The Triumph Bonneville - My First Bike
]When I was a little kid growing up in countries around the world, and in a English town, just a few years old, my dad took care of some motorcycles for friends of him, just for parts of the year. One was a Honda Scrambler, with the high pipes, and another was a Triumph Bonneville. That Triumph was in some ways my first motorcycle – I rode thousands of kilometers in my mind, fantasizing I was exploring the world, visiting my friends in far away places, all on that Triumph Bonneville, siting up there making motorcycle noises with my feet sticking off the saddle!Even today, when I think motorcycle, that Triumph is still the first thing I think of. I've got a soft spot for Triumphs to this day. I was just reading some information about the new Triumph Thunderbird, and that was making me think again about Triumphs, and how I need to have one.
I've ridden vintage Triumph Bonnevilles, but I haven't owned one yet. One of these days, I will. I still look at them all the time. When I was at the Tokyo motor show and believe it or not I stared for 15 minutes at the Triumph Bonneville and re-experiencing my boy-hood touring the country fantasies. Back in Bangkok it didn't take long before I was visiting the showroom of Britbike. It seems that the Triumph Bonneville is my medicine and I need it bad...
paul
Now these great British bikes are being made again and I feel a nostalgic pull making me want to ride one once more.
Must admit, however, I've grown used to the smoothness and reliability of Japanese bikes. My Norton's reliability went out the window after it had been race-tuned(not necessary really because the bog standard bike was quick enough). No doubt the new Brit bikes are every bit as reliable as their Asian counterparts.