Bonneville America Forums Forums General Motorcycle Forums Other Bikes If the TBA/TA/SM didn't exist, which bike?

In another thread, Newt said:

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Thank God Triumph came up with the America just in the nic of time. i thought i was gonna have to settle for some jap bike or just stay with Prudence (my 72) but if i was gonna have to go jap, that is the bike i was lookin at.

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This is the time of the year that, back in '02, I really started seriously shopping for a bike. So I kinda get nostalgic about now. What Newt said got me thinking...

If Triumph hadn't made our beloved bikes, what would you have purchased instead? Or would you have not purchased anything? How many of you weren't even in the market when the TBA hit and you had to have one?

I was seriously looking at a BMW R1150R until I sat on my TBA for the first time. I also looked at the BMW 1200C and a Harley Dyna. Both were way over my budget, and while I liked the former a lot, the Harley was sooo uncomfortable.

Assuming, in this little exercise, that the standard Bonnie was available, I probably still would have went with the BMW R1150R. At the time the standard Bonnie didn't really do anything for me.

I didn't really look at any Japanese bikes because I didn't want all the inevitable grief I would have gotten from Harley guys I ride with (or at least used to). In retrospect that was silly, but still I'm glad I bought my TBA.

I really started looking around in 03 when I was planning my round USA trip.

My original plan was to hire a bike, but when I worked out the cost involved for the amount of time I wanted it, soon became clear that it would be cheaper to buy a bike.

My initial choice was gonna be something from HD because of the ease of getting it fixed( I supposed) if anything went wrong. Obviously didn't want to get a Sportster, and was surfing the net for prices etc. Stumbled across this site somehow, asked a few question, and the rest, as they say, is history!

I had the money in my pocket for a white fatboy,was going to overpay for it too, I sat down to do the paperwork and the last straw happened. A 800 charge to assemble the bike.
Look they "forgot" to tell me about the frieght charge,They "forgot" to tell me that some chrome on the bike wasnt included with the bike, I just could not take the last bout of amnisha. Went from there to buy my second choice the VTX retro, and walked into the showroom and my blue Triumph America was there, that VTX Looked pretty plain from there. This is going to be a shock I didnt know Triumph made bikes anymore. Second choice would of been the VTX follwed by the fatboy from another dealer.

Funny how the "ease of getting it fixed" is the biggest consideration for those buying a Harley than buying a bike that doesn't need fixing...

Hey John
I looked at BMW, Guzzi and Honda.

I considered H-D for about 5 seconds.
Not saying I wouldn't again though ...

I would have gone for the v-twin that is like granite after 20 years of debugging and the design that became the evolution motor. That being the Honda Shadow Sabre. A very fine bit of engineering at an affordable price. Then V-Star, then Vulcan.

BMW is in a class of their own IMHO. Fine engineering but they should fire their designers. BMW simply stated, does not break and runs forever.

All of the above are very nice bikes but have no soul. I am very happy to have bought the Triumph. Being an ex-Harley owner I must say the Shadow Sabre is a Heritage Softail with an $8,000.00 rebate and more performance.

Its all moot thanks to Mr. Bloor and a design team that stayed true to Triumph while integrating the American look.

dyna lowrider, yamaha road star or road warrior, and roadk king

Frank

I wouldn't have bought another bike. HD's and Jap bikes don't do it for me. I saw the TA online, went to the closest (and best) dealer and said "I want one of these."

No haggling, no test ride, no questions asked. I fell in love.....

A Kaw Vulcan 750, VERY ugly but low maintenance and very dependable, good handling, just ugly. Had a Sabre but it had no soul, the Kaw has personality maybe because it is so ugly.

not many bikes have as much personality as our triumphs have

Frank

hm was thinking about basic bonneville but now when I have to use it over week (my TBA is in workshop )I know that would be biggest mistake in my life was thinking abot honda shadow because shaft maybe suzi intruder sometimes had thougts abot HD but sport1200 only BUT now I'm owner of 2001 america and I'm haaaapppppyy!!!!!! and because of people from this web site I'm happier

I was determined not to get a bike that looked like all the other crusiers out there. I didnt really want to get a HD, and definitley wasn't going to get one that was pretending to be one. Here are the bikes I considered...
Triumph Trophy
Triumph Thunderbird Sport
Kawasaki Concours
Ural
Royal Enfield

Found the Speedy and that was that, after seeing it and just sitting on it, there was no other bike.

Soren

I was never interested in a HD. Actually I had been without a bike for almost 15 years. I got interested when a friend told me Triumph had been making the classic bikes again. I owned a '71 Bonnie and checked out the website. My first thought was a 05 T100 until I went to the showroom and saw the America. I drove it home. No America or SM, I probably would have bought the T100, but I'm really glad I saw the TA, otherwise I might still be looking for the right bike.

