Buy 2011 Bonneville SE and keep the R1200R

[SDMAX]

Who has two different kinds of motorcycles. I love the vintage look of the Triumph with no vintage hassles. I won't ever part with the R1200R. I think I need another motocycle. Well, I don't need it, but when has that ever had anything to do with it. They are very different bikes and my son can ride either with me when he's out here from Baltimore. [feeble justification]. I will probably pull the trigger on this over the weekend. I am weak. I tell you I am pitiful. If you have a couple of different bikes, or enjoying better mental health, please comment.

[dav]

Great great choice mate love the retro Bonnies & all the other retros on the market. For me that would be a tough choice, it would be between the Bonnie, Guzzi v7 cafe or classic & the Kawa W800.

Anyway back to your question, i ride my R65 on most weekends through the local twisties & love the difference, totally two different worlds & always come back grinning. Mate you are gonna have a blast on your Bonnie.

btw post some pics when she's all yours

[rockbottom]

With #1 daughter getting married next month and #2 daughter having a year left in private college, this is my second motorcycle:

[mogu83]

Who has two different kinds of motorcycles. If you have a couple of different bikes, or enjoying better mental health, please comment.

That would be me. Their are so many ways to enjoy yourself on two wheels that one motorcycle could never fill the need.

My old Beemer fills the need for a vintage bike and my desire to hang over a pair of low bars with my feet tucked up under me.

My Valkyrie fills the need for a big,powerful heavy cruiser and it gets about the same use (mileage) as the R1200R.

My 125cc bikes fill a special need (MotoGiro bikes) and have taught me to slow down a little and enjoy the roses.

My 550, I always wondered what a yellow bike would be like so a few winter ago I bought a rough CB550 and built this. Not really having a 'need' or space for it I gave it to my son. It's quietly rusting away in his garage.


I got rid of the dirt bike almost a decade ago because I lacked the discipline to ride it in a safe manner and a 60 year old body doesn't bounce very well. But I keep looking at those KLR650s
Sold my BSA M20 (1942) and Guzzi SP1000 to finance the R1200R. Hardly rode the M20 but sometimes I miss the Goose.

[Tarmac]

I had a Thruxton... loved that bike. Im beginning to think that crashing it was a mistake.
Ahh well, sometimes a mans gotta do, what a mans gotta do.

[Ric]

Gezzzz.....i have seven bikes !!!!

[nylife]

Its a nice collection you have there, i would love to have more then one bike as ultimately at least to me there is no 1 perfect machine, i like them all, but at this moment in my life i can only own 1, but hey one day it will be more then one

[angellr]

Who has two different kinds of motorcycles. If you have a couple of different bikes, or enjoying better mental health, please comment.

That would be me. Their are so many ways to enjoy yourself on two wheels that one motorcycle could never fill the need.

My old Beemer fills the need for a vintage bike and my desire to hang over a pair of low bars with my feet tucked up under me.

My Valkyrie fills the need for a big,powerful heavy cruiser and it gets about the same use (mileage) as the R1200R.

My 125cc bikes fill a special need (MotoGiro bikes) and have taught me to slow down a little and enjoy the roses.

My 550, I always wondered what a yellow bike would be like so a few winter ago I bought a rough CB550 and built this. Not really having a 'need' or space for it I gave it to my son. It's quietly rusting away in his garage.


I got rid of the dirt bike almost a decade ago because I lacked the discipline to ride it in a safe manner and a 60 year old body doesn't bounce very well. But I keep looking at those KLR650s
Sold my BSA M20 (1942) and Guzzi SP1000 to finance the R1200R. Hardly rode the M20 but sometimes I miss the Goose.

Harry, what a collection!! I love the vintage BMW - did you purchase that way or did you restore? Also, that yellow Honda (550cc) has always been one of my favorites for an around town kinda bike! One more question, did you have a Moto Guzzi at one time? If so, how did you like it? Thanks.

[mogu83]

did you purchase that way or did you restore? Also, that yellow Honda (550cc) has always been one of my favorites for an around town kinda bike! One more question, did you have a Moto Guzzi at one time? If so, how did you like it? Thanks.

Yes I owned a Guzzi, put over 100K on it and enjoyed every mile (never let me down), would be on a Norge today except for the Guzzi lack of a dealer network and a dependable long term source for parts. I still ride with the Guzzi crowd and hearing all the 'little' problems with the Norge (gives the bike character -they say) I'm glad I went with the R1200R.
In mid 80's I almost planted the Goose into the front of my house (Long story) and faced riding to Laconia on a 3 1/2 (350cc)Morini. I bought the /5 as a backup, it had a new blue heavy metallic paint job, a giant dual bucket seat and a Samsonite tri bar luggage set, which must have been the ugliest set of saddlebags and top case ever bolted to a motorcycle. But the engine and drive train were in great shape. Put it back to stock, repainted it a proper black and then started to add things. The engine, front part of the frame and fenders is all that's left of the original although the charging system, ignition and carbs on the engine have been upgraded to later units. I hope SWMBO never finds out how much I have into that old bike, the 9 1/2 Gal Heinrich tank is worth well over 1K.
When I get too old to ride I'll keep one bike in the garage - the /5.

[angellr]

Thanks Harry! Love the /5 as well. BTW, your secret is safe with me.

[Rocketair]

I actually have both, on '04 Bonneville, and an '07 R12R. Can't argue with having both, but the mileage i put on is about 15:1 in favor of the R12R. I actually use the Bonneville most for riding when my wife is riding her bike as well, or when riding with people i need to consciously stay slow for. It's not a slam, it's a really fun bike to to ride slow. Hopefully you have or are able to test drive the Bonnie, as long as you have the right expectations, you will be very happy. Plus they are not that expensive, are trouble-free, and hold their value very well.

