£6,000 - £7,000
1971 TRIUMPH T120R BONNEVILLE
Registration Number: GAM 425J
Frame Number: CE13706
Recorded Mileage: 0 miles (see below)
- Restored in 2021 with zero miles since completion
- Engine and gearbox rebuild by leading specialist Robin James Engineering
- Matching engine and frame numbers
The now legendary Triumph Bonneville was released in 1959, taking its name from the achievements of Texan Triumph racer Johnny Allen on the Bonneville Salt Flats. The Bonneville was the last production design of the celebrated Edward Turner, who had been instrumental in creating all of Triumph’s raciest post-Vintage bikes, the Speed Twin, Thunderbird and Tiger 110.
The original T120 Bonneville was developed in such a short space of time that it didn’t actually make it into Triumph’s 1959 catalogue, but it didn’t give the impression of being rushed. Its big, thumping 650cc twin assisted it quickly towards the ton, so it became an instant favourite with Ton-Up Boys. It wasn’t just rebellious teenagers who tried to squeeze as much speed out of it as possible, though. The Bonneville was developed for serious competition, and was perhaps most famously ridden by Steve McQueen in the 1964 International Six Days Trial.
The most significant update in the T120’s life came in 1963 when it changed from pre-unit to unit construction, i.e. the engine and gearbox were incorporated into a single housing whereas previously they had been separate. The purpose of this was to make the bike more stiffly-built and eliminate high-speed wobble, thereby enabling better performance to be extracted from it. The Bonneville’s production ran from 1959 all the way through to 1983 with the later T140 incarnation, at which point production ceased with the closure of the Meriden works.
This beautiful matching numbers T120R was built on 30th March 1971, the following week being dispatched to the Triumph Corporation of California. Repatriated to the UK in the last few years, the Triumph was treated to a comprehensive restoration in 2021. The engine and gearbox were rebuilt by leading specialist Robin James Engineering of Leominster, supported by bills for c.£4,000, and the bike carefully reassembled with new or period-correct items as required.
Since completion the Bonneville has seen no road miles, being used as a display piece only. Offered with a current UK V5C, and workshop manual, this really is a super example of a legendary model.
Interested parties should note that buyer's premium for motorcycles and scooters is set at 12.5%+vat.
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