CURIOUS??
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Or...maybe the engines are also assembled in Thai...resulting in higher quality engines. You've got to raise the quality bar if you are going to compete with Honda engines--whether it's a lawnmower, auto, or motorcycle.
I, for one, do not believe the Triumph PR people. I suspect that if you sit a Bonnie made in England and one made in Thai side-by-side, one can tell the difference just by visual inspection...and the Thai Bonnie will be the one picked as the higher quality Bonnie. :-D
Larry
I, for one, do not believe the Triumph PR people. I suspect that if you sit a Bonnie made in England and one made in Thai side-by-side, one can tell the difference just by visual inspection...and the Thai Bonnie will be the one picked as the higher quality Bonnie. :-D
Larry
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300 Posts
I'm afraid to say that I've heard the same thing speculated......
I agree with you Larry. I will be curious to se how the long term goes. My Bonne coulda been a little better assembled. Had to tighten all the bolts on the whole bike the 1st month. The carb boots are the most common one overlooked as I have found. Watch & wait? :???: 
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173 Posts
I agree with Larry and Captdon. Most likely the Thai assembly plant is exactly or very close to the Hinckley plant in terms of the quality of the plant itself. The other factor is the work force. Triumph should be able to hire highly qualified workers who will eagerly work for something absurd like a dollar a day. So I don't see any reason for a reduction in build quality or reliability.
People often bring up Enfield as a example of what will happen to Triumph if they started assemby in Thailand. But if you read the RE manifesto, it clearly states that REs are retro bikes built exactly like they were in 1955. RE hasn't had a serious retooling until very recently. I anticipate that they will become more reliable in the next few years. To go back to my argument - if Triumph builds a decent, modern plant, the reliability and build quality should be just fine!
Talking about the great Triumph reliability.....I have owned my Bonnie for 8 months and here is a list of problems I've had so far:
1) Paint peeling on the gas tank within a month???!
2) As mentioned by others - have had to tighten bolts within a month of ownership (carb boots were spraying gas
3) Speedo condensation is so bad that I can't see a thing if I ride in the rain (Triumph won't replace under warranty)
4) Speedo needle and counter vibrate violently at speeds over 70 (might be able to get speedo replaced if I can replicate this problem while at the dealer)
5) Counter reset knob fell off.
6) Ignition computer died for no reason (spent hours trying to diagnose the problem and had to pay $150 to get it towed to dealer)
I still love my Bonnie, but certainly not for its stellar reliability or build quality. I owned a 2002 Honda Magna for 2 years ---- number of problems = ZERO!!!!
[ This message was edited by: toocaffeinated on 2007-01-17 19:42 ]
People often bring up Enfield as a example of what will happen to Triumph if they started assemby in Thailand. But if you read the RE manifesto, it clearly states that REs are retro bikes built exactly like they were in 1955. RE hasn't had a serious retooling until very recently. I anticipate that they will become more reliable in the next few years. To go back to my argument - if Triumph builds a decent, modern plant, the reliability and build quality should be just fine!
Talking about the great Triumph reliability.....I have owned my Bonnie for 8 months and here is a list of problems I've had so far:
1) Paint peeling on the gas tank within a month???!
2) As mentioned by others - have had to tighten bolts within a month of ownership (carb boots were spraying gas
3) Speedo condensation is so bad that I can't see a thing if I ride in the rain (Triumph won't replace under warranty)
4) Speedo needle and counter vibrate violently at speeds over 70 (might be able to get speedo replaced if I can replicate this problem while at the dealer)
5) Counter reset knob fell off.
6) Ignition computer died for no reason (spent hours trying to diagnose the problem and had to pay $150 to get it towed to dealer)
I still love my Bonnie, but certainly not for its stellar reliability or build quality. I owned a 2002 Honda Magna for 2 years ---- number of problems = ZERO!!!!
