2013 Triumph Thruxton & 2014 Triumph Bonneville Comparison - For new rider? 

narmen1984 I'm not sure that the bars will change much in looks. The pegs are still the same and the upswept pipes are still there, so crack on! :-) Enjoy! Sounds like an excellent compromise.

mrhouse1289 Thank you! You are very welcome. It was for that very purpose. :-) Thanks for watching...

All correct except you got the colour wrong! ;-) The green IS a beautiful colour, but I just fancied black... Thanks for watching!

That's all pretty cool! :-)

You're very welcome... But remember that this was comparing the older 865cc air-cooled versions, not the newer post 2015 liquid cooled ones... Hope it's helped!

+scott durning The Bonnie would give you the most control I reckon, due to a slightly lower ride height, good peg position and wider bars than the Thruxton. I'd rule out the Thruxton for this purpose. I reckon you are right though to go for the Scrambler if that is your thing... It's just got about 8-9bhp less than the other two, but with a bit of a better torque transfer for the off road stuff. The scrambler is definitely good fun! See my Scrambler vid... So in conclusion, the Scrambler is the best out of the box for what you want, but the Bonnie would have more scope for you making it exactly the way you want it... Can be tuned more easily....

Sorry for the delay, only just found this. I think the only issue might be cramped legs. I am 6'1" with fairly long legs but I have a bad knee so feel a bit cramped. If you have no knee issues then I can't see why this bike wouldn't fit your frame or vice versa... :-) Good luck and enjoy!

In which case you are my new hero! Marvellous! :-)

Im looking to get my first bike, a 2006 thruxton. gonna take my motorbike class this weekend then hopefully buy her the following weekend. Im 22 and the bike also has the predator exhaust. Any tips for a near future triumph rider?

Braedon Kober Was that aimed at me or verdbirdinary? If me, I would check that the carbs were set up properly when the predators were put on. Increasing the exhaust outflow means that you have to increase fuel flow and air flow correspondingly. This can be easily done at a garage. Tips riding wise, I would say be careful when slow riding (as you would be anyway) as the bars are quite narrow and the bike is quite heavy if you are not used to a big bike. So plenty of clutch! :-) Other than that just enjoy it! Get a paddock stand for the rear for lubing the chain and check the oil level. The oil level is checked when the bike is upright, so a paddock stand makes it a lot easier. There are plenty of after market accessories, mirrors, engine bars, fork gaiters, you name it. British Customs in the US are good, and so are Norman Hyde in the UK. Just google Thruxton accessories. The main thing is to enjoy the looks as much as the ride! :-) Tally ho!

^ what he said! I think the 2006 version has clip-on handlebars like mine too, so the they are even more narrow than the newer thruxtons, and a more leaned-over riding position is necessary. That'll take some getting used to. I would get a tail tidy/fender eliminator as well, but like Captain Rambunctious said, you can look through aftermarket parts for that. Good choice in bike, welcome to the thruxton club!

the bike has a bunch of other additions Norman Hyde bars LED fender eliminator but the speedo isnt working due to the fact that the cable and front wheel are not compatible and the wheel rims arent the same. I still really like the bike but its kindve a big deal learning on it and having it for my main transportation.

I'm glad I hit the nail on the head! I was about 34 when I did this video so maybe that's the sweet spot age! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!

Captain Rambunctious I do notice that the winds beats you up pretty bad on the highway (I know it’s a naked bike). Did you find any way to cut the wind or just something you had to get used to over time?

You are canted forwards slightly anyway which helps with the wind. You can get a good Dart Screen but it only cuts out the wind a little... After a couple of weeks your neck and shoulders get used to it anyway and it isn't such a pain in the first place...

Yes i can easily be removed. When you first get the bike it comes with 2 bolts either side that use a 5mm allen key. I replaced these with knurled knobs that I can undo and tighten with my fingers and voila, you just lift it off. I will try to upload a photo of this on to my google+ page for you. Try here: plus.google.com/u/1/b/112679569830551787804/112679569830551787804/posts Many thanks

Thanks again Cap'n R. I'm 50 yrs old, got the itch to learn to motorbike. Triumph Classics have my eye. Need to study, take a course, pass some tests, then arrange for test rides.... Cheerio ol' Chap!