You are sooo right Bogie about the Sabre but it runs forever and has the lowest repair incidents in the industry. Its like granite but the flavor of vanilla lol. Probably why I looked at them for two years and bought my TBA after 2 minutes.

If the bike you buy is not love at first sight, you probably shouldn't buy it. After all if you don't love it, its only a vehicle. That being the case buy a car.

Well... I guess it would be one of these....

...just kiddin' !!

Well, I guess I would have gotten a Thunderbird if I hadn't been able to buy my TBA. Like Grump I had this "Love at first sight" moment and bought the bike in roaring winter w/o having a chance to a test ride. Couldn't see the reason for paying three times as much for a HD and definitely didn't want another wannabe jap machine. I will never part from my red beauty...

When I had made my mind up to get another bike, I looked pretty hard a Sportster a friend had for sale. Very low miles but an older bike. I had seen the new Triumph dealer in Sacramento in 2002 and really had that stuck in my mind. I briefly looked at Honda while in the shop getting parts for a work quad. When I went down to the Triumph shop and saw the 04 BA sitting there, Caspian Blue, and sat on it, it was for me no question. I think I would have gone with BMW of some sort if not for the BA.

Actually, I may have gone with a VW Trike instead. I've always dug this trike, but I'd probably go with a kit (this one was built from scratch):

Bonneville T100 bright red, or maybe a Thruxton.

I kept driving by this Suzuki shop in town that also had a small Triumph sign under the Suzuki sign. Must have drove by a zillion times and always wondered why they just don't take that poor Triumph sign down because they went out of business years ago. One day I decided to stop in the summer of 04. Well, I walked out with a new Bonneville and the rest is history. Since then I have bought two other Triumphs from them along with a Hayabusa.
Mad`

Well...If the Bonnie Americas or Speedmasters didn't exist I probably would have a Triumph T100 in my garage(with GAITERS...GOT to HAVE 'em...or that whole late sixties look isn't right...and I'd lose the stock exhaust system immediately)

And, I for one(evidently I'm a cult of one here) would also consider something in the HD Dyna Glide line. Now if Willie G and the boys would only put the counter-balanced Twin Cam of their's in the thing, I'd REALLY have a problem deciding whether to spend the extra cash(considerable) on the HD over the Triumph. And, hydraulic lifters=low maintenance.

Beemers have always stired my brain, however, for some reason, have never excited my heart.

Ducatis? HEART, all the way! But that Desmo valve-train's(superfluous with modern valve-spring technology) relatively short milage adjustment intervals is ridiculous.

And Japanese? With very few exceptions.....Generic!

Dwight

BMW1200C
Triumph Thunderbird (not sport)
Triumph Tiger
Suzuki V-Strom

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A Kaw Vulcan 750, VERY ugly but low maintenance and very dependable, good handling, just ugly. Had a Sabre but it had no soul, the Kaw has personality maybe because it is so ugly.

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So Bogie,
Are you saying the Kawasaki is ugly?

I have yet to find even one person who will disagree. Shame because it is a good handling, bulletproof bike with almost the power we have. But it is ugly.

All black Bonnie T100. I almost bought it but got the BA instead.

Good topic FJ and here's my story.

I had put a down payment on a 2002 Thunderbird in August of 01 with Bob up at Palm Beach Triumph and was waiting on delivery (from across the pond). Started searching the web for some pics of the TBird in that year's black and silver color scheme when I came upon what was probably one of the first picture of the America 'out there'. You remember this one, right?



Holy crap Batman!! What the HE11 was this???? This thing was gorgeous, beautiful!! I was miserable, unconsolable, and kicking myself...

Went up to Bob's about a month later (still waiting on the TBird) and there she was, sitting on the showroom floor. The most beautiful 02 Black BA EVER!!!! I started drooling all over her and Bob came over. I was whining about what a mistake I had and he said "you don't have to buy the TBird, you can have this one. We can re-do the paperwor....." I was in his office before he finished the words!!

MotoGuzzi Nevada Classic 750.

Nice bike, I sat on one at the New England Motorcycle show. Fuel injected, shaft drive, very comfortable seat, laid back riding position.

