Dear NBR

neuroboy

neuroboy

750cc
Dear NBR,
I had my Street Triple stolen early in the summer of 2012. I took the money and picked up a great-condition caspian blue Thruxton that I had wanted ever since I first got my Bonneville many, many years ago. Over a year later (i.e. earlier this summer) I was on Route 2 near Greenfield in Western Mass and saw a guy on a Streetie--two-up with a top box--and it just looked so right. Even though my buddy (who I was camping with that weekend) tells me I'm just having a bout with grass-is-greener syndrome, I'm still having adulterous thoughts about my old flame. Unfortunately. "swinging" really isn't an option because I don't have the space or funds for both.

Do I assume that the grass is always greener and just be happy with the classic looks/sounds of my bike, or should I give into the urge to be with a modern bike (with tubeless wheels) that I won't constantly be trying to upgrade with new bits and baubles.

Signed,
Maybe The Grass Isn't Greener
 
curezee

curezee

Street Tracker
Interesting post. I had a 2007 Scrambler, then a Graphite Street Triple R that I loved. Only thing was I missed the classic style and feel of the Scrambler but wanted a little sportier ride. Over the course of 8 years and a few bikes, I ended up with a Thruxton and after a little bit of work and bits, it is just about perfect for me. I will say that before I bought the Thruxton I was roving CL looking at what was available for used Street Triples. I am feeling comfortable with what I now have. I have no idea if this helps you or confuses you more, but I thought having a very similar perspective I would offer some thought. Good luck!
 
Bonafide

Bonafide

NBR founder
Grass is always greener on the other side ... especially with bikes. What's better than one? Two! What's better than two? Two different genres! What's better than 2 different genres? A dozen.

Out of all the bikes that have come & gone from my garage .. I miss my Thruxton .. and my 76' CB750 SS.
 
beemerrich

beemerrich

Street Tracker
I've had much faster bikes than my thruxton, but, on the street anyway, I ride them all about the same speed. When the going gets tight and twisty, I can pretty much hang with most folk - regardless of their mount. On the same section of road, really good riders would leave me in the dust though...good thing I'm not in competition with those guys...

The part I really like about my bike is that no matter how far I've taken it away from its original design - including the latest addition of tubeless wheels - it still draws a crowd where ever I park it. I still get a kick out of being the dude who throws a leg over her. When they bury me, I'll still have the key...

I guess you need to answer for yourself whether you miss the performance and, if you had a more capable bike, whether you'd actually use that capability. This isn't a grass is greener thing, but rather a real difference in what the bike can do out of the box. And, conversely, decide whether you're willling to settle for a bike that doesn't have the drop dead good looks of your classically styled twin...???

Good luck with your decision.

Regards,

--Rich
 
T

thearcticsea

Rocker
Hey Neuro,

The Street Triple is awesome. I want one too. But I will never sell my Bonneville. It's a modern classic. The triple will eventually look dated and ugly. They're already starting to. Just take a look at some older models and you'll realize that somewhere along the way they got dated looking. It happens to everything, well, everything besides the classics.

I guess what I'm saying is that for me the Bonneville/Thruxton is a perfect all-around motorcycle. It does everything a motorcycle needs to do on the public roads. It sits comfortable in the mid-range of all performance charts and is instantly recognizable.

I don't know. It's late, I've been building a guys Yamaha DT1 for the last 6 hours and I'm tired.

Just keep the god damn Thruxton and ride the shit out of it.

See you at Larz next Sunday for the Euro show? It's about time we met up after years of NBRing.
 
BlueJ

BlueJ

Blue Haired Freak
neuroboy said:
Dear NBR,
I had my Street Triple stolen early in the summer of 2012. I took the money and picked up a great-condition caspian blue Thruxton that I had wanted ever since I first got my Bonneville many, many years ago. Over a year later (i.e. earlier this summer) I was on Route 2 near Greenfield in Western Mass and saw a guy on a Streetie--two-up with a top box--and it just looked so right. Even though my buddy (who I was camping with that weekend) tells me I'm just having a bout with grass-is-greener syndrome, I'm still having adulterous thoughts about my old flame. Unfortunately. "swinging" really isn't an option because I don't have the space or funds for both.

Do I assume that the grass is always greener and just be happy with the classic looks/sounds of my bike, or should I give into the urge to be with a modern bike (with tubeless wheels) that I won't constantly be trying to upgrade with new bits and baubles.

Signed,
Maybe The Grass Isn't Greener
Click to expand...

Depends. How much do you want for the Thruxie?

