Non FJ ALERT! A ride on the Triumph Bonneville

[fj1289]

Trumpet dealer in Norfolk Virginia did a series of cafe racers using the Bonnie - looked like they-'d be a lot of fun for day cruising and going places just for the heck of it.  You know, just riding for fun!

[Dan Filetti]

Did you get the Kawasaki W650 over there?

We got the W650 in the US for 2000, and 2001.  I read where the Kawasaki had lackluster sales and it was thus pulled from the US market in 2001.  Interestingly, I have read where some folks feel it the perfect bike if you're not pushing it.  One article I read was written by an old timer, who had owned and ridden many many bikes, and he settled on the W650 as the perfect middle ground for what he wanted to do on bikes.  The writer, can't remember who it was, or where it was published, raved about the versatility of the bike.  At the time, I made a mental note that it may be an interesting ride-when-I'm-old, kind of bike...

Dan

[Ned]

Have to agree with all that you say Klavdy. I took one for a quick test ride just before Xmas and my old mate Phil "the leader of the opposition" Goff has just bought one after years without a road bike.. To be honest I remember my original '69 650 Bonnie as having just as much oooomph! The new one corners better and as noted there was no pool of spare oil on the floor where something leaked and I'd imagine it doesn't cough out after a few hours riding in the rain 'cos it hasn't got ign points behind a leaky little cover. Always carried a can of WD40 or similar in the 70's. I like the Thruxton better it's more like what I turned almost every Triumph I owned into.

And I think Teh is a perfectly acceptable spelling - you all knew what it meant!

Ned

[Klavdy]

Yeah, what Nid said.
Fags.

[Harvy]

Hey Ned....how are ya mate?   

After having sat on the pillion seat of a 2007 model for around 40Kms last year when I had a blowout just south of 'bumfuck', I can tell you they are not meant for 2 up  riding!

I also swapped with my mate for an hour or 2 on the way down to Melbourne........not withstanding the above, they are a pretty comfy jigger......I wouldn't want to push it as hard as I can the FJ, but I wouldn't sneeze at one if it came my way.

He's been talking about trading it for a new Thunderbird.

Harvy

[fj1289]

After having sat on the pillion seat of a 2007 model for around 40Kms last year when I had a blowout just south of 'bumfuck', I can tell you they are not meant for 2 up  riding!

PLEASE tell me there was a CHICK up front!  Anything with 2 wheels has a 2 nut limit!

[Klavdy]

Bloody Seppos, what sort of Fag would let a Chick ride up front even if it was her bike?
They sit on the back with titties squashed up agin you.
Nope, its perfectly acceptable in an emergency situation like Harveys to get a dink from a bloke.
It's only gay if you make eye contact or crack a fat.

[fj1289]

...what sort of Fag would let a Chick ride up front even if it was her bike?
They sit on the back with titties squashed up agin you.

I'll give you that one!  But I could still put the titties to good use - where else would you hold on to?!

[andyoutandabout]

Trumpets - they are British and they are good. That's official. Well done John Bloor, you rescued a throughly decent company from the evil clutches of the capitalist system by beating that very system at it's own game. You rock and so do your bikes. I'd buy one if Fjs hadn't been invented. Probably.

[Fred]

Thanks for the review. I sometimes ride with a group of friends who are all have cruisers, which becomes frustrating on the FJ. I have often thought it might be fun to show on an old UJM or even better a Triumph and have a little fun, but I figure one antique motorcycle  is enough. Now if I only had some extra cash.

[mz_rider]

Trumpets - they are British and they are good. That's official. Well done John Bloor, you rescued a throughly decent company from the evil clutches of the capitalist system by beating that very system at it's own game. You rock and so do your bikes. I'd buy one if Fjs hadn't been invented. Probably.

All credit to John Bloor for producing a nice range of British built bikes but he certainly didn't save Triumph. He bought the name after the Meriden factory shut and started building bikes at Hinckley eight years later.

Stuart

[Ned]

G'day Harvy

"Hey Ned....how are ya mate?  "

Well I'm in good health thanks Harvy - Mrs Ned and I are still officially on leave and only working part time so I can get some work done on teh house. Haven't had much riding time really - ogt more when I was at work - you know, teh old ride the long way home trick sort of thing. Making do on very small income isn't that great either.

"He's been talking about trading it for a new Thunderbird."

Can't say Id like teh T'bird - too cruiserish like a lot of teh new Trumps. Bloke across the road from us has just bought a new Rocket 3, and had some special extra noisy mufflers fitted to it. It sounds like crap now whereas before it sounded quite cool. The guy's a born again last week biker, total wanker, won't even let his wife go out to work, small pecker type so that would explain teh need to make lots of noise!

Apart from a tendency towards cruisers I'd agree Mr Bloor has done a great job - it's a pity he's calling things stuff like "Bonneville America" though - kind of denigrates the old Bonnie. It may have been named after teh salt flats but it was a pommie bike through and through.

(Note teh use of teh word "teh")

Ka kite ano
Ned