Hi there

Does anybody here have experience with the later Triumph motorbikes? I'm planning to get me a new bike sooner or later, and the Bonneville is quite high on my want-list.

A look here tells you, that I'm used to Enduros, so a change to a street bike makes me hesitate a bit.

In any case my next one should be reliable, comfortable for daily use (no long trips), 50 to 90 HP, one or two cylinder, fairly light (below 220kg).

Any Ideas?

Thank you

Sunny greetings,
Ivo

A friend has one Ivo, err no, he has two, plus at lest one other Triumph - he loves them!
Had I not pretty much given up motorcycling I think a Bonnie would be my next bike (sold my Triumph Legend 900 last December).

If you watch MogTalk at all, you will find one of the moderators (in the USA) has recently purchased a Bonnie. Apart from changing the seat for longer trips, he seems to really enjoy it.

Cheers,

I had a Triumph Speedmaster 3 year (30.000km), it is the Bonneville as Cruser, very nice. Take care about the old Bonneville, some was horrible to adjust (Motor, Electr,..), allthe new ar no problem.
If we see as next week we discuse about details, I hope that the weather is ok
My frend is a Triumph Dealer http://www.moto-vise.be/
he is not happy, i have change to a BMW 1200GS

I had a '78 Bonnie back in the early '80s. Love to find another (at the right price). One of the few bikes I regret selling, my BMW R100RT was another...

Cheers,

Ivo,
an Italian colleague has a new one & a "real one". He likes the modern bike.
I had a T140V from 75 with the tear drop tank. A great bike but needs lots of TLC. I preferred my MG Le Mans MkIII.
John

Dear Ivo,

despite me dealing with the bavarian bikes a friend of mine runs Germany´s largest TRIUMPH-Dealership here - i might give you a hand!

Should you be looking for a VERY nice 2nd hand bike: we have on in truly brilliant condition to offer here in my business...

Ivo,
Good choice, I have had about 25 bikes over the years (only 3 of which Japanese) The new bonnie (2001) was one of my favourites. Not realy a long distance bike, but great for chucking about and having fun with. Not too powerfull, but nippy because of low gearing. Great fun. I put lower bars on it, much nicer (lean against the wind a bit more) and look cool. See picture in the galerie. Put on the factory supplied loud pipes and it sounds glorious too. I had a '68 bonnie before. The real thing, nice but indeed needs a lot of care and vibrates like mad. The new Bonnie is bullet-proof. Good luck, JT

One of the chaps at work has bought an older one - I will try and find out the year for you - he absolutely loves it.

He actually has two - a 1978 and a 1979 - his short summary was that the 1960s are more collectable (twice the price); however, the 1970s are better quality (engine, brakes, etc). He uses them to commute to work and for weekend rides.

He isn't riding one of them today, otherwise I would have taken a photo for you.

PS - he found one on eBay and the other via a friend.

Thanks for the feedback, guys

My 800DR is still going strong. It's the first bike, that I bought new. That was 16 years and 64000km ago. I absolutely love it and I'm so much used to it that I would like to keep it forever.
On the other hand, I'm starting to feel the "want" for a change

Unfortunately I don't have the space for two bikes...
But no rush... we shall see....

Sunny greetings,
Ivo

go for a sixties Triumph
http://triumphmotorcycles.typepad.com/

They are fantastic

...but if I buy one, it will be new, or very young.

Go for a new 'Bonnie' by all means . The have all the advantages that technology can bring. But let's not fotget that they are as far removed form the original Bonneville as Mars is from Earth.
Don't be fooled by all this 'Bonneville Thruxton'and similar stuff. what you are buying is a modern, John Boor bike using Triumph's curemt modular philosophy.
They are good bikes- I ran a 900cc Trident which was great- but a classic Triumph they are not
G

PS Whatever you do, do not buy a Trident built durng the time of the Cooperative- I'd rather buy a Minsk

I am still waiting for one of these

http://www.talkmorgan.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/38104/Phwoar#Post38104

I know, but that's exactly what I'm after: Classical look with modern and reliable technology.

There are very few bikes out there, that really please me. Many are too aggressive, too heavy, too powerful... Who on earth needs a bike with 150 or more HP?

Other "new classics" from my list are:

Ducati GT 1000


Guzzi V7


And a "real classic", the Royal Enfield Bullet

It would pretty well cope with the Morgan, but I'm afraid, that they're a bit weak everyday use.

Sunny greetings,
Ivo

in the late 70's I had a '76 co-op Tiger 750 (a single carb bonnie) and a '75 Trident and they were both good bikes in their day, also had a 1960 500 Speed Twin and 1995 Hinkeley Speed Triple, my favourite was the 500, I only paid £200 and it ran faultlessly for a couple of years until some kind soul wrote it off, a KTM Duke 612 cc single I rode 10 yrs ago was almost as good as the Speed Twin and would be my choice for a modern bike.

I got out of bikes a couple of years ago- too old, reflexes too slow ( and that was on a Honda ST1100)
I do still have one bike tho- Velocette Thruxton Venom and that, to my way of thinking, is the dog's danglies of the classic British motor bike ( with all due respect to Norton, Triumph, Matchless and AJS fans- I don't count Vincents or Broughs because they just weren't ordinary bikes!)

Ivo,
go for the Guzzi. I had a Enfield in Kenya in 1994.
Great bike for 3rd world rodes but not enough power for Europe.

John

I remember the original V7 from the 70s. Superceded by the 850 Le Mans...

Cheers,

well... well... well...

Yesterday, I took a little trip through our beautiful little country. It was a sunny day, and all of a sudden, I don't know how that could happen, I found myself in the village, where our Triumph dealer is located
The brand new T100 back edition from his shop looked soooooo nice standing next to my Moggie



...to be continnued

It looks mighty fine just standing there on its own in your post!

And this one will be looking even better

Two weeks later