[ebonho]

The Street Triple is really gorgeous man. Wish they hadn't made it so pricey.

Thanks for the ride impressions on both bikes. How much OTR is the Bonnie?

[discobiscuit]

I'm sure most people will like the Bonnie in Black, but i feel it looks quite understated in comparison to the Harley.

Maybe a different color and accessories can take care of that.

[indian21r]

Originally Posted by ebonho

How much OTR is the Bonnie?

In Hyderabad For first vehicle in your name, approx. Rs 6.8 Lakhs on road (9% roadtax);
if it is 2nd or more vehicle, you pay Rs 7.1 Lakhs onroad(14% roadtax). ;

Ex-showroom is Rs. 591270
Insurance Rs 21377
Registration and handling around 15k.

Need to check the charges in detail for anyone considering the bike.

Originally Posted by discobiscuit

I'm sure most people will like the Bonnie in Black, but i feel it looks quite understated in comparison to the Harley. Maybe a different color and accessories can take care of that.

T100 has a lot of bling for people who feel Bonneville too bland.

[bblost]

Very nice comparison mobike.

Eagerly awaiting an ownership review for one of these bikes. Go on..do it.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Motormania

Somehow, even I love the clean and simple design of the Bonnie. Looks like a proper retro classic, restored recently! Best part is, the bike will go unnoticed almost everywhere - a blessing in disguise!

Originally Posted by discobiscuit

I'm sure most people will like the Bonnie in Black, but i feel it looks quite understated in comparison to the Harley.Maybe a different color and accessories can take care of that.

Oh yeah. The Bonneville can be made to look simple and intentionally mistaken for an RD350 or if you wish can be customized to stand out as much as any Harley. Will post some custom Bonny pictures to so we can have that perspective as well regarding how a plain jane can be made into a beauty queen

Originally Posted by phamilyman

But seriously - you test rode potential customer bikes? Not done at all man, Not done.

Originally Posted by indian21r

Nope that was not the case. The bikes are test ride bikes only.

I think what Phamilyman is saying is right. They first said no test ride bike available but, when I said that iam deciding to purchase the bike at the earliest. They got this bike out of nowhere. Besides, I dont expect test ride bikes to have such nice brown leather seats, Stage 1 Screaming Eagle Exhuasts etc.

Agree, it's totally not done

Originally Posted by abhjain

Hey man, that's a very nice thread that you've started. Did you also discuss on the finance schemes available? If yes, please share the details.

As of now, HDFC bank is the only finance partner with Triumph and they plan to add more financiers shortly. If your records are good, finance can be done upto 90% as well.

However, only 2 installment options. 36months/48 months which is pretty much industry standard.

Originally Posted by Haroon

Although you said in the beginning you are new to both bikes, its an absolutely wonderful comparison you have done. Since I have experience with both bikes and also have a tall frame myself, I knew before starting to read where this comparison is heading..... To many it will boil down to a head Vs heart decision.Thanks for sharing this here for the benefit of many potential Sporty/Bonnie buyers in India.

Thanks for your comments. It would be interesting to know why you feel where the report was heading? Since you have experience with both these bikes. Request your valuable inputs on both these bikes. It would be extremely interesting to know for me personally and for everyone else interested in these bikes. Thanks!!

Originally Posted by dkaile

Nice comparo mobike008. For your kind of driving preferences I would also advice you to test ride a Superlow. If mind's made for the Bonny, that's a good bike too though a little understated. It's performance is definitely superior to the 883. But my overall Harley experience has been mind blowing till now. Here's a nice Harley custom (Jangi Paltan) recently featured on Raftaar - http://www.eimorcustoms.com/jangi-paltan/ and it's made in your
town Hyderabad. I feel you are more inclined towards the Bonne and you should always go with your first love. Cheers...

Thanks Dkaile. Harley is a very popular brand and Hyderabad sells a lot of Harleys and If iam not wrong Hyderabad has the biggest HOG group in India and someone was even mentioning that HD sells maximum bikes in Hyderabad. I do know that Hyderabad is number one destination for the new fad "Bicyling" in India but, not sure abou the HD. Would be great to know your insights on same

I hope to make Triumph as popular as you made Harley on the forum. Need your blessings.

Jokes apart, I respect both bikes but, at the end of the day its heart vs. head decision as rightly put by Haroon.

Originally Posted by mashmash

Wow, excellent comparison in simple lay man language. My vote goes to the Bonny. What a beauty of a bike. Is there a windshield available as an accessory? The speeds that bike can do, wind blast could be an issue on the highway I suppose

There are plenty of accessories for Bonny, maybe not as comprehensive as the Harley but, its almost there. My priority would be the following :-

1. Arrow Exhuast
2. Handle Bar Mirrors

Originally Posted by ebonho

The Street Triple is really gorgeous man. Wish they hadn't made it so pricey.Thanks for the ride impressions on both bikes. How much OTR is the Bonnie?

A devious plan struck me after the successful Bonny test ride.

