[Moonshiners]

Thanks guys, not looking for an all out drag stroker! just looking for a good, reliable ride for the Ms' that I can wack a decent sent of pipes n filters etc... and give it a bit of mild treatment. Performance not a huge issue as long as it holds its own...

Thanks for all the advise though, sounds like a neat bike, and a good alternative to the sporty (for this purpose). Feel free to carry on pitching advise/stories/experiences if you have any...

 

[BlueBird]

replace stock mufflers that are so full of baffles and stuffing that they literally sound like a sewing machine (ask bluebird). in my case, w/staintune open peashooters

After some time with the bike with the stock mufflers on, I've concluded that the motor creates more sound than the exhaust. I'm hard of hearing and wear hearing aids (what?...) and I can't hear the exhaust while I'm riding unless I have my hearing aids in! On a bike without a tach I end up having to base my shifting on how much the bike vibrates. Once my boyfriend kicks his flyrite over, I can't even hear my bonnie while I'm sitting on it. I still think it's a great bike though, just want to get some traditional british sound coming out of it.

 

[McQueen]

I have an '04 Bonnie Black. I can't say much more than Boa. He is right on with the typical (arguably must-do) modifications. I've kept mine damn near stock mechanically--with the exception of off-road pipes.

Sure, it doesn't scare me like a liter sportbike. But it offers just enough oomh to keep me out of harm's way...but lacks the balls-out oomph to, well, keep me out of harm's way.

All in all, it's my favorite bike I've owned thus far. I really can't say anything bad about it. Well, like Boa said, the conversations everyone wants to have with you about the bike can get a little tiresome after awhile. But it's nice to have abike that stands out.

I don't have an ounce of the knowledge found here on this board. So having a reliable bike is priority #1. My new Bonnie is just that. So much so, that I don't seem to have any spare time to get my '79 running right. I'm always out riding the '04.

cheers.

 

[Billdozer1811]

Yep. Got a T100. Did the same mods once the break in period was over. (Thanks for the help, Nick.) Great, regular old motorcycle, ie: upright, comfortable riding position, adequate power, etc. If your girl is a beginner, let her ride it stock. (Although the stock mufflers are SO quiet it is almost a joke.) Mine reminded me of an old CB550 I used to have. After jets, pipes, smog removal, etc. it is more like an old CB750 now. Fun and forgiving, practical bike. Now that mine runs so well, I can see the need for better brakes, suspension, etc.

While the stoplight people asking what year it is, etc does get old, at least they aren't calling me "bro". I've taken to telling them it's a '67 just to see what they say.

I found myself making compromises on my old Triumph just to get it on the road, because I really like to ride. Now, with a reliable daily commuter I can take my time a little more and try to do a better job on the T120 since I'm not jonesing to ride so bad.

-Bill
__________________
www.eldiablorun.com

 

[goober_P]

Here is a friends bobber... I have a T100 and love it. With minimal mods you can get a lot more power out of them. Start with new pipes, airbox removal and rejetting. That adds about ten horsepower!

B

 

[Voneville]

Also if modern reliability is your thing the Kawasaki w650 is a great bike worth considering. I think their resale is on the rise, but still about half of a new Triumph. The plus is mostly old dudes that take care of stuff bought them.

 

[Trumpnut]

Also if modern reliability is your thing the Kawasaki w650 is a great bike worth considering. I think their resale is on the rise, but still about half of a new Triumph. The plus is mostly old dudes that take care of stuff bought them.

The problem with those is in 2 more years Kawasaki will disc. the parts for the US market so you will need buddies in canada to get them for you .

 

[JEB]

Hey! My buddy Brian used to own that bike.

http://www.jockeyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2001

Here is a friends bobber... I have a T100 and love it. With minimal mods you can get a lot more power out of them. Start with new pipes, airbox removal and rejetting. That adds about ten horsepower!

B

 

[goober_P]

Hey! My buddy Brian used to own that bike.

http://www.jockeyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2001

I should post some new pictures. we changed it up a bit. Different bars controls and risers. got rid of the thruxton racing stripe and fixed a bunch of little things. After jetting it properly the thing runs like a monster. It is scary fast! He keeps up with my other buddies s2r 1000 Ducati...

 

[Voneville]

The problem with those is in 2 more years Kawasaki will disc. the parts for the US market so you will need buddies in canada to get them for you .

