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Triumph Street Twin and Triumph Bonneville T100 in comparison

Heart is triumph!

Two motorcycles, one story. The Triumph Bonneville brings legends to life. Now, with the Triumph Street Twin, its successor is in the starting blocks. Which one hits the heart? And which one drives better?

D.he life is often like a hamster wheel. Then everyday life usually dominates, life clacks to the rhythm of a fully automatic coffee machine. Inspiration? Nothing. But should one therefore sit back and wait for the end? Would you rather put chips in your mouth on the sofa than sit on this new British goat that will make two-wheeled music history? Just don’t! So out of your sweatpants and into your cruising outfit. Get on the saddle of the new Triumph Street Twin, but not in the helmet yet. After all, before the concert by star pianist Ludovico Einaudi, you don’t put ear plugs in your ear canals. Take another deep breath, then press the red button. And it’s there again. That comforting feeling in the stomach. This standing hair on the forearm. Soul massage that can only be achieved with an internal combustion engine and brings lightness back to everyday madness. Finally the heart is beating again in a four-stroke beat.

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Triumph Street Twin and Triumph Bonneville T100 in comparison

Heart is triumph!

Clean optics as far as the eye can see

Do you still need power? High speeds? Full throttle? The Triumph developers found that rather irrelevant. With a maximum of 55 hp on the crankshaft, you will certainly not take a stab at quartet games with your buddies. But have times changed fundamentally? Are Euro 4, ABS, traction control and full torque – the Triumph Street Twin is supposed to lift 80 Newton meters on mild 3200 tours – the new quality features of modern lifestyle bikes? Possible. But it’s definitely about optics, acoustics and haptics. Classic lines, high-quality materials, elegant details. Just sensuality.

Pragmatically flanged assemblies are a thing of the past. Modern is the clarity, the structure, the tidy. It is better to be well-designed than pragmatically based on sheer performance. The Triumph Street Twin mimes the class leader here. Clean optics as far as the eye can see – nowhere is one cable too many to be discovered. Viewed in profile, you can easily put your hand through both in front of and behind the upright cylinder block. It goes without saying that a modern motorcycle has a modern cockpit with a small digital display and an on-board computer. It doesn’t seem out of place either, the wealth of information from remaining range to current and average consumption is appropriate and useful. Here, the Continental ABS and the single-stage traction control can be switched off if desired. You shouldn’t equate retro with old-fashioned. An uncertainty relation that some people do not see through.

Less top performance, more punch

To make it clear what it’s all about, we quickly move into a second living room room and see how the Triumph Bonneville T100 manages to drive a chip-munching middle ager from the couch into the garage. In short: with nostalgia. The sense of history, of the aesthetics of 19-inch wire-spoke front wheels, gleaming chrome exhaust bags with tapered end pieces, carburetors (dummies) and air cooling. The Triumph Bonneville T100 driver doesn’t want retro. He likes it old. Finds the former better. Because of him, the bike can roll out of the driveway with modern fuel injection, but the neighbors should think that he has looked after his 30-year-old moped excellently for decades. And people really believe that. Both the passers-by here on the coastal road from Marseille and the regular round in front of the pump room in Castrop-Rauxel.

In the past, with a peak output of 68 hp from 865 cubic meters, they mutated into the leader of the local motorcycle clan. Torque was still the currency of the fear nipple faction. Today one wonders whether a little more pressure than just 68 Newton meters would be possible from such a large and by no means old two-cylinder with 360 degrees crankshaft offset? The new Street Twin is supposed to fulfill this wish. With less top performance, but more punch. Exactly where it is needed on the country road. Downstairs. And so today Triumph Street Twin and Bonneville T100 face each other like turbo gasoline and naturally aspirated engines.

Triumph Street Twin leaves room for long lulas

Let us approach the comparison soberly. Then there’s no way around the elegantly finished new Triumph Street Twin. It is 15 kilograms lighter than its ancestor in the high-quality T100 version. It offers contemporary safety features, while complying with the Euro 4 standard, lower pollutants from the pretty two-in-one-in-two exhaust system and a more characterful engine with a bearish acceleration and better sound. There is also a well-functioning, finely dosed and only slightly jerky anti-hopping clutch when it is ice cold, and a ride-by-wire system that does its job unobtrusively. Minimal delays between hand movement and motor are only noticed by sensitive testers. Anyone who takes a seat on the 75 centimeter low, finely quilted, flat bench seat, puts the boots on the notches that are slightly offset backwards in contrast to the Bonneville, puts their hands around the slightly cranked and not extraordinarily protruding handlebars, immediately notices : It fits. For short-legged people as well as for long Lulatsche – thanks to the notches on the twelve-liter tank.

