New basic Triumph Bonnie breaks cover

This is the first glimpse of the most important new variant of Triumph’s all-new Bonneville – the base model. Spy shots back in April had confirmed the existence of an all-new 1100cc Bonneville, due to go on sale in 2017, but this is the first time we’ve seen the smaller, entry-level bike.

Caught on the road in virtually finished form, this is the machine that all those other derivatives are spawned from, and with the lowest price and greatest scope for Ducati Scrambler-style personalisation it’s likely to be the bestseller of the range.

Technical details are currently not available, but MCN understands this machine has been registered as an 865cc, hinting that Triumph have developed a smaller-capacity version of the new water-cooled parallel twin powering the larger Bonneville. The pictures clearly show lower-spec chassis components like a single front brake disc and more budget-looking suspension, contrasting the 1100cc version’s twin-disc front brake set-up and beefier suspension components.

Apart from the addition of an optional screen and a temporary topbox that probably houses this prototype’s datalogging equipment, the bike here is the most basic version of the 2017 Bonnie, and its smaller size and lack of frivolities should make the price extremely accessible.