For some reason I am starting to get an itch for a Triumph motorcycle. I am really digging the Bonneville. Any fans on here that might be able to educate me about the bike, recommend some sites?

I've never had a motorcycle before, so I want to do my homework before I jump in.

 

At the risk of being flame-grilled.

Get training first.

Sign up with the MSF (http://msf-usa.org) and go through the training before you buy.

This will help you to understand if you are actually ready to buy and capable of riding, plus it will give you a better understanding of the machines.

(I am an MSF instructor, maybe I am a little biased)

The CA DMV even give you a test waiver once you complete the course.

Oh yeah, Triumphs ?

http://triumph.co.uk

The new ones ROCK, utterly.

They are a little more high maintenance than a Honda, but they rock none-the-less.

The new-era Bonnie is a supurb choice for a newer rider, they are not overly powerful, the brakes are very good and very progressive too (another good newer rider trait) and the handling is drama free.

A 1970's Bonnie would be terrible, unless you want to learn about oil leaks and lucas electricals

Good luck !

 

The ol' man had an 05 Triple for a time and was on http://www.triumphrat.net/ - seemed like a good and happening forum when I took a peek. Ducati Monsters also make for good first bikes for some, lots of different engine choices and affordable used ones on the market. If you ever happen to get interested in it there are loads of enthusiasts, a really nice board is http://www.ducatimonster.org/

Another vote for the MSF - they even had little bikes for a shorty like me Also, aside from the bike, remember to set aside a chunk of change for good quality and full coverage gear.

Re: the DMV - they give you a waiver on the road part of the test but you still have to take the written to get your M1, just fyi.

 

I'd love a new 675 in that mustard yellow. Wow!

Zip

 

What's the difference between the Bonneville and the Bonneville T100? I am really not looking for a "powerful" bike. Just something that I can use to commute a couple of times a week and maybe use to cruise on the weekends a couple of times a month. The Bonneville has that 50's British look that just really appeals to me. (Kind of like the Mini).

I am thinking of getting a new one. I think being new to the motorcycles it's a better choice for a newb. That way I won't have to figure things out the hard way.

 

I saw a really cool Triumph at the track next to ours. All I know is it looked badass.

 

I've had a Speedmaster (fun bike!) and two Daytonas. Very fun, never had trouble, great bikes. These were a couple of the forums I used to frequent.
http://www.triumphrat.net
http://www.bonnevilleamerica.com/

Another vote for the MSF course. It's worth ~1year of street driving for experience, gets you a discount on insurance, and really helps the new rider get going.

 

I am torn on that idea.

Part of me says - sure - good idea, you know its history (none) and you will be confident that it is running fine etc.

The other half of me says that new riders, even well trained ones, do really dumb things for the first few months !

I have seen new riders 'forget to put a foot down' and simply topple over (on a Ducati Monster that is a $1200 mistake due to the gas tank cost), which is not the kind of mistake you make more than once, but if you drop a brand new bike you will be spitting bullets, better to drop a beater ?

One student of mine last year related to the class that he 'got confused' with the brakes, locked the back tire and simply slid into a car at the traffic lights.

Another new rider mistake is to assume that you are going into a corner too fast and attemp to lose some speed rather that lean it a little more - usually the outcome is severe understeering and the resultant 'crash'.

Most every new rider does some of this, often they get away with it, but in the fist few months your shiny new bike will be in danger of not remaining terribly shiny......

 

That's a REALLY good point! I'll second the suggestion to get a used bike to start. Something with a couple scratches is even better. Something you won't mind (too much) tipping over. Nothing would be more heartbreaking than to have a new bike and mess it up before you've really put a few miles on.

 

Oh... and it'll give you a little more time so that you can really figure out which bike is right for you.

 

Since you mention it many times a Monster tank can be repaired for a couple of hundred bucks, depending on the extent of the damage of course - but the typical ding can often be repaired vs needing replacement which does run about 1200 I think. (Good resource, http://www.ducatimonster.org/faq/faq_tank_dings.html). {The prior bits are regarding the metal tanks, the newer ones have plastic tanks that resist dings and I don't know about fixing those..}

But this leads me to strongly recommend frame sliders on whatever bike, new or used, that you get - even the most experienced rider can have the occasional situation where the bike gets dropped and the sliders can really help prevent some key damage. The Monster we bought came predented from a standstill drop, never bothered to fix it but added sliders and now along with the way the bars have been moved that dent never would have happened.

