Grabbing a Sneaky Ride

Working late shift at the factory has one bonus: I can ride into Gloucester, take a different bike back home on a test ride. Then return the long way, get a couple of part-exchange quotations on my current bike and still get into work on time.

The ride to Thunder Road Motorcycles on my Explorer was somewhat eventful with cloud still wreathing Ruardean and clinging to the top of Plump Hill. An emergency braking incident at Little London somehow resulted in no deaths,  but left two streaks of rubber as a semi-permanent reminder on the well-patched tarmac. Yet more thanks were given to my guardian angel.

Ready and Waiting

Greg at TRM had the black T120 Bonneville filled up and waiting for me. So I set off into the morning traffic back to the Forest. First impressions: Good looks, great sound, minimal technology. Although weighing in at 224kg this bike feels really small: easy to swing even my short leg over. There are two riding modes, Road and Rain, swapped over by one button press. Perfect! With admirable simplicity the starter is also the kill switch and the ‘i’ button scrolls through the trip and economy options in a linear fashion. This really is technology made easy.  The hazard light switch is located well away from the headlight switch,  unlike on the Explorer. No more switching hazard lights on instead of high beam in heavy rain at midnight!

The black option

The deep sound of the twin, firing at 270 degrees rather than the traditional 180, is audible from start-up to journey’s end; it’s like riding a bass speaker on wheels though the only vibration is from sound waves beating on my ribcage. None came through bars or pegs. Takes me back to my first real (working) bike in my teens, the venerable 350cc Triumph 3TA. Except this one doesn’t require a well-judged kick to start, nor does it drip oil or lose rocker caps.

My favourite bike so far: the 3TA

Comfortable, Manageable Old Thing

The riding position is quite tucked up, presumably as a result of the low 785mm seat height. This is not a problem as it remains comfortable. No strain on the wrists after 90 minutes riding bumpy Gloucestershire and Herefordshire highways and byways. This bike wouldn’t require my usual mandatory Rox Risers. The handlebars are relatively narrow, but the lack of mass at the front means that manoeuvring the bike at low speeds is a doddle. Meanwhile the naked-induced air-pressure on my chest keeps my hands light on the bars at faster rates. The six-speed box engages smoothly through a silky light clutch but the rear brake pedal is a bit low for emergency stops.

At higher speeds the steering is just a little lazy compared with the razor-sharp Explorer but once the mental calibration is made this aspect recedes: It just needs slightly earlier input or a little extra body movement. In fact this could be my exercise for the day, hanging my arse off the seat as the twisties unfold ahead. I learnt to ride the old 3TA by hanging my whole body off it as it weaved around bends, so this is a kind of coming back to my roots. But with a somewhat more powerful and smooth steed.

New Bonnie, old styling

It Can Torque the Torque

Following a line of traffic uphill from Huntley to Longhope in fourth gear, I only needed to open the throttle a little to shoot past them. The plucky Twin has the HT (High Torque) version of the 1200cc engine: it only makes 79bhp but the 77.5 ft-lb torque maxes at 3,100 revs, which is a blast. The gearing is quite high, so 3rd and 4th gears were used for most of the ride to Lydbrook, where my steep driveway was negotiated with no problem. Debs got on the back and proclaimed it less comfy than my current bike, but much easier to mount. The excellent level of finish was noticed: great paint job, excellent welding, and quality touches such as Triumph logos on various parts – Triumph have upped their game on this new generation of Bonnies.

Small and torquey 

After the photo-shoot it was onto the A40 dual carriageway to Ross, just to see if I could stretch my arms a bit. Well, it cruises quite happily at 70 – 80, with nice clean airflow giving an even pressure on the chest. The mandatory ton was achieved quickly without resorting to lying on the tank. However top speed is not the point of this bike. I’m sure it could attain its advertised 130mph on the autobahn but I won’t be attempting it in good old blighty obviously! This is a naked retro cruiser which handles fine for this this role. In a group ride I would probably be one of the back markers, but it would be with a smile on my face and not a shit given.

Black heart, black bike

As mentioned, it’s not as quick as the Explorer nor as sharp handling so most adventure (and sports-bike riders) would probably find it lacking. However for me this is a return to what biking is about: the gorgeous sound, great looks and the deep blackness

Slowing Down

In the light of my long-held intention (thus far not achieved) to ride slower as I attempt to keep my licence and reduce the incident of near misses, I arranged to part-ex my well-loved Explorer for a black 2016 Triumph T120 before going into work that afternoon. I love shift-work.

Triumph oil runs in my blood