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Saw this bike Today at George Whites.On first looks most would say an old Triumph Bonneville from the 60s'. For those that like retro looks this is a brand new Kawasaki W650. Impressive or what?Had a real good look over and it's so authentic 'till you see the Kawasaki nameplate.The one I rode in the 70s had drum brakes and no electric start! Any "Marlon Brandos" out there?
Here's an original Triumph Bonneville for nostalgia value!
I've got a Triumph Bonnie Hinkley 790cc with discs and electric start.
It's a great bike.
Why would anyone want to buy a Kawasaki thats made to look like a Bonnie when you can buy the real thing for the same sort of money?
Bonnie's engine is also bigger (865cc now)
Cheers
Kev
I seem to remember that Kwaka made the new engine cases for Triumph so I spose the have a simular pedigree!!!
Any way the only TRUE Bonnies came from Merridan!!!
And with a Norman Hyde big bore kit they went up to about 900cc I believe!! 8-)
Yes your're right kevin on later models but the Bonneville I rode did not have disk or Electric start! I'm refering to a 60s' model. Were you the chap with the Bonneville at Sallys' last week? I think it was a 69' tax exempt.
Love the Bonnie's, think I would prefer the real thing that the Kawasaki though. Mate of mine has a new-ish Bonnie, nice to see they havent lost any character over the years.
i like the triumph bonnie as well i know one or 2 people that own very nice looking bonnies
Mines a 2003. The only problem is the chrome is naff on the wheel rims
(Italian chrome!!!!!)
Merridan a bit like British Leyland (unreliable and badly made towards the end)
Anyway don't TRUE Peogeot's come from France ;D
Iceman - no that wasn't me last week. I may ride it over during the summer
Cheers
Kev
I like bonnies, except for the american style rear light.
how much is one of those kwakers goin to set you back then compaired to the bonnie?
Not sure now. I don't think they have them for 2008
i saw one like it yesterday at george whites might have been the same bike, sound nice when started i think classic lines are great on a bike and the newer models have got everything that people wished they had back then, i still like classic racing you cant beet the sound of an old manx norton at max chat!!!
Really like the way the market is starting to go towards classic styling, as nice as that is I think I'd still go for a bonnie just to have the triumph badge :P
If you like the Bonnie look at the 68 range of parts on the Triumph website, the Mecatwin site and the newbonneville site.
At one time the W650 used to get better reviews than the comparitive Bonnie and was less money but just never had quite the street cred. Not sure how they compare nowadays tho.
They still dont have the right badge on either side of the tank.
The new ones are 865cc and fuel injected (not that you would know as they still lokk like they have carbs)
I like mine, its a 2005 reg T100, 865cc with loud pipes and no oil leaks...LOL
That's really nice looking, seen a couple recently and they look good. BB had something like that before she trashed it!
Very nice! Shame my mate who has one neglects it abit - yours looks well looked after ;D
very jealous!
this is the Bonnie i got from Charlie's in Fishponds,Bristol.Saw it at the 1979 Bristol bike show went straight to Charlies and ordered one :)
Triumph T140D Special had it for 2 years till some b-it-ch (if i put all those words togeather it comes out as Pregnant dog LOL)in a car decide to side swipe me by going through red lights Still love the look of it and i still ride around on a parallel twin :)
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l1...ri03081902.jpg
Boating Biker. Nice Bonnie. Do yo have the air corrector kit on it?
mines a 2003 790cc (must take some pictures), air corrector, loud pipes, engine bars and a king & queen seat
Tell me more....about the air corrector mod, mime does have carbs with larger jets for the loud pipes.. Thanks
Below is a link for it at Jack Lilley's, but it can be bought through any Triumph dealer.
It gets rid of a lot of plumbing around the cylinder head by removing the air tubes next to the spark plugs, rubber pipe into the carb and the control unit under the tank. It doesn't take long to fit and also makes it easier to check the spark plugs.
Cheers
Kev
http://www.jacklilley.com/view_part....p;part_id=4130
Thanks for info, I don't have any air tubes next to plus but a couple of bolt heads as shown on your link, I had thought that these were part of the later fuel injection fitted to newer models. So it appears that they are already fitted. Many thanks for your help.