I agree on buying used bikes though, especially when a new rider for the reasons already mentioned. All in all used bikes are the way to go IMHO, lots of barely used weekend riders out there that will save you good money vs buying new and it seems like you can have it checked out pretty easily to determine condition .

 

I bought a Monster pre-dented too and ignored the dent for a long while, then found an un-dented, but scratched tank on Craigslist - need to get that re-painted, but the cost of a simple drop can be incredible.

I actually dropped my first 'big bike' at a standstill A Kawasaki Z650, after the feather-weight RD350LC it came as a bit of a shock !

 

So would you recommend buying a used bike from a dealer? My concern is I know zilch about bikes. I could not even begin to imagine things to look, or look out for.

 

Take the MSF course - it will at least give you an idea or two, you may also find a couple of people that already ride, but just did the course as a refresher and they may help !

I am thinking $1000 max for a 'beater' so cragslist is the place to start rather than a dealer.....

 

After having owned both new and used motorcycles, I've decided to keep buying them new. I just don't want the frustration of trying to correct somebody elses mistakes/maintenance issues. It might cost a little more, but if I get hurt or stuck out some place, the it costs me money as well.

Plus 1 on the Motorcycle Safety Foundation classes. Can't recommend them highly enough. I don't care if your friend or brother or cousin says they can teach you to ride...there is so much bad information floating around out there about riding. It's so important to get off on the right foot. Use the front brake, look where you want to go, maintain a safe following distance, keep your focus on the road as far ahead as you can see, don't outrun your lights...all points stressed in the MSF class I attended and very useful information for any kind of driving. Distance yourself from the typical motorcycle accident victim: young male without a license or insurance, intoxicated, riding a bike they are not familiar with without proper safety gear or formal training. The statistic I remember is that MSF training reduces your chances of being in a serious accident by half in the first year of riding.

 

A used bike from a dealer would be similar to used car from dealer. They wholesale them around and swap them the same as cars, just a smaller scale. I would hope a decent dealer would have looked it over and made sure brakes and such are ok. Can't rely 100%. But their wholesale buyers try to only get bikes they know they can sell, and are in decent shape. Try to get a feeling about the dealership-if you plan on having them do work, you want to find out about the service dept, for instance. You could even talk with the MSF instructors and get some pointers and be able to tell you about good local dealers.

Know anyone that's in to bikes? They might have a line on a bike sitting in a buddies garage or something. They might be able to come with you to look at a bike, and give you some pointers what to look for.

There are bikes that people buy because they think they're going to like to ride, or they think the bike looks good on paper and it's just not right for them. So lots of garages have bikes sitting in them. There are some issues to watch for (fuel, varnish deposits, dry rot, battery, maintenance), but sometimes you can find a very low mileage bike.

Just make sure that it's the right one for you, and get it checked out.
(hint-don't be one of those people that end up having a bike that sits in the garage)

 

I agree with the MSF advice and would only add that if at all possible take it before you get the bike. There are things about riding that are not at all instinctual (if that's a word). A novice will often do the exact opposite of what they should do during an unexpected episode.

As far as new/used. I have always gone new. I don't like buying other peoples problems. Good luck and enjoy!

 

My husband has had great success buying used bikes from private parties. You can always take it to a dealer or reputable shop to be checked over, and there is also the warranty to cover you if you buy a newer model. Just like a car, as part of the sales contract you can also have a statement in there about the bike not being a lemon or in an accident, etc as well if you want.

Of course, if you can get a good price from the dealer you might have some leverage if there are issues I suppose if that is a big concern. Once you take the MSF and check over the forums I'm sure you'll have a better idea of things and what you are looking for

 

Just occurred to me that I never acknowledged the school advice. To all that have suggested it: thank you. I agree a 100% and that would be the first step in any motorcycling endeavors for me.

While I never owned a bike, I have ridden a bike. The last time resulted in a crash when an unwary driver made a left in front of me. That combined with very little experience on my part has resulted in the 20+ year hiatus from motorcycle riding.

Now that I am older, I actually want to ride for the fun of it versus what ever delusions of grandeur and coolness I had back then.

