Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Is a Speedmaster considered to be a Bonneville?

Serious question here.

There is the name Bonneville in Bonneville America right.

But there is no Bonneville Speedmaster name that I can ever remember seen written by Triumph or anyone else.

Are we just out there by ourselves?

Gary

Gary, I thought the name Bonneville America was used in the 2002 year only. after that it was the America and Speedmaster.
I could be wrong but that is what I thought I heard.

mike

you are right mike, although some 03's got leftover side covers with the B.A. label but the Speedmaster has always been just that, because the B.A. came out first

I thought that all of the "Modern Classics" after Triumphs rebirth. Where billed as variations of the Bonneville.
Lines where kinda drwn after 2002.

Now I thought that the Bonneville America was to capture the heart of the american market,with its cruiser appeal and handling capability to out rivel every other cruiser in its class. They then dropped the Bonneville name then produced an classy version of the America called the Speedmaster, with subtle differences to appeal to a wider US market. both still utilising the bonneville engine except for the 270 crank

Not really 2003. More like 2002.5, ya know, leftovers...

Brit Iron Rebels will accept Bonnie riders as members, not America/Speedy riders.
When someone in the general population asks me what kind of Triumph, I just say "cruiser". Tired of explaining the difference.

I think the Hayes Service Manual has a good description in their little history of the Modern Triumph. The America and Speedmaster are considered "derivatives" of the of the Bonneville since they use the samwe basic power plant. Marketing can do as it will with names as long as the engineers know they have a good solid product and don't let the marketeers mess with it.

Well, word is that they WERE going to name the Speedmaster, "The Bonneville Canada", but cooler heads prevailed in Hinckley!

(...and the other possible choice for a time was "The Super Duper De Luxe Rocket II", but once again as I said........)

WHAT Soren!!! You think I was JOKIN'???!!!

And here I didn't even tell ya about the time John Bloor walked into the room and offered up the suggestion of "The Black Prince" to everybody, but it took one brave soul to point out to him that Vincent already held the copyright for THAT name.

(but the real deciding factor against that name was they figured they might also be sued by Will Smith if they did go ahead and use it anyway!!!)

I dunno....

All I do know is that the my insurance documents say Bonneville America for the 06...

But seriously, to me they are all of the same family.

When all the people at my work were buying and or riding Harley Davidson’s and I decided to get a bike it was I who decided to be out there by myself and bought a Triumph.
I accept all of your comments as being the final word on Bonneville or not Bonneville.

The question came to me when I decided to go back a second year (6th annual) to the Cambria California "Party at the Palms" a two day get together in August of majority (98% or so) straight Bonneville owners and riders. I was certainly welcomed at the get together dinner, party, and extensive raffle and bark off although I got there late to go on the all day ride. I will get there the day before this time so I can enjoy the ride and try to keep up with those “Real Bonneville’s”. Cambria is close to half way between north and south and on the coast to be situated for all to partake.
I guess I was just curios on how I was looked at by the, as Lonzo put it, the serious Brit Iron riders who are surely present there but not outwardly vocal of any strict distinction.
Party at the Palms is organized and put on by the non sanctioned (non RAT group) known as the NorCal Presidents (no rules - no meetings – no dues - on the third ride you’re a member – website - norcalpresidents.com). Last year they though they may have had the record for the most Bonneville’s assembled at any one function (50 + bikes).
It was a good party and a great bunch of people out to have a good time riding their Bikes.
Same reason I bought my Triumph Speedmaster - Bonneville or not.
Gary

Hey Gary! I too was there last year. And I kind'a know what you mean in regards to the "real Bonneville" thing. And trust me, I know the "thoughts" of many of the standard Bonnie/Brit Iron Rebel crowd too. Most, if not all, are very nice people who know a lot about bikes and are pretty decent riders.

But I too felt "a little out of place" among that group. There is somewhat of an undercurrent of sentiment that the concept of a Triumph "crusier" is mildly "sacrilegious" because those boys in Meriden "back when" never produced such a "animal".

Well, I can kind'a sort'a see their point alright, but what THEY don't seem to realize is that first...times change, and second...many many old Meriden Triumphs were bobbed in an american custom fashion back in the day, and as I recall(because I'm old enough to remember back then) some of those old "custom american-style Bobbers" kinda' sort'a resemble our own BAs and Speedies of today.

AND, what they seem to have forgotten(or maybe just never knew before) is that these modern Triumph "cruisers" ALSO HAVE that certain old characteristic that has defined Triumph Motorcycles for many many decades...THEY HANDLE EXTREMELY WELL.

And so, last year at that rally when I passed a few of the Brit Iron Rebels on the straightaways there around Atascadero AND THEN continued to PULL AWAY FROM THEM in the TWISTY STUFF...well, let's just say I may have surprised a few of those folks a little and juuuuuust may have made a few of them realize that even a Triumph "crusier" still has that certain something that makes it a "Triumph"!

(but I doubt it...I mean, you know how hard old misconceptions die, don't cha dude?!)

Dwight are you going this year? As I am terrible with remembering names did we get to talk last year cause I remeber seeing some Americas.
I was 17 in 1967 driving my first love a 1923 model T, T-bucket that I started building in 1965 in New Jersey.
Road my first real bike in 1967 but mostly stayed with cars
until 2005 (after the kids, all 5 where over 17). I don't think I'll ever go back (to cars).
Gary

Soren,

I thank you

I do believe there was a Triumph named as a Speedmaster or at least dubbed the Speedmaster back in the 50's or 60's by one of the first SoCal Triumph dealers.

Gary

Gary, you are absolutley right. It was a modified 1965 Bonneville T120r that was modified by a dealer in California (I cant find my notes on the dealer name) and then distributed through the Western U.S. from that dealer. The same year another dealer (on the East coast) created the Highway Trophy TR6SR and it was distributed in the Eastern U.S. from that dealer.

Soren

Personally, I always thought the Bonnie America should have been named the Laid-back SpeedTwin, but that's just me...

I always thought that based on Triumph's cruiser history that "Speed Twin" for the America or Speedmaster would have been a great name. My guess is that they chose to forgo that name because of Triumph using "Speed Triple" and "Speed Four" being modern naked sports bikes.

Soren