For 2018, the Speedmaster becomes part of the updated Bonneville family, shedding its cookie cutter cruiser persona in favor of a handsome, ’60s-inspired, distinctly British look. (Photos by Kingdom Creative)
When the Bonneville America and Speedmaster cruisers disappeared from Triumph?s lineup for 2017, we knew something was afoot. The Bonneville line was in the midst of a radical makeover centered around two new liquid-cooled ?High Torque? parallel twins (a 900 and 1200), the wildly popular Bobber was taking social media by storm and Triumph was reaping the rewards.
Read our 2017 Triumph Bonneville Bobber review
The two-tone Fusion White & Phantom Black version features hand-painted gold and black coach lines.
Now we have a new 2018 Bonneville Speedmaster, and it bears little resemblance to its cookie-cutter cruiser predecessor. Yet?there?s something familiar about it, and there?s a reason for that: it?s essentially an ?un-bobbed? Bobber. While one would normally start with a ?base? model, creating custom variations like bobbers, café racers or scramblers from there, Triumph has done it backwards in this case?and that?s to the Speedmaster?s benefit. It?s a conglomeration of all the Bobber and Bobber Black?s best qualities, with a healthy dose of classic Bonneville DNA. Read our Bobber comparo: Triumph vs. Indian vs. Moto Guzzi
At what we’re guessing is around 600 pounds, the Speedmaster is a lightweight by cruiser standards, but it doesn’t look, fee...