{"id":7576,"date":"2009-06-01T00:00:48","date_gmt":"2009-06-01T04:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/motorcyclemojo.com\/?p=7576"},"modified":"2020-04-06T12:38:54","modified_gmt":"2020-04-06T16:38:54","slug":"triumph-bonneville-rewriting-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/motorcyclemojo.com\/2009\/06\/triumph-bonneville-rewriting-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Triumph Bonneville Rewriting History"},"content":{"rendered":"
Introducing a Distinguished Bonnie<\/strong><\/p>\n The 2009 Bonneville and Bonneville SE were the stars, front and centre, during a recent press launch in New Orleans this spring. Triumph now offers four Bonneville models for 2009; the standard Bonneville, Bonneville SE, the T100 and the Fiftieth Anniversary model, which was produced in a very limited number of only 650 units. You can forget about picking up one of the fiftieth anniversary models though, as they are already sold, making them an instant collectors item, for those so inclined.<\/p>\n While the Triumph brand realized its heyday during the 50\u2019s and 60\u2019s, the pinnacle of the Bonneville was the late 60\u2019s and this new incarnation of the Bonneville is styled directly from the 1968 classic bearing the same name.<\/p>\n Whether you are looking for that traditional retro Bonneville of your youth, or you are thinking of that cool 70\u2019s look, it\u2019s all come full circle in the 21-century Bonnie. Make no mistake, although made to look like its vintage counterpart, the new Bonnie is truly a modern roadster.<\/p>\n To differentiate the two models of Bonneville featured during the launch, the standard Bonnie has black engine cases, analogue speedo without a tach, and displays the proud name in decal form on the gas tank, whereas the higher spec Special Edition model has a traditional tank badge, satin engine covers and incorporates an analogue tachometer alongside the speedometer.<\/p>\n The biggest news for the Bonneville is the addition of fuel injection, a change that has occurred across the whole Modern Classics range for that matter. The Modern Classics family consists of the Bonneville, Thruxton and Scrambler. Fuel injection is now the standard fuel delivery system across the board for the complete Triumph motorcycle line-up. While technical improvement is good, it can sometimes take a toll on certain aspects of the traditional appearance. Triumph knows full well the importance of its rich history with the cult classic Bonneville, thereby keeping the classic look intact.<\/p>\n The incorporation of a closed-loop Multipoint Sequential Electronic Fuel Injection could have easily altered the Bonnie\u2019s appearance, making it less desirable, but the engineers did an amazing job of disguising the traditional looking twin carburetors by installing the injectors inside the faux carb bodies. The accuracy of appearance could result in arguments with the most knowledgeable of English motorcycle aficionados that the bike is still carbureted. The fuel injection system, developed in conjunction with Keihin, is five-times cleaner than traditional carburetors, and as a result, passes stringent Euro 3 emission standards. Exhaust gases exiting the Bonnie\u2019s tailpipes are through repurposed Thruxton mufflers, reminiscent of the Bonneville of the seventies.<\/p>\n While the 865 cc DOHC parallel twin has an oil cooler, the engine is primarily air-cooled and the new fuel injection worked flawlessly on our demo models. The engine is set-up to deliver 90 percent of its peak torque at just 2,500 rpm, and power continues all the way to its 7,000 rpm redline. Although the torque rating of 51 ft lbs at 5,800 rpm, and horsepower being claimed at 67 ponies at 7,500 rpm won\u2019t set any records and may not sound like much against some of today\u2019s monster power plants, the engine, incorporating twin balance shafts, is silky smooth and getting up to highway speed is surprisingly quick. Much of our riding was in the high-speed range of Interstates or deserted Louisiana roads and the Triumph twin never once complained as I put it through its paces.<\/p>\n I only felt the inkling of vibration in the handlebar in the 5,000 rpm range, but not enough to cause concern. Besides, other than revving the engine in order to get up to speed, that rpm range is in the upper ranks of U.S. Interstate speeds and not a pace most Canadians have the opportunity to ride in without putting their license in jeopardy.<\/p>\n Of the three models in the Modern Classics family, the Bonneville and the Thruxton use a 360-degree firing interval from the parallel twin while the Scrambler, still using the same 865 cc engine, albeit different engine internals, uses a 270-degree firing order, slightly changing the sound emanating from the tail pipe. Both sound great and reminiscent of classic Triumphs from days gone by.<\/p>\n While the more traditional, and unchanged, T100 still has spoked wheels, 17-inch on the rear and 19-inch steel wheel on the front, the newly revised standard Bonnie and the Bonnie SE deviate from 60\u2019s tradition of spokes and take a page from the 70\u2019s. Now incorporating 17-inch lightweight cast wheels on both ends, and with the addition of the Thruxton front fender, unsprung weight is greatly reduced by a whopping 8.5 kg (18.7 lbs). The new front wheel size and less weight bearing down on the rubber make quite a difference in handling. In comparison to the T100, the regular Bonneville and the SE, weighing in at 200 kg (441 lbs) dry, feel lighter and much more nimble in the corners, not to mention slow speed U-turns. Metzeler supplies the 110\/70R17 on the front and a 130\/80R17 out back. An added bonus of 17-inch tires is that it opens up a much broader selection of tubeless radial tires when replacement is needed.<\/p>\n Stopping those 17-inch hoops is a single 310 mm disc up front and a 255 mm disc on the rear, both being clamped by dual-piston floating calipers. Both ends do an excellent job of stopping the Bonnie with just a moderate squeeze on the front lever and the rear brake pedal.<\/p>\n Ergonomics have changed for the better on the new Bonnie and Bonnie SE with a lower seat height of 740 mm (29.1 in), a reduction of 35 mm (1.4 in) from the T100, and redesigned handlebars that sweep back slightly farther to meet the rider. The new bars, and longer mirror stalks offer an excellent view behind, and the brake and easy-to-pull clutch levers are fully adjustable for varying hand sizes. During the press launch we were trading off bikes from the Modern Classics family pretty regularly, but I had either the Bonneville or the SE for most of the time, and I found the riding position to be very friendly. In keeping with tradition, the foot pegs are sensibly below the thigh for an upright riding position, keeping the lower back straight and free from fatigue. The seat, while more sculpted than the original 60\u2019s flat version, is comfortable and offers plenty of wiggle room to keep the blood flowing on longer jaunts.<\/p>\n The Bonnie was equally comfortable in town or on the highway, but for those who wish to alleviate themselves from the brunt of the windblast, Triumph now offers two sizes of easily removable windscreens as optional equipment.<\/p>\n Also helping in the personal comfort department is compliant suspension. The front 41 mm Kayaba fork gives up 120 mm (4.7 in) of travel while the rear twin Kayaba shocks have 100 mm (3.9 in) of travel. The front doesn\u2019t offer any adjustment but the rears allow the rider to adjust spring preload. Surprisingly we ran into quite a lot of rough pavement in the southern state, but the suspension kept its manners and provided a smooth ride for the most part.<\/p>\n Both the standard Bonnie and the Bonnie SE are an excellent all-round bike for most any type of riding, offering rider comfort and smooth power in ample proportions, all in a cool looking package. In fact, the whole Triumph line of Modern Classics ooze character, style and a very unique heritage that a whole generation was brought up on.<\/p>\n And they say retro is making a comeback, I didn\u2019t know it left.<\/p>\n The 2009 Bonneville comes in Jet Black or Fusion White and retails for very reasonable $8,699, while for only $700 more the SE model offers the additions mentioned earlier and a two-tone paint scheme of Pacific Blue and Fusion White, or solid paint in the form of Jet Black, both colours are priced at $9,399.<\/p>\n