Words: Matthew Shields

Triumph’s Bonneville has long been a favourite machine of mine. I’m not talking about the original – they were well before my time. I’m not talking about the ones made in the 80s under licence either, but rather the generation of retro machine launched just after the turn of last century. Originally released in 2001, the new generation Bonneville was 790cc in capacity and built on the Triumph production line in Hinckley, England. Made at home, it oozed the old-school charm and style of yesteryear but had all the modern aspects we have come to expect in a modern motorcycle.

In 2007 all the Bonnies got the 865cc engine the up-spec T100 model previously had and, over time carbies were replaced with fuel injectors though the shoruds over them never revealed what was lying beneath to ensure the machine still had a proper old-school look. Fast-forward to 2016, and the release of an entirely new Bonneville range has brought the machine inline with stricter Euro4 emission regulations. While other machines have dropped off line-ups as a result, the Bonneville has received a breath of fresh air and done so without losing any of the intricate detail so important to a modern-day retro machine.

Image: Alex Gobert (Foremost Media).

While change worries people a lot of, there is no need to be afraid. This new Bonnie still looks the part. At a quick glance and you wouldn’t know that Triumph has made it water-cooled, would you? The pump, lines and coolant tank can’t be seen – but that’s only the start of things. The intricate attention to detail that Triumph’s Chief Engineer, Stuart Wood, range required a lot of effort put into achieving. I’ve heard PR garb like that before, but when I saw it in the metal I could truly appreciate the painstaking attention to detail.

It’s got proper fins on the heads, there’s no sign of any pipes, the fuel cap is bang-on and while it has traction control and ABS, you wouldn’t know it by looking at it. As far as reto goes, the new Bonneville nails it. Tap the Bonneville into life and that’s when things get a little different. Gone is the ol’ 360-degree firing crank and in its place a 270-degree crank. To purists, the new sound is an outrage. I, too, miss the sound of the old engine, but there has to be somewhere that the Boneville has made a concession on its replication of the past moving into the future, and this is it. In its place though is an engine that delivers more torque from the bottom-end to midrange – and that’s a fair compromise.

For an extra 35cc in capacity there is nearly 20 percent more torque and it peaks at a low 3200rpm. With a five-speed box, it accelerates well through the gearbox and does so in higher gears and lower road speeds quite well. A little extra punch would be nice, but there’s tuning options and other models in the range to remedy that. Chassis-wise, the new Bonnie is just like the old one – the last one, not the first one of course. Weighing in at 200kg dry, the Bonneville isn’t heavy and with a low seat height of 750mm it’s a very unintimidating perch. Handling is easy, effortless in fact, and the suspension is tuned for a more relaxed than ‘up-it’ kind of riding style.

Image: Alex Gobert (Foremost Media).

The entire chassis balance is one that suits the style and era of bike – so don’t go thinking you are getting a dynamic, nakedbike handling characteristic from this machine. It does’t disappoint and the best part about it is how it is exciting and enjoyable to ride at lower speeds than are usually ‘fun’. Like Triumph brakes have always been, braking is strong, predictable and plentiful. ABS almost isn’t needed, but it’s always nice to know it is there. The riding position is feet forwards up and out – if you’ve ever owned an old British bike, you’ll appreciate the designers went to efforts to carry that old style through to this point!

If I was after a modern-day interpretation of the past with all the performance and technology of today, it would be hard to go past the Street Twin as an excellent starting point – especially when you consider the price. It is a bike you could jump on and forever ride, or it is the perfect starting point for a customisation. But if you want to head up that road, there are plenty of other machines in this new Bonneville range though when it comes to value for money, bang for buck, the Street Twin is hard to beat.

Specifications

Capacity: 900cc
Power: 41kW @ 5900rpm
Torque: 80Nm @ 3200rpm
Dry weight: 198kg
Seat height: 750mm
Price: $13,350 plus ORC
Detailed specs: www.triumphmotorcycles.com.au