out on.That being said,a friend of mine bought a used Moto Guzzi Nevada for his girlfriend to learn on.She's since graduated to a Thruxton.

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Those who danced,were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.

Steve7527

I've said it before...buy what you feel a passion for. You can learn together. Having said that the Rocket 3 might be a bad choice, so I'll shut up and get my coat lol

Saltybottoms

Instinct being what it is, and I trust mine, it's funny how the Bonny WAS the model that appealed to me right off the bat!

scgstuff

Salty Bottom...

For general bike related stuff and some locals to you, check out wristtwisters.com

The owner of the site is in the Tampa area, and the whole group is awesome. Of course, this is THE place to be for Triumph related questions so please don't leave here, but WristTwisters can probably point you to other moto resources in that general area. They are a non-bike, non-locale specific forum.

Shawn

Diego

This is the forum for Riders Association discussions, so I wouldn't be surprised if this thread gets moved to the Bikers Hangout area at some point. But I definitely agree that if you are going with a Triumph for your first bike, the Bonneville would be the best choice.

[EDIT: I see you have indeed posted to the Bikers Hangout. You probably weren't aware of the purposes of the various forums, but in future remember to pick the one that best suits the purpose of your question, and not multi-post in different forums. Thanks.]

I always encourage new riders to consider something a little lighter for their first ride while they develop basic skills. The Bonneville is heavier than it looks, so recovering from certain kinds of errors is not as easy as it would be with something a bit smaller.

And I especially encourage newcomers to start with a used bike, whatever size they choose. There are several practical reasons:
* if you drop it, you won't feel as bad as if it were the shiny new bike of your dreams
* someone else has eaten the depreciation on it, so when you go to sell it and move up to something bigger, you'll probably get most of your money back out of it; and,
* if (as sometimes happens) you decide riding isn't for you after all, you can sell it without being out so much money

Still and all, if you simply want the Bonneville and nothing else, it's far from the worst motorcycle for a first bike.

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John

Catenaccio

Speed Four or Ducati Monster 695, if you like sport bikes.

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I like to reminisce with people I don't know.

Saltybottoms

Thanks for the input--and guidance!

No, I want a Triumph. Again, I can't put my finger on it; maybe I shouldn't try to, either.

Will it haul my fat butt around fast enough?

Thanks again for the help!

alfacliff

last summer, I decided to get a new bike to replace the old 80 xs650. due to back, leg and old age, I tried quite a few bikes for fit and "feel" the bonnieville had the best fit. I cant sit on the "gynocologist chair" style, and the feet behind is uncomfortable for me too.
"If it dont fit, dont ride it"
cliff

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2006 Bonnie Black
1980 Yamaha xs650 sold 4-30-2011