Triumph has startled everyone with a whole new Bonneville family of five models with two engine sizes – 900cc and 1200cc – each with liquid-cooling and a host of modern electronic rider aids for the retro fleet.
ARRIVAL AND PRICES
Triumph Australia says the estimated arrival dates and prices (plus on-road costs and subject to change) for the new models should be:
- Bonneville Street Twin (900cc): $13,700, February
Street Twin - Bonneville T120 (1200cc): $17,500, April
T120 - Bonneville T120 Black (1200cc): $17,500, April
T120 Black - Thruxton (1200cc): $18,700, May
Thruxton - Thruxton R (1200cc): $21,100, April
Thruxton R
Current retail prices are: Bonneville $12,490 ($12,990 two-tone), T100 (13,490, T100 A2 $14,250 and T100 SE $14,990.
There is no mention of an updated Scrambler, however Triumph says they will have a scrambler “inspiration” kit of accessories (high pipe, brown ribbed bench seat, handgrips, compact LED indicators, sump guard and mudguard removal) to build your own.
Triumph says the new models are the result of a four-year “ground-up” project of “unprecedented scale of design, engineering and manufacturing skills”.
It includes a new chassis and suspension, six-speed transmission (up from five), plus two new liquid-cooled engines, as predicted.
ThruxtonENGINES
However, no one predicted Triumph would produce a 1200cc engine. Most predictions were one litre or 1100cc.
The 1200cc “high torque” engine comes in two tuning levels. The T120 and T120 Black get a 105Nm model which peaks at just 3100 revs. That’s 54% more than the current T100.
However, the Thruxton spec engine has 122Nm of torque at 4950 revs which is 62% more.
The Street Twin gets an eight-valve 900cc engine with 80Nm at 3200rpm, which is still up 18% on the 865cc air-cooled model it replaces.
Triumph says all models get new exhaust systems; upswept peashooters on the base model, upswept reverse megaphones on the Thruxton and the T120 has twin peashooters with a clean “straight-line run” achieved through “an ingenious twin-skin design that covers the pipe run through the cat box and out again”.
Thruxton RWe’re assured that the fruity sound of a deep and rich British twin has been retained.
No power figures are supplied for any of the models. Nor are fuel tank capacities mentioned, but we expect with the improved economy they have either retained the 16-litre tank or reduced it slightly to streamline the looks and still not reduce the range.
Thankfully, it looks like they have added lockable fuel caps on all models.
Triumph doesn’t list specifications such as weight or sizes, but they look about the same proportions. However, we can expect an increase in weight from the bigger engines.
T120 and original 1959 modelRETRO STYLE
Triumph says the engine styling has been retained and given high-quality finishes. From the photos, it certainly looks pretty good, especially the brushed-aluminium engine cases with oh-so classy bronze details on the T120.
T120The new models include the revival of the T120 name which was the original super British superbike when it was released in 1959 and the Speed Twin originally produced in 1937 as a 500cc parallel twin.
Despite retaining much of the retro looks, except for upside suspension on the Thruxton and the large radiator between the two front frame tubes, there s a lot of modern technology packed in the iconic motorcycles.
Street TwinHI-TECH
For a start they come with fly-by-wire throttle which not only increases fuel economy by 36% in the Street Twin, but also allows the addition of rider controls such as traction control on all five bikes and rider modes on the T120 and Thruxton models.
They also all come with a slip-assist clutch to prevent rear-wheel lock-ups on downshifts, ABS, LED rear lights, convenient USB charging socket on the headstock and an engine immobiliser with a transponder in the key fob. The T120 and Thruxton models also get LED daytime running lights and twin brake discs.
And even the base model Street Twin gets improved instruments (single pod on the Street Twin and dual in the other models) with more comprehensive information and access controls at your fingertips.
The T120 adds heated grips, centre stand and a passenger grab rail.
Meanwhile, the Thruxton gets clip-on bars, bar-end mirrors, single seat, fully adjustable suspension, 17-inch front wheel. The R model adds twin floating Brembo discs with racing monobloc callipers, gold Showa upside-down forks, Ohlins rear shock and Pirelli Rosso Corsa tyres.
It is difficult to see how Triumph has managed to introduce ABS without adding the tell-tale, ugly slotted reluctor ring on the disc. Maybe they’ve gone for a light sensor system like Harley-Davidson, or something equally as clever.
Street TwinEXTRAS
Triumph has released the models with some 470 accessories including Vance & Hones exhausts, rather than Arrows. Other accessories include mudguard removal kits, bench seats, bullet indicators and more.
The official Triumph release mentions “inspiration” kits which will be valued-added accessory packs to turn your bike into a scrambler, “brat tracker”, track racer, cafe racer and, for the Thruxton R, an off-road race performance kit for track days and racing with more power and torque and lower weight.
There is a wide variety of colour choices as well.
- Street Twin: Cranberry Red, with tank and wheel strips; Aluminium Silver with tank and wheel strips; Matt Black; Jet Black and Phantom Black.
- T120: Cranberry Red and Aluminium Silver, with hand-painted coach lines; Jet Black and Pure White, with hand-painted coach lines; Jet Black; and Cinder Red.
- T120 Black: Jet Black and Matt Graphite.
- Thruxton: Jet Black, Pure White, with a black tank stripe and Competition Green, with a metallic gold tank stripe.
- Thruxton R: Diablo Red and Silver Ice.
Thruxton R