Triumph Bonneville Bobber - Road Test Review
- Jun 9, 2017
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The 2017 India Bike week saw the launch of the Indian Scout Bobber at a competitive price of Rs 12.99 lakh. But, for that money does it edge past its closest rival, the Triumph Bonneville Bobber, on paper? We find out.
Engine -
The newly launched Indian Scout Bobber is powered by the same engine that is seen on the Indian Scout. This 1133cc liquid-cooled, V-twin powerplant churns out 95.3PS of power and 97Nm of maximum torque at 5600rpm. The transmission on the Scout Bobber is handled by a 6-speed gearbox.
The Triumph Bonneville Bobber's engine, on the other hand, is carried over from the Triumph Bonneville T120 and the Triumph Thruxton R Cafe Racer. This 1200cc, parallel-twin unit produces 77PS of power and 106Nm of torque at just 4000rpm, aided by a 6-speed transmission. In our review, we found the Bonneville Bobber easy to ride at lower rpms. The Triumph offering gets torque-assist clutch which means clutch action will be lighter and will come in handy while riding in city traffic.
Features -
There isn't much to discuss when it comes to the features of the Indian Scout Bobber. It gets a low-rise handlebar and a single saddle for a more aggressive riding position. There's also a single analogue pod with a small digital screen which is mounted on top of the fuel tank. The speedometer here is an analogue one, while the tachometer, odometer and trip meter are displayed on the screen, along with engine temperature and low-fuel warning light. The bike also features a round halogen headlamp and bar-end mirrors. Optional accessories include a passenger seat, something that the Bonneville Bobber lacks.
The Triumph Bonneville Bobber, on the other hand, gets a plethora of features such as switchable traction control, ride-by-wire, two different riding modes - road and rain -, a torque-assist clutch and an LED rear light. The Bonneville Bobber flaunts a single-pod instrument console, which features a large analogue speedometer. The small digital screen on it displays some vital information such as a tachometer, gear-position indicator, trip meter, real-time efficiency, range, traction control settings, power modes and more. So, as you can see while it might look old-school from the outside, the British packs in a lot of modern features. If we list the features side-by-side here, it is quite clear that the Bonneville Bobber comes out on top.
Dimensions and Underpinnings -
Suspension duties on the newly launched Indian Scout Bobber are handled by telescopic forks with 120mm travel at the front and a dual shock unit with 50mm of travel at the rear. In terms of braking, Indian has employed 298mm discs on both the ends, with dual-piston calipers at the front and a single piston at the back. However, it doesn't get ABS. The 16-inch alloy wheels (front - 130/90 and rear - 150/80) are wrapped in knobby tyres.
The Scout Bobber also gets a low seat height of 649mm, making it accessible for most of the riders. Speaking of the saddle, to crunch more miles in it, the Indian Scout Bobber gets a 12.5-litre fuel tank. It tips the scales at 245kg (kerb) and has a wheelbase of 1562mm.
In terms of suspensions, the Bonneville Bobber gets 41mm KYB telescopic forks at the front, with 90mm of travel and a KYB monoshock unit, with 76.9mm of rear wheel travel. The Triumph Bonneville Bobber sheds pace courtesy a dual-piston 310mm disc up front and a single 255mm disc at the back, with ABS as standard. It also gets larger 19-inch front spoke wheel (100/90) and a 16-incher at the rear (150/80). Comparatively, at just 9.1-litres, the Bonneville Bobber gets a lower capacity fuel tank, which can be a big sneer if you’re planning a longer stint on the highway. The saddle is placed at 690mm, with a wheelbase of 1510mm. The bike weighs 228kg (kerb), which is much lower than its competition.
Pricing -
The newly launched Indian Scout Bobber has been priced at Rs 12.99 lakh (ex-showroom India), while the Triumph Bonneville Bobber is priced at Rs 9.32 lakh (ex-showroom India).
The Indian Scout Bobber gets an option of twin seat, which is sadly missing on the Triumph Bonneville Bobber. Although, on the Triumph offering, you can adjust the single seat laterally according to your needs. The British company also has a better dealership network, when you compare it to Indian Motorcycle. The Bonneville Bobber seems like a better buy on paper. However, we are yet ride the new Indian Scout Bobber. So, stay tuned for a more in-depth analysis of Indian's new offering.
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