Do I dare post this in here? "Modern Classics" thoughts? who has em?

[MacJZA70]

I'm gonna be popping into the local triumph dealer tomorrow, full of questions about the current generation 2016+ T120 Bonneville - after finding about them existing at the start of this week, haha

I have my late fathers '71 Norton commando, I adore it to bits, and will still be keeping it, and riding it, and it has immense personal value to me, but I would like to keep it for those perfect days when the weather is right, and you have no plans to stick to, just to get out and ride and enjoy it

I also recently Obtained a Friends '01 GSX-R600, its a violently fun bike even with my chonker butt weighing it down, but right away I know for me its not a long distance bike, even if I were to try and up the comfort levels, but I dont think that was ever that bikes intention and purpose

I came to this realization earlier this week when another good friend bought himself a cruiser and is getting into riding in a big way, bikes are something we've really bonded on together recently too, he is wanting to go on big rides, full day or even multi day rides up and around the country, and wants me to join him, and I would love to do so! I figured I could just rent something appropriate, but there are no bike rental facilities down here at all

I looked at the likes of the Triumph Thruxton way back when they were first released, but was a bit underwhelmed by their engine, and sort of stopped looking, until this week, where I see after 2016 the triumph Parallel twin line got a 1200 EFI powerplant - and got a little bit excited at that extra grunt haha - and then I started thinking they would be a nice turnkey option for big long trips - I have other bikes I can crawl under and work on, repair, and modify, get my hands dirty with, but im starting to think it would be nice to have something I can just jump on anytime, be it a 2 min ride to work, or a 2 day trip up the country etc

So I am finding myself gravitating towards the T120 Bonneville, as much as I think I would like a Thruxton R or RS, I am not really built slim for one haha, and I do like the idea of the more upright ride on the Bonneville, sure its got fake looking carbs and the like, but still I think I like how they look! and if I want to tinker with actual carbs, the Amal's on the Norton always love attention!

But I seem to be biasing myself towards the triumphs in general, and I know there are other brands out there making these Modern "classics" - so im just wanting to see if anyone has anything like this currently, and their thoughts on them? Cheers!

[1/32 man]

I think you have answered your question....Triumph T120....they look good and go good. Fuel injected, liquid cooled, six speed transmission, twin front discs, ABS, ride modes....and tons of accessories to empty your wallet over.

[Laava]

Yep, they are a nice machine, do some research tho to see if they will be comfortable to tour on?
https://youtu.be/EcaprE254Y8

[F5 Dave]

No don't do it. It will be entirely inappropriate. You will not enjoy the ride at all. You need to buy a likewise cruiser else you will be forever waiting for your mate and not be able to relate to the shared experience of barely being able to navigate corners and being laughed at by children.

Find a Jacket with tassels and grow the biggest beer gut you can.

Or buy a decent bike , T120 sounds nice, and just agree to meet your mate somewhere as long as he parks around the back.

[MacJZA70]

I think you have answered your question....Triumph T120....they look good and go good. Fuel injected, liquid cooled, six speed transmission, twin front discs, ABS, ride modes....and tons of accessories to empty your wallet over.

Yeah, the factory and aftermarket items for these look to be plentiful! it really looks like any niggling issues, be they personal preferences or bike shortcomings can be rectified with some form of add on or aftermarket replacement

Yep, they are a nice machine, do some research tho to see if they will be comfortable to tour on?
https://youtu.be/EcaprE254Y8

Yeah, have been going through dozens of videos of reviews and the like on this, people seem to think its very good comfort wise, and most if not all issues you come across long ride comfort issues can be solved with alternative or other accessories, which is nice!

I had the luck to sit on an older 2015-ish Bonneville this week, and the size suits me perfectly, which is a big bonus

No don't do it. It will be entirely inappropriate. You will not enjoy the ride at all. You need to buy a likewise cruiser else you will be forever waiting for your mate and not be able to relate to the shared experience of barely being able to navigate corners and being laughed at by children.

Find a Jacket with tassels and grow the biggest beer gut you can.

Or buy a decent bike , T120 sounds nice, and just agree to meet your mate somewhere as long as he parks around the back.

Hahaha, I've got the gut, its been years of effort, but its there!

