2017 Triumph Bonneville T100: PH2 review

Triumph's small capacity Bonneville is back in black (and colour if you fancy!)

Somewhat strangely considering the popularity of Triumph's Bonneville range, the new T100's arrival in dealers has been rather muted. Personally, if I had just released a totally new version of one of my most enduring and popular bikes I'd be shouting it from the rooftops, but Triumph seems more intent on pushing the new Bobber than the T100. Whatever the reason, for the first time since the Bonnie was re-released by 'Hinckley' Triumph 15 years ago, it has received a complete, ground-up, revision. And importantly, this isn't just a Street Twin made retro, it is a whole new small capacity Bonneville model. So what have we got?

Black too sombre for you?

Thinking big, staying small
The T100 is effectively a smaller engined T120 model rather than a restyled Street Twin, and this is key to its purpose in life. By fitting the Street Twin's water-cooled 900cc engine into the larger capacity T120's chassis, Triumph has created a retro bike that not only looks great, but is accommodating and far more manageable (11kg lighter) than the 1200 thanks to its smaller engine. And it's also £1,500 cheaper. What Triumph has created is a 'lightweight' T120 in terms of both price and performance while retaining the bigger bike's classical looks. Personally, I really like this thinking and while the Black model with its dark features is a touch muted, the two-tone model with its chrome is a really pretty bike. And, importantly, one that can also be restricted for A2-licence holders. But is it really that different to the Street Twin? Surprisingly, yes it is.

A bit of Bonnie spirit
I'm a big fan of the Street Twin's parallel twin motor as it has a real spirit, spirit lacking a little from the T120 model. I know the T120's wide spread of torque suits its relaxed outlook on life, but I find it a touch too lethargic for my tastes and I actually prefer the Street Twin's motor. With the T100, you get that lovely peppy engine wrapped in the T120's gorgeous looks and traditional riding position, a very appealing combination. Compared to the Street Twin the T100 is more practical thanks to a larger tank and it has better ergonomics too, making it a much more pleasant bike for cruising around on. Which is good news because, if you push the T100 hard, you very quickly discover that while its chassis and suspension are miles better than the old air-cooled bike's units, the ground clearance is even worse. Is that a turn off? Not really; if you want to push on a bit buy the Thruxton or Street Cup versions, as Bonnies are about enjoying the ride at a more refined pace. And thanks to the parallel twin water-cooled engine, you will certainly enjoy the journey on the T100.

There's a two-tone option as well

While the water-cooled Street Twin motor actually makes less power than the air-cooled one, it doesn't feel lacking thanks to an improved torque curve. True, 54hp with 59lb ft of torque isn't exactly knee trembling, but it suits the bike's character and also comes with a full electronics package that includes traction control (fairly pointless), optional heated grips (excellent), optional cruise control (not for me) and, more importantly, ABS. Yep, at last the small capacity Bonnie has ABS, which is needed as the brakes remain terribly wooden and fairly weak. At least you can now simply grab them as hard as you can without worry even if the road is wet...

One for the road
The T100 is a deeply captivating bike; not only it is miles better in terms of styling, ergonomics and technology than the old air-cooled Bonnie, it is also in many ways a nicer bike than the T120 it is based on. If you are looking at taking a pillion then the T120 is certainly the better bet due to its extra grunt, but if you ride solo and just want a great looking retro that has Triumph on the tank, is light to manoeuvre and will do around 75mpg, then the Bonneville T100 could well be for you.

2017 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T100
Engine: 900cc SOHC parallel twin, water-cooled, 8v
Power (hp): 55@5,900rpm
Torque (lb ft): 59@ 3,200rpm
Top speed: 100mph (est.)
Weight: 213kg (dry)
MPG: 75 (claimed)
Price: £8,300 (£8,600 two-tone)