Welcome the site Jack,
A little biased here, but in the grand scheme, these Triumphs make pretty good all around bikes. You can easily check the various specifications yourself, but a main difference between the standard Bonneville and BA/Speedmaster is rider position, as the latter are bit longer, front footpegs set in a forward cruiser position and the neck is raked out a bit. The standard Bonnie is more upright, with pegs set underneath the rider. Some of the children on this site call them "geezer bikes". But they ride them also, so I guess that makes them "pre-geezer" bikes as well
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In my opinion, the vertical twin Triumphs are a forgiving motorcycle. They have suitable power, don't weigh a ton, handle predictably and are kind of fun in the twisties. Many people here who ride them have ridden a lot, and for many more it's their first bike. Being a narrow-minded sort, the 750 Bonneville was my first bike 30 years ago, and the 02 790 my second.
Eastern WA? There's a dealer over in Wenatchee and one in Missoula. There's a couple of us relegated to this wintery, soggy, forgotten corner of the US. Every once in awhile a used one turns up, but they are relatively rare in these parts. You're right, they talk to you. And if the bike doesn't, every Tom, Dick and Betty you see at a gas station will
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Most people here, way smarter than me have owned/ridden many makes and models, they'll chime in with their 02¢ and advice.
Ride Safe!
JH
