36 amcn.com.au
in or corner speed, though you
must tug fractionally harder on
the handlebar to make the Black
change direction quickly.
This improbably good
handling may be thanks to
Avon’s bun-sized front tyre
because, unlike the identical-
sized front Continental on the
Moto Guzzi V7 Bobber, this still
gives good feedback, whereas on
the Italian bike it’s impossible to
tell what the front tyre is doing.
The similar-looking front
Cobra on the Black, coupled
with the good settings of the
Showa fork, gives you enough
confi dence in the Triumph’s
front-end grip to really go for
it on sweeping bends. This is
no, er, triumph of style over
substance, but a well-engineered
package where function for once
follows form. However, while the
Avons deliver relaxed, confi dent
steering as well as excellent
grip, you must just accept the
restrictions placed on the Black’s
turn speed by the fact that you’ll
ground out its fl ip-up footrests
at fairly minimal lean angles
when exploiting its intuitive
handling, which is equal to a lot
of sportbikes.
The T120 motor has reserves
of performance, even if at heart
it’s a fl exible friend; it’s spinning
at just 2500rpm at 100km/h in
top gear, while 4200rpm gives
160km/h. As well as a smooth,
linear power delivery with zero
vibration at any revs thanks to
its twin balance shafts, this bikeis ridiculously forgiving and easy
to ride, now that the extra front
disc has been added.
Downhill panic stops for
second-gear hairpins no longer
require you to stand on the front
discs to haul the Black to a halt,
although you’re still aided by
some engine braking, retained
in the settings of the torque-
assist slipper clutch. ABS is of
course standard.Range
The clutch has a light lever
action that makes riding in town
and/or traffi c quite untiring;
your left hand won’t cramp up
in the urban use most bobberisti
will put their steed to.
The 9.1-litre fuel tank unique
to the Bobber duo reduces range
to little more than 160km before
lighting up the fuel warning
lamp on the good-looking, veryreadable single round clock.
This has an analogue speedo
dial with a digital panel you
scroll through via the I-button
on the left ’bar, accessing
the gear position indicator,
revcounter, odometer with
twin trips, fuel level, range to
empty, average and current
fuel consumption, a clock,
service indicator, riding mode
and traction control settings.
There’s no ambient temperature
reading, though, which would
have been nice.
Standard on the Black is a new
fi ve-inch LED round headlight
complete with a distinctive
daytime running light. The
indicators and rear light are also
now LED.
There’s also a huge range
of more than 150 accessories
available from the dedicated
aftermarket catalogue,
developed just for these models,
so you can get the Bobber Black
exactly how you’d like it. One
option offered for the fi rst time
is an ape-hanger handlebar kit
complete with forward footrests
and longer control leads. There’s
no excuse for any Bobber to look
exactly like the next – even if
they are all black.
You can be sure Triumph
executives are deciding what
to build next on this new
Custom platform for the
Bonneville motor, incorporating
its all-new frame and dedicated
engine tune.
Street Tracker, anyone?retrospin
There’s no
excuse for
any Bobber
to look
exactly
like the
next – even
if they are
all black
Triumph Bonneville Bobber BlackBobber Blbb Bll kkkspecs
ENGINE
Configuration Parallel twin
Cylinder head SOHC,
four valves per cylinder
Capacity 1197cc
Bore/stroke 97.6 x 80mm
Compression ratio 10.0: 1
Cooling Liquid
Fueling Multipoint sequential EFI,
2 x 44mm Keihin throttle bodies
Power 57kW @ 6100rpm (claimed)
Torque 106Nm @ 4000rpm (claimed)
TRANSMISSION
Type Six-speed
Clutch Wet, torque assist, slipper
Final drive Chain
CHASSIS
Frame material Steel
Frame layout Tubular cradle
Rake 25.8 ̊
Trail 87.9mm
SUSPENSION
Front: 47mm Showa cartridge fork,
90mm travel
Rear: KYB linkage-driven monoshock,
adjustable preload, 77mm travel
WHEELS/TYRES
Wheels 32-spoke
Front: 16 x 2.5in Rear: 16 x 3.5in
Tyres Avon Cobra AV71
Front: 130/90 B16
Rear: 150/80 R16
BRAKES
Brembo, ABS
Front: Twin 310mm discs,
twin-piston calipers
Rear: Single 255mm disc,
two-piston caliper
DIMENSIONS
Weight 237.5kg (kerb, claimed)
Seat height 690mm
Width 760mm
Height 1025mm
Wheelbase 1510mm
Fuel capacity 9.0L
PERFORMANCE
Fuel consumption 4.1L/100km
(claimed)
Top speed Not Given
CONTACT & SALE INFO
Tes tbike Triumph UK
Contact triumphmotorcycles.com.au
Colour options Black or matte black
Warranty Two years, unlimited km
Price $19,500 (plus on-road costs)
Availability Now