| The Triumph Bonneville is an icon of the motorcycle | | | | Triumph also switched the gear-change lever from |
| world. The name comes from - of all places - the | | | | right to left (to comply with American regulations), |
| United States. The Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah was | | | | added a rear disc brake and put an electric starter on |
| where Triumph and virtually every other | | | | the Bonnie in 1980. Production at the Meriden factory |
| manufacturer in the world would travel to in order to | | | | ceased in 1983, but the Bonneville line was continued. |
| do top speed runs and attempt to set world speed | | | | John Bloor now owned the marque and he licensed a |
| records. | | | | small shop in Devon to produce T140 Bonnevilles |
| From such a beginning and with a name like | | | | from 1985 until 1988 - they were known as 'Devon |
| "Bonneville", Triumph engineered the machine to be a | | | | Bonnevilles'. |
| high-performance motorcycle and the public | | | | After Bloor opened the new plant in Hinckley, the |
| understood that very well. As the 1959 T120 | | | | first Bonneville to roll off the assembly lines was the |
| Bonneville was based on the 650c.c. twin which | | | | 2001 Bonneville 790. It was equipped with a 790c.c. |
| powered the Tiger 110, it also inherited the Tiger's | | | | parallel-twin which produced a healthy 62hp and 44ft |
| optional twin 1 3/16 inch Amal 'monobloc' carburetors | | | | lb of torque. The company had decided to have this |
| and high-performance intake cam as standard | | | | machine look very much like the classic Bonnies of |
| equipment. | | | | old, and they succeeded. It had many modern |
| Even the early model T120 was capable of a | | | | upgrades, such as twin overhead cams versus the |
| sustained 115 Mph - an incredible speed for the time. | | | | pushrods of the earlier models. It did maintain its |
| Other innovations to the machine included a unit | | | | air-cooled nature and only had an oil-cooler to ensure |
| construction model update, higher spec forks, and | | | | consistent running temperatures. |
| the 'oil in frame' model in 1971. Many other small | | | | In 2005, the new 865c.c. engine was put in place of |
| improvements were made during its run. Triumph also | | | | the 790c.c. original and it was known as the Bonneville |
| produced several up-rated versions of the Bonneville, | | | | T-100. This moved the Bonneville up to 67hp and 51ft |
| like the T120R for the US market and the T120RV | | | | lb of torque. For 2008, fuel injection was added due |
| which had a five-speed transmission. | | | | to increasing emission regulations, and false |
| From about 1972, Triumph upped the ante by | | | | carburetors were used in 2009 to make it look as if |
| producing the T140 Bonneville. It increased the engine | | | | it were not so equipped. The Bonneville SE was |
| size to near 750c.c. The first models actually had | | | | made available in 2009 and celebrates 50 years of |
| 724c.c, but they were eventually bored out to | | | | the Triumph Bonneville; they added several styling |
| 744c.c. The early models of the T140 maintained the | | | | features, cast wheels, upswept exhaust silencers and |
| T120 drum brakes and basic configuration, including | | | | a lower, narrower seat. |
| the kick-starter. However, disc brakes were | | | | Perhaps the Bonnie will be with us forever; we can |
| eventually added to the updated models and became | | | | only dream .. |
| dual-disc brakes on the 1982 model. During that time, | | | | |