Bonne For My First Bike?

[Chrisarti]

Hi all,

In a few months I'll be taking my practical motorcycle test and am hoping to be on the road towards the end of the summer.

I would love my first bike to be a Bonneville T100 but is this a sensible option for a first bike?
I'm not interested in racing around I just want a comfortable smooth ride.

Also, if anyone has any tips for spotting potential problems when looking at second hand bonne's they would be so kind to share that would be great.

I'm currently looking at a few for sale at the moment but am still a bit of a novice when it comes to picking a good bike to buy.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[CarlS]

I am old school. I recommend that you start out with a used small bike for about a year, a 250cc such as a Honda Rebel, a Suzuki, etc. As you are gaining experience, you will drop your bike a time or two; we all have done that. After several months, sell the used little bike and step up to a Bonnie.

Can you start with a Bonnie - most certanly. It is an easy and fun bike to ride with a relatively low center of gravity, which makes it easier to handle. But you are going to drop it. Heck, I have dropped mine and I have been riding 57 years. If you start with the Bonnie, take it easy and get used to the weight and handling characteristics. You will really like the Bonnie.

Please let us know what you get. Welcome to the world of two wheels and enjoy.

 

[Chrisarti]

Hi Carl,
thank you for the reply.

Honestly, I am worried about buying a beautiful Bonnie then dropping it due to lack of experience.
I may possibly look into getting a lower power/older starter bike that has the old school look to it like the Bonnie to get some miles under my belt.

I've got a few months to decide, I'll definitely let you know what I end up with

 

[Rocky]

Carl gave you good advice. If you have never ridden before, start smaller and work up.
Get an intermediate bike and ride it a lot to gain experience and confidence. That could take up to a year.
That may seem like a long time, but during that time you will have a bike to ride and enjoy, so time will go fast.
Don't bend to peer pressure and get a bike that may get you in over your head.
It's your life, not theirs.
But I know how hard it is to resist going for the bigger bike right away. It's what we all want in the end

 

[Chrisarti]

Hi Rocky, thanks for the reply!

Do you have any suggestions for an intermediate bike which has a similar look/feel to a bonnie?
I'm not into sports bikes at all, the more old school the better for me!

 

[Doug]

I'd suggest getting a used 125cc dirt bike as a starter. That way you can keep it when you realise your T100 ambition.

 

[Rocky]

Hi Rocky, thanks for the reply!

Do you have any suggestions for an intermediate bike which has a similar look/feel to a bonnie?
I'm not into sports bikes at all, the more old school the better for me!

Doug made a good suggestion.
I don't have a particular model in mind, but just about any of the smaller bikes from the Japanese manufacturers are very suitable.
I haven't been paying any attention to the intermediate market lately, but I know Suzuki had a 500cc twin standard bike in recent years.
Buying new is fairly easy, but buying used can be risky so I suggest taking an experienced rider with you when looking at used bikes.
Buying a used bike from a dealer is much less risky.
If you don't have any biker friends to call on for advice, then use the internet to gather information on any models you may be interested in.
Check to see if there is a bike club in your area and if there is a bike night gathering. These could be sources to see bikes and gather information too.
I agree, stay away from sport bikes. Try and find a "standard" model if you can.
The Bonneville doesn't have any particular mechanical faults, but like all machines, they have to be cared for and not abused.
Triumph engines are as strong and reliable as anything on the market today.

 

[CarlS]

Doug and Rocky are right. See if you can find a dirt bike that is also street legal. This way you can ride on road and off road. Dirt riding is the best way to learn how to handle a bike and if you drop it, no big deal. You pick it up go on your way. The advantage to learning to ride in the dirt is that you will get the bike "out of shape", you will no what it feels like to be out of shape, and you will learn how to recover. This skill translates to safer riding on the road. If you accidentally get the bike out of shape on the road - oil slick, loose gravel - you won't panic and you will know how to recover.

That said, lots and lots of riders have never ridden off road and they handle their bikes just fine. Ridig off road is just a way to broaden your skill set and be a better rider. It is just another option to consider.

 

[Chrisarti]

Thanks for all your replies.
Certainly given me loads to think about.
I'm going to have a look around for some other bikes and build up to my bonnie dream

 

[CarlS]

Be sure to let us know what you get, post pics, and stay in touch.

