Triumph Bonneville Bobber, unique, essential and with a markedly retro style, to be enjoyed strictly alone [ROAD TEST]

Triumph Bonneville Bobber – Speed ​​Twin 500, this is the name of its ancestor from 1937, from which it takes inspiration on an aesthetic level, in a rather evident way. Of course, today's Bobber is a completely different thing, because if some elements connect it with the motorcycles of the 40s and they make it practically unique in the current motorcycle scene (obviously limiting themselves to production motorcycles only), technically we are faced with a modern product equipped, for example, with traction control and the best current technologies. However, the approach is tough and pure, there's no point in beating around the bush too much. Of the many onlookers who even photographed the Bobber during our test, almost all of them asked us the same question: "But what about the passenger?" Don't start looking for saddles that are fixed to the rear mudguard with suction cups or anything else, because you wouldn't be able to mount them, it's the registration document itself that dampens the fantasies, because the Bobber is strictly approved for one. Is this a problem? For some perhaps it will be, but we are sure that for its admirers it is a characteristic that makes it even more inimitably different from other motorbikes.

Aesthetics and finishes:

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The attention to detail is obsessive, its look absolutely unique

The wow effect is comparable to few other motorcycles, if not to any at all, unless we compare it with small artisanal productions. With hindsight we could have placed a hidden camera and microphone to capture the reactions and comments of passers-by. In fact, she has been regularly photographed, with some selfies by the more "active" ones, attracting the attention of even non-motorcyclists. The Bobber as an "object" is in fact remarkable, she is undeniable, with a look so particular that it became the subject of discussion for almost everyone who passed by. The Hinckley house wanted to amaze and managed to do so with a motorbike that is the emblem of cleanliness and essentiality, combined with a retro flavor with strong references to motorcycles from 70 years ago.

A very dangerous operation on paper, because the risk of falling into ridicule was significant, but the 2017 Bobber deserves very little criticism. Tastes are subjective, but finding someone who doesn't appreciate it from an aesthetic point of view is quite difficult. The photographer loved her, because her "important" presence was of great help in taking effective shots, while analyzing her in detail reveals details worthy of note. Let's start from the rear part, the most characteristic one, because it is missing. The Bobber is indeed a bike that essentially ends up halfway.

From the saddle onwards there is really the bare minimum, practically nothing. The wheelbase is 1.510 mm, with a rather long rear characterized by a solution that is one of the most particular details of the Bobber. Let's talk about the tail that simulates a "hard-tail", given that in reality the saddle hides a monoshock, with a beautiful aluminum linkage. Only the very minimal mudguard and the 32" 16-spoke rim with "chubby" rubber and black channel are missing.

The Bobber it is all concentrated around the engine, which becomes a central stylistic element, together with the saddle and the small tank. It continues the dichotomy of Hinckley's Classics, with vintage style blending with modern elements.

We are referring to the now well-known ones fake carburetors that hide the injectors, or to the water radiator, black, small and elongated, hidden almost perfectly between the frame tubes, which serves to cool the engine heads. On the front end there Traditional telescopic fork has black stays, with the classics black rubber bellows to give it a retro look. The front mudguard is also strictly made of metal and very essential, as well as being characterized, both for the rear and front, by a central longitudinal rib.

The small headlight has a black structure and a chrome crown, mind you it is the instrumentation that highlights the double soul of the Bobber, perhaps more than any other element. In addition to being adjustable in height, it's composed by a small and unique circular analog instrument, the speedometer, with inside a liquid crystal display that makes it multifunctional.

There is a lot of data that you can scroll through with the button on the left block, as an odometer, indicators of the gear engaged, of the fuel level (always visible on the left), but we also find the autonomy, the assistance interval, a clock, two trip meters, the average and current consumption, the state of the traction control and the value of the tachometer.

