Hello all! I am considering getting a motorbike for my commute to work, I am drawn to retro/classic style bikes and quite like the Bonneville T100. Would a bike like this be suitable for a first time rider? Thank you in advance!
Don't buy a Triumph mate trust me nothing but problems. Stick with Honda,Suzuki,Yamaha ,Kawasaki. And if you can not service your bike yourself you do not want to pay the rip off Triumph service prices, and trust me they are day light robbery prices. The Shops look good and they will love a new biker tell you all sorts of crap.And if you are going to ride it in all weathers you really do not want a triumph.For your first bike get a good cheap bike and see how it gos. do not spend silly money on a Triumph. You can get a very good bike for between £2000 to £3000 if riding it over winter cover it in ACF50 to look after it and off you go.
well the truth is the truth . Would you buy a nice over priced Triumph to ride in winter. Summer maybe. and am i not right about Triumph dealers service pricing come to think of it anything you buy from Triumph.
Hi & Welcome to the Forum Mate Wouldn't be buying a Triumph retro for a winter long commute in mind, with all that (poor quality) chrome, they don't like wet, add salt & it will really take it's toll. There are plenty of other bikes that will fit the bill, just be careful about the finish on the shiny bits.
You are correct about the finish on the retro Triumph range, there have been enough threads on here, the wheel rims especially coming in for a lot of complaints. But as far as main dealers go, no matter what the make, they are all very expensive places to get your bike serviced, I have always done my own once out of warranty. But the Triumph dealer I have used in the past, Three Cross in Verwood, Dorset have always been very good, if a little expensive.
Do you have a bike licence? if not you could be restricted to A2 bikes or over 24 direct access, but that may be taking things a bit far if you have never ridden a medium/large bike before? If this is for commute I would be looking at a Honda NC700/750 either manual or automatic.
Welcome in and good luck finding your new bike but drop the postcode or you may find someone taking a unhealthy liking to it.
Mods, is it feasible to have some kind of message on the home page for potential new members to avoid putting their postcode when joining, it seems to be happening quite a lot recently. I have seen a similar message on another forum ( not as good as this one).
Hi Dr Tam, welcome! Looks like your in beautiful Perthshire just a few miles up the road from myself, have a little look on Morven Motorcycles website (Kincardine) he normally has good range of used bikes at pretty good prices, and he's a decent guy who i am sure would advise you accordingly, he does quite a turnover of bikes and there always seems to be new stuff coming in, worth a look I would think.
Welcome aboard. To my mind the advice so far is pretty unhelpful given none of us know your relative inexperience, if you intend all weather use and distances, access to a car etc., new v.second hand....and so on. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with a T100 (I have an 865) but they do need more cosmetic care than a powder coated workhorse. Anything chromed does not like wet, salty roads day in, day out. Care to outline your requirements in slightly greater detail and your proficiency level?
Hi and welcome along . If your intending to ride all year around have a look at the street twin nearly the t100 but with out all the bling and if you clean it often cover it with acf50 you won’t have any issues. I have one and has been used every day since I have had it a couple of years ago no sign of rust or corrosion. Yes the servicing can be expensive but then most dealers are these days. There are always local people to you who I’m sure would be more than willing to help you if you needed it with services.
I ride my T120 to commute few days a week and I am fairly happy with it. I was considering a T100 before I got the T120. Whether the T100 would be suitable for you depends on a lot of factors which are not clear in your first post. Even if everyone urges you to get one, it may not actually work out for you and on the contrary, despite any flaws, you may be very happy with it. I am sure if you go on HD, Suzuki, Yamaha or Kawa forums, you will come across a few or many advising against their brands. The bike is only as good as the biker. So assess your skills and capabilities, test ride various bikes and see which one strikes the chord for you, physically, mentally and financially. You can always come back and run your choices or concerns on here and most would be willing to lend a hand. There are a few things you need to consider when buying a bike: Your experience Budget Purpose Distance and weather you are most likely to travel more in Your own bike maintenance skills Dealer network especially near you Good luck!