Triumph Bonneville America reviews

Love my Triumph and my wife loves it too. I get lots of comments. I was riding down the Highway the other day and a guy on a really nice Harley pulled up beside me and gave me the thumbs up. I added DD and pipes it sounds great and I get lots of comments on the way the bike sounds. Show less

I've been into the Bonnie since I rode a 10 yr old '73, & was excited when they were reintro'd in '01. Had to have a new Magna for 5 yrs first tho. No regrets on the new Bonnie; no excuses anywhere I ride, lots of great comments, & perfectly entertaining at 10 over. Not bad on dirt roads either. The seat could be better, but it looks right and gets better as it breaks in. The stock tires look right too, but tend to cause shimmy (the ME880's are much better; I hear Avon Roadmasters are too). Cool that the rims are made by the same firm that made 'em for Meriden, but wish they were tubeless. My g/f loves the big back seat & low pegs. It makes me spell like a Brit, right down to the aluminium paint. I made mine a sportstourer; now I want a second one to make a bobber! Show less

Just picked up the bike (an '07 with around 10,800 mi on the clock) yesterday; bought it used for a deal I couldn't pass up. Terrific character, both mechanically and aesthetically. Has more than enough power for me (mostly urban commute, with the occasional jaunt to Austin). I had a '84 Virago 1000 before the Bonnie, and there's just no comparison. It came with Norman Hyde 'M' bars, which provide a nice sporty position, but will cause a little discomfort during a long haul; nothing unmanageable though. Watch out for leaky valve cover gaskets; I noticed after about 60 miles of freeway riding that when I got back to the house, there was a nominal amount of oil on the top of the cooling fins. Apparently this is a very common problem, and not too terribly difficult to rectify (would it be a Triumph if it didn't leak?!? lol) If you are searching for a great retro-styled bike with modern reliability, search no further than Triumph. Safe riding... Show less

I own number 559 of 650 and I am amazed every time I ride the bike. I thought that I would keep it in the garage and rarely ride it as I own another, less prestigious machine. I'm hooked on riding it - small, nimble, powerful, great cornering all describe it. This bike is a pure joy to ride - it's what riding is all about! The T100 makes a great around town bike and is excellent for a romp through the countryside! Show less

I recently de-modified a little - removed the Off-Road pipes and put the standard pipes back on, which improved gas mileage. Just ran a tank to 325 kms before the fuel warning light came on. This bike just gets better and better. Show less

I'm 64 years old and bought my 05 Bonnie new. It currently has 19,000 miles with no issues. Replaced rear pads at 9,000 and just replaced the front pads at 19,000. Owned Bonnie in 60's while in military in Europe and just had to have another one. Got 14,000 out of the original tires. Replaced them with same tires due to good tread life. I have factory windscreen, sissy bar and off road pipes all of which add to the enjoyment. My wife much prefers riding on the Bonnie as versus our Honda 1100 cruiser. I often ask myself why I even own the Honda. I think Triumph is making a mistake by fitting different seat, pipes and mag wheels on the new units. I am seriously considering buying a low mileage used one and putting it up on blocks so I'll have a good original product. Performance is more than adequate as I run the speed limit and it has more than enough power to pass on the highway even when riding two up. Best part of the Bonnie is all the questions from gray hairs like myself that remember the Bonnie but are currently riding the plastic bikes and complain their back hurts! Show less

Love it! Only it's too quiet, that is going to be changed soon. T-100 green and white. Fork boots, tall sissy bar for the wife and AM saddle bags. Show less

My 7th Triumph over the past 40 years, and my favorite without a doubt. I've had my TBA for 5 years; got it from wanna-be who only put 1500 mi. on it, but also put lots of pricey accessories. I've got @ 30k mi. on it now, with virtually no repairs -- breaks, oil, rubber. It beats me a bit more than my H-D riding friends on the hwy (no windscreen), but I kill them in the hills. And when we stop, people knock over $30k Harleys to get a good look at my Triumph. Great bike. Show less

So far I've put just under 300 miles on it since purchase, so here are my initial thoughts. It's small, but in a good way. I love being able to grab the handlebar by one hand and back it out of my garage. Ergonomics suit me well, although if I was any taller I might feel a bit cramped. The original seat is LOW and I immediately replaced it with a Triumph solo seat. Much more comfortable and raised my butt up a good inch or more. Now the bike feels almost perfect. As for performance, well, if you're into massive horesepower, then you should look elsewhere. At 43 years old and a family to support, 130 hp bikes are not my thing. However, it is plenty powerful for me - very linear throttle response and enough grunt to pass with ease at highway speeds. I found myself a couple of times wishing it had a bit more power, but then I just calmed down and remembered to slow down and enjoy the riding experience. The exhaust is a bit tame for my taste, but there are numerous aftermarket options and I'm sure that will be one of my next upgrades. Wind last is severe at 70 and above. Bella Corse offers a very cool 3/4 fairing that I'm probably going to buy to help aleviate at least some of that. I put the Triumph flyscreen at the shop to see what it looked like - awesome look, but very small and VERY expensive for what you get. Not enough miles on it to determine build quality, but it appears to be a solid piece of machinery. Shifting is relatively easy, albeit a bit clunky. I'm betting this will smooth out after break in. Brakes are nothing to write home about, but I've found them sufficient. Remember, I'm a pretty mellow rider, riders who push hard may find them lacking. One disappointing aspect worth mentioning is the blueing/bronzing of the pipes. The discoloration is pretty bad at only 300 miles. Some call this character and part of the uniqueness of owning a Bonneville. I would like to see Triumph solve this as I think it detracts from the look. I may eventually wrap the pipes with header tape. Bottom line - I really like the new Bonneville. From a guy who has owned quite a few bikes over the years, I think this one is a keeper. I see myself passing it down to my son someday. If you're looking for a bike with the right mix of character, soul, performance, and looks - find a dealer, take one for a spin, and decide for yourself. Just don't tell too many people - it's sort of nice having a bike you don't see everyday! Show less

I got this bike new out of the crate with less than 1 mile on the odometer. It has started first time, smoothly every time, including after being locked up in the garage for 6 month periods a couple of times. It is to me the motorcycle equivalent of the classic (Coca Cola) bottle design, I want to keep it in my living room as a piece of art as it's so classically beautiful. Anyway, It get's better as it also rides like a dream ,great power for me,superb nimble handling due to it's light weight. This must be my tenth Motorcycle in my life, from dirt bikes to Honda Interceptors and between and it is the best overall bike of all. It's not a Japanese Rocket,It's not yet another Harley clone cruiser... It's just a perfect bespoke trouble free motorcycle. I have the Triumph 'off road' pipes,larger main jets that come with the pipes,T-100 tachometer,I painted Gold inlay in the indented Triumph seat logo and removed the disgusting looking big red rear mudguard reflectors and orange front side reflectors..they went in the trash! I will never sell this Bike...I am at 5,000 plus perfect fun miles now with nothing but three oil changes, chain adjustments and a set of new rear pads. It's the best $6600 I ever spent! Show less