Triumph Bonneville T100 Roadster/Retro (2007 - ) review

Launched in 2003 as a sister bike to the Bonneville retro roadster (itself launched in 2000), the T100 got more ‘50s/’60s styling courtesy of different badging, seat, wire wheels, ‘peashooter’ silencers, engine finishes, twin clocks and more. As a result, it both looks good and is decently equipped – plus owners tend to accessorise them to enhance the look even more. As reproductions go, it’s one of the better ones. Related: Triumph Bonneville Bobber and Triumph Bonneville Speed Twin

Typical upright, old school style roadster with slightly raised one-piece, tubular steel handlebars, non-rear set foot pegs, your back virtually ramrod straight and most of your weight, therefore, taken through the low-ish seat. That said, it all makes for an easy, unthreatening ride, excellent manoeuvrability and reasonable comfort for the kind of short trips it’s designed for. Motorways or more will induce discomfort after 40 minutes or so…

Like its sister Bonneville, the T100 is an undemanding leisure machine designed for pleasing, sunny Sunday afternoon rides – and not a lot more. It’ll take a pillion (for short-ish journeys); you can get small soft panniers for it (and a Plexiglas screen, although it detracts from the looks somewhat); plus, it’s nimble and brisk enough to be great around town. That doesn’t all add up to being hugely versatile, though.

The Bonneville has always been more about show than go and the T100 takes things further still. The air-cooled parallel twin (originally carbed and 790cc, but latterly 865cc and fuel-injected) delivers an easy 60-odd bhp and is utterly linear and predictable. It makes decent progress, rather than ever getting close to setting your pants on fire. When it comes to slowing down again, the single front disc and twin piston caliper may be more basic and budget than performance-orientated, but do the job adequately.

As with the motor, there’s nothing cutting edge about its old school tubular steel cradle frame, twin shock rear end or conventional (if a little budget), conventional telescopic forks. That said, all Hinckley Triumphs have a reputation for better than average handling. The T100 is reasonably light, very manageable, its suspension and brakes are more than adequate and, as a result, it is more fun to throw around than any machine of this style has a right to be. But if sports handling is your wont, go for the Thruxton version, not this.

Being a fairly simple, straightforward, undemanding and budget-orientated machine means the T100’s running costs are fairly low. Fuel economy is reasonable, consumables such as chain, pads and tyres last longer than average, and insurance is low. Better still, it’s fairly cheap to buy and its popularity means residuals are good as well, so there are savings to be had. When it comes to having a stylish machine with affordable running costs, there aren’t many better.

Mechanically, the understressed, air-cooled twin of the T100 has proved robust and durable, as has the simple, verging on budget, chassis and accompanying cycle parts. Instead, with its appeal largely determined by its looks, the main concern with the T100 is its cosmetic condition, particularly as it has far more chrome than the stock Bonneville on which it’s based. There’s no major quality concerns, but it does need to be looked after and benefits from cosseting.

Both are fairly typical. The T100 – as with all Hinckley Triumphs – came with a standard two-year, unlimited mileage warranty. The service schedule, meanwhile, requires a standard first service at 500 miles (for oil and filter), followed by dealer services every 6000 miles and valve checks every other service (i.e. every 12,000 miles). Costs are cheaper than most thanks to it being a very easy and conventional bike to work on.

Both Bonnevilles are essentially (and intentionally) fairly basic bikes (both to keep prices down and be novice-friendly), so don’t expect any clever rider aids, sophisticated electronics or lavish, modern creature comforts. The T100 is slightly better specced than the stock Bonneville due to its wire wheels, twin dials and extra chrome. If you want more than that, it’s time to hit the Triumph accessories catalogue, and many owners do just that.

As its huge popularity ever since its launch way back in 2003 has proved, if you want a classically-styled, straightforward, easy going and affordable retro roadster, the Bonneville, and particularly the T100, is ‘The One’. Although some have slight misgivings about it actually being built in Thailand since 2007, in every other respect the Bonneville/T100 pretty much has it all: period styling, pleasing manners, adequate performance, bags of accessorising potential and, best of all, the Triumph Bonneville name.