2010 TRIUMPH 865 SPEEDMASTER
865cc | 60bhp | 690mm seat height
Dealer £4000-£5500 Private £3500-£4500 This one £2800, 12,500 miles
The Speedmaster is based on the original 790cc Bonneville engine, and has more torque but less top end power (and the Bonnie didn’t have a lot anyway). It also has a 270 degree crankshaft, so sounds like a V-twin, which it isn’t, of course.
It’s a pretty basic bike with not a lot of pillion space and rather oddball semi-cruiser styling, which makes it, er, a retro cruiser? Heavy, like all the Gen One Hinckley Bonnies, but handles remarkably well; better than the Harley 883 Sportster which is its closest competitor. There’s a wide choice of accessories and bolt-on bits, both from Triumph themselves and aftermarket manufacturers so check the quality of these if the bike you’re considering is far from standard.
Buyer beware
The Speedmaster depreciates faster than a Harley, rear shocks are poor but Hagon do replacements for a little over £100, and the it’s short on niceties (there’s no fuel gauge, for example). The paint on the tank is a little thin, too. Misfiring could be down to the black blanking plugs on the carbs coming detached, which is an easy fix.