New addition!

Got the better half's new scoot yesterday! 2008 Bonneville T100 in black and white. Rode it home from the dealer for him (about 45 miles) with my newly purchased riding gear... and got caught in the rain, anyway.

Bonnies don't do much to keep one's knees dry, I can tell you... it took hours to get the feeling back. Jacket and gloves we bought worked great, though!

It is such a fun little bike! Light enough to toss around, responsive, decent power (nothing compared to the Rock, of course!), handles and stops nicely. Took it out today to do the registration and insurance, and got stopped four times in those couple of hours to answer questions and accept compliments. I think my Rock may get jealous! All in all, it's made a very good impression on me, and I'm sure it'll make a good novice bike with enough left over to grow into.

Had two of them prior the the Rock. Would have kept them if $$$ allowed. GREAT bikes.

I picked up a '09 Anniversary edition last month.
Great bike!
It's a lot different than my Rocket 3 but a nice change.
I installed Norman Hyde Togas yesterday which really brought out the great exhaust sound I remember from long ago.
It's not the powerhouse our rockets are but it is surprisingly quick.

In stock form, a T100 will run a low 13 second quarter mile. My T100 is a bit quicker with cams, flowed head and custom headers and mufflers....It will give an 1800 VTX a run for the money.

The early T100's, 02, 03, 04 are more desireable, in my opinion (and others) simply because after '04, the bike is made entirely in Taiwan and only bears the name Triumph. It's actually made right next door to the Kawasaki Factory where the KLR's are made.

My Bonnie says 'Made in England' on the engine. The '04 and later do not.

That's one quick Bonnie-my bud with a VTX gives my R3 a run for the money. My Bonnie is dusted by the VTX at 2 feet and it's gets wider from there. I'd LOVE a Bonnie as fast as my R3. Good on ya.

Not all Bonnies are made in Taiwan...

Not all new Bonnevilles are made in Taiwan. Mine was but I knew that before I purchased it and I'm not concerned about it in the slightest.
By the way, my Rocket III was made in the U.K.
My VTX and Goldwings were made in Marysville Ohio.
My Suzuki was manufactured in Japan.
So what does this all mean?
Nothing.
A bike is as good as it is, no matter where it was assembled...

Quote from JDLALAMA on TriumphRat.com:



Here is the answer.
I called:
Triumph Motorcycles (America) Ltd.
385 Walt Sanders Memorial Drive
Suite 100
Newnan, Georgia 30265
Main Telephone: (678) 854-2010

Today, Monday, May 12, 2008 I spoke to a gentleman named Peter Carleo and he was nice enough to answer all of my questions and gave me permission to use his name and if anyone has any question they should call him.

Peter told me the easiest way to tell is by the letter in the VIN that is before the last set of numbers. The letter T stands for Thailand and the letter J stands for England (Jack Neil Road, I should have asked for the correct spelling).

He gave me a few key points one of them being the engines are completely made in the UK and sent to Thailand.

The motorcycle assembly plant in Thailand is a carbon copy to the UK plant for quality control reasons.

He also stated this is not a secret and they communicate this information to the dealerships.

I like my Triumph motorcycle. I am thankful to have the opportunity to own one. I started this particular thread and I had these sentiments in the beginning. I just wanted to know the truth so I went straight to the horse’s mouth.

I am off tomorrow. I am hoping to get a ride in

Xchoppers said:

Not all new Bonnevilles are made in Taiwan. Mine was but I knew that before I purchased it and I'm not concerned about it in the slightest.
By the way, my Rocket III was made in the U.K.
My VTX and Goldwings were made in Marysville Ohio.
My Suzuki was manufactured in Japan.
So what does this all mean?
Nothing.
A bike is as good as it is, no matter where it was assembled...

Quote from JDLALAMA on TriumphRat.com:

Click to expand...

I know very well where they are made. I stated the years in my post. As far as the R3, it's assembled in Hinkley but sub assemblies like the header/mufflers and the swingarm and some other stuff are made in Taiwan and shipped to England. Actually, there was a post a while back on just what parts are made in Taiwan.

