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Triumph Bonneville anyone?

ratlab said:
*$ to *$ is what it can do in stock form
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what does this "*$ to *$" mean? some kind of moto-geek speak, or just another Internet abbreviation?

btw, had been considering a scrambler or Bonny but they felt a little top-heavy when I sat on them at IMS (a lot of bikes probably do compared to mine though). Seat was a little too low also. still, I'd love to try one to feel what the ride dynamics are like.
 
bluesjr said:
what does this "*$ to *$" mean? some kind of moto-geek speak, or just another Internet abbreviation?

btw, had been considering a scrambler or Bonny but they felt a little top-heavy when I sat on them at IMS (a lot of bikes probably do compared to mine though). Seat was a little too low also. still, I'd love to try one to feel what the ride dynamics are like.
Click to expand...

Starbucks to Starbucks
 
We had one for awhile. Easy-going engine, never had any reliability or service issues. Drags things easily if you wick it up, and it's not really worth modifying the suspension to make it more capable; that's not what the bike is for. The brakes weren't great, but I think they've upgraded the spec since then.
 
Just never drop it on the left side as the shifter tends to tweak and it is a major repair when that happens.
 
Ducposer said:
Ducati Sport Classic. Either the GT1000 or Sport 1000
Click to expand...

Another good bike...if you can find them.

The current Moto Guzzi V7 racer, although looks the part, is down on power compared to the Thruxton. However, it does look awesome.
 
When I was hunting a first bike people acted like the Bonneville shot rainbows with tits out of the exhaust pipe.


In the end, it does really come down to your wallet and riding style.
 
griso is awesome and it actually stops and goes round corners-i agree, if you're looking for a retro style bike that would be a good one to pull the trigger on
 
especially when comparing price tags
 
had 3 sport bikes before i mad the switch, love the Thruxton and would recommend for sure. only issue i had was a head light fuse went out and it would not let me start the bike :mad guess its safety first for the brits :laughing
 
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lots of posers with the Bonneville and T-100 (*). That's for sure. ... I think

never ever ride them.

never ever meaning not regularly nor on highways. And there are even some *completely* unridden ones! Let to stay/rot/rust.

Anyway. Don't take my words too seriously though. Nothing wrong with buying a bike just because, besides there are other unused bikes, too.

Nice bike though.. I might buy one. I was thinking the Scrambler, b/c it seems the Bonneville has more of a race-bikish steering geometry whereas I'm hoping the Scrambler would have a dirtbikish one.
 
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Killer looks, nimble easy to ride, decent comfort. A little buzz y at speed, brakes not the strongest. Test ride one before buying and you'll know for sure if the bike is for you.
 
I am coming from a female perspective and not a long time rider who has ridden/owned a ton of bike.

I started with a Gixxer 600 2009 as my first bike in Jan 2011. Love the bike for what it is..a super fast sport bike. I was definitely a bit intimidated by this bike at first, timid...but now..2 years later..that sexy girl is my dedicated track bike and have since bought a 2009 gixxer 750 as my "new to me" street only bike.

So...the Bonnie....sigghhh...she was a "lust" purchase back in June 2011. Again..I am not a bike expert...but I was driving upvalley in Napa one afternoon and saw this gal riding a Bonnie..she looked as cool as a cucumber on that bike...she looked like that bike was made for her..easy riding! I thought at that moment..."I want to feel like she looks"! I HAVE to at least sit on one. So I went about a month later to a local Triumph dealer and sat on the base model 2011. I FELT like that girl looked! The dealer's shop model for test riding was not working at the time so I didn't test ride it. After more research..I just went to another dealer and bought the SE model..2011.

Perhaps being the Gemini that I am with two personalities..my Gixxer and my Bonnie are very different bikes for very different riding experiences. The gixxer is my "devil" and the bonnie is my "angel". I feel totally different on both bikes..old school "Fonzi", Steve McQueen..whatever..on that bonnie and crazy a$$ motoGP(at least in my head) on the Gixxer! When I want to chill out for an easy going ride, I will take out my Bonnie. The SE has the 17" rims (T100 has 19") so she is very nimble in the twisties in a very easy going way. I won't be doing any knee dragging in the twisties on her, but she can handle them just as well as the gixxer can. Some folks who see me ride her say I always look more at ease on her in the twisties..but it really is just how you sit and handle that bike. She is easy and fun!

As for slab rides...yeah...pretty comfy but her top speed really is about 85mph..probably most happy just cruising around 75ish. She's a kitten..just purrs...My friend and I both changed out the sprockets to add a little more "oomph" to the top end..not much..but enough to make it noticable. We both rode our Bonnies to Oregon and back..I did 400+ miles of slab alone on the way back with only a few short breaks and the only pain I had was my throttle wrist..should have used the little cruise control lock I had..but it was not bad.

You DO have to change your seat. I had it reupulstered slightly to add memory foam. the stock seat is rock hard. The sacrificed foam and padding for a lower seat height. My friend actually had 3-4 inches or more to make it taller because he is taller and it works better for him. he has the T100 which sits slightly higher anyway because of the bigger wheels.

Suspension sucks on the bike. My friend changed out to Ohlins...I still have stock..there is very little adjustability to it..and at some point may change..but I made it all the way to OR and back on stock and was no worse for wear on nice roads...just don't expect it will handle lumpy bumpy roads well.

All in all..she is a very fun little bike. My work horse bike..I can put saddle bags on her, pile stuff on the back luggage rack and carry lots of stuff if I need to. I don't always need to be going 100mph+ so "slowing" down to her top speed is okay..she is nimble in twisties and comfy on long rides.

