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Triumph?
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April 12, 2009 at 10:51 pm #2697chaiyaParticipant
Anyone have any experience with Triumphs? I did a demon ride on a Bonneville today…and I think I’m in love. Are they dependable bikes? It felt a lot better than my little rebel on the freeway. They are having another demo day next weekend in mountain view…might take out another Bonnie…or maybe the Thruxton for a spin.
April 13, 2009 at 2:42 am #17701RupmiscParticipantBonnies are nice bikes. For 2009 there are multiple styles. All have gone to fuel injection (with a fake carburetor to maintain the look). Two have smaller wheels and lower seats than in past years. People love them, and they get good reviews. They don’t exactly fit the definition of a pure beginner’s bike, but IMHO they are fine for a step up. If you like standards, they are a consideration for sure.
It is a question, as always, of your preferences. Bonnevilles are beautiful, totally competent, and comfortable. They don’t handle like sport bikes, which wouldn’t stop me for a second. I bought my Ducati bikes from a dealer who also sells Triumphs. If you can find an enthusiastic dealer, you could be quite happy. Good luck.
April 13, 2009 at 1:47 pm #17712CandiceParticipantI have been dreaming about Triumphs for a year. First I liked the Bonneville t-100 and now I think I like the Scrambler. I feel like I need more riding experience before I buy a Triumph though so I’ll keep my little Suzuki for a couple more years and then maybe buy a Scrambler if I’m still interested by then. Love the looks for sure.
April 13, 2009 at 2:34 pm #17715DKParticipantAround here it is the I-3 models that are most popular.
April 13, 2009 at 3:48 pm #17724chaiyaParticipantMaybe you can demo the Scrambler and Bonnie.
here is a link a list of upcoming Triumph demo rides
http://www.triumph.co.uk/usa/11197.aspxThe demo I went to was a blast. They took us out on some twisty roads and then on the freeway to get back to the shop. We were out for about 30-40 min. Once you are back, you just sign up for the next bike you want to take out
My head is trying to convince me that I should not forsake my little rebel just yet…I have not been riding for very long, and buying a brand new shiny Bonnie is probably not be the best of ideas… It’s going to require much will power to not run over to the dealership and bring one home…
April 14, 2009 at 2:12 pm #17742CandiceParticipantThey are having demo rides in my area May 23 and 24 so I will definitely do that. I am so excited! I’ll be interested in feeling the difference in power between my current bike and a Triumph. I haven’t been riding very long either and I keep telling myself to just relax, but really, I have been dreaming A LOT about the Scramblers/Bonnies. Well, when I finally do get one it will be very exciting and it gives me something to look forward to in the meantime.
April 14, 2009 at 6:46 pm #17756Jay TParticipantfor a test ride on the big bagger that they sell. I really want to try it and the scrambler out. I will let you know how it goes.
April 17, 2009 at 8:10 pm #17834RabParticipantI had a 2006 Triumph Bonneville for two years and it was totally dependable after a day-one problem with the gas tank breather tube having been kinked during installation. Only other problem I had was one broken spoke (no biggie, and fixed free under warranty). I rode that bike 70 miles a day, 5 days a week for 18 months or more. Triumphs come with a two year warranty whereas most other manufacturer’s bikes come with only one year (I think).
Does great on the freeway and will cruise very smoothly all day at an indicated 80 mph no problem at all. The engine has counter-balancers which virtually eliminate vibration. Top speed is reputed to be ~110 mph, but the steering gets disturbingly heavy at ~100 (cough, I’ve heard). Handling and ride are good for a bike of this old-school design, but definitely not in the same league as my Suzuki GSX650F (“fully-faired standard”), which has obviously benefitted from technology developed for Suzuki’s racing bikes.
I know the Bonnevilles are marketed as “beginner bikes” (as is pretty much everything under 1000 c.c. these days), but definitely a second bike, not a first in my opinion. It’s kinda heavy, but that helps with the ride. Power delivery is completely linear; no surprises. Newer ones are fuel injected, so I don’t know if that changed anything in this regard.
