02-17-2015, 09:28 AM
As a present owner of both a '13 CB and a '12 mag-wheel Bonnie, I figured I'd weigh in:
I love my Bonneville, but the CB looks and feels superior, and has much more power than the difference in sticker price and specs would reflect.
The Bonnie has "soul", but the CB feels like it's been sculpted from a solid block of metal. The finish of everything on the CB is jewel-like and perfect. The Triumph feels more like a '70s British twin or UJM twin to me, with all that that implies.
There isn't all that much difference in weight, but the CB feels 100+ lbs. heavier to me, and it also feels like it's carrying it a lot higher - i.e., a much higher center of gravity. It's not felt as much when moving, but at slow speeds it can be very dicey to manuever.
Both handle quite well at speed, though. The Bonnie is just a lot more "flickable", however.
The Bonnie is a bike you just get on and ride without a second thought. It's as easy and comfortable as your favorite old pair of Levis. The CB feels a lot more solid, and the ride is MUCH more comfortable - I mean, like a day and night difference - but again, I notice the weight a lot, and am more "aware" of what I'm doing, and everything to do with my riding experience.
For two-up riding...I know a lot of people do it, but I can't even imagine it on the Bonnie. It just doesn't seem like the bike for it. With the CB I wouldn't even give a second thought to it. It's roomier, has a lot more power, and just seems better suited to the task. It wouldn't take much to make it a nice day-tourer, in my opinion.
Neither of these bikes are powerhouses, mind you, but the CB feels like it has at least 50% more (and I've done a fair share of performance mods to my Bonneville).
For two retro/vintage-ish models in what is often considered the same class, they couldn't be much more different.
To me (and the reason I still have both), they are two very different bikes for two very different moods and kinds of riding. Both great bikes. Just different.
I love my Bonneville, but the CB looks and feels superior, and has much more power than the difference in sticker price and specs would reflect.
The Bonnie has "soul", but the CB feels like it's been sculpted from a solid block of metal. The finish of everything on the CB is jewel-like and perfect. The Triumph feels more like a '70s British twin or UJM twin to me, with all that that implies.
There isn't all that much difference in weight, but the CB feels 100+ lbs. heavier to me, and it also feels like it's carrying it a lot higher - i.e., a much higher center of gravity. It's not felt as much when moving, but at slow speeds it can be very dicey to manuever.
Both handle quite well at speed, though. The Bonnie is just a lot more "flickable", however.
The Bonnie is a bike you just get on and ride without a second thought. It's as easy and comfortable as your favorite old pair of Levis. The CB feels a lot more solid, and the ride is MUCH more comfortable - I mean, like a day and night difference - but again, I notice the weight a lot, and am more "aware" of what I'm doing, and everything to do with my riding experience.
For two-up riding...I know a lot of people do it, but I can't even imagine it on the Bonnie. It just doesn't seem like the bike for it. With the CB I wouldn't even give a second thought to it. It's roomier, has a lot more power, and just seems better suited to the task. It wouldn't take much to make it a nice day-tourer, in my opinion.
Neither of these bikes are powerhouses, mind you, but the CB feels like it has at least 50% more (and I've done a fair share of performance mods to my Bonneville).
For two retro/vintage-ish models in what is often considered the same class, they couldn't be much more different.
To me (and the reason I still have both), they are two very different bikes for two very different moods and kinds of riding. Both great bikes. Just different.