Britain's best looking bike or a case of Triumph trying too hard? You decide...
For half of my time on the Triumph Thruxton R, the top of the new old FBonneville range from the Hinckley hooners, I've felt nothing but elation, bordering on giddiness. Pottering through villages serenely, blasting down B-roads, catching glances of our combined form in shop windows, it's been summer personified. Having shown off the bike to the wife and kids, and received their admiring glances (that doesn't happen very often, let me assure you), I've then rushed out on brilliantly bright mornings to get in early, then made my excuses and ducked out early to go home along the most convoluted route imaginable. It's been nothing short of epic.
I've maxxed it out, I've pinged it off crests, I've hustled it through some dainty country roads, I've gone knee deep into some roundabouts. In short, I've treated it like any other bike and it's reacted like any other bike. And why would it not? Öhlins rear twin shocks, Showa Big Piston Forks up front, chunky Brembo brakes and an eager and torquey 1,200cc parallel twin motor are all ingredients that, when blended well, should produce something very tasty after it's come out of the Hinckley motorcycle oven.