Triumph Bobber

[EldoMike]

Looks like it is happening...

http://www.bikeexif.com/new-triumph-bobber

[oldbike54]

 Remove the speedo and turn indicators , change the forks to a girder , put a ding or two in strategic places , dull the paint a bit , and weld up the soft tail , voila , pretty much what I started on in 1968 ...

 Dusty

[Mr Pootle]

Reminds me of my old 5T. I like the idea of the adjustable seat. Had Indian done that with the Scout I might have been riding one of those instead of a V7.

[azguzzirep]

I had a ridged frame 1955 Triumph 650 Thunderbird that was a 60's style chopper when I got it around 1978. It had pull back handlebars, king/queen seat, sissy bar, peanut gas tank and two square headlights, one above the other.

After a while riding it like this I took off the peanut tank, seat, handlebars, lights and cut off the sissy bar even with the rear fender. I installed a single headlight, drag bars, a chrome coffin gas tank (not a good idea in AZ) and a small saddle seat. Looked a lot like what's being offered here.

[Rough Edge racing]

Remove the speedo and turn indicators , change the forks to a girder , put a ding or two in strategic places , dull the paint a bit , and weld up the soft tail , voila , pretty much what I started on in 1968 ...

 Dusty

  I built for a guy a few years back, 60's 650 parts, bolt on hardtail, faded on purpose paint and a few dents .....I rode in recently for several hours in the "Ride of Distinguished Gentlemen"  ......It draws admirers like flies to a steaming coil....Riding on pot holed city roads or rough country roads made me feel like a steaming coil...

     

[JJ]

I'd give Triumph a big "Thumbs Up" for effort.   :1: It's not my cup  tea as I would prefer the standard Bonneville or Thruxton, but definitely way cool! 

[rocker59]

Triumph   

[Guzzistajohn]

Pretty cool

[Kev m]

I'm taking notes on this thread, and every guy who bitches about the Cali or a Harley being too "cruiserish" or having "forward controls" and likes this gets an official --->        

I'll say what I did on the Sportster forum (where many love it).

I don't like it. I feel the same way about it as I did the Bonnie America, or the Sportster Custom, etc.

HECK, I'd take a Scout or Octane over it.

But I'd also take a T120 or Street Twin over it.

That said, hey "a butt for every seat".

[fotoguzzi]

that is how a Bonneville should look. I can see it with ape hangers too.. good job Triumph!

[Rough Edge racing]

I'm taking notes on this thread, and every guy who bitches about the Cali or a Harley being too "cruiserish" or having "forward controls" and likes this gets an official --->        

I'll say what I did on the Sportster forum (where many love it).

I don't like it. I feel the same way about it as I did the Bonnie America, or the Sportster Custom, etc.

HECK, I'd take a Scout or Octane over it.

But I'd also take a T120 or Street Twin over it.

That said, hey "a butt for every seat".

Well,we do agree on some things.....next they will be bitching about limited rear suspension travel on Harleys   

[kidsmoke]

I like it. but I'm easy. Pretty much anything with two wheels and a motor gets me interested.
That said this has a more authentic feel to it than Indians, for example.

IMHO...related to that other "is Harley in trouble" thread, this is what I believe is happening to Harley. A younger generation is getting options like these. The V7, Ducati Scrambler. If you're relatively new to motorcycles, any one of those is WAY more appealing and practical than the majority of Harley's offerings, and without the stigma/cultural obligations Harley "demands".

[Kev m]

I like it. but I'm easy. Pretty much anything with two wheels and a motor gets me interested.
That said this has a more authentic feel to it than Indians, for example.

IMHO...related to that other "is Harley in trouble" thread, this is what I believe is happening to Harley. A younger generation is getting options like these. The V7, Ducati Scrambler. If you're relatively new to motorcycles, any one of those is WAY more appealing and practical than the majority of Harley's offerings, and without the stigma/cultural obligations Harley "demands".

I disagree.

That wouldn't explain why Sportster/Street sales are UP 9 months 2016 vs. 2015.

Harley is feeling the overall economic crunch because in the last few years their best selling bikes became their biggest, most expensive, and most due for an upgrade.

I also don't think younger riders give as much of a crap of the "stigma" or "image" as many of the older riders.