LOL
 
marty

marty

Scooter
The street triple is a fantastic bike, after my illness which took me away from motorcycling for a year I was torn between another ST or another Bonneville.
I'm glad I chose the Bonnie it suits me down to the ground, I can mod and tinker to my hearts content and rides like a dream.
BUT I do miss the ST.
 
neuroboy

neuroboy

750cc
Bonafide said:
What's better than 2 different genres? A dozen.
Click to expand...

seriously, man. if i could have two bikes, though, it wouldn't be a combo of those two unless i kitted out the Streetie with hard luggage for long weekend trips. they're just too similar task-wise, and, if i'm honest with myself, i'm never going to be a track day guy. The biggest difference is that the triple just felt tighter. i (heart) my Ol' Blue, but the waggle i sometimes get on long sweepers is not my favorite feeling in the world. That and I'm constantly asking my girlfriend whenever a Harley goes by "is my bike that loud?"
 
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B

Beachfinn

Scooter
I had Thrux that I traded for a Street R. Meanwhile I had access to wife's Black, that i rode few times. I really cant say that i miss the Thrux, otherwise i would have been riding the Bonnie more. I also commute and the Street is just so much better all the way around. That being said, both are getting traded in for a 800 Tiger in few weeks...
 
T

thearcticsea

Rocker
Beyond volume, the sound they make is also different. In my opinion, even if the bikes were just as loud as one another the Triumph would still be more pleasant, whereas the Harley is just abrupt and painful. I think this comes from the fact that the Triumph fires in such a way as to sound tuned and precise, and a Harley fires in a way that makes it sound like the motor's misfiring, broken, and was put together by a pack of orangutans with a tool chest full of variously sized rocks.
 
neuroboy

neuroboy

750cc
thearcticsea said:
a Harley fires in a way that makes it sound like the motor's misfiring, broken, and was put together by a pack of orangutans with a tool chest full of variously sized rocks.
Click to expand...

This is *exactly* what my buddy said when we were in VT a couple weekends ago. "That's the sound of a bike screaming for help."
 
monty

monty

Street Tracker
When I had the money to buy a new bike, I narrowed it down to three;

Bonnie

1200 Sportster

Yamaha XJ 1300.

The Yam was there because I had fond memories of my old XS1100.

The Sporster because I fancied a Harley and this was the least obese........

The Bonnie won.......why...

Sheer bloody pedigree.........I grew up reading about the rockers in the sixties and the bikes they rode. A street triple though a Triumph, is a modern bike built for purpose at the time. Times change but the Bonnie and its various forms are timeless .In twenty years the Bonnie will still look good and stop old boys in their tracks. They will still want to chat to you about their Bonnie.

Example;
In 2011 I was in Tabor, my girlfriends home town in the Czech Republic.The Bonnie was parked on the town square. It was quite late and we were chilling in a cafe when an old boy came up and began chatting about how he had gone to East Germany in 1964 to watch the ISDT. He had loved the Triumphs ridden by the Americans and Brits.

All he wanted to do was chat about the Bonnie.....

I am so sorry but I cannot see the same thing happening with a street triple....


Monty
 
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dr_cerebro

dr_cerebro

Two Stroke
I just bought my Bonnie one month ago. The Triumph dealer just opened one year ago, they have sold 4 bonnies, but to people from out of town, so, mine is the only one in the city right now. I always wanted a Bonnie, and I'm happy with it.

I've been hanging with a group of bikers, twice a week. Plenty of Victorys, plenty Street Triples, Some R6s, some Ninjas, a Thruxton and a Daytona. Some of them have several bikes. None of these experienced riders had ever ride a Bonneville before, and some of them ask me to ride it. They all loved it. They said, it is a pleasure to ride it. Three of them are willing to order the 2014 model now, and another friend of mine, who owns a Dyna Glide is thinking about buying one for the same reason.
 
Thruxtonian

Thruxtonian

Street Tracker
I sold all my bikes except the Bonnie last year when I decided my midlife crisis needed a Ducati. The wife would likely tell you it's because I have to many triumph shirts to ever sell it, but its actually the perfect counterpoint for the Ducati, which is ridiculously fast but fierce as hell and about as relaxing as a taser.

I've been recently thinking about adding a touring bike because I miss long trips with the goldwing. Maybe a victory cross country (the anti-harley?) but I really don't want to get back to having 3 bikes again, I just don't have enough time.

Taking the Bonnie up to the smokies next week tho. Sorry that was way off subject but I'm excited...
 
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