Of
course I can't offer a thorough review as I don't have the experience.
This is my first bike and I've only put a 100 miles on it (150
Km). But due to the distinct lack of first-hand info on Triumphs
in this forum, I thought I'd offer some initial thoughts.
The
Bike:
790
cc, parallel twin, 5-speed, retro standard, 450 lb dry, 30.5"
seat height. Bit more of a bike that what a lot of people
in this forum might recommend as a first bike but there are
many I've found who would consider the bonneville a contender
as a first bike if a) you have proper training and maturity
and b) if you have the size to mitigate some of the issues
with bigger bikes. Not my intention to debate this point.
The fact remains I have it and I'd like to share my opinions.
FWIW, I'm 6' and 210 lbs.
The
Ride:
Only
comparison I have is the safety course bike which for me was
a Yamaha TW dirt bike, so these comments are very much Newbie
comments.
The
bike balances extremely nicely. Feels stable at low speeds.
Steers extremely easily (low or higher speeds). Under normal
conditions, I think most people would find this a very well-mannered
bike.
The
power comes on smoothly and predictably. You have to consciously
give a solid twist to make the power flow in any surprising
fashion. With my "broken wrist" hold, it was very
difficult to do something totally unexpected ... good quality
for a newbie. If however, you do want to consciously give
that twist, the power flows and does it well. It has the reputation
of being a very torquey bike: 45 ft-lbs + 60 hp stock. With
my modest experiments at higher speeds, I could easily tell
that there is a beast hiding underneath but is well guarded
by some pretty competent gate keepers.
Very
hard to stall I found. Clutch and whatever else is involved
seems extremely forgiving. A few times when I was unknowing
in 2nd while stopped, I could easily get going without stalling.
But I'm not intending to make a habit of this.
The
ergonomics are great for slow and modest speeds. Nice and
upright and very intuitive. Anything over 40 mph or in wind
or under hard acceleration, I find myself crouching over to
deal with the wind. Triumph (and many aftermarket suppliers)
offer shields and fairings which I'll probably go for after
some more miles.
Some
Quirks:
I've
found cold starting to require some attention. Just a plain
cold start from say, 50 deg (F) or higher, you still need
the choke out and warm it for a couple of minutes before setting
it in. Below this temp, you're likely going to be turning
it over several times before it starts with the choke out
and then idling for a few minutes. From what I've heard this
is typical for the bike.
The
pipes blue the instant it leaves the dealership. This is a
well known characteristic (not a flaw ). If you don't like
blue pipes, don't get this bike or overhaul the exhaust system
before leaving the dealership.
On
a few occasions I found neutral and first to be a bit tricky
but am used to it. Otherwise the shift is generally smooth.
I've also heard shifting gets smoother as the bike wears in.
Handling
seems top notch and responds crisply to wherever my eyes are
pointing. The first couple of miles when I was still getting
used to the bike, minor fumbles at intersections can easily
be accommodated.
The
bike does not leak oil and the electrical do not spontaneously
combust ... as the older generations of Triumphs reputedly
did.
History/Lore:
This
is truly the best part! Triumph, like HD and Indian has a
legendary history. In the 50's and 60's they seemed to have
ruled the sport bike world (sport bikes used to look like
my bike back then). In the 80's they almost went belly up.
Recovered in the 90's with some great, well engineered and
reliable bikes. The Bonneville was slated to be the one that
re-ignites the past mystique of the company. For many, like
me, it did exactly that. It was reintroduced in 2000.
This
bike draws attention. Usually from older folks who remember
the golden years, but also from young 'uns who simply get
a kick out of the retro british bike look (aren't too many
of these around). Expect to be accosted with more than a polite
"nice bike". Expect long drawn out anecdotes, stares,
finger pointing ... all entirely good. Let's face it ... all
of us secretly want this kind of attention even if we have
other good unselfish reasons for riding.
Finally,
it's not a cruiser so I don't feel the pressure to dress or
act a certain way ... but it's naked and "classic"
looking like the cruisers. It's not a sport bike but it has
a sport bike heritage and many claim it handles like a well-behaved
sport bike ... and for what it's worth, I think some of the
more sport-bike-oriented gear looks better with this bike
-- i.e. a nice safe well-armored affordable textile sport
outfit with a full face helmet suits it fine with no stupid
comments from those obsessed with the "look" of
the rider's clothes.
Conclusion:
This
is a great bike that mechanically strikes a nice balance between
cruisers and sports and culturally or spiritually falls right
between cruisers and sports.
I
spent a lot of time researching bikes and in the end for both
emotional and mechanical reasons, I reduced the entire world
of available motorcycles to this one model ... and I haven't
regretted a minute of my time with it.
Cheers
all,
Tom.
Trying very hard to keep the shiny side up ... so far so good
...
Rider
Review: 2003 Triumph Bonneville