Features
- No-nonsense, straight foward guide to buying a Bonnie
- Detailed, step by step guide showing points to look for
- Restore, or pay more to start with?
- Spares prices
- Relative value when viewing each model
- Auction guide
- Useful contacts – clubs, parts suppliers, restorers
- Problems that arise with lack of use
- The reality of living with a Bonneville
- Invest pennies, save potentially thousands!
Description
Practical, straightforward guide to buying a secondhand Triumph
Bonneville, from the very first 1959 T120 pre-unit 650, to the
very last T140 unit 750 machines built by L F Harris. What they're
like to live with, spares availability and prices, plus point-by-point
guide to buying a Bonnie. One hundred colour photos, useful appendices
and expert advice mean this book could save you 1000's
Synopsis
There are lots of books about the Triumph Bonneville, about its
history, performance, lineage and the minutiae of its specification,
but none of them tell you what to look for when buying one secondhand.
That's what this book is about – it aims at being a straightforward,
practical guide to buying a used Bonnie. It won't list all the
correct color combinations for each year, or analyse the bike's
design philosophy, or consider its background as part of a troubled
industry – there are excellent books listed at the end of
this one which do all of that. But hopefully it will help you
avoid buying a dud. Point by point, it takes the reader through
everything that needs looking at when buying a Bonnie, plus spares
prices, which is the best model to buy for your needs, a look
at auctions, restorations and paperwork. Over 29 years in production,
the Bonneville is for some the definitive postwar British vertical
twin, perhaps even the definitive British bike of all time, with
all its strengths, weaknesses and character. Although there might
seem to be a wide range of models and special editions, all are
based around the same 649cc or 747cc vertical twin. There were
plenty of changes over the years, but none of them changed the
basic format of this classic British bike. Aside from all the
history, the Bonneville remains a tremendous classic to own, so
long as you're prepared to look after it. The last Bonnies truly
deserve the term 'practical classic.' Whichever one you choose,
it should be fast, agile and good looking, and on a twisty English
B road, there's nothing like a Bonnie. One hundred colour photos,
useful appendices and expert advice mean this book could save
you 1000s.
Additional Information
Models covered in chronological order:
1959-62 Pre-unit 650s - T120
1963-70 Unit 650s - T120
1971-74 Oil-in-frame 650s – T120, T120R, T120RV
1973-77 Early Meriden 750s - T140V
1978-1983 Late Meriden 750s – T140E, TSS, TSX
1986-88 Harris 750s–