Bonneville 2021 – Global Reveal

Hi there, I'm Matt. Thank you for joining us. And you're very welcome along to the launch of the latest generation of a true motorcycling icon with Triumph's 2021 Bonneville family. So let's get started straight away and bring on the bikes. Thank you very much, gents. So here they are. The new evolution of Triumph's legendary Bonneville lineup from the original timeless T120, T120 Black and T100 to the stylish and contemporary Custom Street Twin. The laid back Bonneville Speedmaster Cruiser and the pure custom beauty that is the Bonneville Bobber. And for 2021, these have been evolved with more performance, capability, character and style. And today we're going to talk to the Triumph team, most of whom you just saw ride the bikes in and hear all about this new generation and what makes each one so special. We'll also share a new Street Twin special edition surprise along the way. So let's get started with the motorcycle that sits at the very heart of this internationally renowned family, the Bonneville T120. And to tell us more about this latest generation, who better than Triumph's chief product officer, Steve Sargent. Steve, welcome to the studio. Yeah, thanks, Matt. Now, for me, the Bonneville story really starts with the original 60s T120. And we have a lovely looking example actually with us here in the studio today. Now, this in my mind, and I think for many people as well, played a pivotal role in motorcycle history. And it's one of those rare things, really, that we can truly call iconic. Yes, indeed. So when this was launched in 1959, it really changed the motorcycle world, not just because of its stunning looks, but also because it redefined what performance and motorcycling was all about. And the combination of its twin cylinder performance, its step change in handling and that that blend of British design with 50s Americana made the T120 an instant icon. And it played a huge part in the explosion of 1960s teenage biking culture. Now, the bike itself was, of course, named after and inspired by land speed record breaking triumphs from the home of speed, the Bonneville Salt Flats in the USA. This original Bonneville T120 became the starting point for so many of the classic motorcycle styles we see today, where fans modified these bikes to create cafe racers, cruisers, bobbers and scramblers. Now, each of those custom bike styles went on to become really iconic motorcycles in their own right. And they continue today. You know, and that all came from that original 59 Bonneville DNA. And this has become the bike of choice for famous motorcyclists across multiple generations. You know, people have used the Bonneville to race, to ride and customize, including American movie legend Steve McQueen. Now, at our R&D center in Hinkley, we've continued the Bonneville's evolution since its relaunch in 2001, always working to maintain that original essence, but also to deliver a truly modern capability and a ride to match its legendary looks. OK, so tell us about this new generation then, Steve. Well, first, as you can see, we've got two options. We've got the classic T120 and we've got the moodier T120 Black. Now, these maintain all of the Bonneville's signature features, including that timeless silhouette and style combined with Triumph's class leading quality and finish. And of course, the T120 Black brings its own unique and stylish blacked out detailing. Now, both have the same 1200cc Bonneville twin engine renowned for its torque rich power delivery and that Triumph twin sound. As with this whole family of bikes, they have this elegant exhaust design where the unbroken flowing lines of the exhaust hide the catalytic converter underneath the bike. And that's one of the lovely touches that make Triumph so clean and uncluttered to look at. Both bikes have got that high standard of modern capability. Together with all of the T120's comfortable and confidence inspiring easy ride. OK, so what's new for 2021 then? Well, with the engine, the performance has been enhanced, making it more responsive with a reduction in mass and inertia. Now, this means that the engine picks up quicker and feels much sharper. We also have cleaner and lower emissions that exceed Euro 5 requirements. And regarding the handling, this has been significantly enhanced thanks to a seven kilo weight saving. And critically, we've got all new lightweight aluminum wheel rims and engine components which have lowered the inertia. And that therefore makes the bike significantly more agile and dynamic to ride. Now, for extra stopping power, we've got new higher spec twin Brembo front brakes, which give you an improved performance and feel. And we also have higher specification technology with cruise control now fitted as standard. And we've got enhanced riding modes which now adjust the throttle map and the traction control