Triumph Bonneville T120: India Review

Overview:

The Triumph Bonneville is among the most iconic motorcycle on sale globally. It has been in production since the 1950s, making it among the most recognisable motorcycles on the face of earth for enthusiasts. The bike was also made famous on the silver screen by legendary Hollywood actor Steve McQueen, who rode it in the popular flick “The Great Escape”. The Bonneville range recently got a facelift with cosmetic and mechanical updates and a new bunch of features. On a personal level, I hadn’t ridden the Bonneville but did hear many mixed reactions from fellow journalists, both positive and negative. Some liked it, some didn’t, but everyone had an opinion and here’s mine on the new Triumph Bonneville T120. 

Design & Features: 7/10

As I walked towards the motorcycle, the first thought that ran through my mind was whether this was the new bike or not? At a glance, it is difficult to distinguish the new Triumph Bonneville T120 from its predecessor as the designers have retained the classic lines of the bike. One is welcomed by a traditional round headlight but underneath it sits LED daytime running lights now, signifying its modern intentions. The plump tank with the rubber tank pads and the Triumph plaque on it look neat while the flat seats hark back to the original T120. 

The radiator has been neatly tucked in the frame and the parallel-twin motor still retains the faux carburettor to cover the injectors while the twin peashooter pipes are banked to flow well with the overall design. The new Bonneville T120 feels as authentic as a British monarchy with its classic styling. It sports a twin-pod instrument console with analogue speedometer and tachometer, while there’s a small digital display for fuel gauge, trip meter, odometer, ride modes, traction control and range.

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Switch gear quality is of the highest order while the heated grips will be appreciated by bikers in the colder parts of our country. Overall fit and finish is good but there are some exposed wires and welds that could have been finished better. I rode the bike back to Mumbai post sunset with pouring rain for company and felt the stock headlight wasn’t bright enough. So if you like to head out for late night rides I will suggest you to upgrade them. 

Engine & Performance: 6/10

Among the biggest talking points of the new Bonneville T120 is its new motor which has been christened “High-Torque” by Triumph engineers. Push the starter and the bike comes to life with a throaty roar before settling down to a mellow idle. The first gear is engaged with a solid “thud” and off you roll. My first impressions was that how easy the bike is to ride for its engine capacity. The clutch feels properly weighed while the throttle response is quick. The new ride-by-wire system does feel a bit odd initially but you soon get a hang of it. Outright acceleration isn’t its forte but the surge of torque in the mid-range is addictive. The parallel-twin mill develops peak toque of 105Nm that is offered at just 3,100rpm and max power is rated at 80PS. 

Overtaking on the bike is also very easy as you just need to point and shoot and the car in front will be in your mirror within a fraction of second. There are two ride modes – Road and Rain. In Road mode full power is on tap while in Rain mode power output drops while throttle response is also mellowed. Switchable traction control system has also been offered on the new motorcycle. The Bonneville T120 is not a motorcycle which you would like to ride fast but cruise effortlessly at triple digit speeds and savour the joy of riding. It gets equipped with a 6-speed gearbox as opposed to the 5-speed unit on its predecessor and shift quality is crisp. But the Bonneville T120 has its own sets of flaw: vibrations kick in past 4,000rpm and it is quite harsh as you inch towards the redline. Despite getting the benefit of liquid-cooling, the engine does heat up significantly while riding in city traffic, which isn’t a pleasant experience. 

Ride, Handling & Braking: 6/10

Swing a leg over the bike and the Bonneville’s riding posture feels spot on. The flat handlebar is slightly curved back towards the rider while the centre-set footpegs result in a comfortable riding posture. The saddle is also curved which means even short riders can touch their feet on the ground comfortably. My only grouse is that the tank doesn’t fit snugly between the thighs. The frame is also a new tubular steel cradle unit suspended on telescopic front forks and preload adjustable twin shock unit at the back. The rake angle on the new bike has also been increased by 2.5° to 25.5°. Corner carving is something that the Bonneville doesn’t have a palate for. 

It isn’t a bad handling bike but it feels out of its comfort zone on the mountain twisties; also the pegs get easily grounded which restricts the rider. Having said that, the bike felt very nimble in city traffic and it masked its 224kg (dry weight) rather well. Ride quality of the Bonneville T120 is on the stiffer side but according to my colleagues it’s a vast improvement in comparison to its predecessor. The bike rolled over broken roads without much trouble but on potholes the rider’s back can go for a toss. Also the low ground clearance of 140mm means that one has to be cautious on bad patches. Braking hardware has also been updated with twin 310mm dia discs with Nissin two-piston calipers at front and a single 225mm dia disc brake at the back providing anchorage. The brakes provide good bite but lack progression while ABS watches your back from falling into sticky situations. 

Verdict: 6.5/10

At the end of the day, I must admit that all the changes made by the boffins at Triumph are in the right direction. While it might still look like a classic bike, the underpinnings are in sync with any other modern bike in its segment now. Goodies like traction control, ride modes, ride-by-wire and upgraded brakes are useful additions. Mid-range performance and comfortable riding dynamics further add to its appeal. But there are aspects like handling, heat dissipation and ride quality that needs improvement. 

Priced at Rs 8.8 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) the Bonneville T120 doesn’t really have any competitor in the Indian market barring its smaller displacement sibling, the Bonneville Street Twin. The Triumph Bonneville T120 is a good option for someone looking for a classical, distinctive and easy to ride motorcycle. It is a bike that will be appreciated by mature riders while the younger lot will be better off with the Triumph Street Triple in my opinion.