My point is this, and there are more than a limited number of enthusiasts that agree with me.....Triumph is an English motorcycle. I would not buy a pusedo English bike made in Taiwan. The resale value on the real McCoy is also higher than the Pacific Rim model.

If you want to distill it down a bit, your R3 was assembled from parts originating all over the world, final assembly point being Hinkley, Leicestershire, LE10 3BS England.

Your VTX's and your Goldwings might have been assembled in Marysville, Ohio from parts procured all over the world but will no longer be assembled there. Honda is closing the motorcycle line and moving it back to Japan.

Next......

Sidecar Flip said:

The early T100's, 02, 03, 04 are more desireable, in my opinion (and others) simply because after '04, the bike is made entirely in Taiwan and only bears the name Triumph. It's actually made right next door to the Kawasaki Factory where the KLR's are made.

Click to expand...

Is that what youn said? Funny, it doesn't read that way to me. It's a fact that about half of new Bonnevilles are assembled in the U.K. That's NOT what you said.
I already knew Honda was moving all VTX and Goldwing production to Japan and I am anticipating improved versions with the move.
I really don't care where they're made...
It's a global economy. Most companies outsource parts and assemblies to wherever they can get a better price and maintain quality.
Many Harleys are made in Mexico.
I guess you feel smug and superior that your Bonneville was assembled in the U.K.
Enjoy that...

Xchoppers said:

Is that what youn said? Funny, it doesn't read that way to me. It's a fact that about half of new Bonnevilles are assembled in the U.K. That's NOT what you said.
I already knew Honda was moving all VTX and Goldwing production to Japan and I am anticipating improved versions with the move.
I really don't care where they're made...
It's a global economy. Most companies outsource parts and assemblies to wherever they can get a better price and maintain quality.
Many Harleys are made in Mexico.
I guess you feel smug and superior that your Bonneville was assembled in the U.K.
Enjoy that...

Click to expand...

....Not at all. I feel privileged that I was able to buy and anniversary T100 in blue and silver and that it's actually appreciating in value...not that I'd ever sell it anyway. It's painfully obvious to me that you don't care where anything is made so long as it fits your needs and wants. Sadly, that's a common attitude today but not one I ascribe to.

My whole point and obviously you missed it is, Triumph is a British Motorcycle of British ancestry and devout followers of the marque, buy Triumphs based on that lineage.

I have no problems with outsourcing. No motorcycle manufacturer in existence today makes it's entirely assembly in house and as far as HD making complete assemblies in Mexico, I seriously doubt that but, I'm not entirely sure in as much as I don't follow HD. I do know that because of environmental restraints, HD's castings are made in India. It's a good thing to be environmentally correct, it's another thing to cut off your nose while the rest of the world picks up the production with total disregard for the environmental concerns that caused you to end that production and then have to buy the same parts from a foreign entity.......

I consider your comment concerning Honda's decision to move motorcycle production from Marysville, Ohio back to Japan with anticipation of 'improved models with the move'...to be a bit more than smug. It is a comment that reflects your lack of any sensitivity toward the American worker and their needs.

Having said that, everyone here knows I have a KLR. It's made in Taiwan. It's a cheap bike, made cheaply and it shows. While the Bonnie and the T100 are Triumph's base models, I don't believe anyone on this site would want to be considered or viewed as riding a cheap bike, let alone a Taiwanese knockoff of a British Icon. If you want to go that route, by an Enfield Bullet.

Next......

Whoa... sparked a debate, I see.

Anyhow, 100 miles or so on the bike (and one tipover; the result of my novice rider better half - no damage, aside from a scuff on the brake lever), and it's really starting to grow on me!

Think I'd like to eliminate that dumb exhaust crossover/equalizer, though. I get the feeling it's partly ruining the unique sound of a Triumph twin. Suggestions?

By the way, mine (his, rather... I keep forgetting!) has that "J" code just before the serial number part of the VIN. Made in Hinkley, then?