In the Sixties, the only outlet for my raging hormones was either a fast dash to spend an hour or so with a girl I knew or racing every Sunday afternoon to a cafe where like-minded Rockers drank frothy coffee and listened to Billy Fury and Elvis on the jukebox.
Outside British Iron filled the street: Super Rockets, Dominators, Goldies, Velos and the occasional Constellation – they were all there – but one bike stood out from the rest. Renowned for its outright ‘ballsy’ performance, the Bonneville ruled the road.
Sadly for me, as life moved on through its stages and the burden of career and conformity took over, I swapped my boots for brogues and the Bonneville had to go as the delinquent in me died. But once a Bonneville enters your bloodstream there is no antibody that will remove it.
Even now, for many an ageing rocker peering through rose-tinted and fly-spattered goggles, that big British twin distils the spirit of those heady days. Although the legend of the Bonnie is no longer fresh, those too young to remember its heyday are amply provided with folklore about it. Maybe the time is ripe for the sort of bike on which you can relive those good old days while still coping with today’s changed road conditions and your own atrophied muscles. Triumph has proved that it is – as the new Bonneville T100 is a bestseller.
The world has changed, of course and today’s atomic powered, Mach 2 missiles would blitz it in second gear. But that’s not what this Bonneville is about. It’s a bike on which to ‘bimble’ along at a steady pace as it evokes memories of golden days.
Today’s Bonnie is very different from its ancestor which was born at a time when you tickled a carburetor, used a kickstart, signalled by hand and brakes hadn’t been invented. The complexity of modern bikes was unthinkable. What was important then was simplicity, lightness and easy handling. It didn’t matter that the factory machinery on which they were built worked to tolerances measured in yards and not microns – you’d be rebuilding the bike anyway after five thousand miles. After all – that’s what spanners were for!
Yesteryear’s objectives were well served by the pushrod parallel twin motor of the time. So, with double overhead cams, balancer shafts, electric starting, lean-sensitive ‘optimised cornering and traction control’, cruise control plus road and rain modes (Are we mad?) it begs the question ‘should it still be called a Bonneville?’ Just like BMW’s Mini, it’s evocative of the past in style, but in reality is a world away from the icon that it was. I’m pleased to report though, that it’s still a bike to put you in an old black and white movie under a Sixties moon. It’s a joy to ride if you forget all the nonsense and actually know how to ride a motorbike without lunatic electronic interference.
However, that’s not to detract in any way from this delightful and superbly engineered bike. It has a tubular steel frame, a twin sided swing arm, twin shock rear suspension and a single front disc brake. It has a low seat height too, so that even if you need a hip replacement you can climb onto it without using a mounting block from the local stables. In reality it fulfils a role at the opposite end of the spectrum from that of the old bike which was at the cutting edge of performance in its day..
If your creed is horsepower and Mach numbers above all else you might feel misgivings and argue that an engine configuration dating from the Forties has no relevance now: but you’re wrong. It only takes a short ride on the Bonnie to convince all but the hardest cynic that there’s real virtue in being able to flick through bends with barely a thought and with instant strong power when you open up, regardless of revs or gear. The sheer tractability makes it one of the most relaxing bikes to ride.
At first I suspected that Triumph might have sold out to ‘responsible’ society and that the Bonnie might be boring. It’s most certainly not. An element of excitement has been preserved and the fun that has been the Bonneville hallmark remains. It’s no fireball, (even though I did show a clean pair of heels to the driver of an MGB at the lights) but what it loses out in blood chilling speed, it makes up for with brilliant handling and easy rideability.
While there’s none of the old ‘rawness’ which would be unpalatable for today’s softies who don’t like getting wet and who couldn’t contemplate the horrors of the kickstart lever in case they bruise themselves, this is still a ‘punchy’ bike that pulls strongly. With oodles of torque and a slick 5 speed gearbox and smooth transmission, you can stooge along on a whiff of throttle and accelerate away smoothly in any gear. This Triumphs mark is its sweet combination of engine, gears and transmission that gives rare characteristics to make for lovely relaxing motorcycling.
The technical specification of this period looking 865cc, 67bhp twin is interesting. Double overhead cams, fuel injection and gear driven balancer shafts ensure that not a single tingle reaches you, making the whole experience delightfully smooth. And if you only have an A2 licence you can have a strangulation kit fitted until you grow up. There is a 1200 version with more power and six gears but this 900 is a more pleasing bike overall.
Flat out burn-ups are no longer what a Bonnie is about. The fairly soft motor is a natural cruiser that settles to a leisurely 70mph for as long as the fuel lasts, which is probably about 140/150 miles. The big limitation to high speeds (It might do 105/110 mph if you’re so inclined) is the riding position – Oh! so comfy, but you do present the aerodynamics of a barn door.
You can’t help but be happy about the handling too: it’s inspiring. Steering is precise and whatever the speed, there’s a feeling of solid stability. Into bends and the Bonnie cranks over easily just as far as you want. In other words it does whatever you ask of it – no more, no less. A precise balance has been achieved between steering, weight and suspension characteristics so you won’t experience wobbling or snaking over bad surfaces. Brakes are excellent too: powerful and with good feel.
Now less of a handful than it used to be and replete in contemporary clothes, one of the beauties of the Bonneville is that every time you ride it your heart leaps and your head clears as you lock into one of motorcyclings romantic experiences, humming past hedgerows along twisty highways and byways – before the Ministry of Nastiness dictates that soon bikes will be satellite controlled and even pedestrians will be shackled to limit the length of their stride.
Nakedly nostalgic yet effortlessly contemporary, the Bonnie thuds deep into the emotional bullseye. At £9695 it’s expensive but worth it.