That said, the real reason kids don't buy dressers is that they don't have $18-25k to spend on bikes and $8-10k or used is a lot more attractive (enter the Sportster/Street, Bonnie, V7, Scrambler etc.).

[Chuck in Indiana]

Kev sez

I disagree.

That wouldn't explain why Sportster/Street sales are UP 9 months 2016 vs. 2015.

I disagree.  The Sportster is in the same league as

The V7, Ducati Scrambler. If you're relatively new to motorcycles, any one of those is WAY more appealing and practical than the majority of Harley's offerings, and without the stigma/cultural obligations Harley "demands".

[Chuck in Indiana]

Kev also sez

I'm taking notes on this thread, and every guy who bitches about the Cali or a Harley being too "cruiserish" or having "forward controls" and likes this gets an official --->        

I'm one of em, and for the Triumph bobber, I do not like it, Sam I am. IMHO the Guzzi bobber is a much better looking bike, and I don't much care for it, either.

[kidsmoke]

any one of those is WAY more appealing and practical than the majority of Harley's offerings,

Harley is feeling the overall economic crunch because in the last few years their best selling bikes became their biggest, most expensive, and most due for an upgrade.

That said, the real reason kids don't buy dressers is that they don't have $18-25k to spend on bikes and $8-10k or used is a lot more attractive (enter the Sportster/Street, Bonnie, V7, Scrambler etc.).

I think we're saying the same thing. You said it more thorough-er

When I referenced the majority, in my mind I was excluding the Sportster.

Dressers fly in the face of the less is more/tiny house/resale shop paradigm, where those other bikes don't.

[Kev m]

Kev sez
I disagree.  The Sportster is in the same league as

Silly subjective point, the objective truth is they are in the same MARKET pulling from many of the same customer pools, which is all I was saying.

That said, you're right, as much as I LOVE my V7, my Sportster is:

1. More comfortable, especially 2-up, long distance, and/or in cold/foul weather.
2. More powerful/faster.
3. Even easier to maintain.
4. Better mapped out of the box.

So in many ways it's a league above my V7. 

[Kev m]

Kev also sez
I'm one of em, and for the Triumph bobber, I do not like it, Sam I am. IMHO the Guzzi bobber is a much better looking bike, and I don't much care for it, either.

Then you're not one of em... 

I think we're saying the same thing. You said it more thorough-er

When I referenced the majority, in my mind I was excluding the Sportster.

Dressers fly in the face of the less is more/tiny house/resale shop paradigm, where those other bikes don't.

My bad, perhaps I missed a subtle but important part of your post.

[nick949]

To my own surprise, I actually quite like the look. 

But it's butt jewelry: fine if you are just nipping down to the coffee shop, but useless for much else.

Nick

[Red Dog]

I disagree.

That wouldn't explain why Sportster/Street sales are UP 9 months 2016 vs. 2015.

Harley is feeling the overall economic crunch because in the last few years their best selling bikes became their biggest, most expensive, and most due for an upgrade.

I also don't think younger riders give as much of a crap of the "stigma" or "image" as many of the older riders.

That said, the real reason kids don't buy dressers is that they don't have $18-25k to spend on bikes and $8-10k or used is a lot more attractive (enter the Sportster/Street, Bonnie, V7, Scrambler etc.).

Just a little different perspective as to why the sportster/street sales are up.
In our store one of my computers has a screen saver that scrolls thru bikes I currently ride & those I've had in the past.
It has started many a fine conversation & I always ask what they ride & why they chose that bike.
When it comes to young folks on Harley's the answer is almost always the same.
My Dad (or GranPa) rides/rode an HD & they told me if I was going to ride then I'd better ride a real American bike.
Many times if they chose an HD they would get help with financing: co-sign, down payment, goodies.
Other reasons: like the sound, chicks dig 'em, local dealer, always wanted one.
In fairnesss I will also say that most of them are satisfied with their purchase.

[lucydad2]

This instead:

http://ridermagazine.com/2016/10/04/2017-triumph-bonneville-t100-and-t100-black-first-look-review/

Most likely bike to replace my V7R.  We will see if MG builds a V9 with a Classic look.  Love the old Triumph configuration.