TornadoCAN99 I'm 35. Pretty much what I thought... :-)

Thank you very much! Hopefully it wasn't too dry...

Good morning. Well, the only real difference is the lower pipes, forward pegs and wider handlebars of the T100. The Thruxton has slightly better handlebar clearance even with the bar end mirrors due to the swept back nature of the bars. I just felt that the forward pegs of the Bonneville made it too comfortable (boring?). When it comes to being in traffic, the narrower bars and leant forward attitude of the thruxton, does make the bike feel heavier but I suppose that would depend on your size. If you're fairly big with average strength, then it wouldn't be a problem and you'd certainly get used to it but the lower back suffers a bit more in traffic due to not having the wind to help hold yourself up. Pegs wise, it depends on your leg length. If you have fairly long legs, then the Thruxton is a bit cramped. Practicality wise, I'd say the Thruxton is better because you can remove the seat cowl and have plenty of space for luggage, have panniers but also, you have more ground clearance for leaning over due to the nature of the upswept pipes and higher pegs. If you are doing mostly traffic and you have longer legs and perhaps are not very strong, then get the T100 but you won't have so much fun on the twisties when you aren't in traffic. However, the T100 is just as cool as the Thruxton in my opinion, just in a completely different way, so style would have to come in to your decision too. If I could have 2 bikes, I'd have the T100 for town and classic touring, and a faster sportier bike for fun. It's up to you ultimately? I hope I've helped but I've probably just made your decision even harder. Just remember that you can always change a year later if you can bear it! :-) Enjoy!

Andrei Adam The Triumph Speedmaster is an excellent starter bike. Mine is a 2010 model and it's my first motorcycle. It's comfortable, better balanced than the Thruxton or Bonneville, and can go all day long at 100+ miles per hour if you can get away with it. I usually ride it on weekends for 5 to 8 hours with no problems. I'm 5' 7" with an inseam of 31 inches.

Thanks Danilo! And thank you for watching and taking the time to comment...

Thank you!

That's marvellous news!! I can't think of any better review of my video than saying it helped you make your decision and that you are happy with it! :-) Enjoy your Thruxton AND your new name too! ;-) The Predator mufflers really are quite something! :-) Bravo chap! :-)

Captain Rambunctious with the predators have you thought of blocking the balance pipe to see if that makes a differance(louder I think) and get ha more value for money out of the Predators? !!!

robs thrux14 I haven't really? It's a possibility of course, but once you've taken off your pipes and put them back on once, you aren't feeling like doing it again unless it's completely necessary! Although I also reckon my pipes are loud enough already! But thanks for the advice, I hadn't considered that before! :-)

Older Scrambler would be fine I reckon. Really nice and upright and easy to ride. Heavier than the Ducati Scrambler but cheaper and looks better I reckon.... Really cool with excellent presence in the city and great fun to throw about as well...

They are the standard Napoleon mirrors that came with the old 865 Thruxton. Should be able to eBay from someone who swapped them out?

@@CaptainRambunctious thanks

Thank you Tony. I will let everyone know if I come riding in the USA! :-) Lots of places and people to visit... :-)

+scott durning It's lower and more sedate, but it's more of a blank canvas... See what you think... It sounds like the Scrambler is already what you want, but you can 'scramblerise' a Bonnie if you want more power...

Jason Fowler Sometimes I miss more power. I ride a lot of the Triumph range from time to time and am always considering the Speed Triple or the Thunderbird Storm (polar opposites I know!)... However, there are times where my Thruxton just seems to pull so well and I have so much fun on it, that I wonder why I am even thinking of other bikes? The Thruxton still has a slightly leant forward feel but is still comfortable (I would seriously recommend the gel seat over the stock seat though) and as it is 230kgs wet, you need to put more effort in to get her around corners, but that just adds to the fun for me as you get more reward... Also, the brakes are more than adequate, but you do have to plan a bit more... It won't save you like a Street Triple does if you come in too hot... Yes, I have seen the 2016 Street Tracker? that they are doing. An 1100 cc water cooled beefier version... I'm not sure. I'd like the extra power but not the extra weight. It's the old Street Triple / Speed Triple argument... Water cooling will help with performance but will be a lot heavier... And that new radiator that I have seen on the photos looks quite obtrusive on the slim cradle frame, in my opinion... I AM excited by it and of course will test ride it next year as my dealer is very nice with that sort of thing, but I keep coming back to my trusty Thruxton. It now has about 75bhp and about 60ftlbs of torque which is more than enough to have fun and to get into trouble with. 120mph is about the max, but I am 15st so that can't help it! :-) Anyway, enough of my blurb, hope that answers your question but feel free to ask more! :-) Enjoy watching my other videos and look forward to hearing from you again. Tally Bally Ho! :-)

