Mike,

I like the look of the Triumph T100s, specially the older models. Never tried one yet.

How would you compare the ride with a sportster?

 

Hey OddJack
Although the Bonneville and Sportster are in the same "class", (weight, engine size, riding position), they have completely different personalities.
The Sportster is loud, raw, unforgiving and it pisses off the neighbors. And I love that about it! When riding up in the Sierras near my home, sometimes it needs to be muscled through tight twisties. Although I have it tamed down to where there isn't much vibration through the grips, you can't see much of anything out of the mirrors at 65mph.
The Bonneville, is smooth, quiet and much more refined. At 50 pounds lighter and nearly 20 more HP, it's much more responsive to throttle input. The mirrors are rock steady at speed, and it handles curves with ease.
Doing the ride from Central California to Sturgis has been on my bucket list for some time. Due to life's twists and turns, it has only recently become a realizable goal. The plan was to ride the Sporty. Then I stopped by the Triumph dealer this summer, just to take a look. I actually went in to look at the Thruxton, but admitted to myself that I couldn't ride it for very long periods of time due to the lay-down nature of a "cafe" bike with clip on bars. (or clubman's nowadays)
Once I test rode the Bonneville and I hit 60mph, I knew I'd be riding the Bonne to to Sturgis, and 40 minutes later, I rode it home from the dealer.
I love both bikes. They each have totally unique personalities. So it's whatever mood strikes is the one I jump on. I love having that choice!

On the look, the new Bonneville's are very similar in appearance to the models from the late 60s. Only a real bike person would be able to tell, and even then, maybe only someone familiar with Triumph. I was up in the Sierras a few months back, and a guy on a road king rode up to where I was parked at a store and asked if I did the restoration myself!

 

I went 40 years between having my own Harley again. I love my bike, the way it smells the way it looks and the way it sounds. She has many parts missing from the day I bought her (windshield, engine guard, highway pegs, saddlebags and factory pipes) and she will have many more missing and some added this winter. I personally don't want or need another bike I don't think the one I have will ever be finished, It will change with my moods and quest for originality. Building and riding your own bike is a personal thing it comes from your soul. Nothing wrong with owning more than one but for me I am in love with the one I have.

 

Added #7 to the garage this summer, a 1998 (only looks like a 68) Ural with sidecar. Got it to take the 5 year old grandkid riding locally, not going to do any serious riding on this antique. Thinking I might use it for getting groceries next year, will easily haul what I get. Haven't gotten it to start reliably enough yet to turn it off away from home with nobody to push. Too bad it's so much work to put a sidecar on a sporty, my 883 would make a way better hauler for it. Ain't gonna be any sidecar holding the 1200 back!

Urals can handle snow, but salt destroys them real quick; this is another guy's newer than mine Ural after using it last winter (very heavy salting around here) -



Even without salt, the bottom of the sidecar tub will rust from collected moisture under the solid mats. After blasting the rust out of mine and re-painting, I'm leaving the drain plugs out and getting screen type matting that will let the moisture evaporate. The Russian hardware must be something like grade 1; they bend and strip easy. So far I've been able to get all the replacements I've needed at Ace Hardware; grade 8, of course, no more bent bolts. Mine's an old 650, all Russian, but the latest models have some American electrics and Brembo disk brakes, big improvement. They don't have much HP, but the torque on my 650 surprised me, pulls pretty good without revving it much. Handles more like a farm tractor than a motorcycle...

Love the classic Triumph look, and that's the best looking one I've ever seen.

 

So your sporty is a 883 I assume, to have 20 less hp. Didnt know there is so much difference power wise.
Good read and good info on the differences.

 

The 48 is my second bike... Third bike already targeted... But sometimes, when I see how many ways you can modify a Sporster, I get the urge to buy another one and give it a completely differen and radical look from the one I have... And then there is that Triumph Thruxton that I like, or the Moto Guzzi V7 Racer, or the new BMW Nine T, or the new Indian Scout...

So many nice looking choices these days...

 

Thanks Jack!

Yeah, it's an 883. The power really isn't as big an issue to me as fuel mileage. I don't really care all that much about all-out acceleration, so much as range. My thing is covering distance. Bar hopping, not so much.

I think the Sporty is rated at 48 or 49 hp, the Bonne at 67. You can really feel that! But honestly, I've really only cranked the throttle on each of 'em a few times. Although doing the 1200 thing might "legitimize" the Sporty among the Harley faithful and come fairly close to matching the Bonne's power level, I wouldn't want to give up the 50mpg fuel mileage on the open road, especially with only a little over 3 gallons in the tank.

Wachuko….man you are so right about so many good choices! I'd have a few more if I had space for 'em!

 

If I only had 1600 sq ft of garage space...

 

My 2nd bike right now is a '70 Harley Davidson Sprint 350SS. Its is all original, never messed with, right down to the original Pirelli tires. It's one of the Italian built lightweights that had Sportster style components.