Review: 2017 Triumph Bonneville Bobber — 1930s' Bob-Tail Styling With Modern Triumph Tech

Along side the Thruxton R which, is perhaps one of the most beautiful looking cafe racers around, the Bobber is another novel offering in the new Triumph portfolio.

We took the Bonneville Bobber for a short spin in the city and also on the open tarmac to see what exactly the #Bobberlifestyle is, and here is what we have to say about it.

The Triumph Bonneville Bobber, at first glance, leaves many onlookers with their jaws hanging open thanks to its crazy design. The motorcycle has been stripped off all the unnecessary parts to make it as light as possible and to keep it true to the Bobber tradition.

Though the bike has minimalistic bodywork, the Bonneville Bobber has a beautiful design overall. The one styling element that will grabattention the most is the single floating saddle.

Up front, the bike features a retro-styled round headlight (with a halogen bulb) placed over the telescopic forks. However, the Bobber gets LED tail-lamps and indicators, which accentuates its modern nature.

Another attention grabbing design element is the hard-tail look, as the mono shock is neatly tucked below the saddle enhancing its retro appeal. Other highlights are the faux carburettors, battery cover with a stainless steel strap, chopped twin exhaust mufflers and bar-end mirrors.

The bike features a single-pod instrument cluster with a large analog speedometer and a small digital screen. The screen displays details like tachometer, gear-position indicator, trip meter, real time efficiency, range and power modes etc.

The motorcycle gets a short fender at the front and a chopped off mudguard at the rear, which further brings out the Bobber styling. The slim peanut shaped tank gets an impressive Morello Red paint job; however, it has a capacity of only 8.5-litres.

Powering the Bobber is the same 1,200cc high-torque (HT) parallel-twin engine which is seen on the Bonneville T120 and the Thruxton R. The engine produces 76bhp and a peak torque of 106Nm which kicks in at just 4,000rpm. Power is transmitted to the rear wheel via a smooth 6-speed gearbox.

One task that proves to be a chore before starting the Bonneville Bobber is locating the ignition keyhole. Triumph has slotted the keyhole below the faux carburettor, and it can be a real chore to find.

Bring the engine to life and the grunty roar will leave a smile on your face. Despite its old-school attitude, the Bobber gets modern tech such as ride-by-wire technology, two power modes (road & rain) and switchable traction control. It also features ABS to always watch your back.

The clutch, on the other hand, is a torque-assisted unit and is really smooth which helps in stop and go traffic conditions. The High Torque engine helps complete overtaking manoeuvres quickly without even shifting a gear. The bike catapults from 0 to 100kph in just 4.7 seconds and goes all the way up to a top speed of 180kph.

Speaking of the heating issues, the bike barely heats up on the highway. The heat can be felt in crawling city traffic but that too is not a really big issue. Overall, the bike does not appear to heat up too much!

The bike's riding posture is slightly canted forward and the padding of the saddle is on the firmer side. The Bobber isn't a motorcycle that you would like to go touring on. However, the saddle position can be changed with the help of the right tools, so the rider can adjust the riding posture based on his/her preference.

The bike weighs 228kgs and is not meant for cornering, but show the Bobber some tight corners and it will dip into it smoothly. However, If the bike leans in too much, then the foot pegs will start scraping the tarmac. The custom-made Avon Cobra tyres provide a strong grip at high speeds.

The fuel efficiency tests were also surprising! The Bobber returned a fuel efficiency of 28kpl on the highway and 21kpl in the city, which was rather surprising because we did not expect a 1200cc bike to deliver such numbers.

Promeet Ghosh Thinks!

Overall, the fit and finish of the Bonneville Bobber is very good and not just that, but the bike has a unique character. But, all of this comes with a price tag of Rs 9.09 lakh ex-showroom (Delhi).

Yes, the bike has some flaws like a stiff suspension because of which one cannot travel long distances with it. But, if you're looking for something that will turn heads and has a retro appeal to it, the Bonneville Bobber will be the perfect choice for such buyers in the premium motorcycle segment.