Triumph’s iconic Bonneville goes on sale in India shortly. Will it fit in well?
Unfortunately, this refined engine isn’t coupled to the gearbox it deserves, with shifting down not feeling without glitches and neutral proving a bit tough to find at times. Sitting on the Triumph is an interesting experience. Compared to the very low seat the Bonneville had earlier, the 790mm seat is a bit higher, but still more than okay for shorter people. Typically, the Bonnie encourages the feeling of sitting ‘inside’ the motorcycle. The Triumph tips the scales at 225kg of kerb weight. The low centre of gravity, 1490mm wheelbase and 17-inch wheels work beautifully together to ensure great handling. Pointing the Triumph in the right direction is no sweat; quite the contrary in fact, because the Bonneville corners effortlessly, behaving very neutral and heading flawlessly into whichever direction you have in mind. Last-minute corrections when your head is slightly off-course are a piece of cake. The Triumph always feels secure, both in fast and slow situations, and we also like its handlebar position.
The suspension of the Bonneville is quite firm and sporty. Quite simply, Triumph’s retro naked motorcycle inspires confidence and remains tight even on very twisty and challenging roads. On bad roads, as are so common in India, you pay the price for excellent handling, which is reduced comfort. Also Bonneville-typical, there’s no need to fiddle around to get better performance out of the bike like Joe Bar and his counterparts needed to in the Sixties or Seventies. Yes, the British bestseller looks a classic, but under its skin it’s pretty sophisticated. One can imagine how riders used to curse their spongy brakes in the era of the original Bonneville. Anno 2013, the Bonneville now has plenty of stopping power thanks to a 310mm front disc with Nissin twin-piston-caliper brakes. At the rear, the Triumph is equipped with a capable 225mm rear disc, with dual-piston caliper.