New Long-Term Triumph Street Twin!

WRIST: Julia LaPalme MSRP (2016): $8,700 MILES: 2,000 MPG: 55 MODS: None yet

I've been looking forward to getting a hold of the new Triumph Bonneville Street Twin as my long termer, so much so that when bossman Cook texted me with the assignment to retrieve it from their fleet, I squealed with joy. Yeah, it's a girl thing.

I've been a fan of classic-style naked "standards" since I started riding over 10 years ago. I love the combination of sportbike-esque performance with the timeless lines of motos from the 1950s and '60s: round headlights (a must), exposed frame, gracefully simple tank shape, upright seating. Much as I love a true sportbike to tear around the track, when it comes to aesthetics, the classic styling of standards, "sit-up bikes," and cafe racers have always had my heart. Turns out Triumph shares that mindset.

With the new Bonnevilles released this year, Triumph took their tried and true classic motorcycles and made them even better. Low to the ground, narrow chassis, ABS, traction control, and updated gauge. I hop on the Street Twin and fire it up, and can’t help but smile. The sound of that exhaust gets me every time (and that’s just stock!) Pull away from a stop light, and the low end torque of the 900cc parallel twin keeps me ahead of traffic no problem.

With all its charm, I will say I’ve already got my eye on a few things I’d like to explore for this baby Bonnie. A windscreen, perhaps, so freeway runs aren’t such a neckache; a luggage rack and/or saddlebags, so I can save my back when toting things to and fro; and maybe a peek into tweaking the suspension. With all the custom mods being done to cafe racers new and old, I’m sure I won’t run out of inspiration for this Street Twin. Stay tuned to see what comes next!