2017 Triumph Boneville Bobber review, test ride

    Is the Bonneville Bobber more than just its retro charm? We swing a leg over it to find out.

    Published on Jan 25, 2017 08:00:00 AM

    22,235 Views

    Make : Triumph
    Model : Bonneville

    Hipsters are just about everywhere these days, aren’t they? And motorcycle manufacturers really seem to be pandering to these bearded, plaid-shirt-and-skinny-jeans-wearing types as well. You need to look no further than the marketing material of all these retro-modern bikes which have been launched recently to get my point. Heck, even Triumph’s new Bonneville Bobber virtually screams “hipster” and the advert for the bike just reiterates that. But this Bobber is based on the company’s new Bonneville T120 platform, and that’s a bike which had us really impressed. So maybe there’s more to the Bobber than meets the eye.

    Bob cut

    Actually, even what meets the eye is quite remarkable. The styling is reminiscent of the stripped-down ‘bobbers’ or ‘bob jobs’ that entered the American custom motorcycle scene in the ’30s. In fact, barring the engine, there’s no way to tell that this is based on the T120. Triumph managed this by taking the T120’s chassis and completely modifying it to the point where it’s technically now an all-new frame. Even the steering geometry is quite different as the Bobber has a slightly higher rake angle than the T120, with its larger 19-inch front wheel making for a much shorter trail. In fact, to keep the whole ‘bobber’ look going, both wheels are wire-spoked and the rear is 16-inch shod with chunky 150-section rubber.

    The Bobber’s real party piece is its rear end. It might look like a hardtail, like bobbers of yore, but Triumph has very cleverly designed a ‘swing-cage’ with a monoshock hidden under the seat to give it that look. Speaking of the seat, it’s pretty ingenious too. The rider-only floating seat is mounted on a rail that allows for adjusting its position from up and forward to down and back, depending on the rider’s profile or what kind of riding they are looking to do. The seat isn’t the only adjustable bit on the Bobber though. The single instrument pod up front features a simple quick-release mechanism that allows its viewing angle to be changed in a jiffy.

    There are a number of design touches all around that make the Bobber really distinctive. It gets a newly sculpted fuel tank that has some attractive colour schemes, along with some minor detailing on the engine casing and instrument cluster. Some classic touches include a heritage-inspired battery cover with a stainless steel strap, a rear-wheel hub that resembles an old-school drum brake and even an ignition barrel that’s located near the right side panel. On the whole, Triumph has struck a wonderful balance between modern and classic with the Bobber and this ‘factory custom’ is sure to entice even those who have no love for old-school motorcycles.

    Copyright (c) Autocar India. All rights reserved.

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