[husaberg]

Enfield has a 650GT and interceptor


and if you look hard enough you might find a 961 commando secondhand.
i am not a Norton fan but these are f-ing neat

[MacJZA70]

I've not had anything to do with the Royal Enfields, but people seem to really enjoy the new Interceptor for sure

Though I am heavily Biased towards BSA and even moreso Norton due to growing up with my dad owning one of each, I am actually in the middle of dragging his Golden Flash out of deep storage to see if I can breathe some life back into that I have a lot of love for the Norton's and BSA's, and I see there is a New generation BSA also in the works, if not already here, thats cool!

I had been told by a few people to wait a few years for what the "new new" Norton comes up with, as the 961 from a few years back, had some quality problems stemming from a perhaps not so honest upper management? I would need to dig into that myself and make my own mind up on that I suppose, but I am happy to see Norton still in the game, even under new new ownership

I am still looking back at the Bonneville, perhaps I have already made my mind up and just want to be rational, take a step back and look at others too, but still go there anyway, but I saw they make a T120 black edition that I really, really like the look of! haha

[F5 Dave]

Norton are only for the very well heeled and you'd have to be mad to buy one until the new Indian owners get the issues sorted when the relaunch.

Find a dealer and take some Triumphs out and see what ,if you like. Triumph is a value for money brand so you get a good deal for what you pay.

[Trade_nancy]

I bought a 2018 Bonneville T120....had to fit a lot of kit to try to make it work to my satisfaction - electronic doodad (Booster Plug) to cure the low speed engine surging, new progressive fork springs to resolve excessive dive at stops (linear rubbish as stock), new rear shocks (Hagon) to address the kangaroo bounces from the stock, bar-end mirrors to replace the awful rabbit-ears, small screen to take some of the wind rush off my top body (used to having a screen on bikes), de-cat kit to improve audio and response...didn't sound or run right with a cat, also removed the stock cone air intake behind the side cover - which only serves to reduce airflow. Fitted some leather saddlebags and bought a Ventura rear bracket and bag for oncoming tours. Fitted a sissy bar with bag rack to keep the wife from falling off the rear while the touring kit was not fitted.
You can't fit the sissy rack and have the rear rack as well..one or the other. The rack on the sissybar kit is too small.
Did a 3,000km tour of North Island with missus. She didn't approve. Had to trade it back to dealer on another Tiger 1200 that I came from previously. The touring was totally unpleasant. Would be closer to OK for a solo. But with pillion - horrible. Seat is bad, bumpy ride - the Hagon shocks resolved the bouncing but made the ride harsh. Another choice of rears may have given better results. The seat is not at all suitable for touring with pillion. Will be OK for solo. She kept slipping forward and banging into my back.
The bike with the mods was lovely, sounded and ran just great. I'd buy one again - but only as a solo bike with short trips with pillion. The engine mods such as booster plug, de-cat are a must though.

[F5 Dave]

Certainly be worth checking the forums to see if the fueling is better on later models. My 2022 765 Street triple for example fuels perfectly std, like I'm not daring to fit another muffler for fear of changing it. Considering I spent 100 runs on dyno I had access to on my 2011 675 after I decstted, low pipe, removed emmisions stuff and made multiple custom maps over a couple of months.


Suspension, well I think that is often built to a price but throwing a pillion on highlights std spring rates etc pretty quick. Hagon shocks are pretty primitive but cheap and fill a role. Linear springs aren't rubbish, you just need the right rate for your use. In fact most serious suspension tuners won't recommend progressive springs this side of the century.

I mean he could, for instance and with a little bias, take out a 765RS for a test and be happy with the ride as is, nothing required. But I suspect he will recoil at the aesthetic and want the classic look. That's the cool thing about bikes and what you desire. Unless of course it's a Hardley lifestyle full matching attire and aren't I a baddie? Styling exercise.

[pete376403]

Certainly be worth checking the forums to see if the fueling is better on later models. My 2022 765 Street triple for example fuels perfectly std, like I'm not daring to fit another muffler for fear of changing it. Considering I spent 100 runs on dyno I had access to on my 2011 675 after I decstted, low pipe, removed emmisions stuff and made multiple custom maps over a couple of months.

How much of a difference did all the work make in the end? I have ridden sons 675 striple and it goes pretty damn well stock (other than Akropovic)

[F5 Dave]

92hp became 96 with a good mid, the biggest benefit was the loss of weight up high. But not game changing or anything. Best thing I did on STR was suspension. Too hard at the back, too soft at the front, at least for my 90kg.