settings. Finally, we've added more premium touches and detailing, including the instruments, which have got a new 3D dial face incorporating Bonneville branding. And on the fuel tank, we've got a new heritage inspired three bar classic chromed metal tank badge. Great stuff. Thank you, Steve. Now we're going to talk a little bit more about the origins of the Bonneville name with somebody who knows a lot about going fast and also about being the first. And that's Major Tim Peake, of course, the first British European Space Agency astronaut and Army Air Corps officer. Tim, hello. Thank you so much for joining us. It's a great pleasure to meet you, first of all. Hello, Matt. Delighted to be joining you today. Now, Tim, I know you're a keen motorcyclist and you've ridden a few triumphs in your time. What, in your view, do you think is it about the original Bonneville that led it to have such a big impact? Well, I think there were two things really about the original Bonneville that really made it stand out. And the first was its looks. I mean, it's the benchmark for what a classic motorbike should look like. Stylish, clean lines and the absolute epitome of cool. And I think if you ask any child to draw a motorbike today, it's going to look something like a Bonneville. And whilst it may not look like a superbike by today's standards, of course, it was the Bugatti Veyron of its era. And the Bonneville is a name that's synonymous with speed. And the 50s and 60s were all about pushing the absolute limits. You had a space race going on between Russia and America. And down here on Earth, there was another race that was being equally hard fought. And that was the motorcycle land speed record. And the Triumph Bonneville takes its name from the 1956 record set by a Triumph Thunderbird engine. And the streamliner refers to the fairings, which were actually manufactured from jettisoned fuel cells from jet aircraft. Of course, this was piloted by Texan legend Johnny Allen. It was called the Texas Seaguar, and the engine ran on methanol. I think if you pointed that thing skywards, it would have headed out into space. So for me, the Triumph Bonneville, it's all about classic looks and performance. And that's something that clearly lives on in today's designs. Thanks, Tim. Now, I can only imagine some of the incredible sights that you must have seen from the International Space Station. What have you got in the pipeline for the year ahead? So I've got a busy year ahead, Matt. I'm writing some children's books at the moment, which is a lot of fun and planning a 30 venue live speaking tour around the UK later this year. That's keeping me busy. And of course, I'm keeping my hand in with the space agencies and hoping to hear about a second mission to the International Space Station fairly soon. That sounds great. We'll look forward to that. Thanks a lot, Tim. Best of luck for the future. And thanks once again for joining us today. Thanks very much, Matt. It's been a pleasure joining you. OK, let's go back to Steve now to talk about the new 2021 Bonneville T100. Steve. Yeah, thanks, Matt. Let's move on now to the T100. This shares the same design, DNA and signature features of the classic Bonneville T120, but it comes with its own 900cc high torque Bonneville twin engine. Now, this incorporates a setup designed to be even lighter, more accessible and confidence inspiring to get on and ride. And for Europe, you can have the A2 license kit fitted and then you can have it removed after you've passed your test, all of which makes it a great entry point into the Bonneville family. The new generation you see here brings forward the premium quality, modern performance capability and comfort of the previous T100. And for 2021, it takes the power and the performance, the specification of equipment and the style, finish and detailing all to a higher level. OK, so what specifically has the new T100 got? OK, well, if we start with the engine, this has been evolved and updated, making it fully Euro 5 compliant with lower emissions for 2021. Better still, we've got a step up in performance with 10 PS more peak power than its predecessor, making 65 PS at 7400 RPM, which combined with its really strong mid-range torque is something that you'll really value. It's also more responsive with a reduction in inertia and a 500 RPM higher redline. And the overall ride and handling has also been enhanced. We've got a weight saving of four kilos overall and a higher level of specification, including a new Brembo front brake caliper and new cartridge forks, all of which makes this an even better first big bike, particularly if you're a new rider. And then finally, we have enhanced the looks on top of that classic style with all of the hallmarks of the original. You get some lovely new features, including a more sophisticated blacked out finish on the engine and