The old Triumph Bonneville T100 cannot claim any of this for itself. Even with an average height, the inner thighs hit the wide underside of the 16-liter gasoline bunker, spreading the legs more than would otherwise be necessary. In any case, the pilot sits very passively on the synchronous runner. The chest of drawers bench increases the cozy factor. The handlebars stretches strongly towards the driver’s hands and enables a confident posture.

Wonderfully unrhythmic sparkling two-cylinder

But even on the Triumph Street Twin the upper body stays upright, which also turns the urban promenade into a casual catwalk. However, it also actively installs its driver in the vehicle. A weird and fast number is easy with her. The narrow 100 and 150 tires with Pirelli Phantom soles support the hasty lifestyle workaholic in this endeavor. They offer decent grip even when cold and mesh with the asphalt even more as the Côte d´Azur temperature rises.

A successful choice, even if a tire change will ultimately show whether the increased forces when turning the Triumph Street Twin are due to the chassis geometry or the tires. Because the new one doesn’t turn around the corner in a completely neutral way, first of all being asked something, and then – once tilted – to stoically take its course. Unless the tar surface is adorned with coarser furrows. Then the stereo struts go into the unpleasant pumping mode. To support the rear suspension, the springs of the shock absorbers were preloaded to the second strongest level. A sensitive choice for a 90-pound pilot (couch and chips). However, with only minor improvements. But whatever? Who irones the pass up and down like a madman with a pretty companion like the Triumph Street Twin? Exactly, there are better alternatives for that. The Streety prefers to glide along at a brisk pace, in a smooth driving style along the coast. Then you will be happy about the comfortable and easy-to-swallow telescopic fork as well as the character of the wonderfully non-rhythmic igniting two-cylinder.

The Triumph Street Twin pushes forward vigorously from idle without ever overtaxing. Between 2500 and 5500 revolutions there are always over 70 Newton meters on the crankshaft – at the top it is a measured 77. The pistons pump through the speed range with ease, give the motorcycle pleasant and restrained vibrations and appear much more liberated than those in the Bonnie engine. In contrast, it goes one better in higher speed regions, producing the most noticeable propulsion above 4000 rpm and up to around 6500 rpm. The twin presses between 65 and 71 Newton meters in this area, but does not come out of the quark beforehand. The fact that the sound that is released does not lure you into the garage because the Bonnie only comes out of the long two-in-two exhaust system with a gentle voice is a bit disappointing.

The rear derailleur of the T100 looks old and bony

On the other hand, the 234-kilo trump drives much better than it indicated when pushing it while standing. The Triumph Bonneville T100, which rolls on Metzeler Lasertec at the front and on MEZ 2 at the rear, is directed from curve to curve in a relaxed, neutral manner and with little steering effort. It also offers responsive suspension elements, which are less suited to fast corners than those of the Triumph Street Twin. Especially since the footrests announce the limit of the lean angle early and much earlier than with the new model. On the chassis side, the Bonnie does little wrong, and in terms of handling it certainly benefits from its narrow 130 rear tire. Taken together, it harmonizes perfectly and, in a positive sense, unspectacularly with the co-runner, which seems tense compared to the Street Twin.

The new 900 cubic combustion engine makes life easier and requires less work on the five-speed gearbox – although its operation marks real progress thanks to its extremely delicate and short shift travel. The rear derailleur of the T100, on the other hand, looks old, bony and no go along contemporary. This also applies to drinking habits. The Triumph Bonneville T100 slurps at least 0.8 liters more through the displacement than the Street Twin on the 100-kilometer consumption lap. Among other things, the higher speed level of the old engine is reflected here.

They both hit the heart

The brakes now show that everything wasn’t worse in the past. Although the new one with its finely regulating ABS has a clear advantage, when it comes to metering and required manual force, the Bonneville scores a plus point thanks to more precise pressure points. With the Street Twin, these are doughy at the front and back and begin to wander a little as the temperature rises. That leaves you confused. Because the two-piston floating calipers and the brake discs are identical in both models, the modified brake pads should even deliver more bite, according to the manufacturer. No question, the Street Twin decelerates perfectly, but it needs a trained and strong hand.

