Triumphrat

FattRat · 09-07-2005

I know nothing of the history behind the legendary Bonneville. I just know that I fell i love with that neato BSA tank badge on a cool bike years ago, and that it was replaced one day by "Triumph" on the same cool looking bike.

Soooo, my question would be:
What year does our 'new' Bonneville most closely resemble from past year models?

I would like to take steps to make my "Black" look more like an original, heck..... even go so far as to mount a fake kick starter to the bike (well, not really). I also LOVE the headlamp screen "oldsport" put on his bike, THAT's really cool too!

And if anybody can direct me to a coffee table book with big pretty pictures of past Bonnie's, that would be most appreciated. I also need some Black or British Racing Green t-shirts with the traditional "Triumph" on the front. I've had a few bikes in my day, but this Bonnie' is having a rather strange effect on me. I think I'm starting to 'get it'........

GaryD · 09-07-2005

Try this post in the Classic, Vintage and Veteran section. The fun part about the new Bonneville is that by your choice of modifications and accessories you can choose which original Bonneville you want to emulate. About two years ago Classic Bike ran an article on the Bonnevilles with detailed photos of every year and details of th eyear to year differences courtesy of a collector in Georgia who owns a whole set of perfectly restored Bonnevilles; I do not know how you could get a back copy. 1963 is the year I chose.

SpeedyPete · 09-07-2005

I want to say the design cues mainly come from the 1965 model year but anything through to 1968 will also be familiar to you.

If you go on Amazon, you'll find a few Triumph and Bonneville books, some with great color photos. I also recently read a book called "Turner's Triumphs" which is really a biography of Edward Turner but gives a great history of Triumph through to the late 60s since as head designer and Managing Director Turner really was Triumph, especially during its heydays of the 50's and 60's. Its surprisingly technical (he was a designer after all) so if you're mechanically inclined you'll probably get a bit more out of it than I did. What I did appreciate was that the classic bonneville design had its roots as far back as the speed triples of the early 50's.

P

CedarCreek · 09-07-2005

I just received "Triumph Motorcycles - A Century of Passion and Power" by Lindsay Brooke from Amazon.com yesterday. It's not quite a coffee table book but it has lots of nice photos and the basic history of Triumph.

Neducati · 09-07-2005

From looking at a lot of old Bonnies, I would say the new Bonneville most closely resembles a 1969 US spec Bonneville T120. The tank badges on the new Bonneville T100 resembles the "eyebrow" badge on the 1966 and later Bonnies, whereas the "harmonica" tank badge on the early 60's Bonnies look more like the tank badge on new Triumph Thunderbird. The covered shock and grey-top seats seem to have ended in 1969. The scalloped tank paint scheme seen on the new T100 resembles that done in 1969. Of course the 1960's Bonnies didn't have turn signals, so you're pretty much stuck with a 1970's look if you stick the repro Lucas units on your new Bonneville.

badrufus · 09-07-2005

I too am under the impression that the 1969-1970 models were used by Triumph in designing the new Bonnieville.

Doc_Hollywood · 09-07-2005

I want some pipes that resemble the "East Coast Special". I think the year was 65, and the pipes were high straights down the length of the bike on each side.......LOUD AND PROUD!

The same look was acheived by BSA with the "650 Hornet"......

Simply beautiful machines!

Doc

Deuce · 09-07-2005

I have an older issue of Motorcyclist magazine with an interview with John Bloor. He said Triumph went out and bought a 1969 Bonneville and used it as the basis for the current line up. The paint on the first T100 even matches the '69 model.

GrandPaulZ · 09-07-2005

The book mentioned is a good one. A personal friend, Howard "Shotgun" Winchester is quoted in there concerning the Triumph 'Slick Shift' and his racing exploits.

Another couple of good ones are "Bonnie: The Development History of the Triumph Bonneville", and "Triumph in the USA".

The new Bonnie was patterned loosely after the '69 model.

For what it's worth, the Bonnie was based on the '30s Speed Twin and retains the same basic layout to this day. One of the longest running true classic bikes on earth.
(Let's not nitpick about the "dark ages")

Diego · 09-07-2005

I bought a lithographed reproduction through e-bay a couple years ago of a Triumph sign advertising the T120R, in the same paint scheme as my 2002 Bonnie. With time, one notices the technological differences between the two, but overall they look so similar that one might first suppose they were the same bike.

Here's a fun site with an excellent history of Triumph:
Ian Chadwick