Going retro with sexiness

If you have a penchant for classic-style motorcycles, the Bonneville T100 Black could be ticking the right boxes for you.

INSPIRED by the iconic ‘59 Bonneville, the Triumph Bonneville T100 motorcycles have their own distinctive character aside from drawing some DNA of the original model as well as the current larger T120 models.

For this review, I was loaned the Bonneville T100 Black by Fast Bikes Sdn Bhd, the importer and distributor of Triumph Motorcycles in Malaysia.

The retro design and the full blackout on this bike can only be described in one word - sexy.

Visually the bike looks unassuming but beneath the unassuming demeanour lies a quick machine that will satisfy any speed demon.

Before I get into the performance of this bike, allow me to give you a guided tour on the aesthetics.

The T100 Black takes styling to a different level with fully blackedout high-quality details, including wheel rims, engine finish and beautiful twin skin “peashooter” exhaust in a matt black finish for a truly distinguished look.

Also included in the treatment are the iconic sculptured Bonneville fuel tank with knee pads.

The brushed aluminium engine covers, chrome on the mirrors, dual face clocks and big headlight make the bike the centre of attraction whenever I park with other motorcycles.

Triumph designers and engineers had worked hard to give the T100 the classic look which is very appealing while equipping it with modern technology.

For example, the T100 is fuel injected where it is hidden under an aluminium cover and the liquid-cooled radiator is placed between the frame’s steel (very clever).

The bike comes with a twin-pod with a large speedometer and tachometer.

There’s also an LCD screen displaying basic yet vital information like fuel level, distance to empty tank, gear-position, odometer, clock and two trip meters.

I was able to scroll down on the LCD screen and accessing all the data by pressing the “i” button on the left-side handlebar.

This Bonnie is fitted with ride by wire, liquid cooled, eight-valve and 270 degree parallel twin engine design which gives any rider plenty of power and torque.

The handlebar is slightly pulled back and offers a comfortable riding posture.

The centre-set foot pegs, with long and wide saddle make long distance riding more pleasant.

The long saddle, definitely gives more room to the pillion rider for a comfortable ride.

Once I thumbed the starter, the engine purrs with no vibration at all.

In first gear, the clutch and gear action required very little effort.

While commuting from home to work and back, the Bonnie is very at home on a slow speed.

When I was caught in the jam, I did not feel the heat from the engine.

The bike was also pleasant to run on first and second gear and its agility allowed me to zig zag in traffic.

On the highway, the bike’s sweet spot is between 90kph and 100kph.

The five-speed gearbox is very slick and provides flawless gear shifts.

The 900cc engine has been designed to deliver much more power and torque where I need them - between 2,750 and 4,750rpm - for a more exciting ride.

While riding on the trunk roads of Negeri Sembilan, the bike’s suspension handled well, whether I was taking a sweeping corner or climbing up a hill.

The front KYB suspension comes with 41mm forks with 120mm travel while the rear suspension is equipped with KYB twin shocks with 120mm travel.

The front and back suspension were decent enough giving me a comfortable ride and did not struggle in corners and turns.

However, I did feel few shocks to my rear end when going over some potholes.

This harshness could be easily corrected if I had adjusted the preload setting after few rides but I was too lazy to get down to it, so I paid the consequences.

Even after 4,200rpm, I did not feel any vibrations but however few reviewers have commented about feeling them on the handlebar.

I guess the vibrations had been very mild for me to feel.

Although the T100 is not a race machine, it can clock serious speed on the highway, more than enough to get you into trouble with the law.

A Triumph fly screen is a must for a light rider weighing around 69kg like me to deflect the strong wind.

The bike’s liquid-cooled engine produces 54hp and 80Nm of torque that comes about at 3,400rpm.

The engine is torquey and thus overtaking other vehicles is easy.

Not only that, the engine does not show any strain when I was using high gears while riding slowly.

The brakes offer adequate stopping power which is designed only for the T100.

The front brake comes with a single 310mm floating disc with Nissin two-piston floating calliper and complemented by a 255mm disc at the back.

Anti-lock braking system (ABS) is also available on this bike, instilling confidence in novice riders by giving better control on slippery stretches.

Gentle reminder, as stated earlier - the T100 is not a sports bike and trying to chew corners with one knee skimming over the tarmac would not be easily executed.

However, if you ride with the intention to take it easy and occasionally tearing up the highways while admiring the beauty of the nature around you, then you must consider the T100.

Enough said test ride it and you will fall in love with the T100 Black which costs RM57,900.

And the people around you will surely will give you the thumbs up.