Triumph 865 BONNEVILLE 2014 — Specifications

Who still remembers the Triumph 865 Bonneville T100 Steve McQueen 2012, that limited edition that reignited the neo-retro fever at Triumph? Two years later, the 2014 vintage of the Bonneville doesn't play the revolution card. A few discreet, almost timid tweaks punctuate the evolution of a machine that banks on consistency rather than spectacle. New silencers, redesigned cooling fins, a slightly better-padded seat, and an all-new passenger grab rail. You'd need a magnifying glass to tell this version apart from its predecessor. Triumph knows its clientele and understands you don't mess with an icon.

The 865 cc parallel twin, with its 90 mm bore and 68 mm stroke, delivers 68 horsepower at 7,500 rpm and 67.7 Nm of torque available from 5,800 rpm. Modest figures that place the Triumph 865 Bonneville far from any sporting pretension. The switch to fuel injection in 2008, cleverly concealed behind covers mimicking carburetors, smoothed out the character of the 360-degree twin. The result is an engine of almost disconcerting smoothness, free of parasitic vibrations thanks to its oversquare dimensions. Twist the throttle and the mechanicals respond with a pleasant roundness, without ever pinning you to the backrest of a café. The five-speed gearbox can be worked with the tip of your boot, and the clutch follows suit with the same civility. Only a faint whine from the cam chain reminds you that something is spinning in there.

On the road, the 225 kg wet weight fades from memory thanks to a low 740 mm seat height and a well-placed center of gravity. The steel double-cradle frame provides reassuring stability and decent maneuverability in town. The 41 mm fork and twin rear shock absorbers do the job on smooth tarmac but reveal their limits on broken roads. The 105 mm of rear wheel travel is frankly stingy, and the seat, despite the announced improvements, remains firm on long rides. Braking, handled by a single 310 mm disc up front and a 255 mm disc at the rear, is sufficient for the cruising pace this bike naturally imposes. Nobody's going to ask it to bite the asphalt like a Street Triple.

Up against the Kawasaki W800, its most direct rival in the neo-classic segment, the Bonnie displays a similar temperament. Less characterful than the Japanese machine with its 360-degree twin versus the Kawa's 270-degree firing order, it compensates with a solid dealer network and resale values that remain flattering on the used market. At €8,490 in 2014, it positions itself as a gateway into the Triumph universe, accessible to A2 license holders with a restrictor kit. Its 16.6-liter tank allows decent range for weekend rides, without claiming grand-touring credentials.

The 2014 Bonneville won't make the track-day enthusiast chasing thrills dream, nor the globe-trotter who devours miles. It speaks to those who want a simple, elegant, easy-to-live-with motorcycle, with that extra dose of soul bestowed by sixty years of history and a silhouette that time seems reluctant to alter. A companion for leisurely rides rather than a record-breaking machine, and that is precisely what's asked of it.