Which would you choose? Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster or Triumph Bonneville Bobber? Now
that's the task myself, Dave and Alex here at the channel have given ourselves and Triumph have
very kindly lent to these bikes to test ride for the last 10 days or so. Two bikes that are
retro cruisers, that are both so similar in many ways. They share the same engine, suspension setup,
brakes etc. But small changes can make massive differences in the way they look and the way they
feel when you ride them. The Bobber has a more contemporary modern look about it. Blacked out
engine cases, blacked out rims etc. So a more modern feel. The badging and the logo as well. This gold
line edition with the nice paint lines and hand finish touches to the metallic red looks fantastic.
But the seat and the handlebars, they're the key differences. So single seat with minimal padding.
Straighter bars give a more aggressive riding position than you experience on the
Speedmaster. Now that's great in town. Encourages you to attack corners and go through the bends
in quite a fast fashion actually. The downfall with this though is the seat.
I've just ridden it, what two hours to get to this location today, and I was feeling it after about
50 minutes. It certainly doesn't provide a huge amount of comfort when you're doing any distances.
This bike though, the Speedmaster. So more classic look to it, more chrome finishings.
Aluminium brushed effects on the engine cases. Really like the 60s style traditional badging
on the tank as well. But this bars are more swept back. So more comfortable touring riding position
on the bars, they're closer to you. But the seat is fabulous. Having spent two hours on that
and getting onto this it feels like, oh magic carpet, it's so well padded compared to the
Bobber. Very comfortable. Forward set pegs, which is a bit unusual for me, I'm not used to that. But once
you get the hang of it they are really nice. So overall, if I was going to choose between the two,
I would choose this bike. Two reasons. One, I like the more classic look with the chrome finishings,
and secondly the comfort level. I think I'd enjoy using this one far more than the Bobber.
So the greatest feature of both of these bikes really is this wonderful twin cylinder, 1200cc
engine, 80 horsepower, very smooth, no vibrations. But for someone like myself who's used to riding
British classic bikes from the sort of 50s onwards that have got half the power of this,
then it feels quite familiar in terms of the way the torque comes through. You're not changing gear
very often. Even though it's six speed it feels more like you're on a four speed bike. You barely
change gear. Very familiar. Not too much power, but more grunt than I'm used to but in a
way that's delivered in a very calm and relaxing way. Just feel absolutely at home on this bike.
The other point about this bike that makes it so great is, if you already own classic
bike or classic bikes, this would be the perfect accompaniment to your existing collection in terms
of the modern go-to bike you could get on, use any weather anytime and know it's going to get
you where you want to go. Then, you know, this sits alongside those classic Brit bikes really well,
Okay, so what's it going to be? Speedmaster or Bobber? Now I've ridden both bikes and we've got
the Bobber back now, and both bikes, just say one thing first, they're both fantastic. Build
quality, exceptional. Really, really good. Riding this today, I actually prefer the ride position
to the Speedmaster. The Speedmaster is more footpegs forward, more of a Harley ride. Now
I had Harleys several years ago. I quite like that ride position, but this to me feels a
little bit more planted. I feel more comfortable. But engine, there's so much torque, and it's a 1200
twin, so it's got plenty of go. One thing I will say, before I forget about it, riding the bike just now
I was coming to a corner, and I did drop a gear and open it up.
Didn't need to do that because there's so much torque for that back wheel, and it did step a
little bit. So what I'm saying is, don't be fooled, there's a lot of power from the engine and, you
know, it will bite you in the bottom if you're not careful.
One thing, because it's a little bit muddy today
if you look at the front mud guard they're quite short, and because we have a radiator here,
I feel maybe if you're going to ride this through all seasons really, you could do with a short extension.
