Triumph Bonneville

2010 Bonneville = Late 60's hero bike with 21'st century technology – If you loved them in the 60's & 70's you'll love this bike (double)! They look very good, regularly turn heads and are easy to keep clean. I also purchased my Bonneville after 35 years of not riding bikes and the positives of this bike are that the seat is close to the ground and this suits shorter people like me. The manoeuvring to navigate… Read more

tight parking spots is very good although the steering angle to do this is a bit limited.

This bike gives maximum pleasure when doing < 2 hour rides on open roads and when on city & urban roads enjoying the torque by changing gears with the revs at low levels. It's also fun to use the engines power to navigate tight bends or to quickly push the bike out of heavy traffic intersections but you do this at your own peril as the motor does have lots of power for a bike this size and you will get back wheel spin if your not very experienced. Overall it's a wonderful bike if it's the kind of bike you want, I'd buy it but I cannot say if it's better or worse than other brands.

Absolute joy – After 8 years on the sideline I decided to get back on a bike, and after many weeks of shopping around I came across a 2009 bonnie black with the mags. As soon as I started it and heard the sweet note that came out of the predator pipes I was sold. I've done 5000 kms now since April and it hasn't missed a beat, fun bike to ride with plenty of grunt. I'm over the moon.  Show 2 replies

A modern classic – The Triumph Bonneville. In my opinion the 1969 bonneville was one of the best looking bikes ever. Beautiful slim lines. Great proportions; it was a stunningly good looking motorcycle. Classic lines. The modern Hinckley version is a very good looking bike but misses the mark aesthetically. The motor is "fatter" than the original 650. The tank… Read more

has a flange unlike the old Bonnies. Finally the original bikes did not have that awkward looking kink in the exhaust pipes. What were they thinking?

How does the Bonnie go? Considering its design brief it goes very well. It handles well & sounds "reasonable" with aftermarket pipes. Remember that its motor has a 360 degree firing interval. Compared to its competitors (HD 883 Sportster, Kawasaki W800 & Moto Guzzi V7) the new Bonnie possesses the torquiest motor which is offset to some extent by its porky weight.

The GOOD news.

1. Handling is more than acceptable.

2. Fuel consumption is very good.

3. Braking is adequate.

4. On the highway the motor is unstressed sitting on the 110 kph speed limit.

5. The price is right. The base model is very inexpensive

6. The factory provides a very large array of accessories

7. Good looking

8. A living breathing classic

9. When parked, it always draws favourable comments from passerbys.

10. Brings a smile to one's face.

The BAD news

1. The Bonnie is quite heavy

2. The front wheel should have TWIN disc brakes and ABS

3. That UGLY flange on the tank really does spoil a good looking bike

4. That ungainly looking KINK in the exhaust system just before the muffler

5. A bigger capacity & thus more power would be welcomed

6. Tubed tyres. The spoked wheels look great but are tubed. They should be tubeless on the grounds of safety

7. The finish is not the best quality in comparison to the Sportster, W800 & V7. Specifically the exposed metal - forks, engine finning & engine casings - corrode quite easily. Paint work is good.

8. Gear box only has five gears. Not a deal breaker but the bike has plenty of grunt.

9. Can we have the 270 degree firing interval that the Speedmaster has? Exactly the same 865cc motor but sounds like a V Twin.

CONCLUSION

In my humble opinion, the modern Bonneville is a good bike that could be better. A better version may soon be available. The internet is buzzing with pictures of a new generation Bonnie with a rumoured 1100cc motor. It looks great. The proportions are much better and the exhaust system "kink" is missing (that goodness) plus it has twin discs up front.

The nostalgia fulfilled – My first Triumph was a T21 3TA 350 "Flying Bath Tub" and was quickly followed by a Speed Twin 5TA 500 in the early 1960's, another Flying Bath Tub. Easy to clean; smart looking back then. Smooth, reliable and adequate speed on 60 mph limit NZ roads. I looked at the Bonneville 650 T120 R 42 hp model and frankly their speed and power frightened… Read more

me...back then. I now own a 2009 Bonnie T100 B&W with plenty of chrome. Still very low kms. So smooth, with the same old nostalgic rhythmic cackle, under power. I have little to complain about it with its modified 70 bhp output. My dream to own one more Triumph is fulfilled 50 years later. But I could deal with another 30 bhp and another gear and a new "bath tub" design! Then my bike bucket list of improvements would be complete...ah well, be happy. Smooth, easy to manipulate, sporty, regularly attracts attention. A bit more power and a sixth gear

Triumph bonneville se limited edition 2013 – I've been known to be a bit of a triumph nut but over the years I've had ive had several triumph bikes until now none of which matter anymore since I bought this Bonnie. Handling is superb, point and go is the way of the bonneville. Suspension is a bit hard on the rear but as I always say " to each his own " I opted for the arrow 2 into 1… Read more

exhaust which brings the Bonnie to life in such a way that it leaves most other bikers in envy of the sound coming from this pipe.

