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

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2017 Triumph Boneville Bobber review, test ride

Hot rod

This Bobber might pack the same 1200HT motor from the T120, but it is in a slightly different state of tune. The 1,200cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin motor now makes 77hp of peak power, which is a little bit less when compared to the Bonneville T120, but its power curve has been altered so it makes about 10 percent more power at 4,500rpm. It’s sort of a similar story with the torque as well. With 106Nm on tap, not only does it make 2 percent more peak torque than the T120, but manages a significant 10 percent more at 4,500rpm.

What does all this mean, though? Well, out in the real world, this gives the Bobber a healthy dose of grunt in the usable rpm range. While the motor has no problem if you rev it hard, the mid-range is where it really shines. Coming out of turns, as soon as you get the motor to about 3,000rpm, the Bobber shoots ahead in a manner that’s almost uncharacteristic for such a classic-looking motorcycle. And with its ‘sawn-off’ twin exhausts, you’re greeted by a wonderful noise reminiscent of old-school hot-rod motorcycles, every time you open the throttle. Triumph, in fact, maintains that how the Bobber sounds was an important part of the engineering process, and the goal was to surround the rider with not just the meaty exhaust note, but also the roar of its twin intakes located right under the seat.

Motor borrowed from the T120.

Low rider

In a straight line, the Bobber is an absolute hoot. It accelerates hard and reaches triple-digit speeds in no time at all. And the properly old-school, slightly feet forward, yet leaned over and low riding position (the seat height is just 690mm) makes the bike feel even more thrilling at speed. While the bike itself has no problems cruising at triple-digit speeds, the rider might have some. With nothing to shield them from wind blasts, high speeds then tend to get limited to short bursts of throttle-wide-open action.

Now looking at the Bobber, you’d expect it to not have much cornering prowess. But you’d be quite wrong to assume that. Out in the twisties, the Bobber proved to be quite a delight as it handled the corners with utmost ease. The low-slung nature and the larger 19-inch front wheel and flat, wide handlebar mean that steering it into turns requires a bit of effort. However, once turned in, it’s absolutely planted, providing plenty of confidence for you to get on the gas as soon as the corner exit is lined up. The bespoke Avon Cobra tyres it comes shod with play a crucial role in the terrific levels of grip the bike has, as does its low centre of gravity.

However, as you’d expect, being this low-slung has its problems too. Lean over beyond a certain angle and the foot pegs tend to ground quite hard. Almost all of us on the ride managed to wear down the feeler bolts on our respective foot pegs. But while lean angles are a bit restricted, it’s really surprising how the Bobber never feels unsettled even when you’re dragging foot pegs over the tarmac, with sparks flying in your wake.