User Review of Bonneville T120 [2019-2020] by Arijit Rout

There are quite a few forces at work here trying to tug a prospect in their respective directions. There’s brand, origin, genre, technology and character. One must make a choice between air-cooling versus liquid-cooling; simplicity vs electronics; cruiser vs street; American vs British; Harley-Davidson vs Triumph. With Rs 10-11 lakh to spare and an eye firmly trained at the 1200cc-twin layout, one must choose between the Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom and the Triumph Bonneville T120. It isn’t an easy choice to make, unless, like us, you decide to go for the better product. And to find out which of the two is the better motorcycle, we headed to our favourite road; only the rain gods decided to play havoc. But, we soldiered on…

In the world of retro motorcycles, Triumph has a stronghold, thanks to its iconic brand – Bonneville. Since its inception, the Bonneville hasn’t changed much design-wise but mechanically it has.  And that’s what makes this bike special. It has managed to contain its character, feel and its fan following. The Bonneville T120 in its latest avatar, still manages to be the same old retro motorcycle outside, but inside, it is the one of the most advanced premium bikes to be ever sold in India. And thanks to this, the Bonneville T120 isn’t the most affordable Triumph bike in India anymore. The Street Twin has taken this mantle.

The Triumph Bonneville has been the perfect exemplification of the term ‘modern classic’ for over a decade. The 2016 Bonneville T120 has been built on a new liquid-cooled platform specifically developed for the modern classic line-up, and is a major step up from its predecessor rather than a superficial update. A tribute to the Triumph Bonnevilles of late 1960s, the 2016 model offers an ideal blend of nostalgia and performance to keep the enthusiasts happy.