Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Heritage vs. Retro

I need to say that I love the (what is now) "old" tank. I will hold off judgment of the new style until I see it in person, but from the pics, I almost like it.

I like that with my bike you can see it from a distance and know it is a Triumph because of the shape. It is the same way with any of the Bonnie bikes (Bonneville, Thruxton and Scrambler). However, you also know the Rocket III because of it's distinct shape.

Notice that their is nothing vintage or retro looking about the Rocket III or any of the Triumph sport bikes. They are completely modern style machines that also seem to get a ton of respect and admiration for style and performance, they definitely are not machines that are trying to look old, but are completely unique, individual and completely Triumph.

I am wondering that if maybe some market research has shown that Triumph needs to get a little bit further away from retro-vintage to stay competitive. It is one of the reasons that Victory built the Vision. They needed something that the style would attract younger buyers (as stated in the Sept. Cycle World).

I do not think that Triumph will ever get completely away from some kind of look of the past, linking current style to it's storied past, because of the Bonnie bikes.

We all do need to remember that the knee cut-outs on Triumph bikes, have not always existed. At some point in time, they were new. If computers and the internet existed back then, people just may have had the exact same conversation as we are having now.

One last point, I do not think anyone wants Triumph to have the same image as Harley, a manufacturer (with the exception of the V-Rod) that has been building the exact same motorcycle for 40 years, the colors change, the names change, but they still look the same.

Heaven forbid that people start thnking of Triumph like Ural of Royal Enfield, companied that will never, ever, not in a 100 years, get out of being just plain old.

How often do automobile companies change styles for their models? Every year. Sometimes it good, sometimes it's not so good (1964 was the best looking year for the Mercury Comet and Ford Falcon). We can live in the past or accept style changes as moving forward. After all, how many people here are still using a candle-stick crank telephone to make phone calls?

I think the whole retro thing is on its way out. I think people are getting tired of it and realizing that it isn't retro they want, it's heritage, it's a connection to the past without living in the past, but rather taking that heritage and moving towards the future.

Soren

Good post Soren!

The "classic" Speedy & America tanks are some of the most beautiful and stylish tanks in motorcycling. They have a sort of updated heritage/retro look to them that makes them very eye-catching.

The 2008 tank does not! I'm not pulling punches and I don't like it!

It's one think to update a look, it's another to go too far. The HD Rocker is one example.

Triumph could have updated LOTS of stuff on the vertical twin cruisers to modernize them. They picked the WRONG part of the bike to upgrade.
Let's hope Triumph comes to their senses before the long-awaited big cc cruiser and this isn't a harbinger of what that bike will look like.

The new tank looks like it came off a Yamaha Warrior. Exactly. In two years time the only 'retro' line of bikes Triumph will offer will be the Bonneville, Scrambler and maybe the talked about Cub.

Good one Soren. As far as cars go now, I think car companies have a contest going to see who can design the uuuuglyyyyiest car.

Dave

I looked over my Triumph a century of passion book and there were some racers in the late 40's and 50's with a similar shape and the released one to the public in the late 40's called the grand prix with a similar tank. So that tank design is in the Triumph past. With that said my first impressions are not favorable to the new tanks. As I said before I'm holding final judgment until I see the bikes in person.

I prefer the old tank, in my opinion the new tank suits the speedmaster better. but we are all Triumph customers already. I can see that the new tank would appeal to a younger generation that are upgrading from sports bikes for one reason or another and looking for a cruiser/all-rounder. These potential customers have no memory of the original tanks the old tank is styled after, and are looking for a modern cruiser.

Soren,

If a person (as in "I have a friend") adapted a certain lifestyle regarding food, garb, motorcycles, musical tastes in the late 60's - 70's and never saw a need to change - would that person be retro, time warped, consistent/reliable or an anachronism?????????

Granted, we should not be imprisoned by the past. Push button starters are cool, oil coolers are cool also

jh

I suppose it's too late to put in a bid for "old fashioned" points based igniton systems...

Oldroadie; those were the days, gap with a matchbook cover and your on your way.

I wish our bikes were like Hardley in that respect. you could put points back in an EVO or you can put a kick starter on. I wish we were able to do those things. Bad CDI buy a $7 set of points and a $75 breaker plate and adv. unit.

Once you gain marketshare, you have to diversify your products to stay competitive in this highly techno world of motorsickles. Just my opinion, but Triumph has done a 180 in their marketing since I purchased my bike in '03. They really seem to "get it" now and are making good decision after good decision. I look forward to many years of being associated to this brand.