I REALLY would have loved to have teh Thruxton as I love cafe racers..but feel THAT bike is underpowered for being what it is..more of a racer type bike. the tech specs exactly match a bonnie amazingly...so that bike I would want to soup up..I could thruxtonize the bonnie at some point..but then it would be more like the gixxer in feel..race pegs, clip ons..etc...BUT then I would lose my "old school" fonzi coolness of teh Bonnie. People always think my "modern classic" is older than it is...get lots of old geezers coming up telling me stories of their "college sweethearts" back in the day!!

Anyway..long answer...but the Bonnie is what it is..it will never be a sport bike..doesn't even pretend to be..if you want that cruiser style without it being a Harley lazy-boy type experience..this bike is just fun..souped up or not!!!


Cheerio!
 
Maygoddess said:
I am coming from a female perspective and not a long time rider who has ridden/owned a ton of bike.

I started with a Gixxer 600 2009 as my first bike in Jan 2011. Love the bike for what it is..a super fast sport bike. I was definitely a bit intimidated by this bike at first, timid...but now..2 years later..that sexy girl is my dedicated track bike and have since bought a 2009 gixxer 750 as my "new to me" street only bike.

So...the Bonnie....sigghhh...she was a "lust" purchase back in June 2011. Again..I am not a bike expert...but I was driving upvalley in Napa one afternoon and saw this gal riding a Bonnie..she looked as cool as a cucumber on that bike...she looked like that bike was made for her..easy riding! I thought at that moment..."I want to feel like she looks"! I HAVE to at least sit on one. So I went about a month later to a local Triumph dealer and sat on the base model 2011. I FELT like that girl looked! The dealer's shop model for test riding was not working at the time so I didn't test ride it. After more research..I just went to another dealer and bought the SE model..2011.

Perhaps being the Gemini that I am with two personalities..my Gixxer and my Bonnie are very different bikes for very different riding experiences. The gixxer is my "devil" and the bonnie is my "angel". I feel totally different on both bikes..old school "Fonzi", Steve McQueen..whatever..on that bonnie and crazy a$$ motoGP(at least in my head) on the Gixxer! When I want to chill out for an easy going ride, I will take out my Bonnie. The SE has the 17" rims (T100 has 19") so she is very nimble in the twisties in a very easy going way. I won't be doing any knee dragging in the twisties on her, but she can handle them just as well as the gixxer can. Some folks who see me ride her say I always look more at ease on her in the twisties..but it really is just how you sit and handle that bike. She is easy and fun!

As for slab rides...yeah...pretty comfy but her top speed really is about 85mph..probably most happy just cruising around 75ish. She's a kitten..just purrs...My friend and I both changed out the sprockets to add a little more "oomph" to the top end..not much..but enough to make it noticable. We both rode our Bonnies to Oregon and back..I did 400+ miles of slab alone on the way back with only a few short breaks and the only pain I had was my throttle wrist..should have used the little cruise control lock I had..but it was not bad.

You DO have to change your seat. I had it reupulstered slightly to add memory foam. the stock seat is rock hard. The sacrificed foam and padding for a lower seat height. My friend actually had 3-4 inches or more to make it taller because he is taller and it works better for him. he has the T100 which sits slightly higher anyway because of the bigger wheels.

Suspension sucks on the bike. My friend changed out to Ohlins...I still have stock..there is very little adjustability to it..and at some point may change..but I made it all the way to OR and back on stock and was no worse for wear on nice roads...just don't expect it will handle lumpy bumpy roads well.

All in all..she is a very fun little bike. My work horse bike..I can put saddle bags on her, pile stuff on the back luggage rack and carry lots of stuff if I need to. I don't always need to be going 100mph+ so "slowing" down to her top speed is okay..she is nimble in twisties and comfy on long rides.

I REALLY would have loved to have teh Thruxton as I love cafe racers..but feel THAT bike is underpowered for being what it is..more of a racer type bike. the tech specs exactly match a bonnie amazingly...so that bike I would want to soup up..I could thruxtonize the bonnie at some point..but then it would be more like the gixxer in feel..race pegs, clip ons..etc...BUT then I would lose my "old school" fonzi coolness of teh Bonnie. People always think my "modern classic" is older than it is...get lots of old geezers coming up telling me stories of their "college sweethearts" back in the day!!

Anyway..long answer...but the Bonnie is what it is..it will never be a sport bike..doesn't even pretend to be..if you want that cruiser style without it being a Harley lazy-boy type experience..this bike is just fun..souped up or not!!!


Cheerio!
Click to expand...

Well put. :thumbup
 
The February issue of Motorcyclist magazine has a comparo between the Bonnie, the Sportster 883 Iron, and the MotoGuzzi V7 Stone. They had a lot of praise for the Triumph, which I understand recently received a displacement bump. It's possible / likely that the one I panned earlier was an older model. Anyway, might be worth a read if you're thinking of buying new or newish.
 
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AbsolutEnduser said:
lots of posers with the Bonneville and T-100 (*). That's for sure. ... I think

never ever ride them.

never ever meaning not regularly nor on highways. And there are even some *completely* unridden ones! Let to stay/rot/rust.

....
Click to expand...

In five years I put more than 37,000 miles on my Bonnie and it is only one of my four bikes. The Tiger 1050 is a very comfortable version of a Speed Triple and definately is more performance oriented. The classic bikes are what they are.
I love them all. The Bonnie is capable on the freeways, the twisties, everything in between and is easy on the eyes. She's taken me to Nevada, Mendocino and Santa Barbara multiple times and it's always a good ride.

A bike for every purpose....
 
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