Featured T120 - The first 2000 miles

With nearly 2000 miles now on the T120 Bonneville the thing that really annoys me is that there just isn’t enough time left before the frost and the gritting of the roads start. It’s the same every year I suppose but having a new bike maybe makes it that bit worse.


The more I ride the bike the more its lazy style seems to grow on me. It’s now well run in but I find very little reason to use all the revs that often. The torque peaks at not much over 3000 rpm and most of it’s available from 2000 right through to close to the 7000 RPM red line. 70 mph in top gear has the engine sitting right on the top of the curve and makes overtaking a fairly relaxed affair. After a lifetime mainly on big Japanese in line 4’s and the last 5 ½ on the FJR it’s taking a bit of adjustment but the Bonnie is so easy to ride it’s been an easy transition. The problem now is the transition back to the FJR which now feels like an ocean liner in comparison. There’s no noticeable vibration from the engine. You are aware of the engine banging away but it’s anything but unpleasant.


In the low gears the bike will pull well from 1500 revs but in top it’s not happy below 2000 and only really starts pulling strongly closer to 2500. The clutch lever has the lightest action I’ve ever known and that includes some super lightweight off road clutches. The gear change is also among the best I’ve ever experienced being light, positive and precise.


The brakes are adequate but not brilliant but are perfect for the bike. I read something similar in one of the many reviews prior to buying the bike. Now that I have it, it makes perfect sense – the bike isn’t about balls out power whether it be stopping power or big acceleration, it’s about a much more sedate way of riding. I’m not talking about pottering around at Harley speeds but in a lot less frantic manner than I’ve been doing for most of my life. Maybe I’m finally starting to act my age? I’m sure the wife would beg to differ though.

The suspension is in much the same mold as the brakes – it does an excellent job on the T120 but would be considered primitive on anything with modern sporting pretensions. The front has no adjustment for either damping or spring pre-load and feels a little under sprung and a bit over damped. It copes reasonably well on slow frequency undulations but is quickly overwhelmed on very uneven surfaces though not to the point of getting scary. The rear shocks have no damping adjustment but a conventional adjustment on the springs. They are a bit bouncy but nothing like the units I remember from the seventies.

The brakes, suspension, riding position and the 2 big pistons thumping away, all come together superbly and make the bike a joy to ride. The riding position and absence of any wind protection makes silly speeds a bit too much like hard work. For someone who has always put big power and engine performance high up on the priority list it’s a very welcome change to find a bike that’s great fun at low engine and road speeds. I really can’t afford any more points.

Small back roads and decent A roads are where the T120 is really at its best. While there are big dollops of low down torque I find keeping the minimum revs close to the torque peak the most satisfying. The fairly slow steering and decent handling are great fun on twisty roads and the thumping engine is just a joy.


2000 miles on tyres the FJR and I’d probably be close to ordering replacements. 2000 miles on the Pirelli Phantoms and there’s plenty of life left which can only be a good thing. I wasn’t keen on the non tubeless wheels before I bought the bike and after getting a puncture at 1500 miles I’m even less so. Luckily I found the tyre flat in the shed, it didn’t deflate when I was out on it. Unless I’m prepared to carry a full set of spanners around with me, any type of roadside repair is a complete no-no. There is a bent piece of metal around the size of a 6mm Allen Key that clips to the inside of the R/H side panel that’s used to adjust the rear suspension. This is what Triumph calls the tool kit and in my opinion is nothing short of a sick joke. Both silencers have to be removed to get the rear wheel off and while it’s not a particularly big job it requires the tools to do it. I suspect to properly adjust the chain the silencers will again have to come off.

I will never tour on the Triumph though the bike is more than capable. The inability to repair a puncture at the side of the road completely rules this out. I’ve looked at tubeless wheels but at well over £2000 (before the pound lost value) they’re just not an option.

The tubed tyres and the lack of a basic tool kit are my gripes so far. I thought about getting the bike dealer serviced for the first couple of years to preserve the warranty but having heard prices of £700 being quoted for a major service I very much doubt that will happen.

Overall I’m delighted with the T120 so far. It’s a modern, reliable bike that I can ride at sensible speeds and still have a lot of fun with. While it's fairly far removed from the original Bonnevilles of the 1960's and 70's the description of a "Bonnie on Steroids" seems to sum it up.

 

I think that if I do a lot of 2 up riding the suspension will require upgrading but so far it's doing its job of slowing me down which was one of the reasons for getting it .

 

I'm in Aberdeenshire. After the warranty period is over (or possibly before) I fully intend to do all my own servicing. I've had bikes since the seventies and have always done my own servicing. Dealer stamps after the warranty period is over mean nothing to me. I've never had any faith in dealer servicing - mechanics working to times for companies whose only real purpose is to make a profit. If I do it myself, I know it's getting done and done correctly. Have seen too many instances of dealers not doing what is required over the years to put any faith in them. By the time the big 20K service is due the warranty period will be over anyway.

Thanks for the reply.