Wow, that reads like a speech. I need a drink.

Its been my experience that if I dont like the looks at first than it usually grows on me and I find that later I like it...Therefore I will withhold judgement till later.Perhaps the new tank is desined so that the venting problem in my 07 america(rain and release the fuel cap or else)goes away.I only had it starve itself once and its no fun ..rain and no fuel!!!.Now if I get caught in the rain I know the preventive action to take.I am sure that Triumph will not admit that the change is necessitated by that problem,but if it goes away then good news and I love the new tank!!

Moe and I had a long, long look at Triumph's heritage yesterday at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum...the new tank very much reflects the lines of the 1938 Speed Twin.

lovely (drool, drool) side view above, over-tank view below, note the knee pads are not indented:

I'm with ya, Oldroadie. I know I'm nearly antique, but I love the simplicity and easy repair of the points on my old trumpets. I'll go you one better. I miss kickstarters! The feel of your good strong leg and perfect throttle alignment as you turn over the engine with a man sized kick is missed on my 02 America.

Tank doesn't look all that different- while we're complaining, I think there is too much chrome on the new Americas. I liked the grey engines with grey covers...and the green paint. But they are due to have a 1000cc crusier.
As to Harley, I think they did a nice job on the new Sportsters, though I haven't ridden one. Took them long enough to at least attempt to update that rattletrap!

I have been looking at photos of old Triumphs and you can find simular designs to the "new" tank. Now if Triumph can come with a knee pad and classic badges for the new tank I'm on board. I do how ever like the new badges

I like the new badges too.

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I miss kickstarters!

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Kickstarters. You mean that thing that you would jump on and for your pleasure it would kick back and almost burst you friggen leg. Oh yeah, i remember them.

Dont get me wrong, I love old bikes, but give me electric starts, efi, electronic ignition and all that good stuff. I like modern things and turn key motorcycles. The only maintenance i want is putting gas in the thing, and occasionally changing the oil.

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Moe and I had a long, long look at Triumph's heritage yesterday at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum

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Wow, that Speed Twin is beautiful

If you knew how to tune your bike it always started on the first kick. We used to call electric start the girly button. Now sadly I have no choice.

The newer twin cam Hardleys are much different. Tranny is connected to the engine case now , fuel injection, etc... I have a friend who rides a Night Train and the feel is much different than the older bikes too. Still slower than me though just like the pans and shovels when I was on my old Triumphs. The fore mentioned Night Train has a big bore kit and 6 speed trans with that dyno tune thing under the seat , fuel injected too and still can't catch my SM.

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The "classic" Speedy & America tanks are some of the most beautiful and stylish tanks in motorcycling.

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Pity about the instrument cluster they put on top of it.

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We used to call electric start the girly button.

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We also used to hunt our food with sticks.

It's called progress. You might want to get used to it

Soren, We met on Saturday at the breakfast... Thanks for encouraging me to check out the site. I was riding an America. Alex

Yeah!!! And I want a sprung-hub TOO!!!

(for the less well versed in Triumph history, that was the suspension-unit...and I use this term very loosely BTW...that was an option on early '50s Triumphs just before the advent of swing arms swept motorcycling into the modern age, where inside the rear hub sat a spring that supplied a whole inch and a half of travel to the beseiged rider...not to mention the quickly worn bushings that would cause the rear axle to act as the proverbial garden gate hinge...now THERE'S real "Heritage" for ya, huh?!)



Now, gettin' back to the new tank...I kind'a like it too, but I think Soren might be onto something here. Demographics change, and it seems the vast majority of "The Newer Set" aren't really that well steeped in the heritage of yore.

(BTW Soren....Chargers are NOT supposed to have 4 freakin' doors, ya know)

FYI guys, the dealer in New Hampshire told all of us that the "New Tanks" are just an option, they will not be on all the bikes.
Time will tell.

The dealer said that Triumph has been getting complaints about the short range of the america/speedy so they made a bigger tank available.

Well, call me a cynic, Pat("you're a cynic, Dwight!!!"), but I kind'a find that hard to believe.

(hey, speakin' o' which, maybe some of the newer guys would like my old "George Foreman Grill" sprocket cover instead of optioning it from Triumph, huh?!)

I thought the new tanks were the same size. If they are bigger dose any one knows the new tanks capacity?

Or whether they will fit our 'retro' bikes?

(how's that for keeping on thread?)