The Triumph Bonneville transformed the motorcycle industry and cemented the American influence on redefining what a motorcycle was. Fast forward and the Bonneville is back. This morning at 4 a.m. PST the wraps came off Triumph’s 2021 Bonneville range. As it did back in the day, this iconic silhouette and essence of motorcycling goes back to the future with full Euro5 emissions compliance.
“Triumph is proud to deliver a beautifully evolved modern classic Bonneville Family…” and this isn’t just marketing hype. The bikes are 15.5 lbs. lighter (that is 7 kg for you europhiles) and horsepower has been bumped 10 ponies while still meeting Euro5. Better Brembo binders were also included in the up spec 2021 range. Now for the hype:
From the timeless classic Bonneville T120, T120 Black, and T100, to the stylish and contemporary custom Street Twin and new Street Twin Gold Line limited edition, the laid-back Bonneville Speedmaster cruiser and the pure custom Bonneville Bobber, each one has been beautifully evolved.
Here is a wake up call to the industry as a whole: we don’t have to lose sight of the past while still having a clear view of a future that goes well beyond Euro5 compliance… at least that is my bleary-eyed impression from 4 a.m. I suspect we will be seeing more about the Bonnevilles in the enthusiast media shortly!