Triumphrat

bushybester

I now own one of 650 Limited Edition 2009 Bonneville’s, I also own an original 1959 T120 Triumph Bonneville. The first year of manufacture for Bonneville’s.

My question: Did Triumph get the story right? They called the new Bonneville and subsequent Bonneville's a T 100 where it should be called T 120 Bonneville after the first original Bonneville, the T 100 was originally a Tiger 100.

The first T120 Bonneville was a 650cc motor and if I were to build a limited edition Bonneville to commemorate the first year of manufacture I would surely like to have the facts straight. I would call it a T120, have a 650 or close in size motor, be parrell twin motor, and feature some of the original features the may not have been desirable back in the day, but now considered unique like the nacelle.

Surely Triumph could have done a better job at building and calling what became a world famous icon.

What also has me worried? Where was this thing built? Try-one and never try one again (This may be the beginning of a decline?) so solely UK?

What are your thoughts or comments?

Diego

The where-built thing has been done to death in the Twins forum and elsewhere. Old news now. Very old.

As for whether they got the name right, that's a moot point as well. The T-100 has been a T-100 now for half a dozen years or more. The designation had nothing to do with the original Bonneville anyway, except insofar as Triumph used to number the models by a sometimes-optimistic approximation of the model's top speed. That is, the T-120s might theoretically be capable of 120 mph with a small rider on a good day, without too much modification; a T-140, 140 mph (same disclaimers); a T-150--well, you get the idea.

I suppose a person can always wish for something grander with the Bonneville name on it. But if you've got the conflicting demands of strict emission requirements, modern expectations of durability, the need to keep the bike looking sufficiently retro to please those who love the old style, and still build moderate quantities of the product at an affordable price, then there will be compromises made somewhere along the way.

Rather than fret over esoteric philosophical matters, why not just go ride and enjoy what you've got there: the best of both worlds.

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John

rdh900

Hinckley has always been into capitalizing on the name and mystique of the Meriden twins. It's not economically feasible to build a true replica. How do you like the new bike?

davids

I tried a test ride on a Bonneville and to be fair it is a very nice bike to ride smooth and comfortabe and a useful round town tool. However it is entirely different in nature to the old T120 650 of revered memory.

I think that to make it a bit more like its namesake it needs to be 10 horsepower heavier and 10 Kilos lighter to give it the 'snap' that the old one had, just my opinion based on a one off ride.

At the risk of being controversial there is a school of thought (and here I'm showing my age....) that rated the old BSA Lightning 650 of the same era over the Bonneville as it was at least as quick with a shorter stroke engine

I'll sign off before I get myself into even deeper water!: