Triumph Bonneville T-100 reviews

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'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

I bought this bike used in Feb. 08. All of the upgrades were installed by the previous owner. The only things I have had to do to keep it on the road are replace the front brake pads and change the oil. This is the most reliable bike that I have ever owned and maintenance and parts are very reasonably priced at the local dealer. This bike handles, accelerates and brakes better than any cruiser that I have ever ridden. You can really get it over in a turn without feeling unstable. Hats off to the Triumph engineering team on this one. Show less

Man all I can say is thank you to the dealer in Florida for being so nice and having the 2009 Bonneville T100 in stock and available for a test ride. I have been without a bike for a few years and wanted to get back into ridding. I looked at a lot of bikes before deciding on the Bonneville T100 green and white. I like the way it rides, corners and the retro look with modern technology. I'm breaking it in and looking forward to many more miles of zooming along the byways. I enjoy the upright position with the roadster windscreen. But beware - everywhere you stop people will want to ask you about your bike which is cool with me. Show less

I have had my Bonnie for about 8 months now and I ride it literally every day. I commute to work during weekdays and cruise around the country on weekends. The motorcycle does both with ease due to its frame design. It handles like a dream on sharp turns or U-turns and also provides plenty of power when cruising in high speeds. Everywhere I go people recognize the Bonneville and yet this type of motorcycle is highly unpopular on the street, so riding one is really a unique experience that sets you apart from the rest of the cycle herd that mainly consists of cruiser and crotch-rocket riders. I've had two cruisers before my Bonnie and always had an identity complex with them and felt like I had to customize them to be able to stand out... although cruisers are quite comfortable on long-country rides they are a bit too clumsy and heavy for commuting. I recommend this motorcycle to anyone that loves the old school looks of the bike and am sure that they will share the same pleasure of riding it as I do - after all, this bike has been around for 50 years. Show less

I had several Triumphs back in the late 60s/early 70s and always liked their style. This is the first new Triumph I have owned and I love it. It has the old school style but new technology. The old bikes I had to work on a lot. This one I just ride. I also have another bike, but when I go to the garage to go for a ride I get on the Triumph. It handles great; especially on those back winding roads. Show less