1971 T120R

Owner: Ian Poyser

'I FANCIED ANOTHER BONNIE – I HAD ONE BACK IN THE DAY'

IAN DIDN’T have too far to come to Uttoxeter, riding down from his home in nearby Ashbourne on the 1971 US market T120R he bought earlier this year. “I fancied another Bonneville because I had one back in the day – a 1968 model,” he explains. “I spotted it on ebay and haven’t had to do too much to it. It already had electronic ignition fitted, but the carbs needed setting up. The pancake air filters aren’t standard and I had to turn up some extensions from the carbs to mount them. I’ve also fitted earlier side panels because I prefer the look of them. Other than that, it’s standard.”

Ian’s bike is one of the first of the oil-in-frame models, complete with the notorious ‘high’ frame – the following year, Triumph specified a lower frame after complaints from owners. “It is a bit on the tall side,” Ian admits. The 1971 Bonneville also featured the new conical hubs (that were common to BSA’S twins) and it was the last year the four-speed gearbox was the only option. For 1972, the five-speed T120RV joined the range.

Ian’s ’71 model has the ‘high’ frame that caused complaints from owners ABOVE: Non-standard pancake filters on the end of home-made stubs ABOVE: Bsa-style conical hubs were new for the 1971 model Bonneville