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21st Century Classics - Triumph Bonneville

Malarkey Bonnie

Bonnie Specification:  Styling Cues – 1963 Model.    
 

Design: Bill Gysin/ MME
 

Frame: MME. One-off bronze welded CDS steel.  Metisse Mk3 inspired
 

Hubs: Hinkley Thunderbird front, Sportster rear
 

Rims: Morad 3.5 X 18 front, 5 X 18 rear
 

Tyres: Michelin Pilot 2CT 160/60R 120/70F
 

Brakes: ISR – Rear: 2 pot 210mm semi floating rear, Front: 6 pot 320mm                     fully floating.
 

Forks and Yokes:  Hinckley Thunderbird 43mm, Maxton cartridge internals
 

Rear Suspension:  MME Oval section swingarm with internal adjusters / Maxton           twinshocks
 

Engine:  T140V built by P&M Motorcycles. Lightened and dynamically                           balanced  crank, Carrillo rods, Megacycle cams, Richard Peckett                             twinplug head, 10.5:1 compression ratio, lightened and polished                                 rockers, lightened timing gears, Morgo gear type oil pump, Amal                               Concentric MkIIs, Pazon ignition, Mick Hemmings belt drive and                               diaphragm clutch, P&M close-ratio 5 speed gearbox.
 

Electronics: Motogadget Motoscope instrumentation, keyless ignition, ISR                     switches, full relay control, led illumination throughout (except                                   headlamp), thru-frame wiring.
 

Plumbing: Earls throughout
 

Exhausts: MME  Custom fabricated.  Ceramic coated
 

Rearsets: Tarozzi (modified)
 

Tinware: Tank – modified OIF 3 gall US Spec.  Oil Tank/Side Panel –                            modified ’66 Bonnie. Front mudguard – modified Hinckley Bonnie.                              Rear mudguard – ’66 Bonnie, shortened 9” widened 2”.  Headlamp                              brackets – Hinckley Scrambler.  Headlamp – Lucas replica.                                      Seat - modified’63 Bonnie, leather/suede.
 

Dry Weight:           163kg
Wheel base:          1400.
Ground clearance:  215mm
Rake:                    24.5 deg
Trail:                      90mm

"What do you do when your brothers give you a bike for your birthday?

I have never been so overcome by anybodies love and generosity as I was on Saturday. I am a loss how you can spend so much energy and time in creating an absolute perfect special knowing it is going to live in someone else's garage.

Everybody has done a fantastic job - It's one of those thing that you just know is right, even if you didn't know anything about bikes you would know that this one was special.

At first glance is a pretty good looking bike then it keeps you looking for the next hour as you notice the exquisite details that lift it was beyond special and next time you look you notice something else.

As the story of how it all came together unfolded I realised that is was the skill of many other craftsmen that has given the finished product such a complete look - Its the completeness that gets me, everything flows into the next, the gaps between each part are just right, the over all stance - took me a while to realise that the engine is set further toward and slightly tipped to the front, this combined with the head yokes and sharper steering angle give it a contemporary look at the front but your brilliant pipe work around the oil tank takes it straight back to 1964. The workmanship, care and thought placed on every part is just outstanding.

I have now been out for a couple of runs round the Sussex roads and it feels as good as it looks. I am no race rep hero but the built in balance combined with sharp steering low centre of gravity and superb suspension give it such a solid planted feel that I just know as my confidence returns this thing will be amazing because it stops and tips in so quickly.

It just feels right - the riding position, the seat kick up as it follows the rising near frame tubes, the rear sets, the way they fold back to allow the kick start to follow through - all brilliant. There must be hundreds of hours of thought that has gone into this project - I know there is only one way to make something that is inherintly complicated feel simple and easy to use, it takes years of experience to know what will work and what won't work, what will look right and what won't what should be included and what can be discarded. When all this comes together you get something very special.

It is so deceptively simple, you just start it up and it goes - beautifully.It is a very rare thing indeed.I am still shocked by the whole event."

- Robert Gysin, a personal message. 
  15 June 2009.

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