Intermot: Triumph reveal new 900cc Bonneville family

Triumph blew everyone away with a stunning range of retro rockets this year and three more mouthwatering offerings look set to stun in 2017.

The new range will boast a full complement of 900cc variants, with the T100 Bonneville and T100 Black offering retro fans a more direct replacement of the old model, while for those who prefer their Bonnie a bit more café racer, there’s the striking Street Cup.

The all-new 900cc-powered trio are lighter than the T120s, and have less mumbo on tap, but with over 150 accessories available there are just as many opportunities to create your own personal dream Bonnie. 

Inspired by the ’59 Bonneville and styled to incorporate more of the design, silhouette and character of the original, the T100 and T100 Black each have their own character, and feel surprisingly different in the metal.

Maybe most impressive of all is the level of fit, finish and finesse. Compare the new T100 with the outgoing model, and you’re struck by how much cleaner the new bikes are. Gone are all the fussy details, with all wiring, pipes and auxiliaries secreted away to leave nothing but the building blocks on show: engine, chassis, bodywork.

Triumph tell us that this apparent simplicity was one of the biggest challenges. So from the sculpted lines of the 14.5-litre tank to the engine detailing and stylish feature-packed clocks, this new T100 duo set a new standard for quality, finish and technology in the class.

The more traditional Bonneville T100 features a wealth of classically inspired detailing including brushed aluminium covers, classic bolt-on Triumph badges, deep chrome mirrors, mudguard stays, handlebars and headlight bezel. The seat is finished in contrast piping with deeper foam for comfort.

The T100 Black lives up to its dark billing with black wheel rims, twin skin peashooter exhausts in a matt black finish and blacked-out engine covers. It’s easy for black to look cheap or plasticy, but the T100 pulls it off. And because Triumph believe there should be a black version available even if you don’t want the Black version, the T100 Bonnie is also available in Jet Black.

What’s the difference? Well you keep more of the brightwork, and get a brown seat on your Bonnie, while the Black goes all the way to the dark side.

One of the key areas of development for both T100 models was the new chassis and suspension set-up which is claimed to enhance comfort, giving a better overall riding experience whether for long distance journeys, in everyday use or when carrying a pillion. 

Both the T100 and T100 Black are lighter than the new T120 and also have a shorter wheelbase, rake and trail. This, combined with a low seat and relaxed riding position, makes them more accessible than ever before. This is something reinforced by the availability, from Spring 2017, of an A2 licence-friendly restrictor kit.

Both T100s are fitted with the handsome and effective Pirelli Phantom Sportscomp tyres which, Triumph say, have been designed especially for the new Bonneville family, incorporating stiffness and profile changes to the front tyre, and deeper tread on the rear

Being the same fundamental platform as the Street Twin, they both also boast Ride-by-Wire throttles, ABS, switchable traction control, the firm’s Torque Assist Clutch for a lighter lever action, a Thatcham approved immobiliser and a handy USB charging socket.

LCD panels on the clocks add a gear indicator, odo, two trip settings, a service indicator, range to empty indicator, fuel level, average and current fuel consumption figures, traction control settings, and a clock. Cruise control and heated grips are available as options.

Service intervals are also now spaced at an impressive 10,000 miles, too.

 

• See this bike at Motorcycle Live this November 19-27.