Triumph Bonneville - a motorcycle with its own history, racer and movie character

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:41

The history of the Triumph Bonneville motorcycle began in 1953, when the car appeared in the American film "The Savage", directed by Laszlo Benedik. The main character Johnny Strabler was played by Marlon Brando, he rode the Triumph. Since the film was about bikers, the motorcycle model also played a major role, and thus Triumph Bonneville gained wide popularity. There was no mass serial production of the model then, and the film served as an impetus for the start of a wide conveyor production. "Bonneville" from the very beginning turned out to be technologically advanced and successful in terms of design and subsequent assembly, and several impressive records set on the racing version, marked the prospect of producing a motorcycle for many years to come.

Records

So, the real popularity was waiting for Triumph Bonneville a few years later, when sports began to be created on its basis, and thenracing cars. The Triumph 650 engine made it possible to achieve high speeds on a flat track. Several records were set at Triumph Bonneville, the most famous of which belongs to racer Johnny Allen from the US state of Utah, who in 1956 on a bike called the Devil's Arrow showed a speed of 311 km / h. The in-line two-cylinder engine ran on pure methanol, and the motorcycle itself was equipped with aerodynamic body kits that reduce air resistance. The place for check-in was also well chosen. It was a s alt lake with a perfectly smooth and hard surface.

Another record was set the following year by the German Wilhelm Hertz in the same Triumph Bonneville, with a speed of 338 km/h. Johnny Allen responded by running the distance at 345 km/h, a record that no one could break for the next six years. Only in 1962, the English racer William Johnson reached a speed of 362 km / h on a forced Triumph Bonneville. And finally, in 1966, the unsurpassed record of the racer Robert Leppan was recorded, showing 395 km / h in the motorcycle class up to 700 cc.

After that, Triumph's products began to be in high demand in the US market, and British industrialists in 1959 released a road bike model - the T120. The Triumph Bonneville T120 model made a real splash, showing excellent speed qualities and "registering" the speedometer needle at around 185 km/h. In addition, in 1963 Triumph Bonneville stillonce starred in a movie, this time in the Hollywood movie "The Great Escape" starring Steve McQueen.

New Generation

The next Triumph model was the Triumph Bonneville T140 with a 724 cc engine and 62 hp, released in 1972. Thanks to its outstanding technical characteristics, the T140 successfully competed in the world market with Japanese motorcycles, and in 1979 the Bonneville received the title of "Motorcycle of the Year" in the competition of the British Motorcycle News magazine. The model was produced until 1988, then production was discontinued and the conveyor was stopped. There was a long pause.

The release of the new generation "Triumph" began in 2001, when the general public saw the Triumph Bonneville 790. A year later, the Triumph Bonneville T100 model rolled off the assembly line. Starting in 2005, Triumph Bonneville motorcycles were equipped with a new 865 cc engine with 64 hp. Until 2008, all Triumph Bonneville engines were carbureted, and then fuel injection became injection.

Modifications

Currently Triumph lineup is represented by three models: Triumph Bonneville Classic, Triumph Bonneville SE, Triumph Bonneville Т100. All motorcycles are part of the history of the company and differ in engine power and design "bells and whistles", such as chrome lining on the tank or the location of the tachometer on the dashboard. Model modifications allow the customer to choose the coloringmotorcycle, but only in two-tone, although this is enough to make the Bonneville look supremely exclusive.

Ergonomics or lack thereof

The bike has an unusual shifter layout, with the shifter positioned quite high, plus it has unusually long travel. It would seem that this can be attributed to the shortcomings, but the motorcyclist quickly gets used to the "inconvenience". Even the seeming lack of ergonomics, high legs and a significant tilt of the body are perceived as a special style in driving a car. Such is the specificity of the Triumph Bonneville, whose characteristics speak for themselves.

Management

If the landing is uncomfortable at first glance, then the same cannot be said about the steering wheel of a motorcycle - it fits in your hands like a glove, and driving a motorcycle is a real pleasure. The unexpectedly soft clutch can be squeezed with a light touch on the lever, and the throttle grip is also surprisingly very pliable. The engine reacts in hundredths of a second, and this is with a power of 68 horses! Two parallel cylinders work in perfect rhythm.

Flaw

In general, Triumph Bonneville reviews are mostly positive. Of the relative shortcomings, real bikers note only the exhaust system, which overly diligently muffles the sound of the engine, while knocking down its "breath" during afterburner. A meshless straight-through muffler just asks for a motorcycle. But in any case, the Triumph Bonneville motorcycle is an inexhaustible sourcepleasure for its owner.