Triumphrat

the_jest

I'm a fairly new rider, been thinking about what I should get for my first "real" bike. (I'm currently debating between a Bonnie and a Street Triple, but that's a separate conversation I don't want to have here now.)

I spent a bit of time at my dealer the other day, looking things over to get a sense of what bikes I like and what I might want to do. For now I just want to go with the basic aesthetic things; I'd want to ride more before I start thinking about more serious performance-oriented changes.

I think in the end I like the basic Bonnie, but with some changes to make it more like the Thruxton. Some things I'm thinking about are:

• Tach (because I like having more information rather than less)
• Sportier bars (I like the Thruxton bars (which feel very comfortable even for longer-than-cafe-distances), but not the footpeg position (which don't, at all))
• Bar-end mirrors (don't like the regular mirrors at all)
• Removing the rear fender (dealer had a modded bike with the fender removed and it looked a million times better; don't have any opinion on lights etc.)
• Something to make the seat more interesting looking, while still leaving room for my gf on the back
• Flyscreen (not aesthetically--like the naked look better--but because I think having the full blast of wind on my chest would be distracting)

Any of this sound particularly reasonable or unreasonable?

Is there a good place to get a _brief_ discussion on basic mods? I've looked through a lot of threads here and it's clear that there's an infinite range of possibilities, but I don't know enough to evaluate all of these so was hoping there might be a place to start.

Thanks!

luckyduck

Some of that stuff is going to be expensive. Why not just get a Thruxton?

sayonora

tacho - could be expensive, I think stock tacho upgrade is about 220$, aftermarket units start at 70ish $
handlebars - these vary, go from 30ish$ for second hand or cheap clip-ons to 150+ for fully adjustable units
bar end mirrors - same goes here, but you should search the forums for good ones. I read a thread about cheap chinese ones and..well...it wasn't all that (40-200$)
removing rear fender - well a few obvious choices are a FEK (fender eliminator kit) which you could make yourself, I think new they cost around 150ish$? or the side mounted ones which cost about the same
flyscreen - again, could make yourself

here's some useful websites, to give you an idea:
http://www.british-customs.com
http://www.bellacorse.com
http://emgo.com/
http://www.speedmotoco.com

http://cafetwin.com/
http://www.burtonbikebits.net/

there's alot of them out there.


I think the easiest way is to just scroll around the forums, and see which ones you like. There's tiny differences everywhere, and in the end you will know what it is you want exactly.
I just made a map on my computer and started making a collection of images of bikes that I like.

I got alot of inspiration here:
http://www.triumphrat.net/twins-talk...ollection.html

and here:
http://www.triumphrat.net/club-cafe/...-comments.html

not alot but theres some here:
http://www.bikeexif.com/

__________________
Triumph t100 black custom cafe-scrambler

1972 Honda CB350Four - sold
1989 Honda XRV650 RD03 Africa Twin - sold
2001 Royal Enfield Bullet 350 - sold

the_jest

Well, in some way, I'm not sure! That's why I'm asking here. One reason is that with the Thruxton I'd have to move the pegs back, so I'd probably still be ahead of the game.

But also--the 2013 line added a color that was just made for me, me, me. I'm a purple-lovin' guy:



and when I saw the new Bonnie in Imperial Purple:



I thought, "YES."

Thruxtonbill

Cheaper to buy the Thrux and paint it purple if that's what it's all about for ya. You may love that color now but my guess is you'll get tired of it, but like I said it's just a guess.

GDCobra

From your original post it sounds like you like most things to be like the Thruxton apart from the peg position, this can be changed although it is a little involved but are you sure you don't like this? The position is not exactly jockey style feet up under your backside like on a pure sports bike, I find it suits the bar position very well simply putting your body into a slight forward tilt, not extreme IMO, I think it would feel a bit odd to have forward set pegs and low bars (or rear set peg and high bars for that matter) but I've never ridden like that so can't say for sure.

Personally I chose the Thruxton even though I thought at the time I may need the Bonneville style seating position because I thought it easier to modify that way particularly as I just found the Thruxton looked better finished (controls - hand and foot-, clocks, footpegs...) although I realised later that I was comparing to a standard Bonnie rather than a T100. Even so I still think I made the right choice.
I do think the colour schemes for some of the Bonnevilles are better than the slightly boring ones available for the Thruxton, although I believe they have a green available in 2013 which may be nice and paint can be changed, my blue/white is not standard.

Danbuc

Thruxton.


It will be easier to "Bonnify" the Thruxton, than it will be to "Thruxtonize" the Bonny.....if you catch my drift.


You get a lot more for the price, and a better base to start with I think. Either way, you can't really go wrong. Think about the image of what you want your Classic Twin to look like. Then figure out what is involved to get there. Then choose the bike that suits this image best and go from there.


I knew I wanted the low bars, rearsets, and tail cowl at bare minimum. Hence why I chose the Thruxton.

__________________
"It's not leaking oil, it's just sweating from all the horsepower!"

Mods:Arrow 2-1, BC FEK, BC indicators, BC Quick release cover screws, BC AIRK, CRG mirrors, LSL Rearsets, black 'chazzos', custom 'brushed finish' headlight, NH Damper.

larrykahn

I'd say buy the bike first, ride it for a month or two and then see where you're at. You've got plenty of time to change things.

And are you in New York City or elsewhere in state? If in the city, GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE!!! while you're still young! For the bikes sake if nothing else.

GTO Bruin

Like you and many in the forum, I had the same dilemma - Bonny or Thruxton. Of course you can't really go wrong. But it is important to know what are the things you really want ... like your purple paint.

I was the same way with my eventual choice. Two things were the deciding factors. I wanted the two-tone Blue and White. I also really wanted mag wheels. Since mine is a 2012 SE, it came with a tach. Otherwise it's the same starting point as the 2013 Bonny.

I hated the stock mirrors, so I ordered the bar ends from the dealer so I wouldn't have to leave the lot with the lollipops. Now I wish I hadn't, because one of the things I plan to do next is a handlebar swap, and now I have to consider installing my bar ends, which go into threaded inserts, on a new bar. People have posted solutions on this forum, but you may want to save yourself the hassle, and when you change your bars, get the standard fitment mirrors for greater flexibility.

The low stock Bonny seat sucks, so that was the next thing that had to go. I wanted a cafe look and debated between the Solo seat and the Corbin Gunfighter. Went with the latter, which I love. It doesn't ride two-up, but for those occassions, which are rare for me, I just put the stocker back on.

• Triumph Bar-end Mirrors
• Corbin Classic Gunfighter Seat
• BC Fender Eliminator Kit
• BC Front Turn Signal Relocator
• Homemade Rear Turn Signal Relocator
• BC Brush Bullet Indicator Lights
• EMGO Megaphone Slip-ons (Bellacorse Supplied)
• Arrow 2-2 Re-map (by dealer at 1st service)
• AI Disabled

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ALLTRIUMPH

that purple is nice!