engine covers, and also a new instrument dial face with Bonneville branding. OK, thanks, Steve. Right. Let's turn our attention now to somebody who knows plenty about customizing Triumph Bonnevilles, and that's Kevin Stanley, the founder of the Moto Chop Shop in Los Angeles. Kev, great to see you. Thank you so much for joining us. Hi, Matt. It's great to talk to you. So, Kev, why do you think we see so many customs being built from Bonnevilles? I think a lot of people choose the Bonneville for a couple of reasons. One, it's a great base to customize, ease to work on, classic look, modern technology, the reliability of the bike. It's awesome. Also, if you look back into the 60s, the Bonneville played a pretty big role in the custom bike scene. For example, you've got the Cafe Racer, the Bobber and the Scramblers out there. And what sort of a customer do you see wanting a custom Bonneville? My customers are, you know, of the younger generation. I think they like to customize their motorcycles, make them unique and individual for themselves. I think they're great people on a great bike and it just makes for a good mix. Yeah. And what are you working on now? We've got this T120 right beside me here that I've built over the past year. I've basically turned it into a modern day scrambler. We've got full suspension front and rear. We've got custom parts all over it, custom lighting, custom fenders. Actually, I also have a sissy bar on it so they can throw a pack on it to go camping if they want. We've got some off-road tires on it as well. It's really set up as a nice bike. Yeah, I love the look of that. What are your favorite bits on a custom build process? My two favorite bits are the design process and then the end result, which is the excitement when they see their bike when it's done. I think that's one of the best parts. Fantastic stuff. Thank you so much, Kevin. It's been great to talk to you. Thanks very much, Matt. So let's move on to our next new bike then in the Bonneville lineup with this, the Street Twin. And here to tell us all about it is Chief Engineer Stu Wood. Hi, Stu. Hi, Matt. Now, Stu, I'm led to believe that this is the biggest selling model in the whole family. Why do you think this is? Well, Matt, this comes down to a few things. First, you get that timeless Bonneville look, but with a more stripped back and minimal design, which gives it a really pure contemporary custom style. Secondly, with its low seat height, dedicated chassis, high equipment spec and its 900cc Bonneville twin engine, it has built a reputation for being a really easy, confidence inspiring bike to ride. With an accessory A2 license kit available as well. It's also got bags of character with its torque rich engine and that British twin sound. Another key reason for its success is just how many ways you can personalize this bike and tailor it to suit you and your style, which we'll talk about later. So overall, in my mind, this all adds up to making this a really fun bike to ride and really lovely to look at. OK, great stuff. So what's new on the Street Twin for 2021, Stu? OK, Matt, just like all the Bonnevilles we're talking about today, the engine has been evolved and updated, making it fully Euro 5 compliant with lower emissions for 2021. We also have even more premium custom style with new cast wheels that have machined spoke detailing. We have a new bench seat that's more comfortable and more stylish. A new bodywork with a new side panel and branding and a more premium metal foil tank badge. And finally, new throttle body finishers and brushed aluminium headlight brackets. OK, great. Well, thanks a lot for that, Stuart. Now I think it's time for our Street Twin surprise. And here it is, the Street Twin Gold Line, ridden in for us by Gary Devine, one of Triumph's expert gold lining craftsmen. Thank you so much, Gary. Cheers for that, top man. OK, Stuart, tell us all about this. OK, well, Matt, as you can see, this is a new limited edition, which is a unique hand-detailed gold and black paint scheme, which really showcases the gold lining skills of Triumph's expert paint shop. Now, along with the matte sapphire black scheme, you have the iconic Heritage logo. You've got those brushed knee pads, a graphite centre stripe, and of course, the hand-painted gold lining. This will also come with a certificate of authenticity and all the new Street Twins 2021 updates. Now, there are only going to be a thousand of these available worldwide. So if you want one, you're going to have to be quick off the mark. Noted. Thank you, Stuart. OK, well, I'm delighted to say we can bring Gary back in now to give us a bit of a gold lining demo. So I'm really looking forward to this, Gary. Thank you very much. A very special skill, no doubt about it. I guess there's not too many people who can do this, is there? About six of us worldwide do the job. Most