Hi all, Complete and utter newbie to bikes here but always wanted to one day build a bobber. My wife's uncle was a massive bike enthusiast and had his own business building custom bikes. Sadly he passed away last year and it broke my wife's heart. She has since said she wants to get her bike licence and start riding. In his workshop my wife's uncle had a Triumph he was working on and my wife has sort of associated Triumphs with the memory of visiting him and his workshop. I want to do something really special for her as a surprise and buy her a Triumph. My original plan was to buy the bike and customise it how I think she wants it (she's always gawking at the bikes with small ape hangers down at West Bay when the bikes are out). My plan is to buy a bike and build it together. Her uncle was born in '68 so to make it more special I want to try and get my hands on a Bonneville from that year. I've seem them bobbed before, but I'm wondering is this my best option? I think she'll want to build a bobber or something similar, but her uncle built mostly cafe racers, brats and similar, so she may want to go down that route and a bonnie is quite versatile in that way I think. Anyway enough waffling from me, if anyone has any tips or knowledge they want to share I'm all ears! Cheers, Matt
Welcome to the forum Matt. What a lovely thing to do for your wife. I can't help you with rebuild tips but several members on here create some stunning projects. Keep us posted with pictures
A beautiful gesture. I don't know what your financial situation is, or your mechanical skills, but builds such as you want can be very expensive, time consuming and mechanically challenging. Even finding a '68 that someone is willing to part with and is worth restoring will be a trick. Then there's sourcing parts. I don't want to discourage you. If that's what you have your heart set on, go for it! However, why not buy a new Bonnie, or the Bobber and give it a retro treatment? It can still be fun kitting it out and bobbing it. You'll have a mechanically sound machine with your personal touches added. Put a small tribute to her uncle on those big side covers. Just a thought. On the other hand, here is where you'll find some of the world's foremost authorities. Good luck!
MattJT Welcome to the family. Yes indeed a great gesture. A68 Bonnie is going to cost a fair old packet and would be a shame to wreck it unless its a dog to start with. But i think i would go with some newer and easier to ride. Joe.
Thanks for all your welcomes! The '68 Bonnie may be a pipe dream if I'm being honest with myself, any bonnie would do and she would still be made up. I saw two 68s on ebay, one was £15k! Absolutely perfect condition though. My plan is to buy a heap of junk as a starting point. I did look into buying a frame and engine separately but I think a complete bike would make our lives easier. I've got some serious saving to do before, just wanted to speak to some triumph experts and see if I was on the right path looking at older Bonnie's to bobb. Thanks guys
When you say newer how newer do you mean? I'm looking on ebay and you can get all sorts for less than £5k, even up to 2006-ish.
MattJT any bike from 2000 on even earlier if you look jap. Better start for the young Lady and easier to control. Then when she gets her confidence up you can move to something bigger better and older. Wish you all the luck in the world. Look at the Harley's they are partly customised to start well some are and start wit something like an 883. Plenty of the inmates will help with advice and tips as there are some really clever bods here and all great peeps. Joe.
Keep a constant eye on Gumtree, Craigslist, Cycletrader, eBay Motors, etc, etc, etc. You just might get lucky.
Yeah Jap bikes are something I've always looked at, love the virago. I'll keep it in mind as a back up option to make sure I get her something, but in my heart it needs to be a Triumph or at the very least a franken-bike with a Triumph engine.
@Matt JT What an amazing birthday gift! I think it's a grand idea and a sweet gesture. And I'm always excited when another woman out there wants to take up riding. Although I certainly don't know you or your wife, as I've read this thread, a thought keeps coming up for me. I've witnessed on numerous occasions where a husband bought his wife a bike or handed down his bike to her or something similar and it didn't really turn out to be what she wanted or needed. While I love your idea of a '68 because of her uncle, I'm in agreement with @joe mc donald on this one. It does seem prudent to at least consider starting off a new rider with a newer bike that is reliable and that she'll be able to ride as soon as she's licensed, especially if she's more interested in riding than in building a bike. Also, it sounds like you're not sure about what style of bike she'd like be it bobber or cafe racer or about how she'd want to customize it. You said in your original post that your plan was to buy the bike and customize it how you think she wants it. Unless your birthday plan is to surprise her, I suggest that you just go ahead ask her her preferences. When I first started riding I didn't know what everything was called, whether it was a bike style or a particular part, but I knew what I liked when I saw it. She might really enjoy deciding what bike to get and how to customize it together! Just my two cents from one woman's perspective.
Hi Matt and welcome to the forum Good introduction and looking forward to hearing about your purchase and your wife’s reaction
Hi Matt and welcome to a very friendly forum, there are a lot of very talented bike builders on here, some of the work I have seen puts some professionals in the shade, I am sure you will get lots of sound help and advice. I saw this Bonneville on the Triumph Owners Motorcycle Club website (TOMCC), members often post Bonnies on here, you don't have to be a member to look at the adverts, however it's worth joining if you buy a Bonnie as many members have access to vast parts. Like others have mentioned a machine that requires extensive engine and gearbox work can be something of a money pit, a more modern early Bonnie may be worth considering as Joe said. Keep the forum posted on your progress. Bonneville T140V - 1975 Selling my stunning 1975 Triumph Bonneville T140V, owned for nearly 40 years and in absolutely beautiful condition, it has matching numbers and was rebuilt a few years to a US/60s spec. Thousands spent inc engine rebuild, new carbs, stainless fasteners, Norman Hyde 12" disc, new wheels and tyres, 25000 miles from new, original parts inc tank to take back to std. Probably one of the best around - £7,450 - email [email protected] for more pics and full spec or phone 07968 306692. You won't be disappointed - Located in West Yorkshire