That sucks, it's a great bike. They really could have done a better job marketing them and offering better dealer support here.

 

[JEB]

Boa, do you remember the name of that Japanese shop?

I picked up a wrecked 2002 Bonneville America from TBone16, and I just bought this roller (thanks Doug). time to go to work.

this could be interesting for re-making a cafe - just posted on Horse swap -
triumph thruxton cafe racer parting out

 

[Dragon]

I picked up a wrecked 2002 Bonneville America from TBone16, and I just bought this roller (thanks Doug). time to go to work.

Do keep us updated, glad to hear you did some good.... not much "new stuff" does it for me but I'm liking some of these cafe's in this thread & out there...

Good luck with it...

Doug

.

Never pay again for live sex! | Hot girls doing naughty stuff for free! | Chat for free!

 

[Vox T]

Great bikes, I have the Speedmaster and it is a nimble performer.

 

[tbone16]

Fuck yah, thats rad yah got a roller, I cant wait to hear that basterd again.

 

[Boa]

Boa, do you remember the name of that Japanese shop?

I picked up a wrecked 2002 Bonneville America from TBone16, and I just bought this roller (thanks Doug). time to go to work.

Had to dig through some old e-mails, but found the shop...

Cafe parts:

http://delight-suzuka.co.jp/truxtoncaferacer.html
http://delight-suzuka.co.jp/

Yes, wow, look, they don't speak English very well, isn't that fucking funny....knee-slapping funny.

Not sure if these parts will mate well to a BA frame which I think has different geometry and mounting points than the Bonnie and Thruxton, but sounds like you're going to put the motor into a new roller anyway.

 

[Boa]

Some bigger shots of the parts if anyone's interested

Tank is around $1300
Seat around $380

 

[JEB]

Thanks Boa. $1300!!! Holy fuck! That's a nice tank, raw or polished.

 

[Boa]

Thanks Boa. $1300!!! Holy fuck! That's a nice tank, raw or polished.

yeah, that's a lot of $$$ for that thing. but i've never seen a good alloy/aluminum monza/triton/norvil/manx tank like that for UNDER $1000 anywhere. the welds on the one above are a little rough, but i guess it has the advantage of being sized properly w/mounting points in the right places for the bonnie/thruxton. you'd probably be better off buying a tank from british only or similar and figuring out a way to mount it. the tank that mecatwin in france builds for these bikes is gorgeous, but they don't sell it separately.

 

[McQueen]

Norman Hyde makes one for about the same...$1,200.

It looks like this:

http://www.normanhyde.co.uk/

 

[Snake]

I've had a Bonneville America since 2002. Except missing a few months riding because of the war thing, it has been out a bit. Few thousand miles. Not one problem except a slight oil seepage from the top of the gear box cover, mostly at over 80 miles an hour.

The length is longer than my 73 sportster. Stock I had no problem in the low end beating most everything off the line. The high end stock, based on the final drive ration, was a bit weak -- comfortably around 80 unless you really redlined through the gears. Although I did 105 on the freeway. This is the 790 cc model and somehow they lost a lot of HP when they built this into the Bonneville America. The stock gear ratios top out too early and you have a tendency to search for the phantom sixth gear out past 70 or so (unless you rev it high through the gears).

Stock mileage is about 44 mpg at 75 mph. I swapped out to a 19 tooth counter shaft sprocket and the mileage went up to about 48 per gallon. More importantly, you suddenly get a whole range of gears. There is some loss of low end torque, but that is probably something you can make up with more modification.

I have Triumph Off Road pipes that are nearly straight thru. It now sounds VERY similar to what my 75 Triumph sounded like. And to counter what someone else said, we sat head to head with Bonneville and Sportster and there is no way the sportster drowns it out. It isn't outrageous, but it is a good loud rumble.

I took it to Smoke Out West and we put 1600 miles on it in 5 days. Rain, shine, (more rain), freeway, highway, not ever a problem. And performance isn't a problem. I seems to have a sweet spot at about 85 mph and, after the mods, I have a problem keeping the speed down on the freeway.

There is a lot you can do with them, but I'm pumping money into some other bikes, so it isn't the priority. But it is the most reliable.

A guy once got off his FLH at a restaraunt and walked past the entrance and walked down the street to come check it out. Tell me that's ever happened with a honda.

I would say it is the best value in a new bike, but you do have to make some changes to get going in the right direction.

Hope that helps.

Snake