of those I've trained. So you're the man then, where it all started. Where did it start for you? It started for me about 40 years ago. I worked at Triumph at Meriden. My father worked with me as well. His dad worked with him. And my great grandfather worked at the original Triumph in Coventry and Priory Street. It was one of those jobs that I looked at it and it just fascinated me. The fact that these guys at Triumph are still using paintbrushes. Yeah. While most of the rest of the biking fraternity were using stickers and tape. Yeah, I think there'll be plenty of people watching this who would be quite surprised to see. And it's a real joy to watch you in action, actually. And is it right then that all of the pinstriped Bonnevilles have a custom signature on them as well? They have. Every single Triumph motorcycle that's hand-lined gets a signature somewhere on the on the tank. So I should demonstrate for you here. Just like that. Fantastic. Brilliant. Thank you, Gary. So great to see a true craftsman at work. Thank you. Been a joy. So now let's talk to the head of brand management, Miles Perkins, about the next bike in this great lineup. And this is the Bonneville Speedmaster. Hi, Miles. How are you doing? Hi, Matt. Great, mate. Good to see you. All right. I guess this is the Bonneville Cruiser, right? That's right. In a nutshell, I'd say, yes, this brings together the Bonneville T120's classic DNA with that contemporary technology. It's a great ride and it's high quality of detailing and finishing. And it combines this with the Triumph Bobber's attitude. So it's engineering, it's innovation and that 1200cc Bonneville to an engine with its category leading torque and the unique Bobber tune. Together, this gives you a British classic custom. It's got a very distinctive laid back style. You have the swept back beach bars, the forward pegs and a great practicality and versatility that makes this brilliant for Sunday ride outs or longer journeys to up. So what are the updates then for 2021? Well, Matt, the engine has been updated and evolved, making it fully Euro 5 compliant with lower emissions. In regards to performance, this maintains the Speedmaster's strong and smooth power and torque delivery. And for 2021, this has been enhanced further by having an even more responsive throttle. And this new generation has got a better handling setup as well and is more comfortable for the rider and pillion. And this comes from a higher specification front suspension, where for 2021 we have bigger 47mm cartridge front forks that go with that lovely preload adjustable rear suspension unit. We also have a new comfort rider seat with separate lumbar support and a deep foam construction, plus as well a new comfort pillion seat with thicker foam. Now, the seat height on this bike is really low. 705mm. And with the seating option, Speedmaster's versatility is really great because you can remove the rear seat for a cleaner bobber style, single seat look as well. And then finally, with the looks adding to that really timeless overall style and impeccable finish, we now have more premium finish detailing with the new instrument setup as well. OK, great stuff. Let's take a look now then at my personal favorite. I have to say, so unique in its styling and everything about it, or certainly the back end anyway. Miles, the bobber, what's been done to this for 2021? Well, Matt, in keeping with that theme of the big step up for the new generation, the new bobber we have here brings together the premium finish and classic looks of that previous generation bobber, but adds the higher specification of the bobber black to deliver this a new model for 2021, which gives you the best of both worlds. And this has all of the signature bobber design features, including the stripped back minimal bodywork, that elegant tank, the small headlight and the classic bobber side mounted ignition, the battery box and the hard tail look. OK, so what about the updates then? Tell me about those. Well, first, we have an evolution to the Bonneville 1200 high torque engine, which comes with a bobber tune. This has got reduced inertia, meaning it's more responsive. So it picks up quicker and feels sharper off the throttle. It also has lower emissions and it's fully Euro 5 compliant. And this gives you a really memorable ride. And with the performance, we have 106 newton meters at a very low 4000 rpm and a strong peak power of 78 PS at 6100 rpm. And that also comes now with a notable lift at 5000 rpm, which you get only on this new generation. Next, we have a step up in the specification as well. And of course, therefore, the capability. So we've got a new larger 12 litre fuel tank. We have new high specification Brembo brakes, new twin front brake discs as well, and new high specification Showa forks. With the front wheel, this is now a 16 inch front wheel setup. And