Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Advice for a late developer

Hiya. I'm a 61 year old guy who's bald as a coot, short in the leg and not exactly Mr Universe, and so I'm looking for some sound advice from those who know these things. Here goes. As a 60th birthday present to myself I decided to learn how to ride a motorbike. I took my CBT test two summers ago, and then the DAS test last summer on a Kawasaki 500. At the moment I'm riding a little Daelim Daystar 150 out here in the Far East, but when I get home to Wales in May I fancy buying myself a second-hand mid-sized cruiser, and the Truimph Bonneville America looks great. So here's the $64,000 question: can a man with all the physical disadvantages mentioned above handle the dry weight of a Bonneville, not to mention its horsepower, or is it too much to expect with one year's riding under my belt? I'm hoping to set off for the sunset before I peg it and I don't particularly want to drop the bike and get crushed to death in Tesco's car park before setting off. Let me know what you think, folks. Thanks a lot. Cheers.

Em

The America has several advantages. It is relatively light weight, it has a forgiving clutch and a low seat height. It also handles well at low speed and has a low center of gravity. On the other hand things are still good. It handles well at high speed and in the twisties. It has plenty of power to move you at 85 to 90 miles per hour with ease.

It's not a beginners bike but a relative beginner can be comfortable on it yet not outgrow it as their experience grows. If you are like a great number of us, you will find that it has everything you need, most of what you want and is the best deal in the cruiser market. I've had mine for seven years now, and while I occasionally look at other bikes with lust in my heart, I have yet to be seriously tempted.

Hi Em,
Negatives first:
The feet-forward ride position takes a bit of getting used to. (doesn't take long)
Cornering around tight bends can be quite interesting due to the rake of the forks. counterbalancing with your body on the outside of the turn cures this but is alien to how you ride normally. Practicing on quiet roads will pay dividends.

Positives:
You will love it.
It just purrs along, encouraging you to stay the legal side of the speed limits but able to 'blast a bit' when the mood takes you.
You will have to get used to 'old' guys coming up to you for a chat about how they had a Triumph in the 'war' etc.
You will build up your arm muscles with the polishing.
Fuel economy is good and you can do most of the servicing yourself.
Get one and enjoy.

Gary. ex sportbike rider but now firmly in the 'cruiser camp'

Em,
I'm a 52yo member of of this forum by accident or maybe I should say by destiny? Last September I had both my knees replaced. Prior to my surgery I was riding a dual purpose Kawasaki KLE500. Post op when I was fit enough and frustrated enough that I could no longer suppress my urges to climb back on my bike, I was disappointed that my new knees would not bend sufficiently to comfortably and safely ride my adventure bike any more so rather than give riding away, I made a conscious effort to find a forward control bike that would suit my needs. I originally went to a local bike dealer to test ride a second hand Kawasaki Vulcan but when they went to start it up it had a flat battery. Ironically sitting next to the Vulcan was a gorgeous 2006 America. It was no contest. I told them to forget about charging up the Vulcan and get me the keys to this America. That was December last year and It has been a wonderful journey on this bike ever since. I'm not the strongest in the leg department any more but this bike is very stable and presents no difficulty in handling or any other areas. The forward controls were a little strange for me at first but I couldn't think of a better way to enjoy the ergonomics of motorcycle cruising. The bike has ample power without being rediculous and the rumble of that exhaust is music to the ears. This has been the easiest bike to live with in my 35 years of motorcycling and it sure turns a lot of heads wherever it goes. Hope this information helps you reach a decision?
John Q

Some food for you thoughts....
I'm 63 and for my 60th, I got an 05 TBA. I had been looking at and lusting for an HD Wide Glide but was put off by the cost of even a 10 year old used one and it seemed that they were everywhere. Then I saw a TBA. So much for the HD's. Beautiful unique, classic lines, the sound, the size, etc. I couldn't be happier. Down side: there isn't as much aftermarket "stuff" as the HD's - Up side: There isn't as much aftermarket "stuff" as HD's to throw money at (forces you to be creative if you want something different on you bike to make it "your own".
More up-sides: easy handling, easy care and reliability, predictable throttle response (easy or "hot" - your choice.
Test ride - test ride - test ride, read the posts on this forum and magazine reviews, and make your own choice.
One last VERY IMPORTANT recommendation: get into a Motorcycle Rider Safety Course! It will be well worth it for you, now and in the future.
Good luck and have FUN!!

