When the Bonneville Bobber arrived in America a couple of years ago, the classically styled parallel twin quickly became one of Triumph’s most popular models. A more performance-oriented spinoff was already in the works at the factory in England, but strong sales of the original machine put greater emphasis on getting the look just right—darker, meaner, stronger, more aggressive, and muscular—for a distinctly different personality. The resulting Bonneville Bobber Black introduced this past year remains true to the original’s cut-down 1950s-inspired styling, adding other features to improve handling and overall performance.
Instead of the 19-inch front tire of the original, the Bobber Black gets fatter 130/90-16 rubber, still on a wire-spoked wheel but now carried by a beefier 47mm Showa cartridge fork rather than a 41mm KYB. Instead of a single front brake disc, the Black employs two 310mm rotors gripped by two-piston Brembo calipers; ABS is standard. The handlebar-mounted switch gear has a single button that activates electronic cruise control. Finally, all of the standard model’s bright aluminum parts have been anodized black or sprayed with black paint, and steel parts have similarly been black chromed or painted.
Likes: Look of a post-war custom with modern, well, everything
Dislikes: Going somewhere? Better bring a backpack.
Verdict: A higher-performing Bonneville Bobber with exquisite attention to detail
The Bonneville Bobber—the motorcycle upon which the more expensive, higher-specification Bonneville Bobber Black is based—won the Best Cruiser award for 2017 in Cycle World's annual Ten Best Bikes balloting. The editors praised the Bobber's lean, aggressive looks, terrific city and back-road handling, and versatile liquid-cooled twin-cylinder engine.
We compared the Triumph Bonneville Bobber Black with the Indian Scout Bobber. From the article: “The Bobber Black and the Scout Bobber are low, solo bar hoppers, niche bikes that for all logical reasons should be a tougher sell than their more versatile brethren but have been flying out of dealerships.”
A low seat height gives the Bobber Black approachability that shorter and/or newer riders appreciate. More experienced road jockeys, however, will be reaching for the 75 pound-feet of torque on tap at the twist of the throttle. Before buying, consider these motorcycles with similar pricing, specifications, and intended use:
Triumph’s Bonneville Bobber Black retails for $13,150, which is $1,250 more than the standard Bonneville Bobber. What do you get for the extra cash? Upgraded suspension, better brakes, a 16-inch front wheel, and loads of black paint. Are those changes worth every penny? That’s for you to decide.
Manufacturer Claimed Specifications
Cycle World Tested Specifications