The beauty of triumph is that they give you a bike that you can make your own and add bits and pieces to make it sound or handle the way you want.

While the rear shocks are a bit on the hard side the bike still handles like its on a rail.

I'm putting a set of icon progressive shocks which I find works best for me on our tough Australian roads and just gives the bike that little bit more comfort and improves the handling even more.

For the price you can't expect triumph to do all this for you other wise you would be paying a lot more for it.

I found that a set of M bars and a nice pair of shocks puts the bike right where I like it and its new balance shaft makes this Bonnie the best by far.

It's more fun riding a slow bike fast than riding a fast bike slow but having said that she's no slouch in the power side.

Sure she's not going to win land speed records but she will give any bike a run for the money up the twisties.

I commend triumph for making such a great machine and I plane to keep her for ever.

Fuel economy is what you would expect excellent.

Even for my 95 kgs she pulls hard and constant and gives me that grin factor not to mention the crowds that stand there drueling over the bikes natural beauty.

If your after a bike that's going to be comfortable, a license keeper, good handling and real world usable power this is the bike for you.

I highly recommend it to both ladies and gentlemen Style and design Nothing wrong just not to my comfort level

Excellent – I have the 2008 model which was the last run of wire spoke wheels and the first with the EFI. I was a bit spooked by the issues raised baout low voltage but hooked up a simple battery conditioner for less than 70 bucks and no problems at all. The standard exhausts were a bit quiet for my liking but with a set of TORs fitted it sounds like a… Read more ·  2

proper Triumph. Despite the modern features of the bike, it is still a Triumph, regardless of where it was assembled. It looks sounds and performs just great. Great looks, performance and reliability. Starts first time every time. No centre stand or tacho as standard eqpt.

Excellent – The bike is great and highly recommended if you are after the simple experience of riding a motorcycle. Cheap to run. If you want awsum power buy something else (unless you want to modify it). Heaps of accessories if you do want to personalise your ride. Doesn't date - you can ride it for 20 years and it will still be a classic ride. If you can… Read more

only have one bike this would be it. Great styling. Looks like a classic bike should. Always starts - even if not ridden for a few weeks. (2009 EFI wire wheel model - one of the last)great int he twisties, great around town. Changed the oil and filter myself after 5000KM - bought new and gets smoother everyday. Was a bit snatchy but with correct lube of cables and adjustment absolutly no more problems. Feel very sorry for those whould had problems but my bike is perfect. Can tour, scratch or crooooze :) aftermaket centre stand from Truimph too expensive. but bought one anyway. Pipes a bit too quiet but that's the times we live in.

slight corrosion on some spokes

A dream – Having been a Triumph owner in the sixties, great to see that Triumph still symobolizes the best, especially a Bonneville. Love the fact that that the classic look has been maintained

Best bike ive owned out of about 20 – 2000kms of riding later im in love. I bought a 2010 black 17inch alloy wheel bonny efi and have had no dramas at all. Goes well, staintune pipes, k&n filter, remap and 1 tooth smaller front sprocket, air injection gone and no exhaust blueing and im away. It goes better then the on paper numbers suggest. Torque aplenty. Handles great on the 17 inch… Read more ·  3

rims. The finish is great on mine. Everyone who see's it and rides it wants one. Good value, handles well, grunty, looks hot [censored word removed] suspension on anything but smooth roads. Rear shocks knock you around. New shocks and front springs coming.

Excellent – Very good bike, easy to handdle, great for begginners, and in curvy roads can close some homes of more sporty bikes. i am with my new bonnie at 8000 km the bike runs great no problems until now. I live in greece where we have a lot of heat and dust, so is not a very friendly enviroment for air cooled bikes but if i had to choose again i would… Read more

bought the same one. i would love a bigger tank, the new models have a smaller tank capacity than the T100. And ofcourse i would love more horsepower, i have to see what i can do.