Before you say it; before the letters start pouring in, we know that these Triumphs are not choppers - yet. Who knows what will happen to one of these machines in the very near future? Are we gutsy enough to take one of these brand-new '02 Twins and turn it into a chopper? Hmm, now there is something to think about as you thumb through this article.
We decided that a road test of the new Triumph Bonneville was in order when we first laid eyes on it late last year. The Bonnie looks so much like its original design that it was only fitting that we include one in STREET CHOPPER. As we were working out the details to get our hands on a Bonneville, we found out about the America model and decided to go in with both feet and test them together to see which we liked better.
While both bikes have a lot of similarities in their looks, mechanically there is one big difference in the 790cc Twin. The Bonnie fires at 360-degree intervals while the America hits at 270 degrees. Beyond that, the bore and stroke of both is 86x68 mm with a 9.2:1 compression ratio. The Twin carbs have electronic throttle position sensors and electric heaters. The overhead cams control four valves-per-cylinder and the motor is air/oil-cooled with a very discreet cooler hidden up front.
Shifting on both bikes is very smooth, and the power transfers through a geared primary and wet multi-plate clutch. Speaking of the clutch, for us it was a real trip to look over at the cable coming out of the left lever and see a knurled adjustment ring - very retro indeed.
Both bikes ride in a tubular steel cradle frame, the Bonneville with 29 degrees of rake while the America runs 33. Suspension is telescopic on both bikes, 41mm tubes and conventional-looking on the Bonnie while the America benefits from full-size covers that add a massive look. Out back, both have springover shocks with adjustable pre-load. Rolling the bikes around are two completely different wheel/tire combos. The smaller, more agile Bonnie gets a 100-90-19 front and a 130-80-17 rear, versus the America's 100-80-18 leader and 170-80-15 backside. Both models stop well, thanks to multi-piston calipers at both ends.
The bikes differ in aesthetics quite a bit. The Bonnie has a true old-school style to it, right down to the tank shape, front fender supports and the seat. The America is what Triumph designers thought would be more appealing to the buying public here, so it gets a scooped seat, a raked out fork, a large chrome light mount on the tank, and chrome fender struts.
Firing order aside, the ride from one to the other couldn't be more different. The Bonneville perches the rider high atop its 30.5 inch seat with their feet positioned slightly behind their knees - it feels very small. The America, on the other hand, feels much larger thanks to the somewhat forward controls, the low 28-inch seat, and the nice, wide bars. In fact, the America has 7 more inches of wheelbase than the Bonnie's 88 inches.
When zipping around town on the Bonnie, it was very responsive and fun to ride. Out on the freeway, it becomes buzzy quickly and reminds the rider that it would be happier at a lower rpm. Freeway rides on the America seem more relaxed, although both bikes have you wishing for Sixth gear. Power from both Twins is surprisingly good away from a light or when passing a car on the road.
Overall, we really enjoyed both of these bikes. We all agreed that if the Bonneville was ours, it would get a little more power and a sprocket size-change to make freeway riding more fun. The America was the surprise for us though - we liked it a lot more than we thought we would. It has all the right lines for, well, yeah, you guessed it, chopping. Watch in the next few issues as we take this beautiful new Triumph to Mike Maldonado's shop and turn it into a real chopper.
Editor's Note: Thanks to Tom Hicks and Southern California Triumph for lending us the Bonneville for these photos. Our test bike, along with all the others around, were called into service for the next Terminator movie.