Demo'd a Triumph Bonnie

[woppini]

  So, on my way back from the powder coating shop, decided to run by the local KTM/Triumph dealer. Been there a few times, but finally asked to demo a Bonneville. The new ones look fantastic. Several colors available along with those nice aluminum rims. Couldnt wait to get my hands on one. After the run through of the controls, I fired her up. Engine is turbine smooth and quiet. Let the clutch out and heeeeeer we go. First off, had to get used to the pedal position, but shifts were crisp and definite. Brakes were good, but not as good as my stockers on the monster. Probably cause its only single disk. Throttle mapping seemed spot on. Not notchy. The seating position was good, and caused my body to keep a upright stance, without reaching to the bars. Iam 5-10, but its a great bike for shorter righters. Ok, now to open her up. My Duc is an 800 and this one I believe is a 865. I was expecting a good womp in the seat feeling, but nothing was there. I figured I didnt twist the grip far enough. I wrenched the throttle to its full stop, rpm in the upper band, and this bike "sorta" accelerated. Tried it again, but got the revs in a differant power band and shifting. Same thing. Not much to get moist about. Tried getting that sweet spot acceleration 3 times at differant engine rpm. Seems most of the grunt or lack of is toward the lower end, but runs out very quickly. Not to happy so far. So the test drive was a good run on canyon roads with bumps here and there. Omg, the suspension was wash board harsh. Smaller bumps were ok, but anything that moved the suspension an inch or more would hammer your spine- and that was on the softest setting. I have a healthy back, but it was feeling that road surface even as i write this 6 hours later.
  Yeah, I was disappointed because I really was thinking hard about getting one. But a hop on my Duc to get home, the sound, acceleration, handling... the triumph just didnt tickle my balls like my Duc does.
 

[victor441]

had a similar experience, test rode a new Thruxton and liked it OK but it did not really excite me....later that day rode a 800 Monster that did and bought it on the spot about a month ago.

[ArguZ]

If Triumph , then S.Tripple 
The rest are like italian espresso machines.
More nice too look at then thrilling

[NorDog]

Yeah, I suspected as much from the Bonnie, but don't write it off altogether.  Let me explain with something I've shared here before.

I bought my S4RS in November 07.  I've always been a HD and BMW guy.  The Beemers I've had accelerated far better than the HDs, especially the 85 K100 I once had.

So after I demoed the S4RS I had to have it, of course.  I thought I would come to hate my 2005 Superglide.

On the contrary, I found I loved it even more.  Why?  Because I wasn't pushing it as hard as I had, and instead actually enjoyed, for the first time, just, well, cruising around in a way my Monster can't.

If I want great hooligan riding, I go with the Monster.  If I want to go for a ride and just chill a bit, I take the HD.

So, if you already HAVE a Ducati and are insterested in a Bonnie as a second bike (and if the price is okay; have no idea what they cost), then I say don't rule it out.

A different bike for different moods; if you can afford it.

Personally, if I were going for a non-sport bike Triumph, it would probably be the Thunderbird or the Rocket III, though I think if I were to be in the market for a non-sport bike it would be a damn Gold Wing.  Sometimes a guy's just gotta admit he's getting older!  

[kingbaby]

^
Great advice  

I pretty much love motorcycles, period. I could find a place & a reason to ride them all.  [moto]
So little time...so many motos.

Heres my Thruxton (It has a ton of perf. mods. & still had a giant reflector at the time) 
And a Custom Triumph Speed master we did for a local radio "DJ" ( do they even call them that anymore?).

[woppini]

I could live with the lower power, because yes, you do tend enjoy the ride more. But the biggest issue I think was the suspension. Just too stiff. Are guys heavier across the pond or somethin?

[TightLines]

Bonnie and Monster are just different animals.

I was glad to read your brief review because I've been poking around the internet for the past week looking up the bonnies.  Still cool bikes.

[sugarcrook]

My gf has a Bonnie and the only mod I want to do it is suspension.  I wouldn't mind getting rid of the spokes, but that would also detract from the retro look. 

[MaineMonster]

I used to own a Triumph Scrambler, just a Bonnie with high pipes, higher seat height and and 270 degree crank as opposed to to a 360, (which gives it more down low ump).  I loved that bike and pumped a ton of money into it to get it to look and ride like I wanted it to.  Bigger carbs, open pipes, Ikon suspension with progressive front springs....My wife was pissed when I sold it for my S4R, but who gives a shite right

[DucHead]

^
Great advice  

I pretty much love motorcycles, period. I could find a place & a reason to ride them all.  [moto]
So little time...so many motos.

Heres my Thruxton (It has a ton of perf. mods. & still had a giant reflector at the time) 
And a Custom Triumph Speed master we did for a local radio "DJ" ( do they even call them that anymore?).

Are those all your bikes!!  I like the Trumpets -- both of 'em!!   

[kingbaby]

No, the hyper, & rocket belong to the dealership, the 1098 was my first one of the two I've had, & the bobber was all of my parts on a stock motor & frame. The Truxton was the one bike I've had in the past decade & sold that I wish I would have kept (It had the suspension dream rides are made of).

Oh, and thank you. Glad you dug 'em.  

Edit:  THRUXTON.  Dang, I loved it. I could have at least spelled it correctly. 

[junior varsity]

my wife wants a bonneville and it fits her goals perfect: lots of fun to look at, pleasant to ride, not going to make her soil her britches.

not all bikes are made with the same goals. there is, afterall, a large devoted cruiser crowd.

[DucSeason]

I had a friend who bought a Bonneville Black and I got to ride it home from the dealership, since he hadn't ridden in years and it was some tight city driving, followed by superslab. I enjoyed the bike. It felt like a bicycle under me, was very refined, and cool looking for sure. It's nothing you could burn up the road with, and the stock seat is pretty harsh after about 20 minutes, but a few mods and she'd be a pretty pleasing ride. You can get kits to bump the displacement, and there are other good engine internals available. The local Triumph dealer has one he uses in vintage race class (he's the trophy winner), that knocks out over 100hp. Pretty slick.