Hurriedly prepared for its debut at the 1958 Earls Court Show (it was too late for inclusion in the 1959 catalogue) the ‘Bonnie’ arrived at a time when young motorcycle enthusiasts wanted style as well as substance and had the money to pay for it. Finished in two-tone Tangerine/Pearl Grey with matching mudguards and black cycle parts, the bike was a real looker and the name ‘Bonneville’, chosen in honor of Johnny Allen’s record-breaking Triumph-powered streamliner at the eponymous Utah salt flats, was inspired marketing.
Although, ostensibly, the Bonneville was little more than a T110 fitted with the splayed-port cylinder head and twin carburetors, there was, of course, more to it than that. As well as the performance-enhancing top end, the Bonneville, together with the rest of Triumph’s twins, incorporated a new, stronger crankshaft assembly that development had shown was necessary to cope with the increased power. The latter now stood at 46 horsepower, an improvement of some 15 per cent over that of the contemporary single-carb T110. Works tester Percy Tait had achieved 128mph at the MIRA test track on a development bike, and even though this figure proved beyond the reach of the production version, the Bonnie was at least as fast as the opposition and much better looking.
This expertly restored, matching-numbers 1961 Triumph T120 Bonneville exudes the style and charm that has captivated enthusiasts for so long and made it an iconic and timeless motorcycle. The machine presents exceptionally well with high quality correct paint finish, replated chrome parts, powder-coated frame, and miscellaneous cycle parts and polished aluminium parts. All hardware is cadmium plated. At its heart is a Dean Collinson fully rebuilt engine, including crank grind w/new shells, bearings, seals, rod bolts, pistons and rings. Walnut shell blasted head for new valves, guides, springs, etc. New Amal 376 carburetors were installed. Dean also rebuilt the gearbox with fresh bearings and seals.
The bike rolls on new chrome rims, stainless spokes, tires and tubes, 19” at the front, 18’ at the rear. Suspension: new fork legs with new seals at the front with new shocks out the back. The bike has a new wiring loom and fully restored gauges.
The result is a bike that starts easily and runs incredibly well with smooth power and typical Triumph great handling. This is a wonderfully pleasing motorcycle to ride and own.
This sale represents a fantastic opportunity to acquire a seminal model in British motorcycling history, truly ready to ride anywhere and hold its own in any concours event.
Engine no. T120R D7801
Frame no. D7801
Location: Ventura, California
SOLD
