Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster: an Englishwoman who dreams of the United States [ROAD TEST]

Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster – Elegant, comfortable, with attention to every detail and with a unique style: we are talking about the new Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster, created to bring this segment of the English company's range into a new dimension. Custom yes, it's evident from the lines and the abundant chrome that embellish it, but also a cruiser with a anything but banal look, thanks to the relaxed riding position, the forward footrests, the set back "beach bar" handlebars and the possibility of transporting also a passenger.

The new Speedmaster, however, is not just aesthetic. Inside there is a lot of construction quality typical of Triumph to guarantee the rider, even the less experienced, a high level of rideability, comfort and control of this not exactly small two-wheeler. To characterize the 2018 Speedmaster there are many details, such as the particular headlight, the profile and lines inspired by the Bonneville, as well as a new engine setup of the Bonneville Bobber High-Torque.

Aesthetics and finishes:

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A connection between tradition and innovation

The first thing that catches your attention is the large front headlight, which constitutes an ideal bridge between tradition and innovation. The design is definitely inspired by the fifties and gives the bike a further touch of classicism, but the ring of LEDs inside are a leap nowadays and guarantee adequate lighting in all conditions. Two rows of LEDs converge towards the center where the stylized logo of the house is present. The 16-inch spoked wheels are beautiful, with the "chubby" tires, which accentuate the retro look even more, as do the many chrome parts and the ignition lock in the lowered position, on the right side of the engine and separated from the steering lock. The starting point is that of the beautiful Bobber, with some tweaks, but above all with a modification which, from being a motorcycle for "hard and pure" enthusiasts, becomes ideal for a wider audience: it can finally accommodate the passenger. The saddle and handle can easily be removed to obtain a single-seater configuration, but the look and style of the Bobber, with its truncated tail and minimal mudguard, remain unattainable. The compromise is however successful and offers significantly greater usability of this Speedmaster.

Engine and performance:

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The 1200 high-torque is responsive and with lots of torque

The new Speedmaster is equipped with the now famous 1200 cc High-Torque engine, naturally Euro 4, with an unmistakable sound, defined by the 270° timing, typical of the Bonneville Bobber. It is capable of delivering a power of 77 horsepower at 6.100 rpm (10% more than its Boneville T120 sisters and 42% more than the old Speedmaster of 2015) and a torque of 106 Nm, available already at 4.000 revolutions per minute, a record in the category. Thanks also to the electronics and traction control, they become numbers within the reach of even those approaching two wheels for the first time. The parallel twin, eight valves, single overhead camshaft, is liquid cooled and this guarantees maximum performance and reduced consumption. Power delivery is always linear, also thanks to the quick and precise six-speed gearbox. The sound is what you expect from a bike like this: exciting, rich and deep, thanks also to the double-chamber air box with double filter, the catalytic converter hidden in the manifolds and the characteristic chrome-plated double-chamber exhaust system.

Two driving modes: Road and Rain for maximum control in all conditions. Selecting them is very simple: in fact, there is a button on the left handlebar block and to check, just take a look at the LED screen of the instrument panel, where the driving mode is always indicated. Also on the left side of the handlebar is the standard cruise control: a significant detail for a motorcycle created to travel, perhaps not in a hurry, but certainly with the intention of clocking up many, many kilometres.

Ride and handling:

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It's not a feather, but it clears traffic well

The Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster rides with great naturalness and tranquility. The ride-by-wire system has been deeply revised by the technicians, to provide better power delivery and, consequently, also simpler management. The standard ABS and adjustable traction control are a further step forward on the path to increasingly safer driving. The 41 mm "cartridge" front fork has a travel of 90 mm, while under the saddle there is a rear monoshock, adjustable in preload and connected to the swingarm by a linkage that improves comfort. Travel is 73mm.

Riding is relaxed thanks to the large "beach bar" handlebar with wide grip, combined with the footrests positioned forward (and covered with an effective non-slip rubber membrane) and the low saddle. The bike is always planted on the ground, stable, even on roads with a few too many potholes as we often find in the city. Getting through traffic is much simpler than you might imagine: just give a touch of gas, decide your trajectory and then the Speedmaster will support our decisions with surprising precision and promptness. The feeling is immediate and the ride never tires, not even on the motorway with the air hitting your chest. It rides with such ease that it can also be an ideal first motorbike (perhaps with a slightly demanding price, in this case) or the right choice for a female audience. If we want to find a flaw, the truly excellent chassis pushes us to dare more, but the little ground clearance reminds us, with a good scratch, that exaggerated creases are not its thing.

As mentioned, the Speedmaster can be configured in a single-seater or two-seater version. In both cases the two saddles are made with generous and very comfortable padding, with an eye also to style, as demonstrated by the contrasting stitching. In short, for Triumph the details are not... details at all!

Price and consumption:

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Title of the paragraph

The beautiful tank, with a characteristic shape and slightly larger than that of the Bobber, has a capacity of 12 litres, which according to the company allows a range of 280 km, thanks to a consumption value of 4,3 l/100 km. In our test we recorded a slightly lower figure, but the values ​​are not too distant and easily remain around 20 km/l. In addition to this Cranberry Red, the Speedmaster is available in black (Jet Black) and with a more refined combination of Fusion White and Phantom Black, separated with a hand-painted line.
A lot of quality and a refined style obviously lead to an important price, which starts from 14.350 euros (it becomes 14.525 in this color, 14.650 for the double livery). Much or little is up to you to decide. What we can say is that the general construction quality is very high, the details are taken care of in great detail and nothing is left to chance, both in the chassis and mechanics, as well as in the look, which smacks of history. In short, to find an anonymous motorbike it is better to look elsewhere.

PROS AND CONS
We like it:
The retro look combined with the comfort of an American cruiser and the power delivery, always full and linear.
We do not like it:
Absence of a compartment that can at least contain documents, reduced ground clearance.

Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster MY2018: the Motorionline Report Card

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Tester clothing:
Gloves: Dainese Blackjack
Jacket: Dainese Bryan Leather Jacket
Pants: Dainese Bonneville Regular
Shoes: Dainese Street Rocker D-WP
Helmet: LS2 Spitfire Sunrise