I'm a few years older than you, but, back in the late sixties I owned a "67" T120 Bonnie. What a sweet bike. The whole feel of the thing was in total balance....size, weight, power, handling....and of course that rumble vibration throughout. You knew, without doubt, that you were "riding" a bike, rather than being pulled around while perched on top of an over-sized beast. I'm looking to buy a 2010 Thunderbird next spring, but my heart will always belong to my old "Bonnie".
They may have "fixed" the Bonnie vibrations as you say...but that vibration in the old school Bonnie's was the thing that made them unique, in feel and ride. The vibration wasn't to the point of being annoying, or that you felt it was about to come apart, but it rather gave the feeling of being on top of some sort of living/breathing beast. If you ever get a chance to ride one, you'll get a better idea of what I mean. Enjoy your T-100.
The coolest!!! went to buy one last month BUT had to buy an 05 once I saw how cheap they are making the made in Thailand model since 09.. [plastic tank badges ,cheap looking seat and front disc etc ..who wants a bonny that's not carbed either .gotta have carbs on old skool bike . luckily here in uk there are lots of carb models still going cheapmay even buy another ,half the price of my old sportbikes and get 1000 times more attention!! just take mirrors off for instant cool!! love it!!
I recently sold my Hailwood Ducati which I'd owned for 12 yrs because I never rode it and bought something much more fun and practical - a T120 Bonnie. Yes, it requires plenty of fettling to keep it happy, but I love it. Heaps more practical and useable than the Duc!
The vibration makes the bonnie human, alive, soulful. I get emotional about the bonnie the same way people get emotional about the spitfire or the etype jag. I am at war with inline fours!!! They have no place on the open road!
@mansavian Depends on what T100 you are talking about.The film is all about the 'old 'bonnevilles from the sixties.The new Triumphs are quite different beasts and don't have those tank racks to which Jay Leno was referring.I have a Daytona,but all my mates with Bonnies love them and so do I..Go on!!!!! Get one.
actually thats mainly due to modern regulations and production costs, my new bonnie now looks drop dead gorgeous even only a few small changes. I love both generations for different reasons
I've got a REAL T100, which is also a REAL Daytona. With electronic ignition and good maintenance, it's just as reliable as my Ninja. With some work (hotter cam, polishing, lightening etc), it cracks 50 bhp. Being a short stroke, it tops 11,000. It can hold its own with most modern 500 twins, like the GS500 the CB500. What could have been, with a little more development.
triumph Bonneville was a T120 the T100 was the alloy 500 pre/unit the unit engine was the T100SS . if you ballance the engine 76% there are no viberation at all and 5 bhp gain !!
BarneyFart, I'm a Harley owner just turned 30. I've had Harleys since I was 21 and most of my mates own Harleys, they too are around 30. So your comment of washed up old men, you're clearly way out of touch, maybe you yourself behind the times. We often ride down to Spain and catch up with the latin connection, all these guys are 21+and they all have Harleys, the girls are stunning latinos and ride their Harley fast and hard, you won't find that scene with the sports bikes ever! We party HARD!
Why?, it isn't like people are taking pristine bikes and chopping them up. You could also be a purist and say stop restoring them because there are so few original unrestored bikes around...
I don't think care what overgrown little boys think of my bike. And I'd stand by my bike in a parking lot anytime because I like to look at it. I also enjoy talking about my bike when it catches someone else's eye; and it does all the time. I enjoy my bike every way I can and I don't care if status-addicted wieners approve. My friends ride standards, cruisers, baggers, choppers and crotch rockets and we don't put each other's bikes down. Grow up.
Everyone rides a Harley now. me i want a good old triumph, not the same thing everyone else is riding. By the way im 24, so not everyone our age wants to ride a crotch rocket. lol
Sorry guys but this is all wrong! The words and numbers you have here are all from a totally different machine, time and factory. Although I owned and loved My T120 for many years, no way on this earth was it better than the FANTASTIC Britten, what are you on? The T120 Bonneville was 650cc & produced 42 bhp on a good day the T100 Tiger or Daytona was 500 cc and made 30/35 bhp if you were lucky
just goes to show you these guy dont know what they are talking about! the bikes shown on the video are T120's not T100! and the honda cub is number 1? go ride your honda cub to work at Mcdonalds! do some reasearch next time!
sexy ? cool yes, fast,definately not,i've ridden a 2008 model which is quicker than the sixties model and it was gutless,mind you it was a loaner while my daytona was being serviced,the difference is night and day between old and new bikes.
