2010 Triumph Bonneville T100

[Tom]

I'm thinking about checking on out.  Any model specific things I should check out?  Transmission or engine quirks??  It has 12K miles on it.  The current owner is not a "motorcycle" person. 

[bigbikerrick]

I have a buddy that owned one for about 3 years. The one that has fuel injection that mimics carburetors. It was a solid, dependable bike that served him well. I rode it a few times, when we would swap bikes, and it felt almost like a "honda". Very generic feeling, almost bland. I think the ones with the 270 degree firing order, have more character, and throb like a V twin.
They are a handsome motorcycle, with nice lines.
Rick D.

[Speciality]

I had one of the last 865cc Thruxtons (2016). I’d say that from the factory they are indeed bland, but then so are some Guzzis. I remapped mine to suit the aftermarket exhausts, de-baffled airbox, smooth bore air intake and free-flow air filter. I also upgraded the front caliper, front suspension, rear shocks (OEM are junk). I removed the secondary air injection and 02 sensors. After that lot it was a joy to ride and was totally transformed from standard. There is free tuning and fault code reading software (TuneEcu), so I only needed a decent cable. Triumphrat.net is the place to go for these and other bikes. What isn’t known about them on there isn’t worth knowing.
Faults: trying to start the engine with a weak battery can break the sprag clutch and take out a boss in the crankcase - this means new cases. More likely in the early (790cc) bikes. There is a preventative fix that I did to mine. Valve adjustment is not as easy as it might be. Engine is DOHC (unnecessary given the lowish revs); shims are under bucket so it’s a camshaft out job. Some manage to muck it up. Charging system can give issues - usual fix is MOSFET reg/rectifier. I wouldn’t want to give the impression that the bikes are unreliable; they aren’t, but they’re not Hondas either. BTW valve clearances are first done at 10,000 miles, so I’d check if they’ve been done. The 360 degree versions Bonneville and Thruxton, produce more power. Big bore kits are available. Hope that helps.

[Speciality]

Forgot to say that these air-oil cooled models in stock form were more powerful than the liquid-cooled models that superseded them. Of the three, the Triumph was quicker than both the contemporary V7 750 bikes and the Kawasaki W650/800, the Thruxton/Bonneville models producing 69bhp. Stock, I’d say my Thruxton was about the same as my V7 850 Special (and certainly fuelled better), but after similar mods they’re both massively better. 2010 bike should be EFI but won’t have the Canbus instruments of the final two years. These days the 360 degree twins sound good (and much more like the old Meriden Triumphs; just as everyone got bored of 360 degree twins, nowadays everything is 270 degrees….

[JJ]

I have a buddy that owned one for about 3 years. The one that has fuel injection that mimics carburetors. It was a solid, dependable bike that served him well. I rode it a few times, when we would swap bikes, and it felt almost like a "honda". Very generic feeling, almost bland. I think the ones with the 270 degree firing order, have more character, and throb like a V twin.
They are a handsome motorcycle, with nice lines.
Rick D.

Well stated, bigbikerick....  

I often thought of getting one, myself!!   Here is only one of their latest offerings: 

2023 Triumph Bonneville T120 Black Sapphire Black / Matte Sapphire Black

A handsome motorcycle with nice lines, indeed...

[Moparnut72]

I have a 2022 T120. Cams do not have to be removed to adjust the valves but it does require shims. I haven't done mine yet but the most fiddly thing when checking valves is replacing the valve cover from what I have read. I have little over 5,000 miles on mine so I had better get more acquainted with the workshop manual. I wished when I got it that MG made something similar. I think the V100 will that slot.
kk

[jackthebiker]

This is my 2015 T100, I purchased it with 600 miles on it and put 17,000 trouble free miles on it. It was an excellent running bike, I added the Triumph off road exhaust and had if remapped for a little more "Triumph" sound. I left everything else stock and it performed satisfactory for me, one up riding for this 6 foot 200 lb man. I would highly recommend one. My Road King sat in the garage a lot while I owned it.

