Triumph Bobber

[Rusnak_322]

  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...

     

this I like!   

[Tom H]

I had a '56 that looked a lot like RER's bike. Wish I still had it!

On the new Bobber. I like it overall except: The seat looks like an afterthought. It needs something, like maybe 2 rear support posts or spring/shocks. The front end looks crushed in, like it needs a different rake angle to move the front out more. Or maybe it that the engine looks tilted forward and giving the crunched in look to the front wheel.

Tom

[oldbike54]

 The rear hub kinda resembles the ill fated sprung hub of the post war era .

 Dusty

[rocker59]

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

It's easy to see that Triumph has been watching what people do with vintage Triumphs.




 

[Rough Edge racing]

 The new Triumph bobber is not a hard tail bobber like the older Triumph shown directly above...It's bulky like all modern bikes and, in my opinion, because it needs to meet certain standards, just looks like a modern bike with a Harley  Softail grafted onto it...
 

[bacongrease]

  UGLY engine in those things.  Sportster wannabe ?

[Kev m]

  UGLY engine in those things.  Sportster wannabe ?

Well, wait a minute. The parallel vertical twin has a long and storied history and this is definitely an homage to what people did with them in the 60's.

I'll say this, as such it's a much better attempt than the former Triumph America or Speedmaster and I respect it as such even if it's not for me.

But it's not for me the same way the 1200C or 1200V aren't for me when there's better options:

1200CX or T120 in this case.

[kirkemon]

Well, alright, I don't hate it. A water cooled bobber.
I agree that the seat looks like it could use some support.
The front disc rotor looks a little too modern. I'm not sure if the mirrors are the best fit for the look, although maybe functional.
I hope it comes in metal flake colors.

[Guzzistajohn]

Sportster wannabe? You're shittin' us right? I see no similarities at all.

[rocker59]

u
 The new Triumph bobber is not a hard tail bobber like the older Triumph shown directly above...It's bulky like all modern bikes and, in my opinion, because it needs to meet certain standards, just looks like a modern bike with a Harley  Softail grafted onto it...

Harley Softail? The new Triumph has a traditional cantilevered shock and swingarm. Not unlike a 1990s Sport 1100 or Ducati Supersport , and much better than Harley's Softail rear suspension.

[Adan]

I applaud any effort such as this, even if it's far from perfect. 

But from what I can gather (because I haven't ridden one), the new 900 and 1200 engines have a very modern feel to them.  So isn't it an odd juxtaposition putting that engine in this package?  Maybe that's exactly what folks want and so it will be more appealing than the V9 Bobber, which I have ridden and which, of course, in many respects isn't really a bobber, but is going to feel much more like one if you're riding it and close your eyes for a few seconds. 

I'd like to see every manufacturer put out a bobber.  That's the world I want to live in.

[Kev m]

But from what I can gather (because I haven't ridden one), the new 900 and 1200 engines have a very modern feel to them.  So isn't it an odd juxtaposition putting that engine in this package? 

This question struck me.

To me the great appeal of "retro-styled" or "neo-classic" bikes are the modern accoutrements (tinker-free/quick-starting EFI, strong brakes, decent enough chassis components.

I don't NEED the most power or the strongest brakes or Ohlins suspension, but I have nothing against most modern touches and they don't strike me as opposite the intent of a retro.

Those features strike me as the ideal retro, the neo-classic that functions better than the original when it was new (never mind when it is 20 years old).

Now some of us can go back and forth all day long about subjective feel, and I think most of us who ride Guzzis are probably fans of something that isn't too butter smooth in the first place as that can get somewhat appliance-like. But that's not how I've heard these engines described.

So to me, I see no juxtaposition.

[Rough Edge racing]

Harley Softail? The new Triumph has a traditional cantilevered shock and swingarm. Not unlike a 1990s Sport 1100 or Ducati Supersport , and much better than Harley's Softail rear suspension.

 Yes, not identical but they are both for "style" and in that respect, the same... Modern Triumphs twins are excellent bikes no doubt about it. But in my opinion , when they attempt a retro look ,they are just too modern and bulky to pull it off...The modern V7 Guzzi does a better job of retro because it's nearly identical in proportions to the original.
 Maybe I'm just too black and white for this stuff...I like honesty in a product. Jeeps that can be driven down a goat trail without ripping off 200 buck light and mirrors and women with no makeup..A bobber should be a minimalist machine in the tradition of Knucklehead Harley stripped down for more performance....The Triumph bobber I build for a guy and shown in the photo here is not my style either because it's "fake". A true Triumph bobber of the same era is a stripped swingarm frame...
  I understand everyone has different opinions, and this is mine   

[bad Chad]

The tank looks to big.  It's out of perspective on that bike, and really the engine looks to big as well.

[Sheepdog]

I like it, if only for that Hinckley Bonneville engine. Truth is, the format is all wrong for me and I'm partial to the 360 degree motor version. However, Triumph created a great looking homage to an iconic genre (which has become their stock-in-trade) with a deceivingly modern power plant. Gorgeous, reliable, and somewhat sporting...but I'll be sticking with my '03 Bonneville T100 a bit longer.