[ This message was edited by: toocaffeinated on 2007-01-17 19:42 ]
road_dog,
I'll try not to offend anyone, but the better build quality I have seen over the past couple of decades doesn't come from the USA or Great Britain. I'm not so sure that either country can keep pace in the design department any more, either. Sad, but our interests seem to be in fluff items, and our business and political leaders are focused on the Short Term rather than long term benefits for their respective countries.....end of rant....back to retirement. :-D
Larry
I'll try not to offend anyone, but the better build quality I have seen over the past couple of decades doesn't come from the USA or Great Britain. I'm not so sure that either country can keep pace in the design department any more, either. Sad, but our interests seem to be in fluff items, and our business and political leaders are focused on the Short Term rather than long term benefits for their respective countries.....end of rant....back to retirement. :-D
Larry
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589 Posts
Well if Ford can see fit to have a plant in Thailand, I think Truimph will manage as well. You can tell some people have just never traveled anywhere before by the responses they give here, that is including to England. Thailand is not a third world country, nor do most people there work for a dollar a day. Just take a look at most of the clothes you or your spouse are wearing, they might just say made in Thailand, and from some of the top brands and designers that are sold here in the US, they seem to be making a go of it as well!! I would bet the quality of Thai bikes will be exactly the same as if they were made anywhere else, and since they are made using the same parts that would be on a Brit assembled bike, a lot of the problems you have will be exactly the same as well!
Nathan
Nathan
Globalization is a fact of life these days, more American companies make their wares somewhere else, often with the excuse that American workers are too expensive. I'm sure British co's are of the same thinking.
BUT, why did Mercedes build a plant in Alabama, BMW South Carolina, Toyota in Texas, etc, etc, I even read that the Chinese company that owns MG is looking at Oklahoma for a plant.
Its getting hard to justify buying only American manufactured, or British in this case, these days.
My bike is an '04, British assembled I suppose, with electronics from Japan, wheels from Italy, etc. etc.
I just wonder if the Thai plant will use that goop they spray the bike with before sea shipment. I thought I had oil leaks for the first couple of months...
BUT, why did Mercedes build a plant in Alabama, BMW South Carolina, Toyota in Texas, etc, etc, I even read that the Chinese company that owns MG is looking at Oklahoma for a plant.
Its getting hard to justify buying only American manufactured, or British in this case, these days.
My bike is an '04, British assembled I suppose, with electronics from Japan, wheels from Italy, etc. etc.
I just wonder if the Thai plant will use that goop they spray the bike with before sea shipment. I thought I had oil leaks for the first couple of months...
Too funny on the goop/ oil leak!! Happenned t ome & my 2 friends Bonnes. As said I had a Honda Magna as well PROBLEMS = 0 . Was reliable/ fast till it met its match with a utility truck. Was my favorite Honda (cept 305 Scrambler) Too bad they dont re-make them. I gues the 919 is the updated version? Will see on the Thai bonne's? As i posted before I thimnk it will keep the breed alive -even if no export?
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589 Posts
BMW, Mercedes, and the rest of the lot bought in the US to avoid taxes, tariffs and whatever other import fees that may have been levied on a car made overseas for a primarily US market anyway! Smart move on thier part, same as it was on Triumphs part to move production to another plant to keep the bikes rolling out since the Brit factory was already at max production. I am sure they got land cheaper, factory built at a cheaper and faster rate then they would have in England, and as some people have said a willing, able, and less expensive work force. Its all about the bottom line, and whats coming in and going out at the end of the day.
Nathan
Nathan
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751 Posts
All I can say in regard to this is that my Bonnie has the best build quality of any of the bikes I've ever owned, including a couple of Harley's.
Being from the United kingdom myself, my Triumph is the one thing that makes me swell with patriotic pride.
When you bare in mind the lengths that John Bloor has gone to, to resurrect the mark, first by building the original plant and then by re-building it after a fire, keeping the faith in his product whilst waiting to break even and eventually turn a profit, whilst at the same time providing an outstanding quality Motorcycle at an affordable price in keeping with all the best traditions of British Motorcycling.
Then I don't think the man will sell himself or his customers short now.
I believe the man and his product will continue with credit and great integrity wherever it's built in the world.
God Bless Him.
Jon (UK).
Being from the United kingdom myself, my Triumph is the one thing that makes me swell with patriotic pride.
When you bare in mind the lengths that John Bloor has gone to, to resurrect the mark, first by building the original plant and then by re-building it after a fire, keeping the faith in his product whilst waiting to break even and eventually turn a profit, whilst at the same time providing an outstanding quality Motorcycle at an affordable price in keeping with all the best traditions of British Motorcycling.
Then I don't think the man will sell himself or his customers short now.
I believe the man and his product will continue with credit and great integrity wherever it's built in the world.
God Bless Him.
Jon (UK).