[grebmrof]

I have an '08 T100 that I purchased used in '10.  The '08's are the last of the carb models in the U.S.  They went to EFI in '09 in the U.S., while the rest of the world got EFI in '08.  The bike has been pretty trouble free.  Stock suspension is not the greatest, I went to Progressive at both ends a few years after I got it.  The air cooled Bonnevilles were 360 degree engines and shifted to 270 with the introduction of the water cooled motors in '16.  I believe they had both the air cooled and water cooled Bonnevilles in 2016.  The water cooled Bonnevilles were just about better in every way to the "original" air cooled motors ('01-'16).  With the intro of EFI some complained that the engines became a bit snatchy, others never noticed.  I think there is some EFI hunting on the overrun or with very small increments of throttle at certain speeds. 

They all are very nice machines with enough power to satisfy most people.  Check the tire dates, it would not be unexpected to need to replace tires & tubes.  See if the valves have been checked and adjusted to spec, if not, plan to check them yourself and make any shim replacements necessary.  Check the inside of the tank as best you can for rust & corrosion. The chain may not have been cleaned or lubed.  Battery?  May need to be replaced too.  Check for oil leaks around the sump and at the front of the engine - there is a plug at the lower front of the motor that I have found weeping - Triumph did not use any sealant on that plug and I think eventually they leak - it is an oil passage to the top end, that is under pressure and I would guess will eventually leak.  I've replaced a couple of those plugs using teflon tape to act as a sealant - seemed to work well.  Check...  See that there is no oil weeping from the shifter shaft, mine has started to do that.  The oil filter is a metal cannister at the rear of the sump, a bit sloppy when removing as it is vertical.  After using some Bosch filters for a time, I switched back to only using Triumph brand filters. The Bosch design changed and it would not thread up snug enough.

I've had Bonnevilles for now over 20 years, they are nice machines.  I started with an '01 (790cc, 360 degree), and still have my '08.  I did have a '16 T120 water cooled Bonneville (1200cc, 270 degree) - it developed some electronic gremlins in the last two years that I had it which the dealer was incapable of resolving and after many visits and lots of time in their shop - I gave up and got rid of it (traded it to that same dealer - so they knew what they were getting).  In many ways, or maybe most ways, the new water cooled models were/are better that the air cooled ones that preceded them.  However, the '08 I've had for 12 years now and that water cooled model is gone.

Good luck with your search, these bikes can be had for usually pretty reasonable prices, but expect to put some money in to offset the current owner's non-riding and maybe neglect of the bike

[Tom]

Thanks for the input.  I don't know that much about Triumphs.  The owner did neglect it.  I'm on the other side of the island, he's 130 miles from me.  He describes it as being rusty.  From the photo's, yeah.   I might get away with rust removal and painting black.  It's black & white.  I'll let you guys know. 

[kingoffleece]

neglected on the outside means neglected on the inside

[Speciality]

The air cooled Bonnevilles were 360 degree engines and shifted to 270 with the introduction of the water cooled motors in '16. 

That is not entirely true. The America, Speedmaster and Scrambler air/oil-cooled variants all had 270 degree motors.
There was some overlap in 2016; my Thruxton was one of the last, made in March of that year. The first of the l/c 900 models was available but some of us, me included, thought that, although it developed more usable torque at low and middle revs, it was as seriously down on power (54bhp v 69bhp), a fact that Triumph itself tacitly acknowledged by increasing the bhp of the l/c version by about 10 bhp a year or so later.
The thing about these bikes is that there are so many immaculate low-mileage ones available at reasonable prices that there’s no need to buy a dog. If it’s rusty and the owner knows nothing about bikes I’d pass on it unless it’s really cheap and you are a handy mechanic.

[grebmrof]

That is not entirely true. The America, Speedmaster and Scrambler air/oil-cooled variants all had 270 degree motors...
The thing about these bikes is that there are so many immaculate low-mileage ones available at reasonable prices that there’s no need to buy a dog. If it’s rusty and the owner knows nothing about bikes I’d pass on it unless it’s really cheap and you are a handy mechanic.

Ah yes, of course...I guess I was only thinking about the '01 Bonneville and the successor T100 air cooled machines.  Sometimes a bike with some reasonable mileage that is well cared for is far better than one that has sat and been neglected.  I have purchase too many low mile machines that took a lot of care to bring them back to good order.  I recently tracked down my '01 Bonneville that I sold in maybe '08 with about 25K miles on it, in the subsequent 14 years the owner had only put 2K miles on it, the bike had the tires I put on in '07 and was a neglected mess, covered in layers of heavy grit and grime.  He wanted $3500+, I politely offered him $1000 and he was rather put out - HA!  That $1K was generous, I thought (Guzzi content).  A well cared for higher mileage bike is worth more than a low mile neglected machine.  I agree with Speciality's comments for sure.

