It's a Bonnie day:a report on the Triumph Bonneville Centennial (T100) Please enable Java script to use this menu

Why the Bonnie?

I felt the Bonneville worthy of its own page and first I should explain what I was looking for. This will show how I judge the bike.

My wife and I tried as many bikes as we could from super scooters, mid range sports bikes to muscle bikes. Two notable omissions were Ducatis (I was still put off with tales of poor reliability) and the BMW 650GS - none available.

I wanted something which handled, was stable and had the power to cruise quickly. I was not interested in three figure speeds; there is not really enough space on the roads for that. Neither did I not want to have to be dancing up and down the gearbox. Cruising, I ride the torque curve. I am not tall and the machine had to be manageable when loaded. My lady did not want her feet hooked up under her bum or me sprawled out along the tank way in front of her

All Triumph dealers had to have a Bonneville on their fleet in 2001, and one rainy afternoon, we took Motorcycle King's of Perth green one out for a quick 40 miles. I was impressed, loads of torque, smooth, quick and with the optional, less restrictive pipes, a gorgeous Triumph sound. The pillion passenger seemed to take a fair bit of spray from the back wheel and on one tight bend the steering flopped in. Was the tyre soft or did I just not negative steer into the bend? I don't know but, on all sorts of going, my own machine has never suggested at doing that.

Late 2001, I decided to take the plunge. King's told me something special was coming up for the 100^th anniversary of the marque. As soon as I saw the Centennial I was hooked. Special orange/red paint, rev counter, knee grips, silver guards and chrome engine were included for just £200 more than the standard machine and production was to be limited to one year.

I ordered mine with alarm, stand, the special silencers and it was delivered early March 2002, just before the factory fire.

The manner of its going

Triumph have managed to combine the look of the classic late sixties Bonneville. On the left is an export spec '69 model - the clear inspiration for the T100. Many traditional styling cues are used combined with modern refinement in a practical package.

As you ride off on your new bike, that first feeling is greatly coloured by how well the bike is set up. This bike was set up perfectly. At once I was at home. This is the feeling I always get with the Bonnie. It is so easy to ride. It does not vibrate (twin balance shafts, allegedly not 100% balanced to leave a little character). I always thought balance shafts were power sapping gimmicks for wimps. Now I am a convert (or a wimp!).

You pull the wire and it goes and how it goes! A crisp 5 speed box is great but it will pull in any of 3 gears and will pick away in 2^nd. There is a "traditional" clunk going into first from a cold start and I have not always found neutral cleanly but that is probably down to me rather than the bike

The riding position is very up-right, I feared maybe too much so at first. It would be hard to hang on at speed had I not fitted a Givi screen. With that you sit in armchair comfort, not completely shielded from the wind but adequately so. Handling is stable, some might say slow. In which case I like slow handling. It is rock steady in cross winds, absolutely essential on Scottish moorland roads and it tracks to perfection round bends. Unlike the Harley we rode in 2001 I have no fear of grounding but think I could happily grind the hero blobs on the rests. With a heavy pillion I have grounded the centre stand but I had forgotten to jack up the rear suspension units the recommended 2 or 3 notches which improved matters greatly.

The brakes lack the fierce bite of a sports bike. They stop well enough and I am not hard on brakes but if anything gets upgraded it is likely to be the front brake. Another criticism I have heard is of the fuel consumption. So far this is working out at 50mpg in town running plus quick cruising 2-up. This seems to be fairly good by modern standards but nothing like the 80mpg I could get on the 350 Morini

Yes 2-up: I find it the most comfortable bike I have ever ridden and Ruth finds it the most comfortable pillion. After a couple of hundred miles we both get off with no aches or pains. The tank could comfortably be 2 inches wider at the rear gaining some useful capacity but the slim line is part of the style and the Bonnie is certainly not the first bike I have found this with. Even in traffic the bike is easy to ride thanks to a smooth, light clutch, lots of torque and the wide bars. Throttle response and pick up is very clean, a great benefit in traffic and when bend swinging.

To comply with modern emission standards the bike is fitted with air injection to the cylinders. The engine runs very weak on small throttle openings resulting in severe bluing of the exhaust pipes and popping in the silencers on the over-run. Some people disconnect this feature immediately but it didn't really bother me. However I have now removed it and fitted the neat blanking plugs available form Peter Jenks

The personal Touch

I am afraid I won't leave any of my bikes alone. As I said I ordered the Bonnie with a centre stand to help servicing, the off road pipes to help "go" and an alarm to help insure it.

I also had King's fit a Givi screen.