Ha ha! yes, my persona has rather developed, or maybe I have felt more comfortable just to unleash it upon the world fully! :-) Oh, you'll enjoy it alright! I'm going to sell my V&H pipes and get the new British Customs predators for the Thruxton! They should sound even better than the old ones as it's a bigger engine, and a 270 firing interval rather than the old 360 ones... Will see!! Enjoy! :-)

Fantastic! 😊 Glad you are enjoying it. A very good bike...

+scott durning You're welcome. Hope it helps!

Thank you! It was a long time ago now! Thanks for watching!

Good day! I don't think that it would be the weight if the camping gear, plenty if torque... I'd fit a touring screen if doing a constant 80 and the bonneville doesn't look stupid with a touring screen, whereas the Thruxton would in my opinion!

Utter balderdash! :-) Bonnie is 68bhp and Thruxton 69bhp in the book! :-) Only 1 more HP in the Thruxton due to slightly different cams. Hope that clears that up for you! :-) I've added free flowing pipes and better air filter and airbox, and gained only about 8BHP doing all that... So for someone to say that the Thruxton comes with 87BHP stock, they are talking through their knickers! Best gain for the Thruxton that I have heard is a big bore kit, porting, exhaust and airbox removal giving about 90BHP but this is by spending about $3000... :-) Toodle pip!

You I can! :-) But you are of course correct! Definitely worth the extra money, but I wouldn't say no to having the old air cooled scrambler as well... ;-)

Truly!

Hi Stephen, I'm afraid that I don't use a small camera in my helmet. I use a rather bulky GoPro Hero 2 camera attached to the top my my helmet. Then I run a mic down the back of the helmet, along the inside of the neck seal and forwards to the inside of the helmet by my mouth. I'm sorry if I led you to think that I had a smaller camera. Personally, if you are looking for a camera, the GoPros seem to be the most durable without any issues with crashing or losing data, but the Drift cameras are sleeker and more aerodynamic and look better on the helmet whilst not creating as much wind resistance as the GoPros... I'm sorry that I haven't been of more assistance.

Thanks for getting back to me. I'm in no particular rush to film my rides, so have plenty of time to see something suitable. Both the GoPro and the Drift are on my must consider list.

Stephen Deakin Fair enough! Ride safely! :-)

Thanks. Yes I have. It's a British Customs Predator exhaust. They are slip ons using the original header pipes. Easy to install... Sound amazing and have mechanical baffles. I did have the Arrow 2:1 pipe but preferred the twin pipe look... More photos on my Facebook page - Cap Rambunctious...

Captain Rambunctious How did you handle the remap? Do it yourself or send the ecm off?

For the predators it is the Arrow 2:2 map so got it done at My local triumph dealers. If I had more things done like air box removal, and full system without cat, and removed the O2 sensors, then I'd get the Triumph Twin Power Map and put it on myself using TuneECU. The cable was only £10 and the ECU isn't locked like on the new Street Triples... Hope that answers your Q ok... Many thanks...

Great! Many thanks

+Martin Sage Fair enough! I've never heard anyone in California or AZ complaining about the air cooling, but maybe this could still be an issue... +ArizonaRE has a Bonneville and he hasn't mentioned any issues yet... Certainly on very hot days, my old Thruxton used to be a bit weird on idle, but it never cut out and there was never any overheating related damage... The issue you have with liquid cooling is that it weighs more, and if the fan fails, you can get a warped cylinder head... But this is about choice. After all, the new Bonnevilles and Thruxtons coming out next month are water cooled 1200cc engines! :-) So there you can have your choice! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment... :-)

The newer T100 is a much better bike. Better handling. Better fuel consumption. Better power delivery etc.. it’s only if you really love the Thruxton…

Mike todd on that Thruxton I had the British Customs Predator Pros... Thanks for watching and for commenting!

