Triumph Bonneville

Honda had everyone pleasantly surprised when it announced its plans to locally assemble the CBR650F. As the motorcycles sold through the CKD route fall under a lower tax bracket, CBR650F was predicted to be one of the most affordable four-cylinder bikes available here. However, the price tag of Rs 7.3 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) has pushed the CBR650F far away from its core competition, right into the territory of two very different motorcycles – the Triumph Bonneville and the Ducati Scrambler. As customers with a budget of Rs 8 lakh are sure to consider these motorcycles, despite  their different segments, here is an on paper comparison of the CBR650, Bonneville and the Scrambler.   

There are quite a few forces at work here trying to tug a prospect in their respective directions. There’s brand, origin, genre, technology and character. One must make a choice between air-cooling versus liquid-cooling; simplicity vs electronics; cruiser vs street; American vs British; Harley-Davidson vs Triumph. With Rs 10-11 lakh to spare and an eye firmly trained at the 1200cc-twin layout, one must choose between the Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom and the Triumph Bonneville T120. It isn’t an easy choice to make, unless, like us, you decide to go for the better product. And to find out which of the two is the better motorcycle, we headed to our favourite road; only the rain gods decided to play havoc. But, we soldiered on…

In the world of retro motorcycles, Triumph has a stronghold, thanks to its iconic brand – Bonneville. Since its inception, the Bonneville hasn’t changed much design-wise but mechanically it has.  And that’s what makes this bike special. It has managed to contain its character, feel and its fan following. The Bonneville T120 in its latest avatar, still manages to be the same old retro motorcycle outside, but inside, it is the one of the most advanced premium bikes to be ever sold in India. And thanks to this, the Bonneville T120 isn’t the most affordable Triumph bike in India anymore. The Street Twin has taken this mantle.

The Triumph Bonneville has been the perfect exemplification of the term ‘modern classic’ for over a decade. The 2016 Bonneville T120 has been built on a new liquid-cooled platform specifically developed for the modern classic line-up, and is a major step up from its predecessor rather than a superficial update. A tribute to the Triumph Bonnevilles of late 1960s, the 2016 model offers an ideal blend of nostalgia and performance to keep the enthusiasts happy.  

The girl-next-door. This is a sweet-natured, dependable and low-key motorcycle, one with whom you would want to have a deep and meaningful relationship rather than a casual fling. With the expansion of the Bonneville range, the Bonneville T100 has now become the new entry-level model in the family. It offers best of both world, the powertrain of the Street Twin with the elegance of the big daddy – the Bonneville T120. 

Triumph has taken an as-yet-unexplored neo-retro route with the Bonneville Bobber. Do the 60s design and modern mechanicals mesh well?

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No, you can't have it Star Spangled.