Triumph Bonneville can refer to two different British motorcycles. For other uses, see Motorcycle (disambiguation). ...

Triumph „Bonneville“ from 1962 at the Zweirad-Museum Neckarsulm

Customised Triumph Bonneville T120 Unit construction engine

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2355x1569, 694 KB) Motorbike Triumph Bonneville (1962) at the de:Deutsches Zweirad- und NSU-Museum Neckarsulm/Germany, 2006, by J. Köhler File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2355x1569, 694 KB) Motorbike Triumph Bonneville (1962) at the de:Deutsches Zweirad- und NSU-Museum Neckarsulm/Germany, 2006, by J. Köhler File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (690x1000, 1116 KB) Other versions Originally from en. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (690x1000, 1116 KB) Other versions Originally from en. ... Triumph Bonneville T120 engine Unit construction is a term used to describe motorcycle or motor car engine design where both the engine and gearbox are an integrated unit within the same casing. ...

Original

The original Triumph Bonneville was a 650 cc parallel-twin (two cylinder) motorcycle manufactured by Triumph Engineering Co Ltd and later Norton-Villiers-Triumph between 1959 and 1983. Initially it was produced as a pre-unit construction engine but later (1963), a unit construction model was made. It was named after the Bonneville Salt Flats in the state of Utah, USA, where Triumph and other motorcycle companies made attempts on the world motorcycle speed records. It was popular (particularly in its early years) for its performance, compared to other bikes available. Although later enlarged to 750 cc, in the late 1970s and early 1980s it suffered when compared to more modern and reliable Japanese motorbikes from Honda and other manufacturers. The T120 engine, both in standard configuration but especially customised for increased performance, was popular for installing in café racers, particularly Tritons but also Tribsas. Triumph Motorcycles is an English motorcycle manufacturer, originally based in Coventry. ... In 1973, the British governments attempt to rescue the motorcycle industry forced a merger of the Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) (including their subsidiary Triumph ) and Norton-Villiers in return for funds to remain in business. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... BSA motorcycle showing typical pre-unit construction engine and gearbox design. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Triumph Bonneville T120 engine Unit construction is a term used to describe motorcycle or motor car engine design where both the engine and gearbox are an integrated unit within the same casing. ... Bonneville Salt Flats The Bonneville Salt Flats are a 121 km² (47 mi²) salt flat in northwestern Utah. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article is about the Japanese motor corporation. ... the legendary AJS 7R 350 cc Boy racer A Café racer, originally pronounced caff (as in Kaff) racer, is a type of motorcycle as well as a type of motorcyclist. ... TRITON : The 1960s Dream Machine: What is a TRITON? This is how it started; The Triumph motor was probably the best performance and tuning capability in the 1960s. ... The Tribsa was a modified Cafe racer motorcycle of the 1960s-1970s, the name coming from a contraction of Triumph and BSA (the Birmingham Small Arms Company) - the two brands of motorcycle combined. ...

New Bonneville

The new Triumph Bonneville by Triumph Motorcycles Ltd was released in 2001. It has a 790 cc parallel-twin motor the same configuration as the original "Bonnie," as they are collectively known. The Bonneville engine uses a carburettor (as opposed to fuel injection), chain-type final drive, and other features consistent with the original production Bonneville. The Bonneville serves as the base from which all of Triumph's "Modern Classics" line is derived, including the T100, Thruxton, and Scrambler.

In 2006, Triumph Motorcycles Ltd. launched the "Sixty-Eight" line of Bonneville accessories. These include both vintage and modern aesthetic modifications, to include seats, seat covers, cam covers, sprocket covers, petrol tank covers, tank badges, panniers, and other items. The Sixty-Eight line provides a complete set of OEM parts that allow Bonneville owners to possess a truly distinctive and unique motorcycle with less cost than traditional customizations. As of 2007 all Bonneville motorcycles have the larger 865cc engine. This offers slightly more power than the 790 but no additional weight. Original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, is a term that refers to containment-based re-branding, namely where one company uses a component of another company within its product, or sells the product of another company under its own brand. ...

