Confirmed: Triumph to introduce new Bonneville Speedmaster cruiser on October 3
A few days ago we had reported that Triumph Motorcycles is set to display a new cruiser at an event to be held on October 3 at its factory in Hinckley, UK. We now have confirmation that the motorcycle will be christened the Triumph Speedmaster. The bike had previously been snapped undergoing tests in Spain. These spy shots reveal that the Speedmaster will be based on the Triumph Bonneville Bobber. This is apparent by the spied Triumph cruiser's hardtail resembling rear, with the rear monoshock mounted cleverly under the seat as on the Bobber. With this, Triumph Motorcycles will finally take the fight directly to Harley-Davidson.
There are a number of other changes that have been made to the Triumph Speedmaster for the quintessential cruiser stance. The front rake and trail seem to have been increased, while the handlebar is also raised. The front wheel is also smaller than the 19-inch front found on the Bobber. The rear subframe is also different, in comparison to the Bobber, as it has to accommodate a pillion footrest as well as a pillion seat, backrest, and a small luggage rack.
The Speedmaster is expected to be powered by the same 1200cc parallel twin motor that powers the Bonneville T120. Expect a few tweaks to make the motor more in tune with the laid-back character of cruisers. Triumph Motorcycles India is quite bullish about the Indian big bike market and considering its recent launches - the latest being the Triumph Bonneville Scrambler - the Speedmaster may make its way to Indian shores too. Stay tuned for updates.
Image: motorcyclenews.com