Happy Birthday Bonneville! One of Triumph’s best-loved bikes, the Bonneville, is celebrating its 50th birthday this summer 2008. Triumph has started off the celebrations by releasing two unique one-off designs for the Bonneville, each created by an iconic collaborator synonymous with style and British motorcycling: Hollywood star Ewan McGregor and designer of high-end motorcycling fashion, Belstaff.
Renowned motorcycle enthusiast Ewan McGregor has created a design that incorporates a copper-plated tank with black waxed cotton by Belstaff on the seat and side panel ,and that is inspired by his love of the legendary motorcycle enthusiast Steve McQueen.
Ewan explains, “…This is such an exciting project for me – the Bonneville has to be the ultimate in iconic British motorcycles, so the chance to create my very own design and see it through to production is amazing.”
Belstaff, the leading designer of motorcycling fashion, has created a design that incorporates a sophisticated black and gold colour scheme. In addition Belstaff is also creating a limited-edition biker style jacket to mark the anniversary. For more information, visit www.belstaff.com.
Michele Mallenotti, designer for Belstaff, comments, “…The timeless style and shape of the Bonneville makes it a pleasure to work with.”
The Limited Edition 50th anniversary Triumph Bonneville designed exclusively by Belstaff is available in the UK for £8,999 (on the road). For sales enquires please contact Triumph Motorcycles authorised dealer Jack Lilley Ltd on 00 44 1784 420421.
A little piece of history..
During the 1950s & 60s some of the world’s biggest screen legends appeared on celluloid alongside their Triumphs - James Dean, Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen and Marlon Brando all rode Triumphs - helping to cement its reputation as an iconic motorbike marque.
The best remembered and most highly acclaimed motorcycle of this time was the Triumph Bonneville, named in recognition of Johnny Allen’s 1950’s record breaking feats on a Triumph at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The first Bonneville was unveiled in 1958 and became an icon of its time that retains its cult status today.
The original Bonneville was a high performance sports bike which was good for over 110mph (177km/h) and notched up plenty of victories on the race track. Racing success spawned a special edition ‘Bonneville Thruxton’ (1964/65), which in turn inspired a generation of café racer machines.
For many, 1969 was the Bonneville’s finest hour, 11 years of steady evolution under its belt. The most significant of the changes was to the engine, which had notably trouble-free carburetion, a smooth power delivery and great tractability at low speeds.
In the 1970s and 80s, special, limited edition Bonnevilles were launched to mark significant Royal occasions. In 1977, the T140J celebrated the Queen’s Silver Jubilee; and in 1981, 250 T140LE Royal Wedding Bonnevilles were produced to mark the Royal wedding between Prince Charles and Diana.
In 2000 a thoroughly modern version of the Bonneville was released. Blending authentic styling with modern materials and manufacturing techniques, the first of the new Bonnevilles was produced with a 790cc parallel-twin motor. A centenary model followed the next year – the Bonneville T100 Centennial Edition - marking 100 years of the Triumph brand.
The early years of the 21st Century have continued to witness the Bonneville’s evolution, including an increase in capacity to 865cc and the introduction of fuel injection (cleverly concealed to retain the bike’s original styling). The Bonneville family has also grown to include the T100, Scrambler and Thruxton models.
The 2008 Bonneville still remains an indisputable icon - a symbol of rebellion and individuality – and still inspires loyalty and emotion in everyone that rides it. Today’s Bonneville is an agile, honest roadster – perfect for getting around town in style or blatting around back lanes.
Happy Birthday Bonneville!!
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