The Bonneville is held by many to be a "nostalgia" bike that serves to be a reminder of the 1960s era Bonnevilles, and is marketed towards the demographic of motorcycle riders who previously owned older-model Bonnevilles, but who also want the convenience of electric starting mechanisms, fewer oil leaks, and better fuel economy. Thus, "new" Bonnevilles have a reputation for being ridden by older motorcyclists and those who enjoy this bike's timeless appeal. This claim is, however, unsupported by any concrete data, and some have reported that in major urban settings, Bonnevilles have begun to acquire a following among the 35-and-under crowd.

Cultural references

The ’60s saw a stream of Hollywood and home-grown celebrities riding Triumphs and cementing the marque's global cult status: Steve McQueen (The Great Escape), Marlon Brando (The Wild One), Clint Eastwood, James Dean (Rebel Without a Cause) and Bob Dylan, to name a few. In England the Triumph was, and still is, infamous for its connection to the "Rocker" culture centered around the Ace cafe. Additionally, the Triumph Bonneville was cemented in its legendary status due to numerous land speed records set at the Utah salt flats beginning in the 1950s and continuing through to today. The Great Escape, written by James Clavell, W.R. Burnett, and Walter Newman (uncredited), and directed by John Sturges is a popular 1963 World War II film, based on a true story about Allied prisoners of war with a record for escaping from German prisoner-of-war camps. ... The Wild One is a 1953 outlaw biker film. ... Rebel Without a Cause is a 1955 film directed by Nicholas Ray that tells the story of a rebellious teenager who comes to a new town, meets a girl, defies his parents, and faces the local high school bullies. ...

In the 1970s the Triumph Bonneville was closely connected to the actor Henry Winkler and his role as the "Fonz" on the hit show "Happy Days". Additionally, the Triumph Bonneville is mentioned in passing in the Jethro Tull song Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! (1976): Arthur The Fonz Fonzarelli was a character in the American sitcom Happy Days (1974-1984) played by Henry Winkler. ... For other uses, see Happy Days (disambiguation). ... For the 18th-century agriculturist after whom the band was named, see Jethro Tull (agriculturist). ...

He once owned a Harley Davidson and a Triumph Bonneville.

Counted his friends in burned out spark plugs

And prays that he always will.

But he's the last of the blue blood greaser boys

All of his mates are doing time

Married with three kids up by the ring road

Sold their souls straight down the line

Another song mentioning a Bonneville is the Judas Priest song, "Machine Man" with a line: Harley-Davidson Motor Company (NYSE: HOG) is an American manufacturer of motorcycles based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. ... This article or section should include material from Spark gap A spark plug is an electrical device that fits into the cylinder head of some internal combustion engines and ignites compressed aerosol gasoline by means of an electric spark. ... For other uses of the term, see Greaser This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Judas priest (curse). ...

Licensed to kill, on my 650 Bonneville

In the 1980s the stunt man Evel Knievel chose the Triumph Bonneville for his attempt at jumping the Caesars Palace fountain. And today, the Triumph continues to thrive with the connection it maintains with many high-profile figures, such as Tom Cruise, Matthew McConaughy, Hugh Laurie, Nicholas Cage and Joseph Fiennes, choosing to ride Triumphs. Recent requests from leading motion picture and television studios to Triumph Motorcycles have resulted in key motorcycle placements within blockbusters including Mission Impossible II, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Daredevil, Tuck Everlasting, Torque, and Terminator III.

External links

• theBikeShed Classic Triumph Motorcycle Restoration 1963 - 1970
• Official Triumph corporate site
• Original Brochures, Ads, & Manuals for Bonneville
• Lots of info on the Triumph Bonneville
• Photo gallery of the 2006 Triumph Scrambler