Having owned Austin Healys, MG's ,Triumph (car & bike) Jag, Morris etc I have the upmost respect for British performance. My 1st bike was a Triumph- this ojne will be mylast! They were never the "best built" . They were the best (@ the time) the best performing tho. The new Bonne's have all the needed replacement stuff (no Lucas, amal ,leaks etc.) so we got the past good stuff w/ all the stuff need to make it rite. I never thought Id say "I owned a Triumph that was as reliable as a Honda!) May wonders never cease!
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895 Posts
My '06 Bonnie has 6000+ miles on it. No peeling paint. No parts have fallen off. No parts have been loose. No vibrations. No faulty gauges. No leaks. No complaints.
<BR>Two Warranty repairs.
<BR>1. Fuel petcock.
<BR>2. High beam indicator light.
<BR>I'm happy.
<BR>Looks good.Runs good.Makes me smile.
<BR>Gee, if Thai Bonnies are better built, I don't know if I'll be able to stand it.
<BR>
<BR>Dennis
[ This message was edited by: wonderdog on 2007-01-20 22:23 ]
<BR>Two Warranty repairs.
<BR>1. Fuel petcock.
<BR>2. High beam indicator light.
<BR>I'm happy.
<BR>Looks good.Runs good.Makes me smile.
<BR>Gee, if Thai Bonnies are better built, I don't know if I'll be able to stand it.
<BR>
<BR>Dennis
[ This message was edited by: wonderdog on 2007-01-20 22:23 ]
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690 Posts
My 01 bonnie arrived from GB, sans air filter! It wasn't discovered by the dealer, or me until I started to install an aftermarket filter at 4K miles. The local dealer did a compression test to determine if measurable damage had occured, and the test pressure was at the upper end of normal.
So far, at 12K miles I've had only one other problem (blued header pipes, replaced under warrenty by the dealer) and am very happy with the bike.
However, like Redbird, I suspect that build quality from Thai may be better overall than from GB. I doubt if Thai workers would have been on a tea break when my air filter element was supposed to have been installed! tturbo2
So far, at 12K miles I've had only one other problem (blued header pipes, replaced under warrenty by the dealer) and am very happy with the bike.
However, like Redbird, I suspect that build quality from Thai may be better overall than from GB. I doubt if Thai workers would have been on a tea break when my air filter element was supposed to have been installed! tturbo2
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751 Posts
Excellent to hear from you all guys.
In my previous post I forgot to mention that I have had 14000 trouble free miles from my 2003 T100 , it's only need, the regular service checks which aren't expensive and she's still in perfect condition.
We don't have California weather here either.
She's only cost me a set of tyres and a chain and sprocket kit extra so far.
I did 3500 miles around Europe in 13 days Taking in The Alps, The Mediterranean, France, Monaco, Italy, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and Holland with no problems whatsoever and the only spares I had to carry were for my buddies Harley 1440 which leaked and had electrical and ignition problems the whole time.
Being British I had been dying for someone to design and build this bike for over 30 years ( I had a 69 T120R ) and it exceeds all my expectations. I love it.
What's fantastic now as well is that people are tuning 'em etc. OK you can buy a twist and go crotch rocket which you don't need to tune, but thats not the same as having to pit your wits against the odds to eek out that extra few MPH, Foot-lbs of torque or HP.
This is real motorcycling as we know and love it.
They finally built it the way they should have in the first place.
" Long may we Rock'n'Roll down the Highway of life looking for our next ton "..
Jon (UK)
In my previous post I forgot to mention that I have had 14000 trouble free miles from my 2003 T100 , it's only need, the regular service checks which aren't expensive and she's still in perfect condition.
We don't have California weather here either.
She's only cost me a set of tyres and a chain and sprocket kit extra so far.
I did 3500 miles around Europe in 13 days Taking in The Alps, The Mediterranean, France, Monaco, Italy, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and Holland with no problems whatsoever and the only spares I had to carry were for my buddies Harley 1440 which leaked and had electrical and ignition problems the whole time.
Being British I had been dying for someone to design and build this bike for over 30 years ( I had a 69 T120R ) and it exceeds all my expectations. I love it.
What's fantastic now as well is that people are tuning 'em etc. OK you can buy a twist and go crotch rocket which you don't need to tune, but thats not the same as having to pit your wits against the odds to eek out that extra few MPH, Foot-lbs of torque or HP.
This is real motorcycling as we know and love it.
They finally built it the way they should have in the first place.
" Long may we Rock'n'Roll down the Highway of life looking for our next ton "..
Jon (UK)
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