MotoGuzzi Nevada Classic

I agree also. As a matter of fact, I will go so far as to say the 750 is the only ugly Vulcan. My wife wants me to get a Vulcan Nomad 1600 as our touring bike, although it does not have her recliner/rocker like a GoldWing or Yamaha Venture. She thinks the front fender is pretty and likes the color coordinated side cases on the 1600 Nomad (i do too). But I will never sell or trade another Triumph.
My BA is here as long as I am. Then she can sell my Triumphs to finance her next honeymoon.

well in 1999 i kinda got a bug up my backside and came to the conclusion that i needed a new bike, i didnt think i wanted to buy another used bike, i needed new. so very slowly at first i started lookin at what was new on the mkt. being that i have always been a Triumph fan and beiong that i have a 72 Triumph i looked real hard at them first. i dont remember if it was the legand or the t-bird but i sat on that bike quite a few times. the local dealer wouldnt let me take it for a spin and sitting on it, it felt top heavy and so i wasnt sure. besides i thought they should have called that bike the Trident. so i looked, and looked!!! i rented a couple h.d.s and thought about the king but it seemed to big and bulky for my liken. i wanted something that handeled like a bike. fast forward 2002, i see a pic. of a T.B.A. in a fla. swapper mag and i knew i had to see this up close before i decided. i had my eye on a vulcan but still wasnt what i was lookin for. and every time i would show another bike to the wife she had something negetive to say about it. but when i showed her the pic of the T.B.A. she just said, see if you can find one and we will go look. i kept checking with the local dealer at the time but all he kept saying was he should have one comming or i just missed the one he had gotten(yea right) i seen an ad for one in Orlando, so we got in the car and went, the dealer there was an a-hole and was difficult so we came home dicoureged. then by chance a few days later i stopped at the local dealer and low and behold there she was sooooooo beeutifull, i didnt even see the red one sitting just another couple bikes down. then i strolled on over to her, looked her over top to bottom, end to end, oh wow!!! i said to the salesman, can i sit on er, he sez, why sure. so i swung a leg over the seat, and i was standing flat footed on the ground and my butt wasnt touching the seat,i'm thinkin, this is gonna be good. the handle bars seemed to be in just the right place, and then i just kinda oooozzed into the saddle. oh wow!!! the salesman grabs the forks and sez put your feet up on the pegs. Oh WOW!! OK...HOW MUCH??? he starts talkin all the crap they usually got to say and i sez, i'll be back. (gotta go get the finance directer) i get home and tell her and being that she had just got home from work also, she really didnt want to go (20mi up the road in heavy traffic) but after reminding her that they are hard to find and get, she cave's and we go up there. we walked in the door and i could see it in her eyes also. she knew we were gonna go home with this bike, we had finally found the bike we could both agree on. well she is in retail and has always been able to talk a deal, i had been thinking i had beat the guy up but when she got done with him we both felt we had gotten a deal andi rode that bike home the next day(they had to prep her) feeling like i remember feeling when i rode Prudence home in 1973, the only other times i have felt that was when i rode my very first bike home at 15, and when i rode my 47 knucklehead home. i had not even test rode this bike, but i knew it just felt right. STILL DOES!!!!

If I didn't buy a Thunderbird, I would stay close to home on my 1972 BSA Lightning.

Well, I'd probably still have my SV650, but only because I wouldn't know any better. After that...

Black Bonnie 790
Thruxton
Ducati Sport 1000 (one of the new ones, if money no object))
HD Sportster 883 (yeah yeah, I know...)

Heh. I'll happily stick with my Speedy -- I may have flings here and there, but I don't think I'll be getting rid of her for a loooong time.

--Jaeger

Newt; That story got my eyes all misty

I had money down on an 02 Duece that i kinda liked when I accidently stumbled accross my TBA on Ebay. Seeing as how I was gonna be out of town when the auction ended I sent the owner an email and asked if it didnt sell could I come and see it. Upon returning from vacation, I immediately canceled the sale on the HD (lost $50 of my $500 deposit to the friggin butthead HD dealer) and ended up buying my TBA. Smartest thing I ever did, I wasnt nearly excited about the HD as I was the TBA.

Saw the S.M. and fell for it like a ton of bricks (the wife bought it for me as an anniversary gift as it turned out.) I looked at, and am still looking at, the H.D.'s - Springer Softail Classic in particular. Never once considered a Japanese bike (dime a dozen)and the BMW's & Guzzi's do nothing for me. Great bikes but was looking for something different.

2002 is when I got back into bikes...the America had just come out around the time but couldn't justify the 4 grand difference to the Wife over the 750 Shadow...so I bought the Shadow...just had to start riding again after 18 years!
I rode it 2 seasons...in the meantime the Speedmaster came out...love at 1st sight...man o man...but couldn't budge them on price...ended up getting rid of the Shadow (which did nothing for me) & bought a BMW K11RS...good bike...thought I'll keep this for my touring bike & get a Triumph eventually... rode it for 1.5 years....killed my back & shoulders...ran friggin hot...got second degreee burns on my leg from the tank in very hot weather & that was it!...took the hit..got rid of it & bought the Speedmaster (this time got a decent deal) but was buying it regardless ...this one is a keeper...but if it didn't exist, I would have got another Harley.