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

22,392 Views

2017 Triumph Boneville Bobber review, test ride

The other downside to this low-set design is low-suspension travel. With just 90mm of travel up front and 76.9mm at the rear, the KYB shocks are understandably set up slightly on the stiffer side. Now all the roads we encountered on our ride, through the hill roads around Madrid, were fairly smooth, so the stiff suspension wasn’t a huge concern for the most part. But, on a couple of speed breakers, with my 100-plus kg frame on the seat, the rear did bottom out as it sent a fairly painful jolt up my spine. So how the Bobber handles Indian roads really remains to be seen.

One seriously weak link in the Bobber’s otherwise fairly strong suite is braking. The Bobber trades in the T120’s twin-disc setup for a single 310mm disc at the front. With dry weight of 228kg, the brakes simply aren’t adequate to bring this bike to a quick stop. It’s a shame considering just how quickly this bike accelerates and just how much fun it is when going fast.

Two cents

This Bonneville Bobber is set to hit Indian shores in a couple of months with pricing expected to be between that of the T120 and the Thruxton R, which means in the Rs 9-10 lakh range. It’s undoubtedly one of the most beautiful bikes in Triumph’s line-up at the moment, but the best part is that it’s not just a pretty face, it’s genuinely fun to ride and can even hold its own in corners. Heck, out in the twisties around Madrid, we managed to outpace some locals on sport bikes, or “victims” as the blokes from Triumph liked to call them. It also exudes a sense of high build quality that’s become synonymous with the company’s motorcycles.

To top things off, Triumph offers some incredible customisation options in the form of ‘inspiration kits’ to make the Bobber feel more retro or even set it up like an old-school drag bike. Hipster or not, the Bobber is one motorcycle that’ll be a fine addition to anyone’s garage.