Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Difference between 2007 Speedmaster And America?

Hi all,

I'm a newbie here - so firstly - hi all! - and if this place can't give me some insight then I don't know who can.

I took an America out on a test ride recently and decided this is the bike for me.

However, I'm just trying to work out the differences between the Speedmaster and America?

I know they only have one seat, but then you could have just one on the America too.

I know they have an extra disk brake too, but surely there must be more? Especially for the extra £1k asking price?

The engine specs on the Triumph website also appear to be the same too. So what am I missing?

I'm getting mine with a few mods from new, including the off road exhausts, which I'm hoping are going to make it louder than standard.

Many thanks for any comments.

JC

wheels, colors, bars, seats, gearing, and front brakes. all can be interchanged but go with the bike that does it for you more

Frank

Welcome to the forum, John.

Seat, handlebars, extra font disc brake, chrome vs. black sprocket cover and rear foot rests - that's it. The main difference is appearance (chrome and color choices) and riding position. Pick the one you like and is the most comfortable for you and don't worry about it. You'll love the bike.

welcome ,I would say buy the one that is most like what you want and change what you don't like. Many dealers will toss in some things to make the sale. Like swap seats and such. like bars are cheaper to change than all the side covers. So if you don't like the bars but want those side covers I would say get the one with the side cover you like and change the bars. (just an example) The engines are the same , the frames are the same. Wheels would be another expensive change to make.

Thanks for the quick replies! - Glad its not me being completely mad!

The irony of it is though that for some strange reason, the insurance is double the price for the America over speedmaster everywhere I get a quote, which seems mad really. However I'm still shopping around.

I think I'll definately be going for the America, just simply as my wife will be getting on the back on some occassions and it just seems like its more made for 2!

Can't wait to get my order in!! Hopefully within the next 2 weeks.

Thanks again,

JC

John, when you're getting insurance quotes, be sure and tell them it is a 2007 "Bonneville America". Even though the name has changed (Bonneville dropped), many of the companies get confused by the names and many use out of date information. Some have a price break at 800cc. The original Americas and Speedmasters were 790 where both are 865 now.

One other thing, if you are planning to ride 2-up with your wife, I guarantee she will find the new America passenger pillion much more comfortable than the Speedmaster seat.

Quite a few insurance companies don't have the speedmaster listed and confuse it with the speed triple.
Crotch rockets are way more expensive to insure than cruisers.

yes if you say Speedmaster your ins will be way high because of the Speed Triple. I called mine an America and have had no issues.

I have mentioned this to insurance companies that I represent but they really don't care. If its progressive do it as a "retro cruiser".

Isn't there a chance that when you have to collect, they will deny coverage for misinforming them on the correct model? In my experience, insurance companies' first reaction is to find a reason to deny coverage of any claim.

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yes if you say Speedmaster your ins will be way high because of the Speed Triple.

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Pure balderdash - Another member in the same vicinity has an 03 BA and I have a 04 SM and we have the same insurance company - We pay virtually the same. His being a few dollars less and that's because the price has consistantly dropped each year and he has a year on me. You'll pay according to your VIN number - Unless your agent has a hearing problem and an urge to financially rape you.

Some the companies do not have the speedmaster in the system. Progressive will not pull it via the vin. So an agent who does not know motorcycles might confuse the speedmaster with the triple. When I was putting mine on my policy I was surprised at this. I have mentioned it to my progressive company rep but its such a tiny segment of the market I don't think it will get updated.
And I have had a claim payed out. The VIN that I entered is correct after all. Trust me if you call up and get a nonriding agent lots of stuff like this happens.

As you said £ I presume you are in the UK - where abouts?

You WILL have to say it's a Bonneville America... My 06 insurance says Bonneville America... and you cannot do insurance online - the model doesn't exsist...

pipedr I was saying because some ins agents that don't know better get the 2 confused not because the SM is actually any more than the America.

As I said earlier, tell them you have a 2007 Triumph Bonneville America. When I bought my 2005 America, the Progressive agent couldn't even find it under Triumph America, but found it under Bonneville America. As long as you give them the correct year and displacement you are fine. It's the names that confuse them.

Try Motorcycle Direct. Not online though. That's where I am and they were very helpful after the crash. And upgraded my policy and changed bike with no fee...I think. (I never look in envelopes that look like bills...that's why there all direct debit now...) That and they were the cheapest one for me. And I still pay more than everyone else. Guess that's the perks of being the youngest...
I think a couple of the others over here are with them too.

JC are you going to the UK BQB LOOK AROUND THE SITE you will find USE UK

Welcome to the site, JC. I'm new here myself.

I'm not sure which insurance companies you've been using but I had no problem in them recognising my Speedie. I found the following company to be cheapest by far (obviously cheap isn't worth a thing if they're crap at paying out. I hope I never have to find out!)

ExpressInsurance

Your initial quote (above) implies that the America is £1000 less than the Speedie-are you sure your facts are correct because this would put the America in the same price-range as a Bonnie? (It may well be this price.)I paid £6200 for my Speedie; this included alarm and TOR's, both fitted.

