Bargainbirt

BargainBirt

How to buy a Bonnie

Ready to beat a Britbike into the ground in your town? Sixth Street Specials' Scotsman-in-charge Hugh Mackie rates the Triumph Bonneville as a prime value and one of the most practical classics.

“All the parts you could ever need can be had in a day,” says Mackie. “Availability is probably better than for most new bikes. There is a huge network of suppliers and clubs, so it’s very easy to own a Triumph.”

Better yet, the 650 and 750cc parallel-Twins can still be had on the cheap.

“In New York, for $2500 to $3500 you get a bike that runs and functions well, but needs paint, polishing and chrome,” he says. “Painted and shiny it’s $5-6 grand. The choice years are 1966-70 because they have the classic look, but if you don’t mind the aesthetics, the 1971 and later oil-in-frame Bonnevilles are cheaper.”

Mackie warns that on those later models if the bike has been sitting, the disc brake calipers and master cylinders are invariably seized, which is why he prefers the cable-actuated drums of earlier bikes.

Have a mind toward investing? “Watch out for Bonneville fakes,” warns Mackie. “Does it have matching numbers? Just about every part is interchangeable on old Triumphs, so you could easily have a ‘put together’ bike someone sells to you as a ’69 Bonnie, but it might have a TR6 frame number or Tiger bottom-end. If it’s just a rider, it doesn’t matter, but make sure the price you pay reflects that.”

Other advice?

“The worst thing you can do is not test ride,” Mackie advises. “Ride for at least a half-hour, get it hot, get out on the highway and if doesn’t leak oil or smoke and it starts again after you get back, then you know you’ve got something good. It’s foolish not to ride a bike before you buy it, and you are almost guaranteed to be disappointed.”

Mark Hoyer