[MacJZA70]

Would there be any warranty\legality issues around a decat\replacement exhaust and a tune\Booster plug? come warrant time would there be problems?

As yes I absolutely would be looking at exhaust work at some point, tuning seems to be simple enough with them, with the booster plug, or either sending them to a dyno and getting it tuned that way, or talking to a tuning shop, telling them what you have and what you have done, and purchasing a tune from them to install yourself - the new ones apparently also get rid of the low speed throttle jerk which triumph left in there for some reason, that everyone complains about!

Apparently the 2021+ models get much better suspension and brakes to deal with that diving and general meh feeling with those areas, but also would be happy to swap something else in also, I wont be riding with a Pillion so I'm alright there - anyone that would want to ride with me has their own bike, or dislikes bikes enough they will arrange their own travel and are not a problem haha

I do like the 765RS for sure, but yeah, a large part of the appeal of the modern classic bikes to me is the look, I have access to a GSX-R600 I am fixing up, that I can do the sporty 15KRPM wheelie popping stuff with, so I am lucky in that regard

[Trade_nancy]

Would there be any warranty\legality issues around a decat\replacement exhaust and a tune\Booster plug? come warrant time would there be problems?

As yes I absolutely would be looking at exhaust work at some point, tuning seems to be simple enough with them, with the booster plug, or either sending them to a dyno and getting it tuned that way, or talking to a tuning shop, telling them what you have and what you have done, and purchasing a tune from them to install yourself - the new ones apparently also get rid of the low speed throttle jerk which triumph left in there for some reason, that everyone complains about!

Apparently the 2021+ models get much better suspension and brakes to deal with that diving and general meh feeling with those areas, but also would be happy to swap something else in also, I wont be riding with a Pillion so I'm alright there - anyone that would want to ride with me has their own bike, or dislikes bikes enough they will arrange their own travel and are not a problem haha

I do like the 765RS for sure, but yeah, a large part of the appeal of the modern classic bikes to me is the look, I have access to a GSX-R600 I am fixing up, that I can do the sporty 15KRPM wheelie popping stuff with, so I am lucky in that regard

The Booster plug installs as a plug in inside 2-3 mins. It addresses fuel mapping that sees the T120 hunting at low speed - the booster plug merely tells the system a lie regarding the temperature...so that the bike stays better fuelled. It only influences the system at low speed. The decat kit on the other hand is a bigger battle to install. 2 hours at least. It took me 4-5 hours. Both are mods that I informed my insurer about. Warranty? You have to live with that as a possibility. But a lot of buyers are doing it. I have not heard of any people having an issue with Triumph. But maybe that is the case. Check out the T120 user forums. A lot of good info there.

[husaberg]

I've not had anything to do with the Royal Enfields, but people seem to really enjoy the new Interceptor for sure

Though I am heavily Biased towards BSA and even moreso Norton due to growing up with my dad owning one of each, I am actually in the middle of dragging his Golden Flash out of deep storage to see if I can breathe some life back into that I have a lot of love for the Norton's and BSA's, and I see there is a New generation BSA also in the works, if not already here, thats cool!

I had been told by a few people to wait a few years for what the "new new" Norton comes up with, as the 961 from a few years back, had some quality problems stemming from a perhaps not so honest upper management? I would need to dig into that myself and make my own mind up on that I suppose, but I am happy to see Norton still in the game, even under new new ownership

I am still looking back at the Bonneville, perhaps I have already made my mind up and just want to be rational, take a step back and look at others too, but still go there anyway, but I saw they make a T120 black edition that I really, really like the look of! haha

Slap in a hydraulic front brake conversion and the starter motor conversion a 5 speed suzuki clutch some decent shocks and fork damping and tires and the Gold flash is a daily rider.
i have heard the same with the 961 nortons but the quality of the suspension and runing gear is first class.
every nortom other than the manx and the fastback was pig ugly, but the 961 looks are aesthetically great especially the tank which is the best version of the LYta 3 gallon i have ever seen. There is one here with a polished alloy tank, it looks and sounds and goes phenomenal.
they have a pretty decent design i think the QC was a little lacking, but they issues should be ironed out by now. From memory they had a 2 stroke crank set up.
yip originally made by fallicon in the usa. The gearbox is cassette.

Norton are only for the very well heeled and you'd have to be mad to buy one until the new Indian owners get the issues sorted when the relaunch.

i wonder what their call center will be like.