Eighteen months ago I picked up a new 2015 Triumph Bonneville as my "exit bike." You're familiar with the terms "entry bike" or even "re-entry bike?" Well, as we age, sport bikes, big dual-sports and heavy cruisers become more and more difficult to manage — it's yet another fact of aging that we all will eventually have to face.
Hopefully, that time is still far off in the future for me, but I've been considering the eventuality and decided to find a suitable bike that would fulfill that mission and still be fun today. I thought I'd found it in the air-cooled 865cc Triumph, but, try as I might, I couldn't seem to get the "fit" that I was after — it always felt too small for my bulk.
Still, I'm drawn to the Triumph attributes of retro looks, tractable motor and the comfortable seating of a standard-style bike. So, off to a local Triumph dealer for some test rides. I was really interested in their updated Scrambler 900 along with the 1200 Bonneville. I test rode both but wasn't really sold, especially at their premium prices. To his credit, the sales manager invited me to demo a 2018 T100. This model doesn't feature the 2019 changes to the 900 "High Torque" motor so I assumed I wouldn't care for it. It does feature the same frame and most everything else from the 1200 bike, but sporting a single-disc front brake and no electronic ride modes (I discovered on the test rides that I don't need 'em). I was pleasantly surprised when I walked away as a convert to the lighter, simpler T100. Turns out there's a good selection of my target bike, model year 2016-17. I found two new left-overs at area dealers and three slightly used for sale by private parties within a day's drive from home base. I eventually settled on a 2017 located five hours south near Bloomington, Indiana.
Hopefully, that time is still far off in the future for me, but I've been considering the eventuality and decided to find a suitable bike that would fulfill that mission and still be fun today. I thought I'd found it in the air-cooled 865cc Triumph, but, try as I might, I couldn't seem to get the "fit" that I was after — it always felt too small for my bulk.
Still, I'm drawn to the Triumph attributes of retro looks, tractable motor and the comfortable seating of a standard-style bike. So, off to a local Triumph dealer for some test rides. I was really interested in their updated Scrambler 900 along with the 1200 Bonneville. I test rode both but wasn't really sold, especially at their premium prices. To his credit, the sales manager invited me to demo a 2018 T100. This model doesn't feature the 2019 changes to the 900 "High Torque" motor so I assumed I wouldn't care for it. It does feature the same frame and most everything else from the 1200 bike, but sporting a single-disc front brake and no electronic ride modes (I discovered on the test rides that I don't need 'em). I was pleasantly surprised when I walked away as a convert to the lighter, simpler T100. Turns out there's a good selection of my target bike, model year 2016-17. I found two new left-overs at area dealers and three slightly used for sale by private parties within a day's drive from home base. I eventually settled on a 2017 located five hours south near Bloomington, Indiana.
So, early one Saturday Patti and I set off with the Kendon trailer to find seller Chris at his bucolic home tucked away in thick woods along a narrow country lane. The bike was perfect. He and his wife had bought it for her, but she lost interest due to a traffic scare after only 133 miles!
Still on factory warranty, the Bonnie sports a Triumph "comfort" seat in dark, leather-look brown with matching hand grips, an OEM luggage rack and very period-looking Burly tail pack. With paperwork exchanged, we're homeward bound.
I couldn't schedule the 500-mile service for another two weeks, but, anxious to put some miles on her, I siphoned the old gas out, changed the oil and filter, ditched the luggage rack and headed north into the Kettle Moraine in southeast Wisconsin for a 150-mile meet-n-greet ride on a perfect June morning. This is a fine motorbike. A sincerely relaxed ride, reminding me of an old BMW airhead, the soothing rumble of the torquey engine effortlessly clicking off the miles in comfort and class, sun glinting off the tank, exquisitely finished in Intense Orange over New England White.
If this is to be my exit bike, I can go contentedly into the sunset.
Still on factory warranty, the Bonnie sports a Triumph "comfort" seat in dark, leather-look brown with matching hand grips, an OEM luggage rack and very period-looking Burly tail pack. With paperwork exchanged, we're homeward bound.
I couldn't schedule the 500-mile service for another two weeks, but, anxious to put some miles on her, I siphoned the old gas out, changed the oil and filter, ditched the luggage rack and headed north into the Kettle Moraine in southeast Wisconsin for a 150-mile meet-n-greet ride on a perfect June morning. This is a fine motorbike. A sincerely relaxed ride, reminding me of an old BMW airhead, the soothing rumble of the torquey engine effortlessly clicking off the miles in comfort and class, sun glinting off the tank, exquisitely finished in Intense Orange over New England White.
If this is to be my exit bike, I can go contentedly into the sunset.
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