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I have the desire to own a 'Heritage Classic
Style' motorbike. The
Triumph 1200 HT Bonneville Speedmaster Motorcycle
certainly fits that desire.
Note:
I have included some video reviews at the foot of this overview.
The idea of taking it easy (for a bit) and cruising along country lanes
to the next cafe, appeals to me - I do love a bacon roll, or two, with a
mug of tea. Perhaps a cruiser would make for a nice
change of pace with a 1960s style throaty exhaust burbling behind me, as I ride
along.
The image below is of
the stock 2021 Speedmaster
with its forward foot controls and swept back handlebars -
Its may seem strange
but in my old age, I prefer to sit on a motorcycle slightly leaning
forward with my feet mid centre, knees slightly tucked in or even
better, in sports position. The
stock Speedmaster (image above) would just not do for me, the upright seating
position in relation to the handlebars and the leg stretch to the pegs would prove
unsuitable for my back.
Recently, I visited the Edinburgh Triumph Dealer and sat on the stock
2021 Speedmaster and the stock Triumph Bobber which are virtually the
same bikes but with a few aesthetic changes on the seats, the foot
controls and the
handlebars.
The Triumph Bobber would be the ideal solution with its straight
handlebars and mid positioned pegs but I prefer the look of the Speedmaster.
I found the rear suspension on both bikes had plenty of
spring travel and should absorb most of the bumps in the road, although
the Speedmaster's rear suspension is slightly harder but that may be
because it is setup to carry a pillion passenger - one more question at
the Triumph Dealers requiring an answer. In any case, with mid foot
controls, it should be relatively easy to raise
the old bum of the seat,
should an unavoidable pothole loom into view.
Mind you, the country roads are fairly pothole free, it is in Edinburgh,
Scotland where the potholes lurk, but I steer clear
of the city, its no fun riding at 20 mph. If I have to go into town, I
take the bus or if in a hurry, a taxi.
Triumph in their wisdom offer a straight
black handlebar (above image)
with a cable kit and
mid range foot pegs/controls as options - as shown in the bike image below.
The mid foot pegs deliver a greater ground clearance with less peg
scraping on the road when cornering. Having checked out the Bobber, which has a straight black
handlebar -
I guess it is the same as offered as an option for the Speedmaster. However,
the option of smaller teardrop mirrors will not fit. Triumph also offer a fantastic top handlebar clamp in
aluminium with black ends (see image above) which would greatly
enhance the black handlebar look.
Replacing the stalky mirrors for bar end mirrors with a more subtle look
should not be a problem but they are not offered as an option with the
straight black handlebar.
I like the idea of removing the pillion seat and replacing it with a
'Rear Mudguard Finisher' which is offered in the Triumph options. The
black Finisher is
shown above and you can see it fitted to the bike in the second video
reviews below.
The 2021 model has
some nice upgrades to the traction control and power delivery for road
and rain modes. The seating is now plumped up with more foam and a
lumber support for more comfort on longer trips. The rear suspension has
been improved for travel and now comes with pre-load adjustment. The
seat height is 705mm which, for my long legs, is high enough to
avoid me looking like a spider when sitting at the traffic lights.
Cruise control is fitted as standard which is most welcome, although
heated grips are an option. These improvements should make the Speedmaster safer to ride and more comfortable for longer journeys.
There are a few comments on the internet that
mention
the rear suspension of the Speedmaster often bottoms out and jars the spine.
I never carry a pillion passenger and I am fairly
sure that tweaking the pre-load on the rear suspension will assist in
softening the ride over potholes and reduce bottoming out. However, it
is a fine balance of adjustment, as it can also make the bike twitchy in
the corners. I guess it will require an expert to setup the rear
suspension properly for the maximum comfort vs travel vs handling?
There is also a black or brown quilted seat that
offers more comfort and raises the seat height from 705mm to 712mm. It
should help to soften any pothole thumps. I have shown
the brown one but I think black would be a better match for the
black/white two tone Speedmaster?
I guess if I really liked the Speedmaster but the rear suspension
required even more comfort, then an
AirHawk
which is an air cushion, could be fitted on top of the existing seat
or the optional Triumph black quilted seat. It would also further improve the seat
height.
It
can be purchased in the UK through
Amazon -
The
AirHawk R is specifically designed for men and relieves pressure on the tail bone, the scrotum and the prostate areas of your rear -
Rear bobbins would also be a necessity along with a rear paddock stand to lift up the rear wheel in the garage. The Triumph website configuration options list is impressive, especially the side leather pannier cases as shown in the image below -
Video Reviews
Conclusions
I have
decided to pass on the Triumph Speedmaster. After researching the
internet for reviews and checking the Triumph Forum, it is obvious that
the Speedmaster's rear suspension has limited travel and can easily
bottom out on harsher roads. The reports of peoples' spines being jarred
as a result of riding the bike are too many for my liking and it reminds
me of a bad experience with a Yamaha Bobber back in 2015 which damaged
the base of my spine. Rear end discomfort 'numb bumb' is totally
different from serious spine jarring, you can overcome 'numb bum' which
usually occurs after a hour or two riding (on most bikes) by stopping
for a rest - it can take months to overcome lower spinal damage, in my
case with the Yamaha, it took a year.
I am uncomfortable with the idea that the preload can be adjusted to
provide more comfort. In the reviews, any pre-load adjustment to limit
the suspension bottoming out, seems to herald instability in the
handling, especially at higher speeds. The bike is expensive enough
without having to change the rear suspension which in most cases, I have
read, improves the handling at higher speeds but cannot overcome
bottoming out, due to the same limited suspension travel as the original
rear suspension. The idea of having to lift my rear every time I cannot
avoid a pothole has become less appealing; been there and done that with
the Yamaha and in the end a deep pothole caught me out.
It is important to remember that I am in my 70s and the damage caused by the Yamaha to my spine happened in my late 60s. Therefore, a younger man or woman will probably be okay with the Speedmaster's rear suspension.