New Bonneville in the stable

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Dec 12, 2010
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717
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Buzzard's Breath, Ohio
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Bonneville T120
I apologize for hijacking Sailariel's yesterday afternoon tea thread. However I'm sure you can forgive me based on my new acquisition and the ensuing excitement.

Some of you are aware that I have been coveting Triumph Bonneville motorcycles for some time now. I've been looking at several dealers and thought I had a deal sewn up, but it didn't work out. By chance I checked another dealer's website and they had just posted a used 2011 Bonneville T-100 with only 804 miles on it. What luck! The dealer is about 90 miles away and I couldn't get down there for 5 days so I called and gave them a deposit. I'd given it a lot of thought and had a plan for negotiation to try and get a lower price. I finally got down there yesterday and went out for a test ride. I came in smiling from ear to ear which rendered my negotiating position helpless. I folded like a lawn chair. I practically just asked him how much he wanted. I was pathetic, but given the bike it was understandable.

It has what is referred to in the British Triumph world as some bits and bobs, aka bolt ons. I have the original seat plus a gel seat. It also has a centerstand, quick release windshield, modified pea shooter pipes, and a couple more I can't remember right now. As I'm still not supposed to ride (shoulder surgery) I didn't ride it home, they are to deliver it today. I better get the go ahead to ride when I see the surgeon tomorrow or I may violate my surgical parole.

Here is the new addition to the family:




 

Mellow

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Nice Dan, I've always liked those, they look like a blast to ride.
 

rcase13

Guest
My riding friend has a Bonneville SE. I have ridden it several times. I prefer the T100 with larger front wheels and spoke wheels. I can't say enough how much I love his bike. If I wasn't such a camping freak I would have bought the Bonneville instead. The NT fits me perfectly. I would have both if I could fit them in my garage. The Triumph parallel twin is in my opinion the finest example of how a motorcycle engine should be made. It is so smooth it's almost impossible to believe. There is so much torque on the low end that any gear will work fine.

Congrats on your purchase as you can tell I am a big fan.
 

karl

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Dec 13, 2010
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A Bonnie was my first new bike. Mine was tiger gold and cold white, a gorgeous machine. Very nice Dan.
 

RedBird

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Colorado
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2009 F800ST, 1973 R75/5
Wow! A great looking bike. I remember my neighbor's Bonnie when I was in college. It had been well used before he got it and we worked on it for what seemed like 2 weeks for each week it got ridden. You surely will not have that situation with that beautiful Bonnie of yours.
 
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
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205
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SW Michigan
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Sprint GT, 2010 NT, MS950
British green, fork covers, spokes, my favorite peashooters...Awesome bike, Dan.

I carry a white towel in my bag for the gel seat; if you have to park in the sun, the gel will absorb an enormous amount of heat and roast your...well, you know what I mean.:eek1: Don't ask how I found out!

Where are you going to put the obligatory go-fast Union Jack(s)?
 
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
205
Location
SW Michigan
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Sprint GT, 2010 NT, MS950
Wow! A great looking bike. I remember my neighbor's Bonnie when I was in college. It had been well used before he got it and we worked on it for what seemed like 2 weeks for each week it got ridden. You surely will not have that situation with that beautiful Bonnie of yours.
A few years ago Moterrad (sp?) magazine did a 50,000-kilometer endurance test with 13 bikes. The bikes were run in all sorts of nasty conditions, real-world roads, etc. with just normal scheduled services and wear parts (tires, oil, etc.). The bikes were then completely torn down and checked for wear; engines, trannys, suspensions. The results surprised the mechanics; the Triumph (in this case a 2007 Sprint) won, beating out the BMW, the Honda VFR and the other 10 bikes. Reliability shouldn't be an issue.

A couple of weeks ago I was at the Triumph shop, picking up a new tank bag, and saw a nice Bonneville pull out. I commented on it, and it turned out the owner/rider is the service manager for the BMW cycle dealer.
 

rcase13

Guest
The only problem my friend has with his is it can be hard to start when it's hot or been running awhile. He learned how to hold the throttle while starting and hasn't really had a problem with it since.

Oh and we can't figure out how to change the odometer to miles instead of kilometers! The manual doesn't say! LOL
 

RedLdr1

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As I said in the Tea Time thread that is a nice bike! My Bonnie was a 2001 first generation 790cc...

While cleaning out the garage I found a center stand kit that never made it on to my Bonneville...:rolleyes1: If anyone needs one let me know...
 
Joined
Jun 5, 2011
Messages
630
Location
Western Washington
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2010 NT700V, 2015 CB500X
Oh look... An engine and carbs. Love that look. I've always thought that the most beautiful motorcycle designs looked very close to what a 5th grader would draw it asked to "draw a motorcycle". Simple. Very Very Nice Dan.
 

Warren

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I think the new Bonneville's are better bikes than the originals. I owned several of those and would not want another one. The only thing I like better about the old ones is the exhaust system. The kink they put in the new Bonneville's exhaust before it reaches the muffler really bothers me. The curvature of the header pipes is also not as attractive. Other than that I think the new Bonneville is a great take on an old classic.
 

Phil Tarman

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An engine and carbs.

One of the neat things Triumph has done on their "classic" line of bikes is take the time and trouble to design fuel injection bodies that look like carbs. Thank you, Triumph!
 

rcase13

Guest
As I said in the Tea Time thread that is a nice bike! My Bonnie was a 2001 first generation 790cc...

While cleaning out the garage I found a center stand kit that never made it on to my Bonneville...:rolleyes1: If anyone needs one let me know...
If it will fit on a 2012 Bonneville SE my friend would be very interested. I will have to do some research...
 
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