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Originally Posted by niranjanrvce Please elaborate. I was thinking getting a bigger rear seat with a backrest would make it a good option. The bike is reviewed to have good ride quality so far.
The roadsters (883, 48) are known to have very stiff rides, especially at the rear. A friend bought along a 48 on a ride and I liked the looks - but the ride and GC was unpalatable.
Please elaborate on why the Bonnie is not a good choice for long pillion rides! I am surprised at this - I saw a bigger seat with backrest as optional accessories by Triumph for the Bonnie and everything else (ride, power, handling, GC) fits in so perfectly. |
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Originally Posted by mobike008 Absynthguzzler is just guessing I reckon as I dont think he has done 200kms with a pillion yet as we both are together for almost every ride
My personal take viz a viz my Classic 500 with one example
During one the rides on my Classic 500 went to Bidar Gurdwara ( 140kms one way) and rode back non-stop and my backside was literally on fire ( solo ride) so i can imagine the pillion would be in even worse state
Compartively, repeated the same Bidar Ride (Absynthguzzler was part of the group) and 140kms on the Bonnie was a breeze. No butt pain and was fresh as a lily at the end of the ride
Bonnie seats are extremely comfortable and I think iam confident of doing 250-300kms non-stop on good roads without resorting to tricks that we normally do when riding a bull
If you compare the Bonneville SE vs. Bonneville T100 seats, T100 seats are more comfortable as they are overall softer
.
My wife accompanied for 150kms ride and she loved the comfort ( again comparing to my Classic 500)
Btw, I saw the optional seat for Bonnie. One word- Hideous !! |
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Originally Posted by ebonho Having met Avi in the flesh recently, I can safely say that there are at least 2 riders in this discussion who riding solo would equal such riders + size zero girlfriends + size zero girlfriend's vanity bag .....
And in the Indian context, its not only the weight that counts, but the real estate of the bum-seat interface.
Which is why I believe the Bullet survived in India long after its planet Krypton died. It was a British bike designed for Indian bums. |
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Originally Posted by niranjanrvce Thanks Mobike - everything does point to a comfortable pillion on the Bonnie, except inertia under hard acceleration I guess. I know the optional seats look hideous but one of the main criteria for my wife is a backrest. I don't know if that's just psychological for her but I don't want to question it and break the existing ceasefire on bikes.
I guess the pace with which you covered the 140 Kms on the Bonnie would have made a difference too But yes I agree on soft seats on the REs - I find my Duke390's seat much more comfortable over longer rides (300+kms at a go)
Doc, the speedo tops out at 180 on the baby Harley I think. So I doubt the bike will go close to that number. I'll be extremely happy to be proven wrong!
The Red/black one does look like it can look decent with some customization doesn't it. Now, if only your performance predictions turn out to be true; just like it did for the 390 |
I wasnt guessing Avi, there is a reason why ive got 800kms more on my odo compared to yours. Youve never been a long distance rider and i dont think you plan to even . However, even in the shortest of rides, my mind is always churning out thoughts on how I will feel with this bike as a tourer
.
There are 2 scenarios for long distance :
Without pillion, the only hindrance is probably the thinn'
ish seat . Compared to the T100 and other bikes , the SE has a very thin seat. Most of the cushioning effect is done by the shock absorbers . The stats for all bikes prove this point
SE, T100 and Thruxton have struts starting from 320mm and increasing by 20mm respectively. However, the spring travel rate in all 3 are 3.2" max. This clearly quantifies why the T100 is more comfortable than the SE, i.e Seat has 1 inch more cushioning compared to SE.
With Pillion , it is not solely the seat in question when comfort over long distance is spoken about. This may be solely attributable to me, but I'm 100% sure most would agree. The most comfortable position for touring is obviously the front peg setup on HD and other dedicated cruisers. The next best would be akin to the Bullet and Bonnie. However, on the SE , i find that with a pillion, I'm having to bend my knees more ( as a result of making space at back), which indirectly forces me to use the heel or arch of my feet on the pegs. this natural tendency is purely as a result of the cramped feeling if I continue to use the balls of my feet on the pegs. I don't know about others, but i don't feel that my legs resting when i use the foot arch or heel all through the ride. Not having a pillion on the bonnie gives you this flexibility. Now, one can say , surely there's enough room to manage this aspect . I just feel , if that's the case, then I'm being selfish and making the ride miserable to my companion. You're sure to take up more than a fair share of real estate.
The next point is common to both my Street 750 and SE comments and its already been detailed out. Real Estate available for our bums. I passed judgement purely on the existing setup of both bikes, not on the "options available" . Bigger, softer , wider front and back seats added with a sissybar/backrest would surely be the way to go. Without these, i still feel that the pillion is constantly stressed due to lack of room to manoeuvre and/or fear of falling backwards. What's the point of a long distance ride if your pillion is not enjoying it ? Niranjan's point on his wife insisting for a backrest also confirms this probably? You've taken a companion for a reason. Now why just think "adjust kar lete" or " its better than what we're used to" when the solution is out there.
I wouldn't want to compare this bike to the Bullet though . Its just not fair to do so on both bikes. Even the "backside on fire" feeling is not solely attributable to the Bullet's seat , everyone knows there are multiple other dynamics on that bike which play a role. By comparing these two bikes, you're pulling down the credibility of both!
In stock form, the Bonnie( SE model in particular) surely has lacunae of comfort for long distance touring with 2 on-board. The minor corrections required would be
1. Seat Upgrade or modification - in cushioning and real estate for both rider and pillion.
2. Lowering the pegs or having a highway peg set-up.
Both the above are very common mods done on the Bonnie and there are numerous long term user-based comments on same from across the world. We in India are only now experiencing the pleasures of this wonderful bike. So even if I'm guessing my assessment after 1800kms on the odo, I'll surely go by the advise that the whole world's Bonnie users have provided me.