From a "fast" bike to a Bonneville?

Absolutely NO intention to discredit the performance of the Triumph twins here. I'm thinking pretty hard about buying a new Bonneville. My last three bikes were pretty high performance (Duc ST4S, Buell 1125R, KTM 950 Adv) and while having the lowest amount of hp the KTM was my fav. I know that the Triumph can roll along at any sane speed, but have any of you gone this same route?

I bought a Bonnie T100 last year, love it!! Attracts a crowd everywhere I go on it.


You know what they say, "Its more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow."

That's a sharp bike.

IMO, unless you are on a track, outright "speed" has no real relevance in the bigger scheme of things. It's more about the sensations and the total experience that brings me the joy of riding these days. Easier on the license too!

Not a Bonnie, but my new ride, while not as "fast" as my other bikes, is just as much fun to ride, if not more so...




And, whodda thunk it? ME? Enjoy a HARLEY? Really?

Yep, me! Really!

Nice pic Randy, I used to live in Newnan and have ridden by the same spot. The sensations are certainly a big issue, on 100+hp bikes they're definitely there in droves. I rode 60hp R100's all over the country, but that was a long time ago...

Thanks.

Really? Small world, huh?

Yeah, there are definitely different sensations to be had. High G-force acceleration is just one of them though. To me it's more satisfying to ride a bike that has that indefinable trait some call character and that I refer to as feeling "alive". My Ducati had it. My Buell S1 has it. My R1150 GS certainly lacks it, IMO. As does every inline 4 I've ever ridden.

But, the Harley has it in spades!

There's just something about the feeling of the Hammer of Thor pounding on the bottom of your seat under acceleration. And then there's the SOUND...

I find both of those sensations more satisfying than the acceleration or outright performance of any of the faster, but more bland, machines available.

And then there's the sensation of speed itself as well. Some bikes are so "good" that they make 100+mph speeds seem mundane. And then there are those that make 75 on a backroad feel like you're HAULING ASS! Can you imagine which is a safer bike to have some fun on? Shit happens real quick at insane speeds on the road. Other drivers, deer, dogs, etc.... None of them give a rats ass how "good" your bike is at high speeds. Neither do the cops...

But, if I can have a fun, spirited ride at lower speeds on a bike that "feels" fast even when ridden slower... Like the old adage quoted above... it's just more fun to me.

Of course that's just me, and everyone has their own buttons that certain bikes either push or don't. That's something no one can tell you other than yourself.

Great topic.

My local dealer has many labels of bikes, BMW, Yammy, Kawi, Honda and some Triumph products.

I alway stop and check on the retro looking Bonnies. What fun. It has "Sunday" written all over it.

I added a T100 to the stable a couple of years ago. I get more compliments on that bike than any of the other bikes I've ridden. It's very much an elemental motorcycle.

While there are HD dealers in most every town in the USA, and there are plenty of Honda/Suzuki/Yamaha/Kawasaki dealerships about, none of those brands can match Triumph because every single gas stop I've ever stopped at has a an old guy who used to ride a Triumph back in the day.

Yeah, the nostalgia is cool. Both my parents had a T100C when I was a kid. My Dad rode was a Class A enduro rider and rode all the big nationals back in the 60's. I've got some cool color slides of those days...I have one of my Mom with her bike that I need to get digitized. She's getting older and it would make her day to see her pic on this website.


Triumph has a 0 down 4.75% deal going on right now which kind of sweetens the pot too.

I bought a new Thruxton last year. I also owned an 04 Honda VFR. At the end of the riding season I had put 4,500 miles on the Thruxton and less than 1,000 on the VFR. When I would go for a ride, the Triumph key would be the one I grabbed. I ended up selling the VFR, a bike I thought I would never sell. The Thruxton is simple, really good looking and very fun to ride. I think a Bonnie would be a similar experience. If I need a sport bike fix, I take my son's 675 Daytona for a spin. I end up going stupid fast on it and am happy to get back on my Thruxton. I have been riding almost 40 years, you need to be at the point in life where absolute speed isn't as important as it once was.

Yep... Exactly what I was talking about. Maybe it has something to do with this "Low T" thing I keep hearing about...

Excellent! That's me, 40 years of riding, my son has a Daytona 600. You having both bikes really is a great way to weigh the pros and cons. I just don't have the inkling to ride around at a 100mph. It's neat to read how the lower hp didn't affect your decision on what to ride from day to day.

That's hilarious dude.

Triumph classics are the essence of pure riding enjoyment. I also admire the Guzzi V7 racer and the Duc Classics. Nothing pretentious about these bikes or riding them for what they are. It's motorcycling purity.

There is a power difference but you get used to it very quickly, and it would not be a problem unless you like cruising at 80mph. The real difference in them is the handling and brakes. I have a Kawasaki W800 and having had 40-odd years of British twins, I can punt it along through the curves at a very good rate. But it takes a lot of effort, the suspension (on the W800 and the Bonnies) is crude and they buck and weave and can spit you off if you don't have the experience with that sort of handling. I also have a Honda 919 and that simply sails over the same roads with just a nudge of the butt to get it lined up.

Buy one as you'll enjoy it more than you'd expect, but don't take it as read that you can actually ride it hard until you've put a few thousand miles on it testing the limits. Old style frames and suspension are not very forgiving and it is very easy to get in way over your head if you are riding one like a modern sports bike. Once you've got the hang of it then you'll understand the attraction of Nortons, BSAs and Triumphs. There is a real visceral thrill in punting an old twin or a standard Sportster 'on the cam' along a good bike road.

(Should add that I also own a 2007 Sportster with full length suspension; marvellous bikes.)

Good stuff guys.

I have an 09 Bonnie and a 10 Street 3. The S3 is like driving and F1 car-pure fun! But, 90% of the time I reach for the Bonnie keys. The only thing not there is that massive rush of speed-but I don't ever seem to miss it.

10 years ago I went from a superhawk to a W650.
While I did miss the speed. There was something else I discovered. I found that I was totally happy riding the W650 when traffic was slower. Something I didn't like very much at all on the VTR. It's a totally different experience and one that I enjoyed. Then some other motolust caught my eye and I moved on. I miss the W650 but not enough to go find another or to buy a Bonnie. For what it's worth I never did go back to liter class sport bike. Today I ride a 919, dl650 and a R100GS

I'm 35yrs and have only ridden for five years. And recently, I went from this...




to this....





Zero F's given....no regrets.

Good thread. I'm contemplating just such a move myself, although I'd coming from a BMW R1100RT, not exactly a "fast" bike. Been think about a Bonnie, Thruxton, or maybe Honda's new CB1100 (been following that thread with interest, too). At 61 yrs. young, I'm ready for some laid-back cruising on something that looks vintage but has modern reliability.