Dec. 09--For 2016, Triumph has introduced five all-new Bonneville models and three new engines that herald the next generation of the classic British brand.
On the second stop of the "Bonneville Reborn" tour, Chicago welcomed Triumph with a snowstorm.
"Chicago is an incredibly important market," said Matthew Sheahan, chief operating officer of Triumph Motorcycles America, on hand to introduce the new lineup in Chicago. "We see it developing in the next four to five years."
A select group of riders and dealership employees dodged the early snowfall as the Chicago event kicked off the eastern half of the tour Nov. 20. Though the new Bonnevilles were revealed in October, Sheahan said the bikes on display here (and the night before in Los Angeles) were the first ones to be seen on American soil.
"North America is the No. 1 market for Bonneville," said Sheahan. "There's a lot of history here. In 1955 a Texas Triumph dealer set a land speed record on the Bonneville Salt Flats riding a Triumph-powered streamliner. ... Triumph held land speed records for the next 15 years. That's where the Bonneville got its name."
The original Triumph Bonneville motorcycles debuted in 1959 and saw sales success into the 1970s, when Japanese motorcycles became dominant. Triumph fell on hard times but was later revived under different ownership.
Like the current Bonneville, the 2016 Bonneville T120 has the distinctive look of the original. Displacement of the parallel twin engine has been upped to 1200 cubic centimeters from 865. The new engines switched to liquid cooling but still deliberately retain the air-cooled appearance. Bonnevilles were already fuel-injected, but the new ones get an advance throttle-by-wire system, which works with traction control and selectable drive modes to adapt to conditions such as rain. Anti-lock brakes have also been added. The Bonneville T120 Black is a variation with most of the chrome and polished items blacked out.
With cafe-racer styling, the Thruxton has a different 1200 cc engine and is the sport-riding choice. The Thruxton R increases performance with suspension, brake and tire upgrades, and a unique look.
Finally, the Street Twin is the entry-level model with a 900 cc engine. The vibe is more modern, with touches like cast wheels, but it still displays a recognizable Bonneville lineage and many of the new high-tech features of its bigger siblings.