I don't have any pillion experience on it yet. I have gone 300 miles on it at once. The thruxton is a bit cramped after 200 or so miles as the pegs are higher and further back than the bonneville so you have a little less leg room. I would have also thought that the bonneville would before comfortable over longer distances due to the upright position. The pillion pegs are in the same place on both bikes so the pillion would have the same room on either bikes... After 250 miles my back started to get a bit sore and wrists and knees a bit achey, but I would have easily continued for another 200 miles if necessary... I hope that this answers your question ok. Thanks for watching!

Nice, thank you for your timely reply old chap! Now the Thruxton is at least an option in my mind, since it seemed to me before that 200 miles was about the absolute max one would want to do on a Thrux. Also, I never noticed that the pillion pegs are similarily positioned on both bikes, so the saddle makes the ride for a pillion. I could change that anyway. Again, my thanks!

zottejakke3 Don't forget though that I have the gel seat. A must for me as the original dug into my inner thighs after a bit... Just bear that in mind... Happy riding!

Captain Rambunctious I will keep that in mind! Thanks ;)

You're welcome! Enjoy whatever you end up doing...

j beardy I'm in Aylesbury! I worked there as a civvy for 5 years but finished in Feb this year. I go past quite often and still visit mates there too! Shiggies is always a favourite for a sneaky lunchtime Chinese! :-) And I hope that you've found Munchies as well! Let me know on FB or Twitter when you'd like a ride. If you come out my way (about 40 mins up the A413) we can keep heading out NW and hit the Cotswolds... There's some nice roads out that way! :-) Ride safely and Tally Bally Ho!

+Karthik Ravi Yes of course! You can either use TuneECU ( A free bit of software) and choose a standard tune from them or a supplier or maps, like Norman Hyde, and load that. OR get the Triumph dealer to put on the Arrow 2-2 map once you have put free flowing pipes on, like the Arrows, or British Customs pipes or others. They should all work with the standard Triumph Arrow 2-2 map, although a professional remap would always work better from a dyno as all bikes are slightly different... All I did was put a better air filter in, a DNA one, and removed the 'snorkel' on the outside of the airbox which restricted the airflow in and replaced with with a bell mouth called a Breathe Mouth from TTP (Triumph Twin Power)... There's a lot of info on the TTP website as well. I nearly did the airbag removal and fitted air filter cones directly onto the throttle bodies, but I decided against this as this DOES require a full dyno on a rolling road with a specialised remap and I felt that what I had done so far was enough. I hope that this helps and gives you some direction in what you would like to do. Many thanks for watching and taking the time to comment... Ride safely and Tally bally Ho!

+Captain Rambunctious Thanks a ton for the detailed reply! The new thruxtons have V&H exhaust options right. Would they be a straight fit on the 2015 thruxton?

+Karthik Ravi excellent question. I don't know but I'd guess not as I assume that the bigger engine will have bigger exhaust ports and so the new pipes would fit the old block... But I'll ask..

Thanks!

DiBuff Gosh. That's a tricky one. Where to start? Well there are plenty of forums out there and I started by reading what others and done to theirs and choosing what I liked and didn't like. The main forum I use is www.triumphrat.net as it has an awful lot about Triumphs on there. Also, by looking at what parts are available on websites such as BritishCustoms, Norman Hyde, squaredeals, Triumph motorcycles and even dealer websites... It's all a very personal thing, but once you have an idea of what you like the look of, the bikes are very easy to work on... Just be careful of when changing the exhaust or something like that, you also have to factor in having the electronics remapped. Does this help? Hope so. Thanks for watching! Oh and johnnycactus0 has done an awful lot to Bonnevilles and other Triumphs, so his videos are worth watching too... But there are many many out there. Just look and decide what you'd like to do!

