2008 Triumph Bonneville Black

I have toured (500 mi per day, multi days), run around NYC daily, out to the country (VT), alone and 2-up and this bike is perfect. Mods as far as you want to take it, great performance, cost efficient.

I have improved performace via carb and exhaust mods; made it more tourable with ... luggage, screen, and sissy bar; got great speed and handling in the twisties with better tires and shocks.

I was in the market for a motorcycle and thinking about a Honda Shadow 750. When I got to reminsing about bikes I had known in the past I fondly reflected on an Army buddies '69 Bonny in which I got to cruise alot. It was a great bike, and I enjoyed riding it as much as he would let me. So I type ... in Triumph, found a page on Bonneviles, and stared drooling. At the bottom of one article I saw a link for Bonneville Black. When I opened the page my jaw dropped and my heart race. What a drop dead gorgeous machine. Next day I called a local dealer they had 2 "Blacks", and hour and a half later they had just one. It's a graet ride, lots of power, and good handling. And yes I was asked how long did the restoration take. I bought the Triumph because I wanted a motorcycle an not a name. I got what I paid for and then some.

That's the most frequently asked question I get on my bike. And, unlike most FAQs, people actually ask it.

I got my Bonnie last June and have been skimming over the miles since then. So far it's been a blast. The Bonneville is quick into and out of the corners and accelerates fast ... enough to get you into trouble, if you're looking for it.

My only complaints would be that the stock seat is more or less an ironing board and that there's a fair bit of vibration in the bars above 85 mph. The latter is, I believe, a function of the parallel twin. My previous bike was a Honda Magna, and the V4 is a smoother engine, because of physics.

I've only had my new toy for 3 months, so I can't speak to long-term reliability. So far nothing has gone wrong, which is all one can ask for after a quarter of a year.