[Red Dog]

I like the Triumph bobber. 
Vic tried with the Gunner & sales are pretty good on it, I had one & really liked the bike overall but like with any machine today there were some niggles that I didn't like.

When these get to the dealer I'll test one.
For the person who wants "cool" without being able to weld one up it's a hit.
Hope they sell a pile of 'em.

[Kev m]

Just a little different perspective as to why the sportster/street sales are up.
In our store one of my computers has a screen saver that scrolls thru bikes I currently ride & those I've had in the past.
It has started many a fine conversation & I always ask what they ride & why they chose that bike.
When it comes to young folks on Harley's the answer is almost always the same.
My Dad (or GranPa) rides/rode an HD & they told me if I was going to ride then I'd better ride a real American bike.
Many times if they chose an HD they would get help with financing: co-sign, down payment, goodies.
Other reasons: like the sound, chicks dig 'em, local dealer, always wanted one.
In fairnesss I will also say that most of them are satisfied with their purchase.

Well, I'm sure that's a factor, but I think there are larger reasons.

The solidmounted EVO sportster (aka paint shaker) was manufactured for 18 years from 86-03. That includes a 10 year period during which Harley TRIPLED their sales. In that time there were a total of 533,103 Sportsters sold.

Starting in 2004 Harley completely redesigned the EVO Sportster and debuted the EVO RUBBERMOUNT Sporty. Sales immediately spiked and have basically remained at levels above all but the very best peak years of the solidmount.

As a matter of fact it took Harley only a little more than 9 years to sell as many EVO Rubbermount Sportys as they ever had EVO solidmounts.

As of 2015 they sold a total of 686,985 EVO Rubbermount Sportys (and unfortunately the Street numbers are now mixed in but I'd estimate they amount to fewer than 20k of that total based on a Forbes report of their first year sales (2014).

My point, Harley did a tremendous job of doing 2 important things with the Sportster as of 2004.

1. They made it a comfortable/capable motorcycle better allowing it to compete for overall sales in the segment.
2. For the first real time they started to plan of systematically releasing model variants (from Roadster to Bobber, Custom, Chopper etc.) to attract more buyers.

Overall this really changed the Sportster from a "first time Harley" to a viable alternative model to the big twins in a lot of eyes. And especially for younger buyers who aren't interested (or capable) of spending twice as much for the Touring models, it became a sought out bike rather than something they were settling on to get into the marque.

There will always be people who buy the "entry level" model of a brand just to have that brand, but there are equally those who buy it for what it is.

Sort of how I own a V7 and a Sporty even though I've owned a Cali, a CARC, and a Road King.

[blackcat]

"The solidmounted EVO sportster (aka paint shaker) was manufactured for 18 years from 86-03. That includes a 10 year period during which Harley TRIPLED their sales. In that time there were a total of 533,103 Sportsters sold."

I had one of those Sportsters, put about 20,000 miles on the bike and sold it for almost what I payed for it. Never had a problem with it, great bike. Yeah, it vibrated.

Personally, I'd rather have a Sportster than the above Triumph.

[jas67]

Disclaimer: Bobbers aren't my thing.

That said, the new Triumph Bobber looks much more the the part of what a Bobber is supposed to look like than V9 Bobber.

The solo seat and hard tail looking frame nail that look, period.

As Bobbers go, it looks great, though I'd never own one.  The T120 is much more to my liking.

Kudos to Triumph for what looks like another well-executed product that is likely to expand their market reach, and increase sales.

[screamday]

Now.....this I like. 

[SmokyBC]

I'm surprised that I like this. It doesn't look anything like the bikes I usually am attracted to. 

[Xlratr]

I think the V9 bobber is much cleaner! But I do think they did a good job on the 1200 motor.


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[Shorty]

Will be fun to see what folks do with these after the warranties expire.  Personally, I'm waiting for someone to salvage a new Thruxton. I want to build a sit up style Bonnie with the extra power and suspension of the Thruxton.

[LaGrasta]

I must say I like it. I like the Sporster as well, and prefer it. I can see the V9 having a version of this. Yes they literally have a "bobber", but it's not really. It could be, should be and I hope it will be.

Worth mentioning, I'm not a twin fan, V for me. Fake carb, fake air filters, fake tailpipe, etc is a turn off as well.

But the bike has character, and I like that in most every case.