Captain Rambunctious Thank you so much for taking the time to answer. So, as far as I understood, you order the parts and you do the thing yourself right? Can you not take it to an expert?

DiBuff Yes you can. Plenty of motorbike places would fit the parts for you. Some dealers will customise the bike for you before you buy it like Herts Triumph and Jack Lilley. It's just a good idea to trawl through some of the sites to have a good idea of what you want to do!

Cool! Any suggestions other that the forums, british customs and bonnefication?

DiBuff Well norman hyde has some nice bits. And there's always the Triumph stuff. There are some cafe racer websites too.

+mixerro I started riding when I was 32. After spending 2 years doing up a free Bandit that I completely rebuilt and got it road worthy... Quickly got a Street Triple, then this Thruxton...

You can certainly ask! I'm not too sure is my answer. The old Thunderbird sport is the 900cc engine? I 'assume' that it would ride like the current 865cc Bonnie America due to it's cruiser stance. This is only an assumption. Another assumption is that it would be heavier than the Bonnie and Thruxton... With these assumptions accepted (and there is no real basis that they should be), I would say that the Thunderbird would be slower to turn, heavier, and slightly worse on fuel consumption but it is also a bigger bike... If that is the look that you are going for, then by all means, it's a good bike and cheaper to purchase as well. However, if you are after a sportier handling classic looking bike, the Bonnie or Bonnie America (if you like the cruiser stance) would be better fuel consumption and maybe more fun. Build and leg length might come in to it too... I have probably given you more questions than answers here. I will ask a few people on FB for you...

The Thunderbird sport model I had seen was sporty looking but not quite cafe racer style with twin pipes on one side and came with better wheels than the standard chromed steel wheels and still had carbs then , I will look for you on fb if ok ,,, Stu

stuart whitley Absolutely fine! :-) I'm Cap Rambuncti on there... :-)

T120. You can make the T120 like a Thruxton but the T120 handles a lot better and has better ergos than the old theuxton?

@@CaptainRambunctious i havnt tried any but i was much more comfy on the t120 because im 5f8 its a hard decision but the t120 looks like a more complete bike

Defintiely…

+Aaron Bernards I used to live in San Fran and had a scoot to get me around. BEWARE that 20 years or more old is still 20 years or more old. Batteries, brakes, wires, gaskets, rubber, insulation, all of it is old and may be out of stock. Spend your $$ on the nicest, most well documented bike you can (nothing wrong with Craigslist). I would suggest an old Honda Nighthawk or perhaps a Suzuki Maurader (cruiser single cylinder) for now (perhaps $3500 or so). Kawasaki made a 650 that was a Triumph clone in the late 90s..w650 I think? You may be able to find one, although they were a big hit. Another good one might be the old 500 Ninja. Kawasaki made them for something like 20 years. VERY good bike (I used to own one). Take the $$ you save and buy good quality boots, jacket, and full face lid. Good luck.

+Aaron Bernards I'm so sorry for not replying sooner! It's possible to get something for around $5000, a nice used Bonneville that is about 10 years old with low mileage... It would have carburettors but all the more reason to buy it as a first bike as you would then be able to play around and learn more... Good Luck and hope you enjoy!

+Lavaman3682 I must admit to agreeing with you somewhat,... A newer bike might be better, but it's definitely a matter of balancing that with the $1000 that all the kit will cost... Thanks for the comment...

Oh I was more concerned about the lad only focusing on cost of initial purchase and not the fact it may need $1k in parts and labor to keep him from being stranded. There are parts of SF that you DON'T want to get stuck in after dark. Then again, I am looking this week at a 2009 Bonnie T100 for a little over 5k. Like your videos, sir. Ride well.

Lavaman3682 Excellent point. I don't know SF at all, so I am glad of your comment! Thanks Lavaman, you too... :-) Tally Bally Ho!

:-) Then have one as your first bike! :-)

Ah, yes, well that is the error of a 30 something listening to older chaps saying that it is more for them! :-) Lovely lovely bikes and brilliant as first bike! Glad you like them and endorse them! :-) Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment! :-)

I'm glad! Thanks.

