Is Triumph developing a single-cylinder 400cc Bonneville? Spy Shots spark launch speculations
Spy shots suggest Triumph may be developing a single-cylinder Bonneville based on its 400 platform to rival Royal Enfield and Honda- here's what's Triumph is up to
he recent launch of a 350 cc lineup of bikes, along with a new tracker model, seems to have spurred Triumph in a new direction. A slew of spy shots doing the rounds on the internet reveal Triumphs tentative plans to bring in a smaller, single-cylinder version of the legendary Bonneville. Since Triumph plans to take on cruisers from Royal Enfield and Honda, a single-cylinder Bonneville would sit well within the lineup.
A spy shot reported by MotorcycleNews.com reveals the bike being ridden on road-focused tyres and spoked rims. The bike had single disc brakes at both ends, similar to the rest of Triumph’s single-cylinder range. The 400 family has been built in partnership with Bajaj Auto India and has so far been powered by a liquid-cooled 398 cc, 4V DOHC engine that produces 40 hp.
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While it is not yet confirmed whether the bike will be launched under the Bonneville moniker, the exhaust seemed similar to that of the Bonneville T120, hinting at the possibility.
A Bonneville 400 could very well be the next bike currently under development by Triumph, as the Thruxton has already been launched. The Thruxton and the tracker 400 produce a slightly higher 41.4 bhp at 9,000 rpm, with a slightly aggressive top end than the rest of the lineup. The test mule also revealed the presence of a grab rail at the end of the pillion seat and a bash plate below the engine that seemed to have been borrowed straight from the Scrambler 400 X.
MotorcycleNews.com revealed that the front forks are likely to be non-adjustable, with twin shocks mounted on a revised tubular subframe capable of preload adjustment. A closer look revealed that it is still in the development phase, with reflectors hanging. Manufacturers often keep trying such amalgams of different chassis and engines for data. It is possible that such a single-cylinder version might never make it into production, but if it does, it would be a welcome addition to the Triumph family.
Why is the Triumph Bonneville special?
The quintessential cruiser, whose first-generation models are often collectors' bounty now, retains a pedigree that dates back to 1959 when the first generation of the bike was manufactured. The name “Bonneville” has been derived from the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA, where Triumph and a slew of other manufacturers attempted to break motorcycle speed records. The Bonneville Salt Flats are a densely packed salt pan in Tooele County in northwestern Utah. These flats are about 19 km long and 5 miles wide, with a crust of almost 5 ft thick at the center. The flats are estimated to hold 147 million tons of salt.
The original Triumph Bonneville started with a 650 cc parallel-twin engine manufactured by Triumph Engineering. The first few models were based on the Tiger T110 and were fitted with the Tiger’s optional Amal Monobloc carburettors. Even with a pre-production engine, these early bikes were able to achieve speeds of 115 mph. The Tiger, Bonneville, Thruxton, and Daytona have a veritable history behind their names. If a single-cylinder Bonneville comes along, it would have to live up to a lot of expectations.
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