2005 Triumph Bonneville Motorcycle reviews

I'm 64 years old and bought my 05 Bonnie new. It currently has 19,000 miles with no issues. Replaced rear pads at 9,000 and just replaced the front pads at 19,000. Owned Bonnie in 60's while in military in Europe and just had to have another one. Got 14,000 out of the original tires. Replaced them with same tires due to good tread life. I have factory windscreen, sissy bar and off road pipes all of which add to the enjoyment. My wife much prefers riding on the Bonnie as versus our Honda 1100 cruiser. I often ask myself why I even own the Honda. I think Triumph is making a mistake by fitting different seat, pipes and mag wheels on the new units. I am seriously considering buying a low mileage used one and putting it up on blocks so I'll have a good original product. Performance is more than adequate as I run the speed limit and it has more than enough power to pass on the highway even when riding two up. Best part of the Bonnie is all the questions from gray hairs like myself that remember the Bonnie but are currently riding the plastic bikes and complain their back hurts! Show less

I picked up my Black Bonny in February and have been on it every weekend. You can ride this bike all day with a smile on your face. I ride with a bunch of Harleys and every where we go it is the Triumph that gets the attention. Show less

It takes its origins to one of the most beautiful bikes of all time, the '60s Bonneville, and it gets it all right except for reliability - unlike its ancestors, the new Bonneville seems rock solid in terms of reliability. The Bonneville was the only sensible choice for me, as I was looking for a do-everything bike, and the biz has become so specialized that it's hard to find. In my experience, the Bonneville is a capable daily commuter, a good weekend cruiser, a perfectly fine cruiser, and plenty of fun cutting through the twisties. Sure, you can find another bike that does any one of these things much better - it won't compete with a GSX-R in the twisties, it won't compete with a Goldwing on long trips, and it's not as agile as a scooter in town - but it does all of these tasks, and it does all of them WELL. With realistic expectations, this bike is amply powerful - on a recent trip to Chicago, the speedo was pointing in the triple digits with plenty left to give, while hauling me, two fully-loaded saddlebags and a roll bag. The only complaint I have is that the stock seat encourages you to get off the bike every couple hours - which works out almost perfectly with the 160-mile fuel range I'm seeing, so it's not really a major detriment. I think for serious touring duty I'd want a Corbin Gunfighter and Lady seat. The bike NEEDS the center stand, and it's annoying that Triumph sells it as an extra when it should be standard equipment. Show less

I bought my Scrambler after my KLR started leaking oil after 125,000 km or about 75,000 mi. I had just returned from a trip to Ushuaia. I presently have 36,600 km or about 25,000 mi on my Scrambler. I live in British Columbia, Canada. The bike slept outside all winter with a small heater under the bike cover. I installed a sidecar to keep from falling over on ice and snow. I rode the bike across the continent, from Kimberley BC to Washington State, to San Francisco, then to Charleston SC and back in January 2007. The bike has withstood minus 20 degree Celcius or about minus 10 F and 300-400 mile days in this weather. What more can one reasonably ask? The Himalayas next! One year old and never ridden in summer months because of my job. Show less

Hi Riders, I have to tell you, the new Triumphs are great. 300 mile days are no problem. Fun on dirt roads. Easy to ride. I have two BMWs and love them but the new Bonnie is the first bike I pull out to ride. Currently looking into getting a Scrambler. I have done some things to the Bonnie. Different, flat track style bars. Triumph off road pipes, rejet and remove the air injectors. I put on a Lucus style tail light. The instructions said to relocate the turn signals...so I did. Both front and rear sets are now relocated to a box in the shed. I added Konis to the back. Progeressive springs up front with a Race Tech fork kit. When I get the Scrambler, I will do the same mods I have done here with the exception of the shocks. I will go with Olins to get a better off road shock. I have worn out the stock tyres so I need to replace them. that's it. Great bike. Great fun. Lots of looks and comments. And it may be just the easiest bike to ride. Show less

The Bonneville makes an excellent choice for anyone wanting a super daily commuter or back road cruiser. The standard seating position offers excellent control and the shorter wheelbase gives great turning radius. While not an off-road bike per se, it has handled grass, gravel and back country hard-pack roads with aplomb. A super go-anywhere bike. Gets compliments from everybody. The off-road pipes give the bike a nice throaty sound without being obnoxious. Triumph... continue to go your own way. Show less

I was introduced to Triumph motorcycles at age 13 when my dad brought a Cub home from England. I put many miles on that bike. Then in the mid '70s, I bought a used Bonneville that needed a ton on work, but when I was done, it was like riding a mustang. What a feeling that was. Last year while looking at Harleys I spotted some Triumph's in the corner. Since my birthday was just around the corner, and no one ever gets me what I want, I sat on a blue Bonneville and waited for a salesman. There was no way I was leaving without that bike. To date I have 3800 miles on it and it has preformed just perfect. You can't go wrong with a Bonneville. Show less

Have finally been able to get out and put a few miles on the bike. Has a very reasonable amount of get up and go for hops around town; I've not yet been able to try it out on a substantially longer ride. The classic styling hooked me from the moment I first saw the pictures a few years ago! The handling is excellent, and despite some complaints, I've read about the seat I've found it to be not too bad. As others have noted, the sound from the pipes would make a Singer sewing machine embarrassed, but that will easily be fixed with the factory off-road pipes. There are no mechanical problems, oil leaks, etc. to remind me of the not-so-great old days of British bikery. Overall, it's the bike I've been waiting a long time for! Thanks Triumph! Show less

I bought my bike used in October off a small woman whom the bike was too big for. She felt like the Bonney was a beast, but it is actually just perfect for an average sized man. It has just the right amount of power and the seat and peg positions allow for a perfect, unobstructed road view. I often get appreciative and respectful nods from Harley guys while getting nice smiles from their girlfriends riding on the back. Two of my friends have a Moto Guzzi and a Harley. No matter where we go, the Bonney always seems to get the most attention. Show less

I bought this bike new in September after researching and reading about it for a year or so. I grew up in England when the original Bonnie was still 'the' Bike that everyone else copied, so when it came back out I was delighted to get the original! It has turned out to be the most perfect bike I have ever owned or ridden. Not silly fast like a Jap sport bike & not a rolling clique like a Harley. It was 'all most' perfect. After 1000 miles, I added the tachometer kit & the off-road pipes (both available from the Triumph dealer). Now it IS perfect. Not too loud, until you really get the RPM'S up, which I can now see on the tach. Every time I ride it, I de-stress within 3 feet. Highly recommended. Show less