I have owned 6 brand new cars in last 12 years and 4 bikes so if i buy it in my name it would be 14.5% but, if I buy the Bonny in my wife's name then it would be only 9.5% so a cool 30K off the sticker price of INR 7,10,425. So I can get the bike for 6.8 Lakhs OTR in Hyderabad.

Isn't that sweet?

[naveenroy]

Awesome writeup. The glee is written on your face. Thats what a bike should make you feel.

IMHO, it is not about buying a bike to fit in. Its a bike to fit out of a group from. Own it, have a great experience and people will follow. Screw the Harley, ride a Bonnie

[Insearch]

I was with Mobike008 when these test rides happened. Somehow i could not bring myself to test the Harley. No doubt, they have an impressive line up of bikes, but I do not feel comfortable stretching myself for the lowest model of the range.
I hope I have been able to convey the inherent contradiction of owning an Iron or a superlow (with the above statement), as it exists in my mind. Feel free to judge me on this, but please bear in mind that I am applying this yardstick to only myself, and hence your criticism may be quite appropriate.

The Bonnie is different. It has a specific history and reason for existence, not comparable to anything else, in the true sense. It is just like our local bullets, which have had a certain niche (in the past at least).
I can imagine a Harley rider catching all the attention on a busy road due to the size/style or the sound of the bike. The Bonnie would just slip through unnoticed for the most part, and that appeals to me. One can enjoy the bike without having to "live up" to any image. In other words, there is nothing about the Bonneville that stands out. Of course, that could be enough reason for some of us to avoid it .

Also as far as riding groups go, as ebonho pointed out in a different thread, you eventually ride with friends and not brands.

The only Harley I have ridden is a Street Bob, compared to which, the Bonnie feels lighter, agile and with much less vibes.

Regards.

[Haroon]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Thanks for your comments. It would be interesting to know why you feel where the report was heading? Since you have experience with both these bikes. Request your valuable inputs on both these bikes. It would be extremely interesting to know for me personally and for everyone else interested in these bikes. Thanks!!

The reason I said, I knew where you were heading was based on the fact that at the outset you prudently said I will ride both bikes back to back and then come to an educated choice and since then I was eagerly waiting for your ride review unlike some first time big-bike buyers just taking a test ride on the Sportster, buying it and then saying its the best bike out there! And most times, I am sure when first time buyers look at both these bikes, its an almost similar outcome of feelings, likes & dislikes that can be expected....finally head Vs heart.

Ram and a few others on this forum will know my affinity for BMW bikes. However (I have discussed on this forum few times before also) prior to entering the world of BMW more than 15 years back, I did own a Harley Sportster 883 (those days here in Saudi test rides were unheard of and hence I made the purchase purely based on sitting & feeling the bike on the showroom floor). I sold it after about 6,000 kms in 3-4 months and moved on. Later when the rubber mounted engine made its debut, I was curious and I did a long test ride on that as well. The ride & handling although a shade better than my older version, was just not to my liking. Fast forward to 2012 in New Zealand after just coming off an almost 1800km trip on the land barge- the BMW R1200RT, I was asking the rental owner questions on the Bonnie T100 that was his wife's bike and surprisingly he told me to take it for a nice long ride. Since they are located outside the city I rode it thru some nice winding country roads and absolutely loved the ride & handling of the bike. Yes, I did feel the bike's accommodations a lil cramped esp since I was living for the past 7 days on a large & comfy 1200RT. Also the stock suspension may need some tweaking, but it was still ahead of the Sportster (purely my personal opinion). And surely for the price & engine capacity I cant make a comparison with the BMW, but the Bonnie was speaking to me way better than what the Sportster did. BTW, even if you ask many of the old classic bike riders, Triumph's from the early eras were also fine handling bikes.

Personally for me, the Bonneville will be a nice second bike for my solo touring and weekend rides while my 1200GS will serve my 2-up touring needs.

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by Haroon

Personally for me, the Bonneville will be a nice second bike for my solo touring and weekend rides while my 1200GS will serve my 2-up touring needs.

Haroon Sir,
How would you compare the Tiger with your 1200 GS? Probably I would be more keen to listen to that analogy
Would agree with your assessment of Bonnie versus Sportsters.

[Pheonix]

Originally Posted by mobike008

I had the pleasure of riding a Harley Davidson Iron 883 and a Triumph Bonneville back-to-back and this is a brief comparison report of how I felt about each of these legendary bikes.

First things , very nice meeting you guys Insearch and Indian21R and our very own mod mobike008 !!

Okay, so this was my first ride ever on this class of superbike and i am going to put forth some words solely on my experience of riding the Triumph Bonneville instead of comparing with others as i havent driven any and hence my comments may sound very much naive and over enthusiastic so excuse me for that !!

