Terrible Triumph Bobber
To call Triumph's line of neo-retro motorcycles "successful" would be an understatement. Essentially, these models resurrected the company and put it on the path to sustainable development, and the Bobber model became the fastest-selling motorcycle in the company's history. But according to some admirers of the classics, these motorcycles are too elegant and refined, they lack the spirit of a bygone era.
Egoist
2017 onwards, 1200 cm3, 77 hp, 228 kg (curb weight),
180 km/h, 999,000 rub.
Photo: Elena Safonova
In the photo: Alexander Barkalov
It’s unlikely that anyone would argue with the statement that classic motorcycles are now at the peak of popularity. This is also confirmed by motorcycle manufacturers, among whom even the slowest ones always offer a couple of retro models, be it the notorious cafe racer or a scrambler aiming for country roads.
Guys with rolled-up jeans coming out of barbershops can tell you as much as they want about the historical roots of such motorcycles, describe the rebellious times of the origin of styles, or even refer to the special lifestyle of the owners of such motorcycles. But the main and, perhaps, the only reason for buying a classic motorcycle is its bright appearance and, as a result, close attention.
Attention from other motorcyclists, ordinary passers-by and representatives of the fair sex. The owner of the new Triumph Bonneville Bobber is absolutely guaranteed to get everyone's attention!
Diagnostics and replacement of timing chain, repair of timing chain tensioner Triumph Bonneville
Quite often, a malfunction of the Triumph Bonneville timing chain is caused by an increase in the pitch between the links. As a result, the engine begins to idle incorrectly. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that the chain begins to jump several teeth at the same time. What does this mean? Firstly, the engine will stall. Secondly, the valves may be jammed. This, in turn, may require expensive engine repairs. Therefore, when the first signs of malfunction are detected, it is recommended to replace the timing chain on your Triumph Bonneville.
Pedigree
Before discussing how the new Triumph Bobber Bonneville corresponds to the canons of bobber construction, you should get acquainted a little with the history of the emergence of this unusual trend in customization and the motorcycle industry as a whole. The birthplace of the first bobbers is considered to be the United States of America in the 30-40s of the last century, where racing on dirt tracks began to gain great popularity.
In those years, the most common motorcycles were heavy and underpowered Harley-Davidsons, so racing participants had to modify them quite seriously. And since the economic situation in the country was far from ideal, budget tuning of racing Harleys usually consisted of making the design as light as possible.
For the same reason of the total lack of money, the bobber often became not only a tool for victories on the race tracks, but also a means of transportation for every day. Thus, the main idea of Bobber-style bikes was, paradoxical at first glance, the possibility of everyday use of a racing motorcycle. It often happens that cinema sets the fashion for exclusively subcultural phenomena.
This happened with the popularity of bobber-style motorcycles. In 1953, Stanley Kramer's film "The Wild One" was released on wide screens, where Marlon Brando's hero drove a bobber based on the Triumph Thunderbird 650. Since "The Wild One" became a cult film for the motorcycle community, a few years after its release, motorcycles appeared that had nothing to do with dirt track racing. While maintaining the family's family appearance, the new bobbers were already designed for driving on asphalt roads.
Mandrill Garage
And the Chinese Mandrill Garage, famous for their charismatic and unusual projects, knew what they wanted to achieve when they were brought the brand new Triumph Bobber. Lu Hao and the guys returned to the roots, turning for inspiration almost 100 years ago, to the thirties, giving the modern motorcycle a truly retro charisma.
Lou, no stranger to working with Triumph, has mixed feelings about the new dropsy retro classics:
The design of this generation is much better than the previous ones - the frame, the engine, the workmanship... But they are too polished, almost perfect, there is practically nothing to improve on them.
Several Bobbers passed through their workshop, and clients usually wanted to add a little here, subtract a little there, but did not dare to do a global redesign.
Exceptional
The bobber, as a factory motorcycle, is still quite a rare phenomenon - production models in this style can be counted on the fingers of one hand. This is understandable; consumer demand for such motorcycles is extremely narrow. However, some might call the appearance of the Triumph bobber only in 2022 too leisurely. “Who, if not the Hinckley plant, sets the tone in the segment of classic and retro bikes?” - the reader will be indignant. But, as the practice of the last ten years shows, the British company perfectly understands the mood and needs of the market. The Triumph Bobber Bonneville was born precisely during the heyday of mass interest in motorcycles of yesteryear.
The new Triumph Bobber is built around last year's debutant of the company - the Bonneville T120 model. At first glance, it is not so easy to recognize the family connection between the new product and the classic: the British miraculously managed to completely change the silhouette of the motorcycle, making it low and elongated. A hardtail swingarm with a wide rear wheel and a single bucket seat played a decisive role in the transformation. By the way, the design of the rear suspension deserves special attention.
To achieve visual similarity with the signature feature of bobbers - a rigid hardtail frame - Triumph engineers had to use a trick and hide the monoshock absorber under the seat, placing it almost horizontally inside the frame. If you don’t look at the design thoroughly, the result is a real “cracker.”
The single seat, which is the personification of asceticism, upon closer examination also turned out to be not so simple-minded. For the first time in the class, the driver's seat was equipped with adjustments that allow you to change the driver's position behind the wheel of the motorcycle. The option is certainly useful, but it will only be used once, maximum twice, from the moment of purchase. By the way, about landing.