[Tom]

I finally talked with owner.  He's in the hospital w/broken ankle recovery.  He has receipts for maintenance but he admitted that he rode it around and didn't pay attention to cleaning it.  He lives near the ocean and that would explain the rust.  I'll check it out this weekend coming up.  We'll see.  I'll let you guys know. 

[vf84pc]

There is a Blue 2012 SE on Facebook Market place in MD. It has the mag wheels so you can run Tubeless tires full arrow exhaust and upgraded suspension, he is asking $6000.00. That was my favorite model it has lower seat height and seemed to have quicker steering. I liked it, but it seemed like a Honda in drag. It did not put a rise in my Levi's like the vintage triumphs. 
My friend had a T100 he asked me to help do a Valve adjustment because the closest dealer 75 miles away wanted upwards of $1000.00. I think the mileage it needed to be completed by was 25K and he had like 33K on the clock but the bike was fine no issues no noise. The shims were cheep, special tool from Triumph not so much. The procedure S**** A** Way to much work! He checked the shims in the bike and they were all with in tolerance. He replaced them anyway. When I showed him a valve adjustment on a vintage Triumph and a Guzzi he was envious and admitted our system was superior.
I met a guy who rode a Red 2012 SE he crossed the USA twice and took it to Alaska on the Can-Am Highway he runs a Scott-oiler for the chain and just rides it. He said it was the best bike he ever owned and just ate up miles.

[grebmrof]

There is a Blue 2012 SE on Facebook Market place in MD.

The original poster (Tom) is in Hawaii...I forgot that too when I posted...yea, a bit far for a fly 'n ride!

[Speciality]

There is a Blue 2012 SE on Facebook Market place in MD. It has the mag wheels so you can run Tubeless tires full arrow exhaust and upgraded suspension, he is asking $6000.00. That was my favorite model it has lower seat height and seemed to have quicker steering. I liked it, but it seemed like a Honda in drag. It did not put a rise in my Levi's like the vintage triumphs. 
My friend had a T100 he asked me to help do a Valve adjustment because the closest dealer 75 miles away wanted upwards of $1000.00. I think the mileage it needed to be completed by was 25K and he had like 33K on the clock but the bike was fine no issues no noise. The shims were cheep, special tool from Triumph not so much. The procedure S**** A** Way to much work! He checked the shims in the bike and they were all with in tolerance. He replaced them anyway. When I showed him a valve adjustment on a vintage Triumph and a Guzzi he was envious and admitted our system was superior.
I met a guy who rode a Red 2012 SE he crossed the USA twice and took it to Alaska on the Can-Am Highway he runs a Scott-oiler for the chain and just rides it. He said it was the best bike he ever owned and just ate up miles.

You don’t actually need the valve adjustment tool to do the valves, although I still have mine. Most just turn up a peg on a lathe - this is the sort of info that is available on Triumphrat.net. I agree though that it is a bit of a faff, especially on such a low-revving engine (ie why the need for dohc?). Overall I much prefer my Guzzi.

[Moparnut72]

I have a T120, it is kind of a torque monster so I rarely go over 4,000 rpm, not like a Harley but still torquey. Using shims in the valvetrain seems like overkill to me but the same basic engine is used in other models that are much more highly tuned and rev higher. I have quite a ways to go before I need a valve check or adjustment. Replacing the valve cover is supposed to be the most fiddly part of the procedure, getting the gasket to stay where it is supposed to be. I like my Triumph but MG pays more attention to the finer details.
kk

[Tom]

Thanks Tom and vf84pc but as Tom stated I'm in Kona, Hawaii.  We have the volcanoes that flow constantly and are in the news.  Not to put this bike down but I wouldn't do a fly-n-ride for one.  The one I'm going to look at is close by approx. 135 miles from my house.  Long range plans are for it to be a hack tug.

A long time ago I had a Meriden Bonneville but I traded in for my Ambassador which I still have.  This Bonny came up for sale and will see if I get.  I'll report later.