First Looks: The very chassis of the Bonny reminds you of the RD350 or the Rajdoot or even some very old models of STD Bull. The engine compartment with the carb reminds you very much of a bull.
Clean,Simple,Elegant lines flow from front till end.The fit and finish is very good and the paint job is top notch.The switches and turn lamps could have been way better IMO.Cost saving?Personally i liked the T100 because of the traditional spokes instead of the alloys in the Classic which retains the retro looks. Its strictly personal choice in the looks department as it "will" not turn as many heads as if you were on a HD. Personally the rear of this bike with twin exhausts makes it look much better than from the front.If you buy one most of the people will say for sure " You bought this for 7Lacs ? Whats so special about this ? Looks like a bullet only na ?

Comfort: When i sat on it, i felt pretty much like sitting on a very comfortable commuter bike. The handle is very well ergonomically placed and so is the long seat.This is the most comfortably seatable ride of the entire Triumph stable for commuting.The footpegs are a little away from your seating and you have to push your ankles a little bit away to clutch them well, thing which you can easily get used to.

Quick Drive : Push the button and with a little growl ,the nimble engine comes to life. Very subtle. You would probably expect a howl of the 800+ motor but it rather stays meek. Very cautiously i let the clutch go slowly, even at zero throttle the bike was on roll,the clutch was just amazing. Little flick of the throttle and it just "flew". Such dose of power was new to me and i was literally blown by the power of the engine.I got a bit scared and pressed the brake bit frantically and felt a very sharp bite from the both the brakes.Amazing braking stuff in front and rear. I thought i would skid off but the rear tyres have such great grip that they held the road very well. Amazing engine and a brilliant,smooth gearbox, you can take it to 70KMPH in first gear and you dont even feel like you are stressing the engine at all. You cannot stop from twisting the throttle and test its limits.After those 30 seconds and that you have now experienced the power,braking and grip , this handles like breeze.Within a short stretch of road where I did the TD i could see the needle doing tripple digits and i realised that only after looking at the speedo.You keep on twisting only to see loads of power flowing in . Bear with me for saying this but i felt myself like Trinity ( from Matrix Reloaded) riding her Ducati 999 dodging traffic as everything around looked to be moving very slow and i just dipped the bike through traffic thanks to the erogonomics of this bike which give you so much confidence to push this bike to its limits and it does all that with such an ease. So "Yes" speed and instantaneous power and good doses of torque at the flick of your wrist is always available at your command along with great riding dynamics

Commuting:
Ok so 800 + motor with 60+ horses is sure to get you going places quickly but how about daily commuting. Can you make this your daily ride?
Wouldnt you make a bull your daily office ride if it had a very powerful motor,slick gear box, loads of torque , top notch braking and brilliant handling ?
Hell YES !! and thats what the Bonny is really in character and why it will appeal to all the Bull fans IMO.Its a brilliant engine put in a brilliant chassis with well packed riding dynamics.At low speeds even in third gear there was absolutely no knocking , thing which i really liked so B2B traffic you dont have to drag your feet slugging the bike .
I havent been able to ride it on a rough terrain so will not be able to comment on the suspension but i felt it a bit stiff but i am sure that can be tweaked.

In my view this is the bike from the Triumph stable which is going to give you best of both the worlds.As i said it may not get you stares as a HD but it sure is going to bring a glee on your face too. It does Bond work for sure but unlike Pierce Brosnan its more of Daniel Craig ( Hope that sums it up to some extent )

If you are ready to spend the premium then Bonneville is worth every penny. You dont just buy a Bonnevile you have to earn it

[a4anurag]

Seeing these two bikes and the comparison report by Mobike008, Insearch, Pheonix and Indian21R

Though I haven't had a TD of these two bikes, looking at the pictures specification and overall experience I feel the Harley just doesn't stand a choice for me when I go for these bikes.

The HD is for guys who want to flaunt around the streets without much drama but the the Triumph does give a attached-to-the-road feel with no strain to the body while on the move. Let it be fast swooping corners or straight line overtaking the Bonnie is much better than the HD.

To keep things in short - who ever is in for this bikes Go for the Bonnie.

PS: No offence to HD Owners whatsoever.

Anurag.

[ebonho]

Very nice to hear all reports indicating a very responsive motor for the Bonnie. That in fact is catching out first time riders. Young wolf in old sheep's clothing.

[ranjitnair77]

Thank you for the for the fantastic initial comparison report mobike008. This makes me want to run over to the showroom and book a Bonnie right away. When, oh when will they launch it in Pune? Come on Triumph

Originally Posted by mobike008

was completely accustomed to the Bonneville and put the bike through its paces on that long winding road of Banjara Hills Road No. 12 with decent traffic.

Did you get the impression that this can be used as a daily commute in stop-go traffic? Did the bike heat up in any way or was everything manageable?

[sen2009]

This guy has an interesting review of the bonnie up.
Note - Language is inappropriate at a few places.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsKFsce5phw

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by Haroon

Personally for me, the Bonneville will be a nice second bike for my solo touring and weekend rides while my 1200GS will serve my 2-up touring needs.

Personally for me the Beemers are the ultimate thing. We cannot even compare them with the Sportster's and the Bonne's . One day it's gonna be a 1200GS or similar for me.