Battle of the Bonnies: Triumph Thruxton R vs Bobber, with Charley Boorman
Visordown’s been out for a road test with Charley Boorman to settle an argument: which is the best of the new Triumph Bonnies, the Thruxton R or the Bobber.
Charley’s only recently started riding again after a devastating crash last year, an experience he’s written about in his new book, Long Way Back.
He joined us on his own Thruxton R as we tried to show him why he might have chosen the wrong bike.
For the full bike reviews and reviews of all the latest and greatest motorcycles on Visordown go to http://www.visordown.com/features/road-tests
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Bobber for me, awesome
And the T120 Bonneville wasn't in the mix because???
LOL! Charley had you stuttering along with him a bit by mid-video. Funny how that works.
Not British made, Thailand made in fact
Having ridden them both, the Thruxton is easily the better all round bike! Go try them for yourself and see which one floats your boat rather than some journo telling you what to buy.
Thanks for fixing the video, it's good to know that you guys read your comments, very good review. 👍🏽
Should have asked Charlie which one he would buy if he didn't own a bike. 🙂
My thruxton r have a very serious brake problems… seems to be a construction fault… 🙁
My new bike is again in a workshop.
I have tested them both, but liked the Bobber more, a lot more. But, the brakes, wth how can a bike 2017 be allowed to sell with those brakes, so bad. And a minor thing was that I felt like it flexed/snaked a bit where the rear shock is, very odd. But the brakes, Omg how are they even be approved for road use with such bad brakes. Other than that, the Bobber was super cool, waiting for a new revision of it.
what a silly forced comparative review. totally incomparable and still the host is forcing comparisons that make no sense. promoting a brit bike or having a ride would be just more honest.
Long Way Back?! What?!?!
reinforce casual preference way serious eliminate sir clearly bottom
If you're into bobber/chopper/cruiser you will like the Bobber and won't give the Thruxton a second look. If you're into retro sport bikes, the Thruxton is your thing without any consideration for the Bobber. It is like being torn between a Heritage Softail and a Ninja 300 … sort your life out!
Kentoxymoron is correct, these are not British made. You want genuine 'British made'? Get a new Norton Commando.
I love twins so I must try these bikes out for myself. I can't imagine touring Europe on one of these, but they sure look a whole load of fun.
Totally agree with Ray B, with Tri needing to release a plain jane looking Bonneville with the Thruxton R engine and brakes/other components. I'd also vote for flatter bars that the standard Bonnie. I want my ;67 TR6 back!! Gorgeous metallic green and silver, as I recall, with that tank mounted luggage rack. Beauty. If only had the Bonnie engine. But Tri can make up for that now. Give us a fairly stock looking standardish Bonnie with Thruxton engine and stuff.
Like the T120 with attitude. Engine attitude.
In case Triumph is reading, I have friends and myself, that would jump for the Thruxton R but it is too focused, not so good for longish trips, with those clipons that look sexy but don't work so well if one travels 300 mile or more days, after days, after days. So give us a special 120ish bike with all the punch of the TTR. I know a friend that would buy one right now. Make it special and glitzy, like the Thruxton but with distance comfort. I would get one myself and have been looking for my next bike – and then I have to toss the Multistrada 1200 or the Yamaha FJ09 out of the garage. Oh, suppose I could dump the Kymco 300 scooter….that could work.
I watch all Visordown videos, but I don''t like either of these bikes.
How long did/does it take to ride from Shoreditch out to Hertford? That's the only drawback of owning a bike and living in London – it takes ages to get anywhere good to ride, well apart from the insurance costs.
For toddling around wet roads, I'd take the Bobber too as it'd be more comfortable with it's upright seating. When the road dries out and the speed picks up, it's over. The Bobber rider would scrape the bottoms off his exhausts trying to keep up.
The Bonneville range was the topic of the video and the comments. Thankfully, yes, not the whole line is made overseas. Shame that the heritage bikes, which are most associated with Triumph's history, aren't made in GB. Hmmm, I suppose a hardcore Brit buyer could have one imported to England, disassemble it piece by piece, then put it back together and slap on a Made In GB decal…
Please have guests who don't have speech impediments; Boorman stutters and mumbles to the limits of my comprehension.
Why do Triumph hire Charley ???
"If only I could afford them both" says Charley. Well have a word with Triumph then. You are one of their Global Brand Ambassadors after all !
Rode a Bobber while my Scrambler was being serviced and enjoyed it, goes very well, handles very well and looks nice. However, the standard single rear shock was poor, at least on Sussex/Kent roads. The jarring I felt going over potholes and manhole covers reduced the overall pleasure. Previous I rode one with the Fox suspension upgrade which was much better, but I'm a bit disappointed Triumph chose to fit an inadequate unit in the first place. That having been said, this bike and the likely variants will be causing big worries in Milwaukee! Expect the Little Handed Orange Twat to add Triumph to the list of undesirables banned for the US soon!
Please make Charlie go away.. He's like a leech on the moto industry and his constant affiliation to the northern redneck chavs Down & out Motorcycles doesn't help.
Charley Bore-man; bumble bumble stutter bumble, these wheels are stutter errrr, bumble bumble I think they're 19 inches stutter bumble bumble and that one is stutter stutter bumble bumble oh I don't know waaa ha harrrrr, phnarrr phnarrr, woah-ha-haaaah, bumble bumble apple crumble stutter stutter spastic fucker. What a fucking stupid stumblebum this cunt is
I have been lucky enough to test ride Thruxton R and there is no doubt about it, it is a tremendous machine the handling is absolutely first-class it just tips into the corner and stays there like it's on rails.