I've got 09 Bonneville America, and it was a pig to ride long distances, until I put better rear shocks on it ! Gel touring seat helped , especially for swmbo , she really appreciated the new rear suspension and loves the gel seat ! Seating comfort is a combination of all inputs !! Even handle bar reach can affect your butt , because everything is connected to something and it only takes one piece of your anatomy to be uncomfortable and it spreads !! I've replaced front suspension, risers (taller 3") rear shocks and foot boards, back rest for pillion !! Better touring seat (gel) with sheep skin cover, all improved comfort and rideability ...
"The leg bone's connected to the hip bone..............................................................."
One other thing you might want to consider is T100/T120 spoked wheels versus cast wheels on the Street Twin. Cast wheels use tubeless tires which is important (at least to me). I carry a flat tire kit and can repair a flat road-side with a tubeless tire. Can't do that with a tube type tire. That is one of the main reasons I purchased the Street Twin over the T100. I go on long rides and don't want to be stranded if can help it.
Welcome DD. I have a Street Twin with bench seat (basically a vinyl covered plank of wood) and suffer from painful rheumatoid arthritis. I toured Scotland last year for eight days, 1500 miles in the monsoon season. Some days seven hours in the saddle. The bike eats up the miles - motorways, A roads, B roads and single tracks. I imagine stock seat on a Bonnie would be a doddle.
Have just returned from a fab week in Cornwall, me and the wife on my 2014 T100 with uprated suspension, fly screen, top box, soft panniers and a 70s style replacement seat, 650 miles with no drama. The new 120 does it all a little better it seems. Recently had a test run on the 800 Tiger and the T120, the Tiger felt superior for touring......tempting but would I give it a last glance as I closed the garage door at night ........I think not, just love the retro look of the bonnie, but thats just me (quote from Peal Harbour ).
I give my Tiger 800 a last glance as I close the garage door - but it is parked next to the Bonneville
Which shocks did you go for? This is on my to-do list, I keep reading about Hagon and their various options but not fixed on what I'll get yet.
I also went with TEC shocks (black springs think they look better than chrome) and front springs, very reasonable price and good improvement, expect you could spend more for further gains.
Touring on a Bonnie in my opinion is fine at 50-60 mph through nice interesting countryside... no rush, no bother and going at your own comfortable pace. I did it with soft bags strapped to the tank, rack & back seat but always the prob of security with bags not locked or fixed to the bike when off it for eating or bit of a walk to look at a view. Unless you’ve got a big windscreen that actually works and doesn’t create buffeting I’ve learned to keep well away from major fast roads and motorways, as today’s traffic is going a lot faster than is comfortable on a Bonnie or any classic style bike with the constant wind blast on your head & body... no fun at all and very hard work... A Tiger 800 with a Madstad adjustable windscreen, panniers and top box is absolutely ideal for touring in total comfort as your speed matches the traffic on the fastest roads. You get no buffeting or wind blast and the size & weight of the bike is perfect. A very wet Lake District tour proved the value of the Tiger which I think would have been an ordeal on the Bonnie, plus all the stuff in the bags would have prob got wet through too. So not undoable on a classic .. personally I don’t think they look right with a big windscreen ... but I’d say certainly less practical. I put theTriumph long haul screen on my 865 Bonnie expecting protection but instead got buffeting and blast at anything over 40mph... waste of money and took it off. Hope of some help, cheers
Probably like most here I've ridden a variety of bikes over many years. I loved them all but there was always something about every one that made long rides uncomfortable in one way or another. Welcome to motorcycling! I could have bought a bike with all the useless screens I've fitted, only to remove them soon after. A Dart being the latest - still not learned. Funnily enough I just fitted a gel seat to me Scrambler - only cos I liked the look more (& because it was half price) - & bingo - more comfy for me & pillion, although the ironing board bench seat wasn't that bad.I'd set off anywhere on me Scrambler. The pleasure I get just walking towards her, starting her up, & snicking her into gear far outweigh any aches & pains. Änyway, after a long ride what's better than relaxing in a hot bath - with a cold beer?
I spent over five hours yesterday doing the 165 miles to my folks via back roads at mainly 40-50 mph and my '17 T100 was absolutely fine, so I agree with Cliverdee. Stay off the long boring dual carriageways, stop for a stretch every couple of hours, and a classic is fine.
Thanks, I'll order the black version I think, should look good on a T100 Black. Too much bouncing/jarring going on at times at the moment!
I'd counsel against TEC. Sure they are cheap and cheerful, but built to a price with cheap components for one of the most important upgrades is not the way to go imo. The Ikons on my Bonnie SE are marked improvement over stock. I've heard nothing but good reports about Hagon. For overall bang for buck YSS are hard to beat.
I think the Tiger is probably more comfy than the standard Bonnie. I have T120 and the standard seat, suspension are low spec and not comfortable at all. The engine is a peach however. I used to have a Trophy SE and that was very comfortable but very very heavy.
Agree. Rode my Thruxton R back from north of Glasgow to Essex in one day 454 miles in 8 hours ( an hour of that was stops for fuel etc) I was amazed at how well I felt when I got home. I thought I was going to be wrecked, not the case. Touring on a Thruxton R? No problem
Just back from 1400 miles in 5 days in Scotland on my Street Twin. No problems with 8-10 hour days in the saddle, I only stop for fuel and a bite to eat. Over 14,000 miles since March '17 with many 300+ mile days and I am one year short of the state pension!
Wow some of yous do really big miles on you're bikes ! Biggest day ever for me was just a tad under 1500 klms in a 16/17 hour days ride ! Ride started inside SA and ended in Geraldton WA and the roads (especially country roads) are crap compared to UK & Europe !!! That was back in good old 1984 on my near new Laverda RGS 1000 ! Now riding a 08/09 America with Too many modifications to list done several 1000 KLM days and loads of 600+ klms days so in miles that's just under 1,000 for my biggest ever and 400 mile days aren't uncommon ! I've had had six bikes with more than 70,000 on the odometer , all mine (klms done) two of which topped 100,000 ! Current bike now verging on 110,000 (America) and 94 Trident 161,000 , My Experience anything you ride is Uncomfortable after too many Mile's it just varies person to person and bike for bike .... ?