Triumph Bonneville T120 Roadster/Retro (2021 - ) review

Triumph set the template for the retro roadster when it launched its first modern revival of its legendary Bonneville with its 790cc air-cooled twin in 2001, an easy-going, charming, olde-worlde-styled machine which proved so successful it spawned a whole new class not to mention a family of Triumphs which tioday remains the backbone of the Hinckley marque’s range. That bike was updated to 865cc fuel-injected form in 2008 when production also shifted to Thailand while an all-new, liquid-cooled family was launched in 2017 incorporating both a 900cc T100 Bonneville plus the 1200cc, T120 version. This further updated machine is the latest version of the latter which continues to set the standard. More refined but still 1960s-inspired styling, complete with new badges, paintwork and clock faces are a nigh-on perfect blend of retro and modern, as are its proportions and manageability. Handling is faultless for this style of bike, there’s uprated Brembo brakes; the 79bhp motor gives a great balance of character and performance and, will alloy rims, lots of chrome and even cruise control it now has extra class, too. It’s certainly not the cheapest retro roadster but it’s probably the current best.

In a word: faultless. The old 800 Bonneville (and some rivals) could be criticized for being too ‘dinky’ and insubstantial. The latest 1200, however, gets it just ‘right’: easy, upright, comfortable and accessible without seeming too much of a novice machine. The seat is deeply padded and sumptuous; bar and handlebar positions are natural and intuitive; mirrors and controls are just how they should be; there’s enough space and comfort for a pillion and ground clearance isn’t bad, either. Sure, being unfaired and upright the T120’s neither a long distance machine or hard-core sportster but that’s not what it’s trying to be. And if you want a slightly lighter, cheaper version, Triumph has the 900cc T100, too.

The T120 ‘Bonnie’ is a Sunday toy, a stylish, characterful, pleasing reincarnation of bikes of days gone by or, if you prefer, a ‘modern classic’ with none of the foibles and irritations of a genuine classic machine, so practicality and versatility was never its Number #1 goal. Accessories such as soft panniers, clear screens and heated grips do widen the Bonnie’s repertoire but it’s never going to be as good a long-distance machine, adventure bike or commuter – and it’s too precious to be used as such – as more dedicated machines. That all said, it’ll cruise happily at 70+, is a relaxing joy down country A-roads and is also nimble and easy enough to be great around town while as a crowd-puller in a country pub car park on a sunny afternoon, there’s few better.

As relaunched in 2017, the latest Bonneville now comes in two forms: a softer, more entry-level, 900cc, 54bhp T100 version and the punchier, higher-spec, larger, 1200cc, 79bhp T120. This update doesn’t change that (although the parallel changes to the T100 has seen its output rise to 64bhp) but internal engine changes means it’s now Euro5 compliant and a lighter crank also makes it more responsive off the throttle. No performance improvement was necessary. The big parallel twin is at once easy, responsive, flexible and characterful yet also has a top end surge that’s invigorating and pleasing. If you think the T100 900cc version is enough, you might not be wrong but the T120 feels significantly punchier and meatier and can genuinely thrill where the T100 is more pedestrian. The braking improvement is welcome, too. The T120’s uprated twin front Brembo-gripped discs are strong and responsive where the T100 has just a single front disc that feel significantly softer.

Reborn Triumph has built a deserved reputation for building fine-handling machines and this latest Bonneville, even though coming with a retro-style, twin-shock chassis, is no exception, although it’s still no taut, sophisticatedly-suspended sportster. Balance is neutral, ride is plush but controlled, its steering is intuitive and easy and, even when pushed relatively hard, you never feel like you’re exceeding its abilities, which is sometimes the case with cheaper rival retro roadsters. The new, lighter, alloy-rimmed wheels help here, reducing both unsprung weight and the gyro effect to further lighten the steering and improve braking.

Although the new T120 Bonneville is Triumph’s range-topping retro roadster (it also offers, along with the T100, the café racer Thruxton 1200, a Bobber variant plus also Scrambler versions in both 900 and 1200cc forms) and has the price to match (starting at around £11,000 where the T100 is around £1500 less), it still ultimately, is a fairly gentle, 79bhp machine so running costs should be significantly less than, say, 150bhp+ superbikes and suchlike. Accordingly, hunger for tyres, brake pads, fuel and other consumables is in no way startling, insurance is reasonable and, as mileages are likely to be low (compared to, say, touring bikes) overall running costs will be low, too. It’s still more expensive to run than most other ‘retros’, however.

Triumph’s overall reliability record is excellent; the latest Bonneville can trace an unblemished model history back to the 800cc 2001 original; it has been consistently refined and improved over the years; examples generally enjoy a pampered, understressed life and, even though production transferred to Thailand in 2008, build and finish quality is up there with the very best in this class so you should have no concerns. We hold back a mark purely because significant internal engine updates with this latest model introduce an element of doubt until proved otherwise but from our test, quality, fit and finish is now better than ever.

Like all modern Triumphs – and indeed the products of most of the major motorcycle manufacturers – the new Bonneville T120 comes as standard with a two-year, unlimited mileage, manufacturer-backed warranty for all parts and labour, so that’s par for the course, while after the initial first 500 mile service, main services are due of this latest version are still due every 10,000 miles or annually, whichever comes sooner, with major valve adjustment services due every 20,000 miles. Again, that’s fairly typical although it’s worth noting that its twice as infrequent as Royal Enfield’s popular and much cheaper (and less powerful) 650 Interceptor/Continental GT on which it’s due every 10,000 miles.

It may be ‘just’ a retro roadster, an old-fashioned style machine on which you wouldn’t expect much by way of modern creature comforts and gizmos, but the latest T120 Bonneville also has a specification and degree of luxury few other bikes of this type can offer. Along with the uprated engine and brakes and new alloy rims, it’s slick twin dials have gained a refreshed face, there’s two riding modes (Rain and Road), which have also been enhanced, refreshed switchgear which now includes cruise control as standard while heated grips, an alarm, tracker and whole range of cosmetic and practical accessories are available as extras. Even its ‘look’ has been enhanced with new painschemes, stylish new ‘three-bar’ tank badges and more. In short, the modern Bonnie has never had it so good.

Yes, the latest Bonneville may be better than ever but it’s also the most expensive yet, too. Now starting at £11,000, the T120 is a fairly hefty ‘wedge’ when apparent rivals such as Royal Enfield’s 650 twins (starting at just over £6000), Moto Guzzi’s now 850cc V7 (starting at £8200) and even Triumph’s own 900cc T100 (from £9300) are conspicuously so much less. That said, the new T120 offers more than any of them: more performance, better braking, better equipment, better quality and, almost certainly, the best name on the tank. If you want the original and best retro roadster, this is the one.