Engine and performance:

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The 1200 HT becomes rounder and fuller in the bass, protagonist not only in the look of the Bobber

The engine is the known liquid-cooled parallel twin, 4 valves per cylinder, SOHC (single over head camshaft, i.e. with single shaft distribution), with crank angle 270°. Called 1200 High Torque, it delivers on its torque promises, with a maximum value of 106 Nm at 4.000 rpm, while the power is more contained than other models, with 77 horsepower, which reaches just 6.100 rpm. It derives from that of the Bonneville T120, compared to which it loses 3 horsepower, but acquires an even richer delivery of lows and mids speeds, thanks also to the new split filter box. The delivery curve changes a lot, because on the one hand the acceleration is more limited, with maximum power arriving earlier, but the peak torque value moves up by a good 900 rpm. In essence, the Bobber gives its best in the central portion, let's say between 2 and 4 thousand rpm, but it resumes in all gears already from 1.200-1.300 rpm and extends (theoretically) up to 7 thousand rpm. Unless you want to leave behind black commas when starting at traffic lights (with controls off), pulling the neck of the twin-cylinder makes no sense, because the beauty is precisely its "peaceful" character and the pasty delivery that puts the medium on the plate. The electronic injection is sequential multipoint, while the exhaust has a double chamber, it is a "2 into 2", in brushed stainless steel, silencers included. The final transmission is by chain, while the servo-assisted control is adopted for the multi-disc clutch in oil bath, to manage all the torque available without too much effort on the lever.

The 6-speed gearbox has precise shifts, an excellent ratio, with long gears that are clearly oriented towards relaxed driving on the motorway, where the speed remains particularly low. Naturally, the Bobber, born in 2017, complies with the regulations Euro 4, while the magic of modern technology, which no one would expect from a motorcycle in this segment, comes from the presence of Ride-by-wire throttle control and traction control. This translates into two modes, Road and Rain (the third one found on the sportier Triumph models disappears), with a different response to the throttle control and as many selectable modes for traction control, which can also be excluded. The result is that the Bobber is not just an object motorbike, but also an excellent vehicle for all types of conditions of use, even when the asphalt would make it treacherous to put the large amount of torque available on the ground.

The only negative note, in our opinion, concerns the management of the traction control. Together with navigation between the various functions of the menu, it is managed with the button on the left block, but in this case only with the bike stopped. Deactivating or reactivating the traction control therefore becomes impossible while moving, perhaps when it starts to rain or because you encounter a treacherous road surface, unless you stop.

Ride and handling:

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The “aperitif bike” is surprisingly pleasant to ride

Let's say it bluntly: often a motorbike like this, perfect for getting noticed upon arrival at the aperitif, turns out to be uncomfortable or in any case not very effective in "real" riding. The Bobber delivers instead surprising chassis and driving pleasure. The tubular steel cradle frame is combined with a particular double-sided swingarm, also in tubular steel, which makes it a "fake" hard-tail, given that there is a niceKYB double tube shock absorber and adjustable preloadand, with a travel of 120 mm. Identical value of front fork, also KYB with 41 mm stanchions. 32-spoke rims with different diameters, with a 19" at the front and a 16" at the rear, fit 100/90 and 150/80 tires respectively. It's about Avon, specially developed for the Bobber, which for the brakes provides a single front disc, 310 mm, while the rear is 255, in both cases with 2-piston floating Nissin calipers and ABS to manage everything. The dry weight is 228 kg, while the saddle is very close to the ground, with a height of just 690 mm. Up to this point, the Bobber's identity card says everything and nothing, because its appearance, as mentioned, would lead one to think of a riding position sacrificed on the altar of looks, while you would never think of taking a nice ride in the mountains with a hard one. -tail (or presumed such).

Instead she it surprised us from the first meters in the saddle, or rather before, given that already sitting in the saddle we found the Bobber comfortable. Driving it you end up thinking that homologating it as a single-seater was an eccentric choice that further characterizes it, but that it is so tasty to take out for a ride that even a passenger could enjoy it, if there was even a makeshift solution to take it around. It descends into the crease without hesitation, never demanding and always intuitive, while letting yourself get carried away, the scratching with the platform arrives quite soon (of course it wasn't like this though). It is not awkward even in city traffic, where the very low position allows you to easily extricate yourself from right to left. However, it would be a shame to limit yourself to using it for the home-local route to do it and be admired by all those whose heads it turns for its appearance, because the Bobber is a great bike to ride. Comfortable, practically free of vibrations and able to hide its not exactly insignificant weight very well, it is a pleasure to brush the curves and enjoy the beautiful sound of the 1200 HT with 270° crank angle.