together, all of that gives you the bobbers precise and neutral handling. And that's made even better by that really accessible 690 mil low seat height and also really elegant and easy to manage standover as well. With the technology, this is higher specification as well, Matt. We have a new full LED headlight and signature daytime running light that comes with that and a new intuitive single button cruise control setup as well. And this comes on top of the Bobber's standard spec, which includes road and rain riding modes, ABS, switchable traction control. You have the torque assist clutch, LED rear light indicators and the number plate light. And just like the whole Bonneville range that you're looking at today, this comes with an immobiliser. Finally, with the looks, we've got that absolutely peerless authenticity. We've got all of the Bobber's engineering innovation. So we have the floating aluminium seat and also that hardtail look, which is actually a beautifully engineered swing cage. And then on top of this for 2021, new blacked out styling and detailing. So you've got new black powder coated engine covers, cam cover and the sprocket cover as well, plus the new instrument styling as well. Thanks, Miles. Now talking about the Bobber's custom style, I'm excited to introduce you to the founder of one of the best regarded and fastest growing customisers in the bike world, who's built unique Triumph Bobbers for some very famous bikers. And that's Jody Milhouse from Thornton 100 Motorcycles. Hello, Jody. Thanks for joining us today. Thanks for having me. Lovely to meet you. Now, tell us a little bit more about the concept of a Bobber and where this distinctive style of bike came from originally. OK, so the Bobbers were born in the States in the 1940s post-war boom for building hot rods to race on the road and on the track. These bikes were instantly recognisable as they were chopped or bobbed to make them super lightweight and tuned to go from nought to flat out as quick as possible. And these bikes were heavily influenced by the style and size of European bikes. So Triumph were there right from the start, which makes us a really authentic brand in the Bobber world. So why do you think the back's so big now then, Jody? What is it about these that's made them so desirable now? So when the Bobber was launched in 2016, nobody was really expecting it. It burst onto the market with its hardtail looks, its 270 degree firing order engine, the sound and basically the spec and the quality of the bike was just massively attractive to the buyers and the riders on these Bobbers. With that extremely distinctive style, that isn't easy to create. You really have to engineer that from the ground up. So you couldn't take a Bonneville and just chop it up and make it into one of these. It's really got to be engineered from the start. All right. So tell us about some of the Bobbers you've made then and who you've been making them for. So I've built just over 20 Bobbers now-ish and I absolutely love them. They're great for modifying. And we put all wide wheel kits on all of our bikes and they've been a hit with all of our customers. Any big names we should be as well? There he is, there he is. My favorite bike and one of my favorite people as well, Joe Wicks. So we all know him as the body coach. I'm doing the PE with Joe. But that was the very first wide wheel Bobber that I ever built. So that was built on a standard Bobber back in the day, which had the single disc. So it comes with a full wide wheel kit and the supercharger on there as well. Now, bikes have moved on a lot since then, but it's still one of my favorites because it was the first and it's also one of Joe's favorite bikes out of his collection of Thornton 100s too. And he rides it pretty much every weekend. The body coach and the bike coach, I like it. Cheers, Jodie. Thanks so much for joining us. Thank you. All right. So continuing on the custom theme, let's now say goodbye to the bikes that we have here in the studio. And we'll go back to Miles now to finish off our story today with some of the wonderful things that you yourself can do with the hundreds of accessories that are available for these bodies. OK, Miles, can you tell us a little bit about what's available? Hi, Matt. Yes, indeed. Overall, we have 320 accessories available, ranging from options to have more style, more performance, more comfort and more practicality with lots of luggage and security choices. These have all been engineered alongside the bikes themselves by our in-house team, and they've been tested to the same exacting standards. And they all come with our two year unlimited mileage warranty as well. And I'm pleased to say we have many of the most exciting options to show you here today and also another opportunity to hear that British twin sound. Thanks, guys. They look amazing, especially