If I were going to do it again, I’d probably get the new Bonneville SE because of the alloy wheels/tubeless tires, as tubeless tires are roadside repairable (Note: Any bike with wire-spoked wheels will have tubes in the tires regardless of what the tire says on the sidewall). I’d also replace the seat, as while it looks really cool old-school, it is agonising after two hours or so. I’m not a loud pipes guy, but this bike would definitely benefit from loud-er pipes.
Just about everywhere I went with the Bonnie, riders and non-riders alike would come over and talk to me about it. With the Suzuki? Nah, it’s just another lookey-likey “sport bike”.
If, like most American motorcyclists, you’re going to use your bike as a toy (i.e. for pleasure rides), then you couldn’t do much better than a Bonnie. For regular, distance, commuting in all weather, I’d choose something a little better suited for that.
April 17, 2009 at 8:36 pm #17835chaiyaParticipantGood to hear from someone with experience on the bike. I rode the SE for the demo. I think I will defiantly get a Bonnie sometime in my future, just not right now I just got the clutch fixed on my rebel and I should probably spend more time practicing with my little bike. After talking it over with a friend (kinda my riding mentor..he helped my pick out/bring home my first bike and has been great helping with all the little hiccups/questions along the way)…anyway…he and the husband are against the Bonnie right now (too big…too heavy…too soon). Both think next year will be a better time… maybe by then I can pick up a used one with FI
April 18, 2009 at 5:29 pm #17845RabParticipantI had about 2000 miles or so experience; on a Honda Nighthawk 250 (same engine as your Rebel) and the transition to the Bonneville just felt like a natural progression.
April 18, 2009 at 7:14 pm #17846chaiyaParticipantI think I would be fine on the Bonnie now… just would need to spend some time in a parking lot once I got it. My husband doesn’t ride, doesn’t really love that i ride now, and thought my little rebel was a big bike…
One of my coworkers had a V-strom 1000 and the other one had a KLR 650…. my bike looked like their baby… my bike is bittyit might take more convincing for the husband before i bring home a new toy… he’s been a good sport about it so far… he just worries about me
April 22, 2009 at 3:20 am #17947RupmiscParticipantMy bikes are all standards. While at the Ducati/Triumph dealer waiting for a service, I test rode a Triumph Speedmaster because I’d never been on a cruiser. Wow, it was just so relaxing, and so easy to lean into relaxed turns. It felt like driving a big American Car, comfortable. Liked it so much that I put an advance deposit down on a Thunderbird with ABS to add to the collection. Should be very comfortable if I ever take passengers. Elwood, I finally understand what you see in Harley’s, these things are definitely worth a ride.
I think that the Speedmaster has the same basic Triumph V-Twin as the Bonneville. Certainly a second bike. But IMHO there may be some real truth to the opinion that engine size and weight should have different “beginners” criterea for cruisers than for other styles (with caveat that stupid right hand can screw up any bike).
April 23, 2009 at 11:55 pm #17995LanceDParticipantYes, same engine (slightly different gearing). It’s not a V-twin btw, it’s a parallel twin. Bonnies are 360 degrees opposed, Speedmasters and Americas are 270 degrees. Speedmasters before ’05 have a 790cc and then in ’05 got a 865cc. Bonnies didn’t get the 865 until ’07 iirc.
My ’03 Speedmaster is my first bike. I LOVE it! A friend of mine has a Bonnie and feels the same way. 800cc might seem like a lot for a first bike, but 800cc on a cruiser is not the same as 800cc on a sport bike. My Speedy is in the same range as a SV650 as far as torque and HP.
I think in a few years I might start thinking about a T-Bird. But, I’ll wait until I have a few more miles on me and the bike has had a few years of reviews and refinement before I worry about that.
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