Triumph Bonneville

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Triumph Bonneville can refer to two different British motorcycles.

Customised Triumph Bonneville T120 Unit construction engine

1 Original
2 New Bonneville
3 Cultural references
4 External links

[edit] Original

The original Triumph Bonneville was a 650 cc parallel-twin (two cylinder) motorcycle manufactured by Triumph Engineering Co Ltd and later Norton-Villiers-Triumph between 1959 and 1983. initially it was produced as a pre-unit construction engine but later a unit construction model was made. It was named after the Bonneville Salt Flats in the state of Utah, USA, where Triumph and other motorcycle companies made attempts on the world motorcycle speed records. It was popular (particularly in its early years) for its performance, compared to other bikes available. Although later enlarged to 750 cc, in the late 1970s and early 1980s it suffered when compared to more modern and reliable Japanese motorbikes from Honda and other manufacturers. The T120 engine, both in standard configuration but especially customised for increased performance, was a popular for installing in café racers particularly Tritons, but also Tribsas.

[edit] New Bonneville

The new Triumph Bonneville by Triumph Motorcycles Ltd was released in 2001. It has a 790 cc parallel-twin motor the same configuration as the original "Bonnie," as they are collectively known. The Bonneville engine uses a carburettor (as opposed to fuel injection), chain-type final drive, and other features consistent with the original production Bonneville. The Bonneville serves as the base from which all of Triumph's "Modern Classics" line is derived, including the T100, Thruxton, and Scrambler.

In 2006, Triumph Motorcycles Ltd. launched the "Sixty-Eight" line of Bonneville accessories. These include both vintage and modern aesthetic modifications, to include seats, seat covers, cam covers, sprocket covers, petrol tank covers, tank badges, panniers, and other items. The Sixty-Eight line provides a complete set of OEM parts that allow Bonneville owners to possess a truly distinctive and unique motorcycle with less cost than traditional customizations.

The Bonneville is held by many to be a "nostalgia" bike that serves to be a reminder of the 1960's era Bonnevilles, and is marketed towards the demographic of motorcycle riders who previously owned older-model Bonnevilles, but who also want the convenience of electric starting mechanisms, fewer oil leaks, and better fuel economy. Thus, "new" Bonnevilles have a reputation for being ridden by older motorcyclists. This claim is, however, unsupported by any concrete data.