It should be said right away that due to the overall compactness of the motorcycle, tall drivers will not be very comfortable behind the wheel. Of course, the ability to adjust the seat provides some flexibility for changes. But even these factory options are not enough to comfortably seat a basketball player behind the wheel of a Bonneville Bobber.
To finish the story about the appearance of the motorcycle, the final resemblance to classic bobbers was achieved by installing a wide handlebar, a small fuel tank, spoked wheels of different radii and short fenders that barely covered them.
There were also details that demonstrate the iconic signature features of the class: a small dashboard (adjustable, by the way!), a battery housing surrounded by a steel clamp and a fuel injection system unit disguised as a carburetor. From an aesthetic point of view, the new motorcycle turned out to be impeccable. The laconic, finished image immediately catches the eye, and then captivates the viewer even more, concentrating his attention on authentic details.
Kawasaki W800 Vertical Twin
The four-stroke, two-cylinder Vertical Twin engine has an indescribable sound. The Kawasaki growls very quietly at low speeds, as if a tiger is preparing to jump.
An excellent city motorcycle that has a fairly powerful engine, an excellent 39 mm telescopic front fork, which will perfectly take on the unevenness of both asphalt and rough terrain, and you will feel as comfortable as possible on the motorcycle.
Probably the most attractive thing about it is its classic silhouette, the motorcycle is made in the style of classic retro models, a large number of chrome parts, an excellent large seat that allows you to ride with a passenger. The front of the bike has a truly traditional motorcycle look, from the round headlight to the instrument panel.
An excellent choice for lovers of style, comfort, and speed.
Old School Racer
You remember that a real bobber is, first of all, a sports motorcycle? A racing bike simply needs a decent engine. Like most components and assemblies, the new Bobber borrowed its engine from the T120 model. Before installing the 1200 cc parallel twin in the frame of the new model, its design was modified and its characteristics were partially changed. In particular, a new intake system with a bifurcated airbox, a latest generation fuel injection system, and a different exhaust system were used on the motorcycle. As a result of manipulations with the power unit, the maximum power value decreased by 3 “horses”, reaching a very modest 77 hp. With.
To be fair, it is worth noting that the British “two” now reaches its peak power at 6100 rpm – 450 rpm earlier than its predecessor engine. However, you forget about the maximum power indicator on the first free section, where the road situation allows you to accelerate properly. An impressive 106 Nm of torque, available already at around 4000 rpm, accelerates the 228 kg motorcycle very excitedly. After a dozen dashing accelerations, you definitely begin to understand that the “1200 HT” nameplate (HT – high torque in English) is not for nothing that adorns the Triumph Bonneville Bobber engine.
Sadly, the braking system of the British bobber apparently fell victim to the specialists working in the Triumph design center. In an effort to bring the new model into line with the canons of style, where there is only room for one brake disc on the front wheel of a bobber, the islanders have seriously tailored the braking capabilities of the motorcycle. The modest potential of the 310 mm disc and Nissin 2-piston brake caliper is only enough for a smooth and measured ride. For dynamic city driving and emergency braking, assistance from the rear brake circuit is almost always required.
Like a true athlete, albeit an “old school” one, the Bonneville Bobber knows and loves to turn. Despite the fact that the frame and rear swingarm of the motorcycle are made of ordinary steel pipes, and the diameter of the KYB front fork is only 41 mm, the motorcycle steers surprisingly obediently. Thanks to the low-mounted engine, short-travel, low-angle front forks and simple KYB monoshock for its ability to corner quickly. By the way, the settings of the latter on roads with poor surfaces will seem to many to be too harsh, but on good asphalt there are no complaints about its performance.
The very specific driving position of the Triumph also contributes to quick cornering. A low seat, a wide handlebar and footpegs located quite close to the driver create a collected and, in its own way, even sporty, but by no means the most comfortable, position. During long trips behind the wheel of a Triumph Bonneville Bobber, the back and lower back are the first to give up, and then the butt begins to beg to stop. On the other hand, few people would think of going on a trip, albeit in a pseudo, but sports car, the volume of the fuel tank is only 9.1 liters. No, this Triumph was created exclusively for urban racing!
Narcissist's weapon
The undeniable advantage of the latest generation of classic motorcycles is the fact that even though they are dressed in a retro shell, they are mostly imbued with the most modern technologies. Therefore, even while driving a motorcycle with the appearance of your grandfather's Java, you can fully enjoy the fruits of civilization. Like the rest of the classic Triumph range, the Bonneville Bobber boasts an electronic throttle that allows you to select the motorcycle's settings; can flaunt the presence of an anti-lock braking system and traction control; has every right to trump the presence of a standard immobilizer and even a slipper clutch.
All these advantages make driving a Triumph bobber comfortable and safe, but in the end they play absolutely no role in the purchasing decision. The key factor, as before, remains the bright appearance and unique charisma of the device from Hinckley, forcing passers-by to stop and watch the retreating noble murmur of the British “two” with approving glances.
Additional accessories, of which there are a great many in the company’s corporate catalog, will give this motorcycle even greater individuality and showiness. Tuning exhaust systems, various steering wheels and custom seats open up real scope for creativity, allowing you to realize the most daring ideas for creating a unique motorcycle worth over a million rubles! Let those who have this million decide whether it is a lot or a little for a dream motorcycle. But, for reference, similar offers from other manufacturers will cost much more.
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Triumph Bobber Tests and Reviews