Our first trip away was done with a tank bag, stuffa bag across the number plate and rucksack. Later I fitted Hepco & Becker hard luggage using their new Journey cases. There are not many options in luggage equipment for the bike but the H&B kit is a real class act, locking securely to the bike yet immediately detachable to carry like neat suit cases. The Journeys blend well with the lines of the bike although they are the widest part of the machine when fitted. Two helmets can be accommodated in one case. They are very wide and make it difficult to filter in traffic and the bottom mount does make it awkward to remove the nearside silencer to withdraw the rear wheel spindle. While in Brugge I managed to trap something in the lid and break one of the plastic catches. A luggage tie down from the local branch of Halfords had to called to the rescue. On our return I was delighted to find my friends at Moto-Bins had spares in stock

A further addition has been a Scott Oiler to prolong the life of the exposed rear chain. I heard that Yamaha cruiser mirrors were a better shape to give a clear view. I bought a pair of V-Max pattern ones and I did prefer these  but,as described below I have changed them again.

I went back to Moto-bins to buy a pair of Fiamm horns. I like having really good horns and these are indeed loud and reasonably priced. I wired them through the relay supplied. A small but useful addition has been a clock bought from Heine Gericke for me by my son. This fits neatly to the headstock nut.

Although we found the standard seat adequate we have treated the ageing posteriors to a Corbin saddle. This is very classy - not cheap but well made and is proving really comfortable. I fitted a pair of the knurled thumb screws available from  retaining the seat and matching knobs for the side boxes

The OE Bridgestone rear tyre was totally "gone" in 4.5K. I'm not hard on tyres and was really disappointed. Avon's are now approved for the Bonnie and as I like Avons and they wear well, I fitted an AM52. Although tubes are fitted, these tyres can be used in tubeless applications and I had to visit the local tyre dealers to have the bead split. The original Bridgestone on the front "feathered" giving a steering wobble and has been replaced by a matching Avon AM41 on the front.

Renntec engine bars have been fitted. Not exactly inconspicuous, they are in keeping with the bike and well made.

Touring with a load, I felt the suspension could be usefully beefed up. Two up with luggage "silly" speeds over indifferent surfaces do tax the standard set-up. I have fitted a set of Ikon shocks (Koni copies with adjustable pre-load and damping) supplied by Norman Hyde and Hagon progressive fork springs. While the forks were out I added a set of gaiters from Jack Lilley and sports Ferodo brake pads also from Norman Hyde.

New Bonneville in the States have had some neat locking fuel caps made and fitted one of those. For a long time I have wanted to cover the bead along the bottom of the tank. I located some rather neat beading from the Holden catalogue and fitted that.

Meanwhile I purchased a steering damper from Norman Hyde at the Classic bike show. This comes with substantial but neat fittings. It fits straight on to the standard bike but I had to move my horns. Temporarily they sat beside the headlamp. The damper is set on its lightest setting but I have always liked just a trace of damping to steady bikes at high speed over indifferent surfaces.

The horns have now moved again, down to the engine bars and a set of indicators that don't look they fell off a Christmas tree have gone on. The first service has come up for me to do and I have swapped to fully synthetic Morris's oil and fitted kit to remove the air injection plus one of his neat chromed clutch cable brackets - so much nicer than the original piece of bent metal.

I fitted an EBC floating disc from Moto-Twin. The kit has come with a Goodriche hose. Although not a "stoppie" machine, braking felt more secure loaded, 2-up and "making progress.

Despite the handlebars being comfortable I had a hankering for something a little lower. Norman Hyde UK bars look as if they could have come off a 1970's Bonnie or Trident and give a pure vintage Trumpet riding position. They make the bike look even more like its inspiration. I think they could usefully be fitted as originals. I was a little unsure of them at first but after a week travelling over 600 miles I did become used to them and find them ideal. Just to finish off the effect I ordered the bars without end plugs and fitted bar end mirrors. My father and I used these since 1962 and they are still the best although they do make the bike a little wider for filtering - oh I know you shouldn't be filtering down such narrow gaps!

and now we should be able to stop..

Despite changing the brake disc I remained just a little unhappy with the front, particularly the feel. I learned that the Beringer 4H12 calliper went straight on so have now bitten the bullet and coughed up the not inconsiderable sum for one from Corsa Italiana. It is is indeed a straight fit and is a lovely piece of kit. It uses 4 pistons and does not require the calliper to slide. result is a real firm lever. Once we get it bedded in I will report more on its performance.

Still to come

The Wiseco big bore kit available from Norman Hyde is so tempting and I think he now has an alloy tank that will fit with the standard seat.

Longer term as replacement parts are needed, I will consider alloy rims, perhaps swapping to an 18" rear.

What I'd change

I will happily, slowly personalise my bike to my taste but if I were a Triumph designer what would I alter in the future? I would fit gaiters to the front and rear suspension - for weather protection and a more '60's look, a chain guard to the bottom chain run - my old Speed Twin had one and I fitted one to the Morini. Wider mirrors would be useful and I would also make the alarm and immobiliser standard as it is almost impossible to get insurance without one. Hey, if that's all I can moan about, it can't be bad.

The sound track you may have heard if you have sound enabled is not of my bike but one fitted with Bub pipes.

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Updated April 12, 2009