[Dharma Bum]

I think that is an extremely good looking motorcycle and that Triumph should sell a boatload of 'em.  But.  Does anyone else see the disconnect between the concept of a "bobber" as exemplified by RER's Triumph and a motorcycle equipped with ABS, traction control, cruise control, and heated grips?
I guess my red suspenders are showing!

[Kev m]

I think that is an extremely good looking motorcycle and that Triumph should sell a boatload of 'em.  But.  Does anyone else see the disconnect between the concept of a "bobber" as exemplified by RER's Triumph and a motorcycle equipped with ABS, traction control, cruise control, and heated grips?
I guess my red suspenders are showing!

I understand, what you're saying but dismiss it as relevant in these times. Allow me to explain why.

The concept of a bobber was minimalism for performance.

Yes, this flies in the face of that.

But such minimalism TODAY would be effectively irrelevant to performance.

You can get so much more performance out of a well equipped (with brakes, traction control, suspension, even bodywork equipped) 600cc sportbike that a 1200cc bobber can realistically be nothing more than a styling exercise.

And I find nothing wrong with that.

An homage

A replica

A style of RELATIVE minimalism, for minimalism's sake in a time where bikes with full fairings often sport not just wind control, but heated grips, heated seats, GPS, radios, intercoms, dual discs on inverted forks, and a host of other features.

And in that sense, this Bobber may just be true to the original intent, despite the seeming mass.

[Tom]

Anyone know how much?  Seems it'll cost more than  2016 T100  Bonneville at $9600.  At least the seat can be moved for adjustment.  Can you add a P pad and pegs for an occasional passenger?  I'll reread it.

[britman]

With a handle of "Britman" you know I have to add my two cents.  I do like the look of the new "Bobber", kind of beefy and low.  Triumph is really doing it's best to cover all of the retro market.  Sadly a number of the smaller dealers who first started with the brand when it came back to life, have given the franchise up.  Specifications on floor space, decor, and the number of bikes on hand have become too much for the smaller shops.  When I was Guzzi shopping I visited a dealer fairly close that carries both brands.  There were allot of kids with spiked hair of assorted colors, piercings, sleeve tattoos, and name brand leathers on both the staff and customers.  Of course the business is located in an old restored warehouse full of glitz and wall hangings.  They were more than friendly enough, I was also getting some numbers ran on trading my Rocket 3 on a new Eldorodo which I am sure peaked some interest.  Rode the R3 home, just couldn't do it. I just kind of miss the old downtown dealership with a grizzly old owner that knew every nut and bolt of his product and there was always the smell of 90 weight gear oil in the air.  Yep, I am getting old.......Here is a shot of my 69 "Bonnie Bobber" from a few years back, revived it from the dead and went for a real 60's look.  It ran great but it did take a forty acre field to turn it around......

   

[Tom]

Blurry shot.  You have a different one?

[britman]

Blurry shot.  You have a different one?

Only other one I have in the "Bucket", sorry I am included.  I tried resizing the first one I posted and it looks fine from my end. When it comes to computer savvy I am on the same level as a stone age pygmy with his first Bic lighter.......

[Dharma Bum]

KevM, I was just being facetious, hard to get it across on the printed page. Any thing that will bring younger riders to the sport is okiedokie with me.

[Tom H]

Britman,

If I ever put my '53 together, you have what mine should look like. Though I'm still searching for an un-raked front frame section at a reasonable price and going with a stock length front end. I like both looks!!

Need to square away my running fleet, they assemble the '53 and see where I'm at.

Thanks for the pic!
Tom

[Tom]

Good looking bike. 

[pikipiki]

looks like they are going for a very modern bike with very retro looks.
wont pass final opinion until road tests are available but
provisionally im quite impressed, big improvement over hideous Triumph America, the back end though it looks retro seems to be more related to a modern sportbike than any HD softtail. If it outhandles every other retro bike, looks this good it will find its niche. might even be possible to bolt on a rear subframe replacing that seat so it could convert to two up or even a touring bike. concern though is the price suspect it will be expensive?. I guess Triumph would say they got cheaper retro bikes covered with the 900 twins?

[Kev m]

KevM, I was just being facetious, hard to get it across on the printed page. Any thing that will bring younger riders to the sport is okiedokie with me.

Aw shucks another of my wasted replies, lol 😚 [emoji15]

Oh well, I'm certain there are people who genuinely feel that way out there... my reply can stand for them. 😉 [emoji6]

[Cam3512]

Not bad.  But I would have to buy longer jeans so I can roll them up into a cuff with my workboots. 

[Kev m]

Not bad.  But I would have to buy longer jeans so I can roll them up into a cuff with my workboots.

Wouldn't that just mean jeans for normal sized people? [emoji14]

[Cam3512]

Wouldn't that just mean jeans for normal sized people? [emoji14]

Says the angry fat kid....

 

[Kev m]

Says the angry fat kid....

 

I'm big boned. [emoji56] [emoji38]