I had a look at a friends new Bonneville today...Personally I thought it was pretty bland and not particularly well finished...
The overriding impression though was one of bulk...The words lard ass came readily to mind...
...
40 plus years of motorcycle development between my 1970 Bonnie and the latest from Hinkley have produced an overweight lump that actually bears little resemblance either physically or conceptually to an actual Bonneville and in the process they've managed to pile on 105 extra pounds..and there was me thinking light weight was a virtue in a motorcycle design...
Modern technology...it's great
...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
I had one in 2008.. Nice bike but much prefered to ride the A65(when I managed to get it started!!)
email (option): ian@integsci.com
Unlike thousands of happy owners I'm not a fan of Hinkley products..
I think they made a mess of the 'Bonneville' from the word go with excessive weight, bland, Japanese type engine characteristics and a mediocre level of finish. It has never struck me as a 'quality' machine..
I rode one before buying the Sportster and any idea that there was a real connection to the old Bonnie went right out of the window at that point...I preferred the power characteristics of the T140 that I bought new in 79...at least that had some 'edge' to it....
They obviously don't really get 'retro' either..
For example when the Bonnie went to fuel injection they tried to make it look more 'retro' by hiding the injectors inside fake Japanese lookalike carbs...They should have taken that opportunity to make the carbs look like Amals!!
Also they took the distinctive triangular timing cover of the old Bonnie, enlarged it and tilted it at an angle, thus buggering up the effect...
Fortunately, there are plenty of people who can ignore all that and believe they do have a modern incarnation of the Bonnie...
No worse and a lot cheaper than a French designed and built Brough I suppose...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
To be fair to Hinckley, they did have problems that Meriden didn't have.
Firstly, modern emission regulations have strangled performance. I'm certain that Hinckley would have preferred a "dirtier" engine that dumped fuel like a Saturn Five. But the lean burn thing is an EC obstacle that's hard to get around (hence aftermarket pipes, re-jetting kit, remapping, etc).
Next, modern riders are wimps. They won't buy a vibratory machine, so counter-balancers were essential for the new Bonnie. That's put the weight up. True, Kawasaki did a better/slimmer job with the W650/W800. But the Triumph engine will take a big bore kit and a heavier load, which might have been in the back of Hinckley's mind.
Next, the bikes are OHC rather than pushrod. That makes them taller, and bulkier, but more efficient with their 4-valve per cylinder arrangement.
Next, oil/air cooling was a requirement to pander to modern riders' taste. Sure, some would prefer more bang for their buck. But if you were Hinckley, you'd play it safe.
I test rode one of these bikes when they first came out and wasn't overwhelmed. Later I rode one for a Classic Bike Magazine photoshoot and took it from London to Derbyshire and back, and rode it around the Peak District. 350 mile trip. Better, but not great.
However, the latest Bonnies are superior. More power. Raunchier. More extras. More parts. Check 'em out.
I'd have preferred a distinct power band rather that a steady power delivery. But Hinckley isn't doing that bad considering the design and legislative issues. And it is bringing home a lot of export dollars.
The Harley Sportster is still better value for money and a more pure bred bike. But if you tell anyone I said that, I'll sue. Meanwhile, I'm staying with my T140s which I haven't yet finished with.
But what's all this doing on an M20 web forum, anyway?
email (option): dannydefazio@sumpmagazine.com
Harley have all the same constraints as Triumph but manage to come up with something that feels and sounds more like an older Sportster than a Bonnie does an older Bonnie...So it's possible...and nobody legislated for weight...If they applied themselves they could have done better....
But hey, we live in the world of the 2.3 litre 700lb bloater the Rocket 3, the Gold Wing and the 500lb plus 'Adventure' bikes....At least Triumph don't expect you to ride the Bonnie across the Desert... ....They've got the 135BHP, 500lbs Explorer for that...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
Ian, if ever there was an overweight bike, it's the Harley Sportster. It's carrying around 500lbs, plus, which is more than its predecessors of the 1960s and 70s. And they're no faster as they come from the factory. You have to fit Stage One and Stage Two kits to wake 'em up.
Back in the 70s and 80s I owned a couple of Ironhead Sportsters, and a Low Rider, and the modern crop definitely feel a lot different. Meaning better.
The general public effectively "legislated" for weight when it refused to buy the final T140s because they vibrated and leaked oil. There was only one way to go after that, which was some form of vibration limiting device/system, and OHC, etc. That was before the EC got in on the act.
But you're right inasmuch as most bikes are way overweight nowadays. I suspect that Triumph is cutting it's cloth right, however. People are conservative. They'll all point at things they'd like on paper, but Phil Vincent tried that with the Black Prince and built a bike that everyone wanted, and no one bought.
It's also worth remembering that induction noise and exhaust noise are both severly restrictive. Bigger airboxes. Bigger pipes. And now Harley has upped the Sportster weight with rubber mounted engines.
Probably, the best modern Triumph to buy is the Speed Triple or Street Triple, but neither are quite my style. So it's my T140s and trusty M20.
email (option): dannydefazio@sumpmagazine.com
Yes Bill..apart from the engine..
My mate bought a new Triumph Explorer and already owns a Rocket 3...The engines have both been hit with the ugly stick...
Most modern bikes have engines that look like they were lifted from a snow mobile, a boat or a small Japanese car...I reckon after 30 years of full fairings the designers have got lazy...or have forgotten how to do it...
The only place the Rocket 3 engine is likely to get a centrefold spread is in 'Tractor Monthly'...
Cue Ducati 900SS, Mk2 Ariel Square Four, Vincent Black Shadow, Laverda Jota, BSA Gold Star, G50 Matchless etc. for eye candy...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com