The Triumph Bonneville Bobber , built on the trusted Bonneville platform but with unique details , delivers a pure motorcycling experience with a confident attitude .

When I see a bike that looks as cool as the Bobber , I think , Nice , but how does it ride ? I question whether the builder , or in this case the manufacturer , sacrificed attention to ride quality , comfort , or performance for the sake of appearance . Fortunately , Triumph took measures to ensure that function was not the sacrificial lamb of form .

Bare Necessities

The “ bobber ” style emerged in America in the 1940s . Motorcyclists stripped their rides down , threw out everything that wasn ’ t essential , and tuned motors for a more exciting zero- to- full- power experience . These bikes were the simple bare necessities of motorcycling .

Triumph ’ s attempt at a bobber- styled factory bike also involved cutting down and tuning up . Although it ’ s not a lightweight motorcycle – curb weight is 553 lb – the stripped- down look comes in the form of well- hidden cables , a solo tractor seat , and of course , bobbed fenders . Adding to the look of an old- school bobber are the battery box wrapped in a stainless- steel strap and the twin throttle bodies that look like carburetors .

The Bobber is powered by a liquid- cooled 1,200cc parallel- Twin with 4 valves per cylinder – the same engine found in Triumph ’ s popular Bonneville T120 model . In the Bobber , this engine gets a special highoutput tune and taller gearing .

Take Me Higher

My first day on the test bike would take me through the Appalachian Mountains of Georgia and North Carolina . The Bobber is easy to pick out in a parking lot as it sits with a poise of cool confidence . The solo tractor seat is the focal point , appearing to float above the hardtail- looking rear . Add in the blacked- out components , brushed-steel slash- cut dual exhaust , chunky front tire , bar- end mirrors , and fork boots , and it ’ s hard to look away .

The ergonomics of the Bobber provide a long and low riding position . The seat is adjustable fore and aft , which also changes the seat height from 27.6 inches in the forward position to 27.2 inches in the rear position . The seat is deceptively comfortable . The handlebar is a bit of a stretch for my arms , but I became accustomed to the reach after a few miles .

Extra space around the 1,200cc parallel-Twin paired with the throttle bodies disguised as carburetors add to this bike ’ s stripped-down , old-school aesthetic .

RIDERMAGAZINE . COM / FEBRUARY 2024 / 29