2017 Triumph Bonneville Bobber First Look

Bonneville bobbers are nothing new. Riders have been rolling their own since the '60s, but 2017 marks the first time that Triumph is pushing a ready made bobber off its assembly line. The new Triumph Bobber is an appealing spin off of the redesigned Bonneville T120. It achieves its outlaw look via drag bars, bar-end mirrors, a hardtail look (the rear end is sprung, with a clever linkage system and hidden, centralized shock), single tractor-style saddle, new fenders, and slash-cut mufflers.

The T120’s 17-inch rear and 18-inch front wire-spoke wheels are swapped for a 16 rear and 19-inch front, completing the visual transformation. Triumph was so committed to the classic-Bobber look that it even omitted the T120’s right-front brake disc and caliper. So the Bobber won’t stop as well as the T120, but it’ll certainly look leaner and meaner.

The Bobber's 1,200cc parallel-twin is the same engine found in the Thruxton R and T120, but Triumph says it has a revised tune to deliver more bottom-end torque. That may mean different porting and cams just different fuel and ignition mapping, but given the grunt of the T120 (Triumph lists peak horsepower at 80 and peak torque at 77.4 lb.-ft.), it should be a lot of fun to twist the Bobber's loud stick. Speaking of loud, while we don't expect the exhaust note to be particularly strong (it's amazingly quiet on the new Thruxton), we know from experience that Triumph's big 270-degree engines crank out a deceptively V-twin-like sound.

Ergonomically, the Bobber boasts a seat height just over 27 inches, which ought to make it plenty accessible for all types of fringe-n-bandana riders. The bar-end mirrors are as round as round can be, but the mounts look to be taken straight from Triumph’s own Speed Triple naked flagship. Those mirrors work well, so we’ve got high hopes for these. A low-slung drag bar seems to be the stock option, but among the 150 accessories Triumph will make available for the Bobber, surely there’s room for taller bars, different seats, and so on.

In typical modern Triumph fashion, the Bobber will have a pretty comprehensive suite of electronics to go with the classic look. The fuel injection controlled by a ride-by-wire throttle means it’s easy enough to include the switchable traction control and two ride modes (road and rain). The simple dash includes all of the usual features, plus a clock, fuel gauge, TC info, and range to empty. A badass with a soft spot, clearly.

Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but we expect the Bobber to ring in a little below the existing $11,500 Bonneville T120, if only because it’s missing half its front-brake setup!