+Gurdit Singh I didn't like the look of the arrows due to the brushed look, they didn't look authentic enough. I had the Arrow 2-1 initially but when for the 2-2 predators... I though the Arrows had more of a growl, whereas I preferred the bark of the predators, but it is all personal and subjective. Thanks for watching!

Do you mean when it ends?! ;-)

I feel your pain. It's all perspective. I sometimes get annoyed on my commute, then remind myself that I am on my bike on a rather good road, outside in the lovely countryside. :-) Thanks for watching!

Captain Rambunctious Yes, perspective... I had an awesome ride around Williamsburg tonight. Cutting across the city from Weehawken is always a challenge but totally worth it. Check my "top selections" vids, "Disney/ABC Television Group's "What's Your Passion?"" contains a moment from my commute through the Lincoln Tunnel. I confess, though I love & ride my Thruxton a great deal, I mostly use the Vespa in Manhattan. "Ride to Bier Mountain" is fun too.

Erik Paulsen I shall definitely have a look! :-)

Erik Paulsen...sounds Danish to me! Er du fra Danmark or was it your ancestors who took the big step? :-) I'm from Sweden, living in Denmark you see.

3rd generation American John, German/Danish. Hope to visit these countries someday.

Well done! Awesome choice! I am thrilled that you think that my videos have helped and you can offer no higher praise! The black and red T100 is gorgeous! Good idea to have a safety course. And love the wise choice done purely on impulse! :-) Many thanks for your comment. Have a good Christmas! Try not to let the anticipation of your new bike take the gloss off your Christmas day! Pip pip!

Good choice. I'm an old dog myself and have an '03 T100. Not riding at this time because of 2' of snow outside but I will be pulling my carbs and changing tires this spring. You have fuel injection so no worries there. The T100 is a treat to ride and easy to ride. After riding my bike for so long, I am going to change the handle bars to a straighter style so I do get some forward lean. Clip ons or Ace bars would be too much. As much as I wanted a Thruxton, I'm glad I didn't choose it. Tip: Be careful in group rides. Too many riders go, "Hold my beer. Watch this" and wind up crashing out. Don't try to impress anyone and you will be good. Good vids Captain Rambunctious!

kskater1979 All good advice kskater! Thanks for the input! :-) I'm glad you like the videos... It's all a bit of fun really...

+sql-lover Thank you! And thanks for watching.

Fair enough. But my first bike bike was a Street Triple, so I'm coming from a slightly different direction! :-) Thanks for watching :-)

My first bike was an Ariel 1000 square four that took three men to pick it up if you dropped it. I am still alive so I guess I must have come through those unregulated days OK.

Thanks! I agree! :-) I'm assuming that they didn't like the video because it is a bit dry in places and I missed a couple of things out? Ah well...

Good luck! As you can see in my filtering videos, commuting on them is fine, apart from really heavy traffic as the mirrors stick out a bit. Not as far as other bikes, but you can always fold them in. It's quite heavy when stuck in traffic to manhandle, but with good clutch control it's fine. I love it, as I think that you can probably tell... Enjoy! :-)

I love the thruxton as well like you said in a video its just sexy as hell ive ridden the bike several times and love the bike more than the t1oo bonny and the scrambler not that their bad just not for me plus the classic style is just unbecomingly sexy and has an even power band

nickherreragt Agree entirely. :-) Ride safely.

Syafiq Aslam That's a shame. I hope you like my videos.... Maybe they'll become cheaper over time? Thanks for watching!

ya,i like ur video sir..

If you check out my Scrambler vid, you might like that then! :-) Thanks for watching!

+Martin Sage Exactly what I would have done if I'd kept the bike! :-) Great minds think alike! :-) Thanks for watching!

+Captain Rambunctious What bike you riding TODAY?

+Martin Sage blimey! Well this video is rather old now. I got rid of the Thruxton last June, had a Thunderbird Storm for 2 months and now have a Tiger 800 XRT. But not for long I reckon. Once I've tried out the new Thruxton R anyway!!

Gracious! With those thoughts, I'm not surprised! :-)

InTheNameOfJustice ...leather gear? ;-)

+Andy Bryant You sir, must have a Tracer methinks! ;-)

Indeed I do sir and splendid it is methinks