Have a look on the Triumph website for differences (better yet, go to a showroom) and buy the one you most connect with. Wheels aside, most of the other differences are an easy (and cheapish) fix. Engines are tuned slightly different but I daresay you'd not tell the difference on the road. (Please chime in if anyone disagrees :> )

Re: off-road pipes (aka TORs)...buy them...or buy something else...DO NOT LEAVE THE STOCK PIPES ON!!!!!

I have the long slash-cut TORs and I love em.

My review


See ya around sumtime. neill

]:>

Welcome to the site, John. Just call it a Bonneville to the insurance companies. You're not being deceitful or committing fraud, if they ask which one, then modify it with America or Speedmaster. You could always move to Florida, motorcycles aren't required to have insurance as long as you wear a helmet.

As for the differences between the two:

The Speedmaster stops harder.

The America's bars sit you up nice and straight and are closer to you.

The Speedy's bars sit lower and stretch you forward, better at higher speeds.

Welcome to the site John, whatever bike you pick you will love it. I think it all boils down to your style of riding, I love my America and have personalised it to suit me, maybe not to every ones taste but I like it.

Hope to see you here on the 10th August John BAR-B-Q

Not sure if you can get ins. with my rep if you are outside PA but I pay $140 for 3 bikes per year and no winter garaging.It Aegis my rep is a friend and he searches for the lowest rate for you and does very well. He is a biker himself. Rogeof agency , Biker Dan is the guy to ask for. I would have to find the card he gave me awhile ago to get the agency name right. The one I stated is close but I know it's not quite right.

How does that add to the conversation in any way whatsoever? Are you expecting the Brits on this thread to go to you little buddy there in Pennsylvania? He|| are you expecting *anyone* to go out-of-state to some pissant little independent insurance salesman? Ridiculous.

No, I'm not ignoring your posts anymore. I think I'm back on attack mode. But unlike others, I'm not behind a fake account.

Y a know I'm not the only guy in PA on here and if he can ins. out of state then so much the better. Thats how.I have no fake acct either just this one.

What did Dan ever do to you to call him a ****** ant? I f he can save someone some money is that a bad thing? Aparnetly in your eyes it is.

Don't play innocent, jackhole.

I don't know who jackhole is but I am innocent of your baseless accusations. The accts you refer to if I am correct are on my ignore list too because I think the idea was to try and get on my nerves.

I think the purpose was to mock you. Nothing more, nothing less. I can't speak for them, but they may have hoped in vain that you would be shamed into leaving. I didn't think it would work. You're entirely too clueless to go. Some think you can be salvaged. I disagree.

But keep up the innocent act. I'm sure it will fool many of the lurkers and/or newbies.

The smart ones see the truth the stupid ones think it's an act.

Is that the best you can do? "Sticks and stones...?"

Y a know all I was trying to do was offer a good ins. agent that may ne able to help some people save some money and you attack me. I didn't attack you nor did I have any desire to. Then in another thread I make a post to try and help you so you don't put a drill on your valve to spin it and wreck your head and again you give me crap for it.The way I see it I'm not the bad guy here.

Yeah, I know. That's the saddest part.

I prefer to look at the big picture, which includes this thread, for example:

http://www.bonnevilleamerica.com/forums/...0&fpart=all

I think it's clear who the bad guy is around here.

He should not have attacked me with that "I'm a tech" crap when he didn't know. I have taken more crap than he ever did if he can't take a little and wants to go can't blame that one on me.Thats my last word on this.I'm not here to argue with you or anyone else for that matter.

Have I missed something here? If you two are just messing about, then it's not obvious. If you aren't messing about, then this really isn't the place to be slagging each other off...especially considering that this is someone's FIRST POST!!! (What message does that give?)
Whilst I agree with FJ about Dogs post (re. his insurance broker-it's not really applicable here, being as JohnC lives in the UK) I don't agree with the way he responded.

Please, for the good of the forum, keep your dislike for each other between yourselves...or start a separate thread and do it properly!!

neill

Sorry Dad, I'll be good.

Not...

I have to agree with want Neill said... and I apologise how this may come out in advance.

No insurance bod in the US is gonna touch a bike in the UK. While I'm sure the intension was good....

FJ.....you are a moderator. You are supposed to be setting a standard. Not sinking to the level of others.

And people wonder why people like Adey and others have left..... Just look above guys. That's the EXACT reason why he left.
Pack it up will you? Act like grown ups. My Guides are better than this. And they don't get left in charge of powerful motorcycles.

And John.... we are not all like this. When the Brits meet up we have a really good time.... in fact the first time I met up with them I dont't remember much of the evening, but since then I haven't mixed Guiness and Scrumpy.....

I made a mistake I didn't notice he was from the UK or I wouldn't have offered the info. The intension was good. I apologise for the uproar.

Sorry this thread got hijacked John but I have to say something.

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FJ.....you are a moderator. You are supposed to be setting a standard. Not sinking to the level of others.

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That's the problem with being a moderator and THE reason Adey left.

Moderators are just like anyone else but because you all have 'expectations' about 'how we should act', we cannot be who we are.

So what happens? We give and give and give; and take more crap than anyone should. So when one of us has had enough and says so, we are once again the villain. Was FJ a little over the top? Perhaps, but he was also right.

Rough cider..... alcoholic apple juice.