the Bobber. Can you take us through what you've done there, Miles? Sure thing. OK, so let's start with the Bonneville T120. This shows how you can set the bike up to be even more touring orientated with these wax cotton panniers. You have a touring screen and also the chrome passenger grab rail and rack. And then with the T120 Black, this shows how you can add even more to that blacked out look with a short, dark tinted screen. You've also got the quilted black bench seat, a black sump plate and more handling performance with a Fox adjustable RSU. Now on this, the Bonneville T100, this shows some of the things you can do to add more practicality, more protection and comfort. So you have the dresser bars, the comfort seat and also the center stand. And then on the Street Twin, this shows off what you can do to add more performance and more style. So you have the adjustable Fox suspension units again, but also LED indicators. You have the rear fender removal kit and this lovely little small fly screen. Now on the Speedmaster, we've got some accessories that make this an even better bike for going on bigger trips. With this, the luggage, we also have this long haul screen and also the pillion backrest. And then finally, the Bobber. Now this shows just how you can let your custom imagination run wild. So we have the high bar ape hanger kit. We've got the feet forward controls, the football kit and also the brown comfort seat. Well, it's a really exciting look for sure. How does somebody go about finding out exactly what's available to them? Well, Matt, all of the options are available on our digital configurator, which is on the Triumph website. Now, this is where you can choose your bike, select your color and then browse through the accessories, adding the ones you want to create your own custom special, which you can then save to your own garage area on the website. And then if you like it, send it over to your dealer. Well, thanks very much for that, Miles. So many great choices there. Now, to finish our showcase today, let's head to Triumph's chief commercial officer, Paul Stroud, to hear when these bikes will be in dealers. Hi, Paul. Hi, Matt. And thank you. Well, these great new Bonnevilles will be in our stores from across the world from next month onwards. And our dealers will be really happy to take test ride bookings and early customer deposits for these bikes from today. I guess this is a very important name for Triumph and for Triumph fans around the world, Paul. Matt, without question. You know, in my mind, Bonneville is the most important motorcycle name that I've ever had the pleasure of working with. You know, all of us at Triumph take the responsibility as guardians of this historic bike incredibly seriously, and we're committed to deliver on our promise to protect and maintain the essence of why the Bonneville has always been more than just a motorcycle. You know, it is without doubt that this is a real cultural icon that has featured in countless movies and has literally inspired generations across the world to become bikers. And for me, Bonneville encapsulates the essence of what a motorcycle looks like and what motorcycling represents, which is that freedom, that independence and the thrill that comes from riding out on the open road. As you know, you know, for the owners of the classic T120s, T100s, cafe racers, cruisers and bobbers that the original Bonneville essence sits at the heart of. These all go beyond being just another object that you own. They've got great character. They've got a wonderful personality and their owners genuinely love them, which is why over 86% personalize them and keep them longer than any other motorcycle. OK, so how many Bonnevilles have there been in the modern era? Since 2001, when this illustrious name rejoined the lineup, we have built an incredible 367,000 bikes in the Bonneville family for our customers all over the world. And as you've heard today, our commitment to the Bonneville owners and fans is to always drive forward the capability, the handling, the technology and the performance to always deliver a Bonneville for today's rider, for the ride that lives up to our class leading reputation for handling, for performance and for delivering that all important premium finish. And, you know, Matt, that's why we have such a high 10,000 miles or 16,000 kilometer service interval and matching two year unlimited mileage warranty reflecting that quality and that reliability in action. And, you know, for me, Bonneville is a real icon. Thank you, Paul. So there you have it. The new evolution of Triumph's legendary Bonneville lineup, a family evolved for 2021 with even more performance, capability, character and style. I'd like to thank the Triumph team, our incredible guests and everyone watching for joining us today. Let's take one last look at these beautiful bikes.