Triumph Bonneville T120
Big Bonnie resurrects the T120 badge and packs an all-new 1,200-cc parallel-twin
“Do you wish to own a beautiful classic but don’t like the hassles associated with old bikes? Then look no further as the new Triumph Bonneville T120 is here to satisfy your craving for nostalgia!”
Sounds like an advert, doesn’t it? Well, actually it isn’t. The reason for introducing the bike in this manner is because I find myself in the grip of that nostalgic vibe. Writing about this new modern classic from Triumph I couldn’t resist the temptation of describing it in the same way a radio voice artist would have done it back in the 1960s. The Bonneville T120 is one motorcycle that takes you back decades to the days when Bonnies were a global phenomenon, just as ‘Pokémon GO’ is today.
In the past I have talked extensively about this motorcycle because I was among the first Indian journalists to ride it, in Portugal, earlier this year. Now I have ridden this bike in India and, honestly, I was amazed to see that it performed beyond my expectations on Indian roads too.
To start with, the T120 is a motorcycle with tremendous amount of nostalgia bundled with modern technology. Its styling is era-appropriate; the modern gadgetry lies in the details. The fusion of old and new is so flawless that you have to look closely to notice it. Like the neatly integrated daytime running lights (DRL) in the headlamp unit — they not only look swanky but do the job quite well. The tail-lamp unit, too, uses LED lighting. The retro looking twin-pod dials cleverly hide two small digital displays that give an array of information such as odometer, trip meter, fuel-gauge, gear indicator, riding mode and also the fuel-tank range. Now that is fusing old with new, isn’t it?
These are clever pieces of modernity integrated into the T120 but the real design genius lies in the way the engine and supporting components have been styled. Just look at the parallel-twin motor, which harks back to the Bonnie from the late 1960s. The cylinder-fins create an illusion of being aircooled, whereas, in reality, the bike is liquid-cooled, and those
carburettor-like things are actually the throttle bodies. To recreate the magic of the original Bonnie, Triumph went back to the old model and decided to design the throttle bodies that mimicked the Amal carburettors that the original bike came with. And they have done a fabulous job. The twin exhausts are reminiscent of the peashooter ones on the original Bonnie, but the clean-looking pipes cleverly hide the real exhaust underneath them. The real pipes exit the cylinder-head, and then meet a catalytic converter placed under the engine before jutting back out into the peashooter cans. Triumph call it twin-skinned; I call it smart and cool.
There is more to the T120 than just the design. The technicalities of the new bike are also praiseworthy, because Triumph have spent five long years in completely redesigning the entire Bonneville series. The development process was concentrated on making the new Bonnie a more rider-friendly bike to ride and, I must say, they have achieved their goal quite well. The T120 features a traditional cradle frame made from steel; however, it has been completely redesigned to make the bike more agile. The steering geometry, too, has been changed dramatically. Earlier, the Bonnie’s rake angle was 28°; on the T120, it is 25.5°, which has made the front end steeper and that aids agility.
Along with the new chassis and steeper front end, the engineers have also focused a lot on improving the overall ride quality and handling of the bike. To achieve this, they worked with Kayaba to develop the suspension. The front end features telescopic forks that are 41 mm in diameter and have 120 mm of travel. At the rear the T120 has twin shocks that feature preload adjustment and 120 mm of travel. The fun part is that the setup is soft but not overly soft, and this endows the bike with proper handling characteristics combined with a good ride quality.
All the hard work done at Hinckley between 2011 and 2016 became apparent when I rode the bike first in Portugal, but I was eager to experience the same magic on our roads. The moment I started riding the T120, it was like déjà vu, mainly because the new eight-valve, SOHC, 1,200-cc parallel-twin motor, which is liquid-cooled and mated to a six-speed gearbox, behaved in exactly the same manner as I remembered it. Smooth, refined and better than ever, this engine is surely one of the best parallel-twin motors out there. The refinement levels are amazing and it is mainly down to the 270° crank angle, which is the best compromise for parallel-twins for it produces less vibrations as compared to other configurations, making the engine smoother.
The six-speed gearbox, too, is smooth in its operations with positive clicks every time you shift. Triumph have named the engine HT 1200 with ‘HT’ standing for ‘High Torque’ and that is exactly what does all the talking. I mean the 80 PS generated at 6,550 RPM is there but the 105 Nm speaks volumes about the grunt the T120 has. And all of it is available from 3,100 RPM, but it is so evenly spread across the rev range that when you attain 3,100 RPM, there is no sudden surge of torque because it flows in a very smooth way. The delivery is linear and quite well behaved. A little twist of the ride-by-wire throttle, another modern touch, and this motorcycle lunges ahead with panache, sending the speedo needle towards tripledigit figures without any shivers running down your spine.
The engine is tuned to provide good bottom- and mid-range grunt and it does so with great ease. I mean, be gentle on the throttle and still the bike accelerates in a very responsive way. The acceleration is brisk but never feisty; the T120 always behaves like a well-trained horse. I was able to ride the bike in fourth gear at 50 km/h and there was not even a single knock from the engine and the tacho needle was nowhere near 3,100 RPM. That says a lot about the even spread of torque.
Performance, too, is simply good as the T120 can go from city speeds to highway speeds without wasting any time. I was able to cruise on the highway at a good speed with ease and whenever I needed to overtake a car, all I had to do was just open the throttle a bit and the torque would propel the bike ahead in a graceful way. I was able to ride the T120 gently and hard and there was not even an ounce of protest from the engine or the suspension or those sticky Pirelli Phantom Sportscom tyres.
What bowled me over, however, was the handling of the bike. I loved it in Portugal and in India it did not disappoint. Flickability is superb as you can rapidly change direction without thinking twice. The weight balance, steering geometry, suspension setup and tyres all work in tandem to provide an exciting handling experience. The softer setup provides a good ride quality, especially on our broken and potholed roads, and it doesn’t affect the handling much. That change in the rake angle has worked wonders for the new Bonnie as it has become more agile and engaging in corners. Choose a line and the bike will stick to it like glue. I remember the earlier bike was a bit of a handful in corners but the new one is much better.
Apart from the engine-frame-suspension combo, another factor that has made the T120 a superb bike to ride is Triumph’s traction control system that works flawlessly. Any amount of slip and the system will cut power to avoid any untoward incident while cornering hard. I am happy that the bike comes with traction control system as standard because in our conditions, it is a must.
The overall combination of everything makes the T120 handle like a dream. Left, right, left, right and then right again, the T120 goes through a series of bends like a snake. Its suspension has the perfect setup for our conditions. The bike never loses composure regardless of the surface. A superb ride quality combined with nimble handling is the main trait of this nostalgic machine, I would say.
The Nissin brakes on this bike, too, are faultless. Dual 310-mm discs with two-piston floating Nissin callipers offer superb bite and the feel is confidence-inspiring with ABS adding an even greater assurance to the whole safety package.
Overall, the new Triumph Bonneville T120 is a superb motorcycle with solid credentials and nostalgic looks to charm the old-timers. With a modern liquid-cooled engine, ride-by-wire throttle, riding modes, traction control and ABS it will also be of great interest to young buyers looking to relive the riding glory of their fathers or grandfathers. At Rs 8.80 lakh (ex-Delhi), the T120 is a superb motorcycle to live with. You can ride it every day to work as it is that easy to ride in the city or simply put on your leather jacket, an open-face helmet and boots to enjoy a ride oldschool style. The T120 is just the right Bonnie for people looking for a slice of the bygone era.
A superb ride quality combined with nimble handling is the main trait of this nostalgic machine