2017 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE BOBBER
FIRST RIDE
P74
keep the wheels in line. Doing
so delivers a decidedly thrilling
hot rod roar from the Bonneville
motor's double-skinned stain-
less steel twin exhausts with
slash cut peashooter silencers
and its signature catalyst box
under the gearbox.
Complying with Euro4 re-
quirements has once again
allowed Triumph to deliver a
great-sounding bike that's re-
plete with torque at the expense
of a little outright power, which
is absolutely not an issue on a
chilled-out style bike like this.
In fact, sticking the 900 Street
Twin motor in the Bobber rather
than the more potent 1200
version Triumph has ended up
using wouldn't have significantly
detracted from the bike's ap-
peal, at reduced cost. Or maybe
that's coming later! For the Bob-
ber's T120 Bonnie motor has
considerable reserves of perfor-
mance even if at heart it's a flex-
ible friend spinning at just 2500
rpm at 60 mph, while 4200
rpm gives 100 mph. As well as
a smooth, linear power delivery
with zero vibration at any revs
thanks to its twin balance shafts,
this bike is ridiculously forgiving
and easy to ride, with the single
Nissin two-piston front brake
caliper and 310mm disc com-
bination the only thing to watch
out for in stopping a motorcycle
weighing 502 pounds dry from
any sort of speed.
MORE BRAKES, PLEASE
Though it certainly looks cooler
with just the single disc, Tri-
umph's new Bobber is essential-
ly under-braked. Panic stops re-
quire you to stand on the much
Don't be surprised if a smaller
displacement Bobber is in
Triumph's near future.