Price and consumption:

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The taste of the particular product at a non-prohibitive price

Four colors available, with the Jet Black flanked by Competition Green, which offers a magnificent double color of the tank, with a light gray to create a contrast of great effect, while remaining on solid colours, we then find the Morello-red andIronstone of our specimen. The choice of color also affects the price, which starts from 12.700 euros for black, it rises by 125 euros for the other two solid colours, up to 13.000 euros for Competition Green., as mentioned with double colored tank. If we think about the great choreographic effect of the Bobber, comparing the price with the "normal" Bonneville T120, the 400 euros that separate them make this bike appear cheap, or in any case with a price more than justified by the contents it makes available. The capacity of the tank is the only flaw, along with the lack of the possibility of accommodating a passenger. The look has in fact imposed to limit to 9.1 liters the amount of useful fuel, with autonomy (about 200 km) which therefore remains rather contained, although the consumption of the 1200 HT is confirmed as excellent, with a figure declared in the combined cycle of 4.1 l/100km, but driving with a touch of gas it manages to do even better.

Among the many original accessories available for the Bobber (well over one hundred) there are numerous to further personalize the aesthetics of the motorbike: 6 different finishes for the saddle, but then they range from high or low handlebars (half handlebars are even provided), to short mudguards, or details with chrome or black finishes (matt in some cases), as for the engine guard bars, but also as a replacement for original parts, as for the pair of black exhaust manifolds. We then find the swingarm bags, which can be black or olive green, but also more functional details, we are referring in particular to the cruise control kit. There is no shortage of wonderful, even from a sound point of view, Vance & Hines silencers with black finish or in brushed stainless steel, the price of which exceeds the thousand euro threshold.

PROS AND CONS
We like it:
Unique and particular look (this includes the absence of a passenger seat), rideability, comfort and performance.
We do not like it:
Rather small fuel tank and autonomy, strictly single-seater

Triumph Bonneville Bobber: the Motorionline Report Card

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Test clothing:
Glove Dainese BLACKJACK, retail price of approximately 70 euros;
Jacket Dainese HF D1 Leather Jacket, retail price of approximately 470 euros;
Trousers: Spidi Ronin Pants
Shoe: Stylmartin Sunset

Helmet LS2 BOBBER RUSTY BLACK retail price of approximately 185 euros;
ALZELA the Goggle mask, an exclusive mask from an Italian brand, an original accessory made with high safety and quality parameters. It can be defined as "techno-fashion": it is worn for sporting activities, even extreme ones, such as skiing, snowboarding, paragliding, parachuting, downhill or cross country, guaranteeing maximum safety and total face and eye protection. Thanks to the shape and look that distinguish it, it can also be shown off during recreational activities such as a walk in the center with your bicycle, riding the trendiest motorbike, playing a game of golf and, why not, behind the wheel of your own convertible. Made in a limited edition with top quality fabrics and microfibre, the mask is certified by the strictest world standards in terms of safety, responding to bullet and cylinder tests, with great quality margins. The double lenses of the ALZELA mask are designed and developed in collaboration with a pool of leading Italian companies in the sector; they are subjected to very high quality treatments such as UV, hydrophobic, anti-scratch and extra anti-fog, just to mention the most important ones. The lenses can be easily replaced (quick release) and are available in three colors (clear, silver, tangerine). Compatible with helmets (motorcycle, riding, skiing, paragliding), it offers a guarantee of excellent comfort even with prescription glasses. Each ALZELA mask is equipped with a small chip inserted in the side band, readable via a Smartphone, which allows its certification and guarantees its authenticity. Available in eight colours, all with a retail price of 199 euros.

Photoshoot: ENGINEER