Now I'm sure that's probably available. It's just a case of drilling two holes and putting a short
extension. Because the radiator does get quite muddy. I prefer riding this one to the other one,
but the other one I quite like the style. A few things, the engine, 1200cc. It's oil cooled
I believe. It's certainly a nice design. It's much nicer to look at than the earlier generation
Triumphs. It's got more, this nice head, the splayed head. The finning, the timing case, and the mimic
of the gearbox being like the pre-unit or the T140. Similar. It looks really nice, really pleasing.
What's a great feature, and it's on all their range of 1200s, is the fuel injection. They mimic the old
monoblock carburetor, and it's such a nice detail, I think it works really well. And not many people
know this, but underneath they almost mimic the concentric float bowl. But to ride, great. Lots
and lots of torque, can't fault it at all. Gives you a real good feedback, but it's got some go.
So the Bobber and the Speedmaster are very similar. The person that would buy this, now,
if you've tried a Harley and you've enjoyed it, brilliant bike, try one of these. It will really
put smile on your face. It's an alternative. It's the sort of bike that, if you purchase this, you
buy this sort of bike for using as a weekend bike. It's like, you go out cruising with your mates.
It's fair weather bike riding, really I would say, this type of bike. And it's for people that don't
want to run around on really fast bikes. We know the ones, Japanese sort of like, you know,
Fireblades and Hayabusas and things like that. So when you had those powerful bikes,
this has still got to go, but you're going to less likely ride as quick. And you're going to enjoy the
ride more with this. It's more of a pleasant ride. More sit up, and taking what's around you.
You're not focused on hellbent going really fast. But it will keep up, great on motorways, it's got
plenty of power there, and plenty of, you know, you can be in top gear and it's going to eat away the
miles quite happily. Yeah it's brilliant. But so I would say the person that would buy this is more
looking for something slightly different. They want to get away from the sports bikes.
The suspension on these bikes is quite hard. I mean with the roads around here, and a lot
of roads where most of you are, lots of potholes. And if you do hit a pothole, there's not a lot of
movement there, it's quite harsh. And you do find you do take a lot through your bottom.
It does come up and hit you quite hard. And you want to watch the front end as well because
it does take quite a bang in the front. But on smooth roads it's fine. I would say on motorways,
the Speedmaster you're quite exposed because your feet are right forward. This is more
comfortable for me. I feel with the handlebars like this, it's a good ride position.
The only thing I do notice, you can't really carry luggage. There may well be something you
can have on the back here for soft luggage maybe. But there's nowhere to put anything on this one.
Whereas on the Speedmaster it does cater for a pillion. There is a pad on the back so you could
put one of those round bags and put your clothes in there and strap it down to the bike.
This is really just go out and have a blast around really.
So I think Triumph have done really well with their detail.
But if I'm honest I think the styling of the Speedmaster is slightly more for me,
than this. I'd quite like a Speedmaster and I would probably put these sort of bars on
it and bring the footrest back to this position. Okay, standout features. Build quality, first class.
And what I do like about this bike, it has a lot of electronics in this bike, we know that, but when you
ride this it's not cluttered. All those electronics are hidden away. What we have here we've got
something really useful, and that's your high beam, because it's on a trigger, it's in front of your
switch gear assembly. And we know when we're riding at night you're fumbling around for your high beam
and low beam, you just have to put your finger forward and pull the trigger. That's really useful.
Display on the rev counter, oh sorry on the speedo, is really good. We don't have a rev counter. But
all the instrumentation is very clear and very positive. Engine like I said is, it's very well
balanced, synchro balanced 1200cc engine. Lots of torque, fuel injected. It really performs really well.
I do miss on this one, like the mouth organ badge, the Triumph, but that's just a small detail. And
we do have quite harsh suspension. Whether that could be softened I don't know, but we hit a bump,
it's quite harsh. But other than that, no it's a brilliant bike. If you like this style of
bike and I think, you know, anyone that has tried a Harley should try one of these. Just try it and see
what you think. Don't dismiss it. Don't think, you know, one bike is for you forever. Try one of these.