Triumphrat

TwinVee2

I"ve had goldwings and just sold my harley so I"ve always wanted a triumph. rode some back in the 60"s but I don"t know which to buy and still get my wife to ride and have the power to us both. Can anyone give me some thought on the subect?

barneys

I have a Bonnie T100 and ride 2 up with my Wife. Does the job well. Only got the stock seat but I am planning to get a Kng & Queen for next season.

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I'd give up beer, but I'm no quitter

Old Scratcher

Monte's your Man, as he's had both. & I'm sure he'll be posting his 2c worth, here shortly. However, if you're thinking new, or near new. I think the Bonnie's your only option, as they haven't been making Tbirds for a few years now. But with many Tbird owners being fastidious about their rides (Monte was until a deer hit it) I don't think you'd have too much trouble finding a well loved, barely used one at a good price.
BTW What kind of roads & riding are you planning on doing? Are you a mad modder, or do you keep your rides original? Because this could have a bearing on which bike you pick. e.g. A standard Tbird is more powerfull than a standard Bonnie, but both can be improved with mods.
Anyway I'm sure Monte can explain the fine details better than me, so I'll leave it for him.

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"They told me I was goin to have to work for my living, & all I wanna do is ride." Jackson Browne (the Road & The Sky)

TwinVee2

Thanks for the reply. my friend bought a scrambler today so he told me to ride it to. Big decission.

whoa

I miss my triple. The twin is plenty fun, but I did compromise torque for nostalgia. I thought a lot about the triple, but ultimately chose the sound and feel of the twin. If I were going to two up, and make longer runs, and didn't have such a fondness for twins, I'd have gone triple.

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05 Thruxton

TwinVee2

We use to take long trips but now no more than maybe a couple hundred miles at a time

Old Scratcher

The 270 crank on the Scrambler is supposed to make it feel more like a V twin (it ceratinly sounds like one), & I've always thought that it feels more like a V twin than an upright parallel twin. However other more experienced Harley riders on this forum have said they thought they were as similar as chalk & cheese. So you might not think so either. But if you like low-down pulling power, the Scrambler's definitely gruntier than a Bonnie in that dept. & they're a lot better in the dirt than they're given credit for too (if that has any bearing on your choice). So throw a leg over your mates bike (if he's offering a ride) & see how you like them (I love mine)

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"They told me I was goin to have to work for my living, & all I wanna do is ride." Jackson Browne (the Road & The Sky)

jp99tbirdnm

I'm kinda prejudice on this because of my T-Bird. So I say Thunderbird, but the
guys here are right about doing mods to the bike as the Bonnie has a much
larger aftermarket. Ride both and that will make your mind up. I personally love
the sound and power of the triple over the twin. Just my .02.

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I'd rather live one day as a Lion than 1000 years as a sheep.

Jerry

99 Triumph Thunderbird
05 H-D XL1200C

rmak

Don't want to steal Monte's thunder (thunder-Thunderbird, get it!) but I've owned both as well. Here are my thoughts. T-Bird: great bike in many ways. I sold mine to a friend who loves it still. jp99 the Tbird man is correct about aftermarket options. I think it's because the T-bird accommodates a lot less modification, and for me was a lot more difficult to work on. It's kind of a hybrid retro look in my opinion, like the Speedy and American. And I've already been on record as disliking the big radiator.

The Bonneville to me is a blank slate and can be taken in many different directions. That was why I bought a Softail Standard when I did a Harley thing. It too is open for customization. If you're into adding your own personality and creativity to a bike, The Bonnie's a good choice. It's easy to work on for the most part. Make it retro, cafe', flat-track, hooligan, etc. Keep the engine stock and enjoy a fun and accessible machine or hop it up. (One of the members here has a 100hp dyno run). Mods take work and a (probably) non-returnable investment, but, it's your choice and the potential is there.

I don't think you can make a mistake getting either bike...but I'm kind of prejudice too.

WaltZ

I own an '04 T100 now...
But the TBird; "it gets out of it's way."

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- Packy
'04 B&W T100
The Bike I Ride