 

[triumph david]

Your best thing to do is get a small dirt bike go out in a pasture and ride it through jumps, water, mud, wet grass, rocks anything you can improve your riding skills on. You will be surprised how fast your skills will improve. If you have a friend that is a veteran rider take him along for some advice when you find a bike you are interesting in buying.

 

[shanered6]

Hi there , I think as said a good used trail bike is a good idea ! Especially as you will be going in to winter when you pass your test , you don't want your bonnie getting dropped in the bad weather or getting hammered by salt of the roads .
So a smaller trail bike will be handy for the winter then get your bonnie early summer next year , you will gain loads of exspiriance with the dirt bike and it will take a dropping easy .

 

[Ian bell]

Hi Carl,
thank you for the reply.

Honestly, I am worried about buying a beautiful Bonnie then dropping it due to lack of experience.
I may possibly look into getting a lower power/older starter bike that has the old school look to it like the Bonnie to get some miles under my belt.

I've got a few months to decide, I'll definitely let you know what I end up with

Try the Mutt 250.. looks bit bonneville’ish and they sound nice and bigger than they actually are. I owned one. I’d show you a picture if I new how.

 

[Rocky]

Try the Mutt 250.. looks bit bonneville’ish and they sound nice and bigger than they actually are. I owned one. I’d show you a picture if I new how.

Posting a picture is very easy. Start your message and click on the small rectangle to the left of the smiley face above and it will tell you to select an image.
Click on that and it should take you to your files and pictures.
Click on the picture you want and it will slide into your reply.
Give it a few seconds to settle and it's done.

 

[Ian bell]

Try the Mutt 250.. looks bit bonneville’ish and they sound nice and bigger than they actually are. I owned one. I’d show you a picture if I new how.

Try the Mutt 250.. looks bit bonneville’ish and they sound nice and bigger than they actually are. I owned one. I’d show you a picture if I new how.

Posting a picture is very easy. Start your message and click on the small rectangle to the left of the smiley face above and it will tell you to select an image.
Click on that and it should take you to your files and pictures.
Click on the picture you want and it will slide into your reply.
Give it a few seconds to settle and it's done.

Oops this thread is ancient. He’s probably got his bonneville and been riding for years.

 

[CarlS]

View attachment 48853

Oops this thread is ancient. He’s probably got his bonneville and been riding for years.

Yes, but I like that Mutt 250.

 

[Philois]

You are not the first person, and you won’t be the last to accidentally revive a very old thread. Been there done that.

 

[Gear1]

I'm glad to see this thread rejoined. I had the same quandary two years ago. Buy what I wanted, which was a T100 Bonneville, or be sensible and get a smaller bike first. It was to be my first motorcycle (other than the motorbike I built as a teenager). So at age 76 as a rank beginner, I bought my Bonneville. I took the MSF beginning rider course twice to get as much training as possible. I did put crash bars (now called Dresser Bars) because I knew it would be most probable that I would drop the bike. I did drop the bike a few times in very low speed parking lot turn practice. The problem was that the MSF course did not teach anything about using the clutch and a bit of throttle to straighten up the bike if it becomes unsteady. Thanks to U-Tube I found videos that explained the technique; I have not dropped the bike in low speed turns since learning this. I think that with good instruction, including better low speed skills not taught by MSF a beginner could handle a T100 Bonneville. I now have nearly 8000 miles on the Bonneville, and still consider myself a beginner, but learning. Thanks to everyone on this Forum for the good tips and suggestions that I have found.
Craig Taylor

 

[Greyfell]

The problem was that the MSF course did not teach anything about using the clutch and a bit of throttle to straighten up the bike if it becomes unsteady. Thanks to U-Tube I found videos that explained the technique; I have not dropped the bike in low speed turns since learning this. I think that with good instruction, including better low speed skills

It is interesting that you bring this up. My MSF class did teach slipping the clutch and letting the gears grab a little bit. He did stress that was something to practice on your own because, in a 3-day class, he only had time to introduce it and allow only a little bit of practice.

Different instructors do things differently and I'm sure class size also makes a difference.

 

[Rocky]

You were smart to take the MSF courses, but you're right, it's a shame they didn't teach the low speed control technique.
Learning the hard way isn't fun, but it's great that you doing fine now and having fun