What remains to sum up at the end of the sobriety? The Triumph Street Twin is clearly the more modern, more economical motorcycle that delivers a higher fun factor. The Triumph Bonneville T100 does not make everything worse, but can at least keep up with its successor in terms of steering behavior and braking. It suffers most from its tired engine and the disappointing sound – and from the Euro 4 standard, which, like the ABS obligation, it does not meet. It will be sold this year. Which brings us back to the living rooms and garages of this world. So is the retro chic better for the hipster, the old-school variant better for the nostalgic? Yes, that could be summed up and it would not do justice to both motorcycles. After all, they each inspire in their own way: one through modernity and big bang beat, the other through history and chrome. They both hit the heart.

Data and measured values

Triumph Street Twin and Triumph Bonneville T100 performance graph.

One thing becomes immediately clear: As with cars, there is also a trend in two-wheelers towards more torque in the lower speed range. If you have to sacrifice performance for this, you may not want to tell anyone else, but the pull-through measurements as well as the performance diagrams speak for themselves. The nominally more powerful twin of the Triumph Bonneville T100 can only show its extra power from 5500 rpm. Before that, the Triumph Street Twin surpassed its ancestor in terms of both power and torque. Nice to see: the new one always lifts ten newton meters more than the old one between 2500 and 4000 tours.

engine

Triumph Bonneville T100 Triumph Street Twin
type design Two-cylinder four-stroke-
In-line engine		 Two-cylinder four-stroke-
In-line engine
injection 2 x Ø 37 mm 1 x Ø 38 mm
coupling Multi-panes-
Oil bath clutch		 Multi-panes-
Oil bath clutch
Boron x stroke 90.0 x 68.0 mm 84.6 x 80.0 mm
Displacement 865 cc 899 cc
compression 9.2: 1 10.5: 1
power 50.0 kW (68 hp) at 7400 rpm 40.5 kW (55 PS) at 5900 rpm
Torque 68 Nm at 5800 rpm 80 Nm at 3230 rpm

landing gear

Triumph Bonneville T100
 Triumph Street Twin
frame Double loop frame
from steel		 Double loop frame
from steel
fork Telescopic fork, Ø 41 mm Telescopic fork, Ø 41 mm
Brakes front / rear Ø 310/255 mm Ø 310/255 mm
Systems assistance – ABS, traction control
bikes 2.50 x 19; 3.50 x 17 2.75 x 18; 4.25 x 17
tires 100/90 R 19; 130/80 R 17 100/90 H 18; 150/70 R 17
Tires Metzeler, Lasertec in front,
rear CET 2		 Pirelli Phantom Sports Comp

Dimensions + weights

Triumph Bonneville T100
 Triumph Street Twin
wheelbase 1500 mm 1439 mm
Steering head angle 62.0 degrees 64.9 degrees
trailing 110 mm 102 mm
Front / rear suspension travel 120/106 mm 120/120 mm
Seat height (1) 780 mm 750 mm
Weight with full tank (1) 234 kg 219 kg
Payload (1) 196 kg  206 kg
Tank capacity / reserve 16.0 liters 12.0 liters
Service intervals 10,000 km 16,000 km
Price (2) 8990 euros 9050 euros

(1) MOTORCYCLE measurements; (2) plus Additional costs (450 euros)

MOTORCYCLE readings

Triumph Bonneville T100
 Triumph Street Twin
Top speed * 200 km / h 172 km / h
acceleration
0-100 km / h 5.1 sec 5.2 sec
0-140 km / h 10.0 sec 10.6 sec
Draft
60-100 km / h 5.3 sec 4.9 sec
100-140 km / h 7.3 sec 6.3 sec
Consumption country road / 100 km 5.3 liters 4.5 liters
Reach country road 302 km 267 km

* Manufacturer information

MOTORCYCLE test result

Heart is triumph – and that goes for both!

Two motorcycles, one story. And yet they could hardly be more different. Air versus water cooling, synchronism versus big bang firing order, torque versus peak power. And then there is the look. The Triumph Street Twin scores with classic lines and a clear structure. The Triumph Bonneville T100 inspired with its gleaming chrome details of historical style elements. When it comes to driving, the old and the new give each other a hand: the Streety clearly has the better and more economical engine and is state-of-the-art. The Bonnie offers a more harmonious driving experience and is also easier to direct. Both are winners of the hearts.

Triumph Street Twin and Triumph Bonneville T100 in price comparison

Used Triumph Street Twin and Bonneville T100 in Germany

Modern bike in an old dress? Or right back to the origin? With two motorcycles like the Triumph Street Twin and the Bonneville T100, which convey so much emotion and feeling, the price should not play a role in the decision. In order to minimize this, the used motorcycle exchange should be explored. There the Street Twin and the Bonneville T100 are in top condition and at low prices: Used Triumph Street Twin and Bonneville T100 in Germany

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