 

My dad had an 05 Thruxton. Nice handling and good power, not for the beginner though, IMO.

Dave

 

Another little piece of advice-before you finalize on what you want to buy, check the insurance rates and shop around for rates. You're in for a wild suprise how much it can vary. It might be nice before hand to find out what you're in for, rather than waiting till it's too late, especially if a bad suprise might sway you from one particular bike to another.

 

Has anyone got the answer to the difference between the Bonneville and the T100? Other than price they seem to spec out the same.

 

865cc vs 790cc, rubber knee grips, chrome on engine
http://www.triumph.co.uk/usa/4572.aspx
http://www.greatbaymotorcycles.com/c...ycles_t100.asp
http://www.greatbaymotorcycles.com/c...bonneville.asp

but some places say '07 bonneville now has 865cc
I'd trust the triumph pages a little more

so some trim differences?
(used to have to pay extra for the bigger motor, but now the base has it-kinda makes the '07 t100 overpriced)

 

Yeah, I matched them up on the Triumph pages and both have the same engine 865cc. Like you say, must be just trim.

 

Here is a post that I created a long time ago regarding buying a motorcycle, I realize that some of it is not really applicable, but, again, at the risk of having to wear nomex for a while, I think that at least some of it may help.

First of all figure out what you want.

This sounds stupid, but I have heard of people walking into a dealer wanting one bike, and riding out on a totally different one, and wondering what on earth happened in the between.

So, decide what you want, and then figure out how much you are going to have to spend.

Lets talk about finance

Cash is the king, and lets face it, most any bike can be bought for under ten grand, so financing is not really essential. Its also a lot harder to finance a bike than a car, because they are harder to repo, and also much more likely to be wadded.

Finance also forces you to have full insurance, something that many newer riders cannot afford.

So, you have your budget.

If you are buying used (and I for one cannot stand the "hit" that I take as I leave the dealers, its a bit more complex than new.

First of all look at the price that is being asked, and take 10% off it.

Then make a physical list of everything that you can see that is up with the bike.

Take it for a test ride. Do not rag on it - remember its not warm, but ride it far enough to get a feel for it. Check that it tracks straight, and that the brakes do not shudder.

Check the gearbox for action, and trying pulling hard in the lower ones, then back off, and whack the throttle open - if it jumps out of gear - and some do, walk away.

Once you get back to the dealer, update your list.

add up the costs of each and every minor issue, and take that off the price - along with the 10%. This is your base price - you want everything fixed, and you want to be as close as possible to that number too.

Walking away works. If you have the cash, putting (some) it on the table can help.

If you are buying private, a similar rule applies, but dealing one-to-one is often easier.

Here is MY check list.

1) Overall condition - it should be clean, clean, clean. mis-matched fairing, different color matches etc point to a crash

2) Check the stator cover - is it "rough" if so, its touched the ground.

3) Look at the brake rotors - are they scored ? Did you feel any pulsing ? Thats $500 off please

4) Look at the frame, if its polished, there is a possibility that its been dented, welding a frame this way is the only way to disguise a dent. I personally would never buy a bike with a polished frame.

5) look at the tires. Are they melted off the rims ? If so they may be race take offs - this is bad. Or the bike has seen some track action - this is not a really bad thing, but you might want to check to see if its seen any kitty litter action.

There is a real easy way to do this - check the wiring loom - see if the connectors have sand in them.

6) Take a look at the VIN number and the engine number - check that this matches the paperwork. No paperwork ? Walk away (for good).

7) Listen to the seller, if he brags of 100mph wheelies, he is a idiot, walk away, its been thrashed.

8) Carefully rock the bike back and forth, with the front brake on - any clicking will point to a maladjusted, or worse damaged, head race - this is another bargaining point.

9) Has it got all the accessories ?
Seat hump and passenger seat ? Each one is $60
Manual - $25
Toolkit - $30
Tank prop - $15

10) do you LIKE the mods ?
not everyone likes all the mods that bikes have, do you want to put it back to stock ?

For the haggling, here are a few base prices...

Brake Rotors - $500
Brake pads - $80
Tires - $300
Chain and Sprocket set $300

Its best to take a biker buddy with you, as the voice of reason as much as anything.

Do not be afraid of losing the perfect bike by walking away, you can always send a buddy to see it and further low-ball the dealer, before you go back and take a second look....