Triumph Bonneville Bobber vs Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight vs Moto-Guzzi V9 Bobber: Spec Comparison

Just a few years ago, the bobber genre of motorcycles didn’t exist in our two-wheeler spectrum. But that has changed with the introduction of the Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight and the Moto-Guzzi V9 Bobber last year. Now, Triumph Motorcycles has joined this elite group of motorcycles  by launching the all-new Bonneville Bobber in India at Rs 9.09 lakh. The Bonneville Bobberis the most affordable motorcycle among the trio and has been loaded with features, but how does it stack up against its rivals? A spec comparison should answer that. 

Engine & Performance:

The Moto-Guzzi V9 Bobber has the smallest engine among the trio. The Italian motorcycle is powered by an air-cooled 850cc V-twin motor that churns out 55PS and 63Nm of peak torque. The longitudinally mounted V-Twin motor is what distinguishes the Italian bike from its rivals. The main purpose of mounting the V-Twin transversely is to provide better cooling with the engine heads angled out. Another interesting feature of the Moto-Guzzi V9 Bobber is the fact that it employs shaft drive to transmit power to the rear-wheel as opposed to chain drive and belt drive.

The engine is mated to a 6-speed transmission. The Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight employs a air-cooled 1,200cc V-twin engine that delivers 96Nm of peak torque which is 10Nm less than the British motorcycle. The American bikemaker hasn’t divulged power output for the Forty-Eight. The Triumph Bonneville Bobber has the most modern engine among the trio. The parallel-twin motor is liquid-cooled and produces 77PS at 6,100rpm and peak torque stands at 106Nm which is made available at 4,000rpm. 

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Electronic Aids & Features:

All the three motorcycles feature a semi-digital, single-pod instrument cluster. The console of the Moto-Guzzi unit is loaded to the brim with features but misses out on a tachometer. Both the European motorcycles get electronic goodies while the Harley-Davidson remains old-school in its approach. The V9 Bobber and the Bonneville Bobber get switchable traction control system. The Triumph also gets two ride modes  - Road and Rain. All the three motorcycles are equipped with ABS.

The Moto-Guzzi also gets a USB port that has been cleverly tucked below the steering head. But the real tech fest is the Moto Guzzi Media Platform (MGMP), which has a smartphone-ready interface that allows the phone to be an add-on display through which the rider can view five parameters. This also includes the missing tachometer, instant power and torque outputs and acceleration, etc.

Dimensions & Cycle Parts:

The Moto-Guzzi unsurprisingly has the shortest wheelbase at 1,465mm, the Forty-Eight is slightly longer at 1,495mm while the Bonneville Bobber is the longest at 1,510mm. All three motorcycles employ telescopic front forks but only the Bonneville Bobber gets monoshock at the rear as opposed to twin-shock unit as seen on the other two bikes. The Triumph bike also features a unique frame that endows it with a hard-tail look. 

All the three motorcycles employ disc brakes on both ends for anchorage but, at 320mm, the V9 Bobber has the largest front disc brake. The Forty-Eight gets alloy wheels while the other two motorcycles feature spoked wheels. The Triumph Bonneville Bobber is shod with a 100/90 section at the front and a 150/80 section at the rear while the other two get fatter rubber - 130/90 section at the front and 150/80 section at the rear.

The Moto-Guzzi V9 Bobber is the lightest of the lot at 199kg followed by the Triumph Bonneville Bobber at 228kg. Unsurprisingly, the Forty-Eight is the heaviest with a kerb weight of 252kg. In terms of fuel tank capacity, the Italian has the largest tank at 14 litres followed by the Bonneville Bobber at 9.1 litres. The Forty-Eight’s peanut-shaped tank can only take in 7.9 litres. 

Price:

For Indian bikers, price is among the most important criteria while finalising their purchase. The Triumph Bonneville Bobber has been priced at Rs 9.09 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) which makes it the most affordable motorcycle of the lot. The Triumph offering is great value given the power, features and better cycle parts it has on offer. 

The Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight comes close at Rs 9.50 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the base black colour. Like most things Italian, the Moto-Guzzi V9 Bobber is considerably more expensive than its rivals with a a sticker price of Rs 13.9 lakh (ex-showroom Pune). The high price tag can be attributed to the fact that the Italian bike is in a higher tax bracket as it comes to India as a completely built unit (CBU) while the Harley-Davidson and Triumph are locally assembled.