[Sander Abernathy]

I had a Thruxton... loved that bike. Im beginning to think that crashing it was a mistake.

You're just beginning to think that crashing it was a mistake? That's funny. So for some period of time you thought it was something other than a mistake?

I shouldn't make fun. Intentionally doing a wheelie caused me to crash my R1200R so I can't even claim it was a mistake. The only mistake was the one the bike made when it foolishly allowed me to swing my leg over her.

I almost got a Thruxton and then I saw one the other day that had a polished metal gas tank and some real rat/retro add-ons. That's a great looking bike.

[gibbo111]

I have just become a multi owner for the first time but I dont want anything but a shaftie so i've just bought a HP2 sport to go with my RR and i'm like a kid with his first new bicycle, cant stop admiring it, I dont think I'll ever own anything but a BMW again. Gibbo

[SDMAX]

Rocketair is right on. I'm up late last night; I'm reading the whole internet about Triumph Bonnevilles; I know the T100 has 19" tube wire wheels; I know the 17" wheels on the SE are a better deal; this morning I race down to the dealer...he's got a demo, I hop on I ride 10 mins on the demo SE...I come back.. I am completely underwhelmed and disappointed. Sucks. Bike does nothing for me. He looks at me and says: ". . .not exciting, huh?" Right.

But, parked there waiting a Triumph Street Triple. Try this he says. I hop on that, it's rocket fast, I'm in love. I need it like I need another hole in my head; it's not vintage. It does not fit into my new "stable" of bikes. I just want it. But, I don't have any time....be back I say.

Come back ...get the Street Triple super deal, 2010 with 70 miles, free farkles, and out the door pretty inexpensive. Decide against the 2011 Street Triple R with bigger brakes, better suspension and 3K more and besides it's freaking orange.

Get back on the demo for a little longer ride than five minutes...I'm excited. At minute six...the fossa, back of knee going into thigh on both legs begins to burn and it gets worse by the minute. No way to lower the pegs. Ergos are a blow out. Back to the dealer I'm done.

I've come out of the haze. I'm back to my R12. I'll dream some other dream another time; but it just wasn't right. And, I had my checkbook with me I was really there.

Thanks to all for comments; have a great weekend.

[rokinrider]

As soon as my R bike is paid for I'm going after a scrambler or thruxton!!! Been looking at both of them and it's going to drive me crazy for a while.....

[SDMAX]

Rode with my pal who has a BMW F800ST and a Bonneville SE; today he rode his Bonneville....here's a secret I found out; his has the Scrambler jell seat on it; he said it was about 260 bucks; was about an inch taller and a whole lot nicer; he also runs the clip on easy off short screen with a laminar lip because he reports he should have bought the taller screen.

Rode 150 miles behind him today on the R12. I'm back in love the the R12, no more cheating for a while. At least until the dealer down the street gets his allotment of Aprilla Shivers in...the madness may continue.

[Rocketair]

I wish Triumph would do a version of the Bonneville that was more like the Ducati sport classic line. I don't like the looks of the SC's, but it's a solid blend of performance, classic looks and components. No need for crazy performance, but enough to make it fun without overpowering the suspension. I've ridden the 2010 SE, and it's virtually identical to my '04 (obviously the new ones are fuel injected, but it doesn't feel much different) so seems about time for a significant change to the engine.

A good benchmark for me would be being able to at least match the average modern mid-level sports car (5-5.5 sec 0-60?)

Not really related, but since you brought up Aprilia, personally i'm looking forward to the V4 Tuono. That will likely replace my Speed Triple in about a year (yeah i have a lot of bikes.)

[deilenberger]

I wish Triumph would do a version of the Bonneville that was more like the Ducati sport classic line. I don't like the looks of the SC's, but it's a solid blend of performance, classic looks and components. No need for crazy performance, but enough to make it fun without overpowering the suspension. I've ridden the 2010 SE, and it's virtually identical to my '04 (obviously the new ones are fuel injected, but it doesn't feel much different) so seems about time for a significant change to the engine.

A good benchmark for me would be being able to at least match the average modern mid-level sports car (5-5.5 sec 0-60?)

SUV's do that. Ones from Porsche.. not that I'd know a bunch about that.. (Retirement gift to myself..)

[Tr250Tom]

I bought a Ducati Monster 1100 last fall. It's an engine with a seat and suspension bolted to it, about 125# lighter than the R1200R according to Motorcycle Consumer News (don't believe the published weights from the manufacturers.)

The Bonnies are nice, and I thought I wanted a Thruxton until I saw it weighed about 500#. I already have one "middleweight" twin, I wanted sonething more diverse. The Ducati is more of what I want from a "hooligan bike." It's no replacement for my R1200R, and if it was my only bike I'd hate it, but it makes me smile. And it makes the R12R seem a little...boring?

[BigEasy]

This was the stable as it existed last fall. The ZRX for a modernized taste of retro, the Z1000 for strafeing high speed stuff, The FLH for driving Miss Daisy, the R12R for just plain awesome self indulgence.




Just brought this one home a couple weeks ago. never thought a whole lot about Buells but the fire got lit over the winter. It's like a BMX bike with a turbocharged tractor motor, very much fun for what it is.




Obviously I suffer from MBS in a moderate way. I usually have 3, 5 is my high mark to date. Since I bought the R in '07 I've bought and sold 6 and I'm not entirely sure how many I've owned, mid teens to low twenty's anyway. I do know this with relative certainty, I'm not selling the R. For me, it's as close to perfect as I've found since I bought a Yamaha 750 Seca in '82. Never should have sold that one either