First of all, welcome to the site! This is the best place to get pretty much any and all answers pertaining to our bikes. If you do end up with an America or Speedmaster I just can't see you being disappointed. It is a very capable bike, but not stupid fast like a sport bike. It will cruise along all day at legal speeds yet when you want to a bit more adventure a twist of the throttle takes you there. Handling is GREAT! The seat is nice and low so no worries there.

As a 'however' you may find you have to do some tweaking to make it nice and comfortable for you. Many (including myself) have changed the seat, or added risers to the bars, or put on floorboards, etc to set the bike up to suit their own body. Other than that I agree with others here that the forward foot position takes a bit of getting used to but after that, it feels normal.

Could we get maybe a little more info on your self ? How tall are you, are you in pretty good health would /could america/speedmaster be too big for you?? Have you thought about A Honda Shadow , great bikes smaller in size and displacement could it be better for you??

In answer to your question, I'm 5' 9" and I weigh in at 12 and a 1/2 stone. I'm pretty fit for my age, and over the past 12 months I've been riding a Daelim Daystar 150 cc - which is a forward-facing low slung cruiser style bike - every day in heavy Singaporean traffic, so I'm getting more and more used to riding at slow speeds and filtering.

Dude, from what I hear, if you can master Singaporean traffic, then you should be able to ride just about anywhere on this planet AND on just about any kind and size of motorcycle TOO!!!!

A lot of these guys hate to admit they ride a beginners bike. The fact is the America or Speedmaster are the perfect beginners bike. The best thing is these bikes can grow with ya, and they are very forgiving of mistakes. Making them there again the perfect beginners bike

My 07 America was my first real bike and I had only one month of riding close to 20 years prior to getting the America.

I put Karen (my g/f) on her 07 America and all she had was her endorsment class for experience.

No issues. Im tall and heavy, shes average and well...nevermind the rest. Again, No issues.

Quote:

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can a man with all the physical disadvantages mentioned above

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So ... bald is a physical disadvantage, eh?
Cool! I can get DLA and live like a king!

"KING"?! Are you KIDDIN', Ade???!!!

In THAT case, with THAT head o' skin you've got there, you should be able to live like a friggin' EMPEROR!!!

(...that of course is IF that whole "DLA" thing over there that you're talkin' about here is pro-rated!!!)

Yeah!
I hope you were typing that in a suitably knelt position?

Do I get to do the whole schtick?

The aftermarket center stand is inexpensive and mounts in minutes. Considering the bolts holes are already on the bike it looks like it was there to begin with then taken off.

My question is not knowing anything about that part of the world!! Is service where could you get A Triumph serviced if you were not going to do it your self? Takes two weeks or longer here in the states at times to get parts how would it be over there???

My advice to you would be go for it. Maybe you should not get a black one however as they are much quicker and the sheer excelleration maybe too much for you. Especially the Speedmasters as they too are far more powerful.

Seriously though both the Speedmaster and the America make excellent beginners bikes but they are not beginners bikes. Many of the people on this site have been riding motorcycles all their lives and choose these bikes because they are cool, have soul, sound awesome, handle well, are extremely reliable, etcetera, etcetera.
Oh yeh and welcome to the site. The members on this site are mostly a friendly bunch and extremely helpful if you need anything explained, just ask. It is like a family and they have a wealth of experience.

Em:

Like you I am 5'9", but a bit over your 12.5 stone fighting weight. With a 30" inseam, I can cast my leg over the bike with ease. I can sit at a traffic light with both feet flat and pull the kickstand back easily when parked. I have also managed to pull the bike upright the two times I spilled (operator error).

I bought mine in 02, the first year they came out, and 32 thousand miles later, it is still the best bike I have ever ridden.

If you decide to get one, the members on this forum are great and will help you out with your questions. They do it for me frequently.

Ted

Oh, I'm 55 and had a hip replacement 2 years ago.

I am 5'9" also, about 205Lbs. you will want the floor boards or you will be throwing your left hip out to make the reach to the shifter, unles you get a brand new one which they fixed that problem on,

I do not concider this bike a beginner bike at all. as stated, it will lope along very confidently, but when you whant to "hit and get it" just work your gear box and rev her up. fast take offs require a good RPM and a featherd clutch.
This is a great ride!

welcome to the merry band of misfits!

I'm rather new to both this site and Triumph motorcycles, but as I read through all the responses in this thread I kept nodding my head in agreement.

I didn't learn to ride until just a few years ago and my '03 TBA is only my second bike. (Highly recommend taking the safety course, btw.) If you can test ride one, do it! I can almost guarantee you will be eager to take it home afterward.

I say get a New Speedmaster or America so when you are ready to trade up in a couple months you can take full use of the Triumph trade Up offer and your self the new Storm