[Jayant06]

Elegantly understated in my opinion, yet visible to the overzealous traffic police

[Sting]

Jayant, that looks very neat! And how it should have been made by Triumph in the first place. Let me try to plagiarise that. Might also save me the money I would have spent on hiding that rectifier to a less prominent spot.

Btw, thats a great looking Bonnie with those subtle changes. Would love to see more pics. The A3 looks awesome but it still cant beat its pricier sibling when it comes to good looks.

Thanks for sharing this.

Cheers,
Sting

[r_nairtvm]

Originally Posted by Jayant06

I had a bracket made and screwed it on to the existing bolts on the rectifier

Originally Posted by Sting

Jayant, that looks very neat! And how it should have been made by Triumph in the first place. Let me try to plagiarise that. Might also save me the money I would have spent on hiding that rectifier to a less prominent spot.

Sting

Jayant06, nicely done and neat job.

Sting, yes you can get that done following what Jayant has done.

BUT this is for both of you. Try and get the following piece as well - either fabricate or get it ordered



This is to relocate the Rectifier. to a better/inconspicuous place. This goes in place where the horn is currently and the rectifire and horn is fixed on the bracket (the standard wire of rectifier can reach this location when pulled throgh the HL nacell access point)

In the current setup that Jayant has possibilities of a "fried rectifier" is a credible & present danger which is enhanced by the number plate acting as a wind break. The Rectifiers is in that location on most of Triumph bikes following a spate of rectifier related breakdowns in their bikes prior to 2008. So from the 2008 models it was put in the position it gets the maximum "cool" head winds.

The Parts to relocate this available in the Triumph Parts Bin itself. Why they are not doing it as standard ? is any body's guess

Best Regards & Ride Safe

Ram

[Jayant06]

Thank you for the input Ram. Will check if the rectifier gets unusually warm, when I ride next. I doubt if I will need to 'rectify' the current setup as there is a 3cm gap between the #plate and the rectifier fins - enough airflow, I should think.

[Sting]

Originally Posted by r_nairtvm

Jayant06, nicely done and neat job.

Sting, yes you can get that done following what Jayant has done.

BUT this is for both of you. Try and get the following piece as well - either fabricate or get it ordered

Thanks Ram, this is the one I intended to get and incidentally the same Motone brand!

The guy I've been following for doing some DIY tasks. Love his videos on the Bonneville. This video is for relocating the rectifier using the piece Ram has mentioned.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kL_xN_pi3pA

******

Thanks to Delhi's wet and cold weather have only managed around 350 kms on the motorcycle. The bright side has been that days that have not been terrible have been awesome- bright, sunny and cool. Very unlike Delhi.

Average: The bike consumed 9 litres of fuel for covering 147 kms (avg 16km/litre) calculated on a tankful to tankful method. Seems quite low.

Issue: Its also missing heartbeats, particularly in the first gear. There are times when i move from a standstill and it seems the bike's just lost all energy for a split second. Then it recovers and then i ride like nothing has happended. This has occured at least 5-6 times in the 350 odd kms. Only once did it shut down down altogether and i had to restart it. Will get it checked at the first service.

Epiphany: Had looked for a lot of accessories online and finalised them for an upcoming visit to Uk. Then the epiphany happened; its a motorcycle, not a Christmas tree; Ride it before you decorate it. Will stick to some basic necessities and keep the others in the wishlist for now. Need to 'earn' those accessories after some riding.

[djpeesh]

Originally Posted by Sting

Issue: Its also missing heartbeats, particularly in the first gear. There are times when i move from a standstill and it seems the bike's just lost all energy for a split second.

Epiphany: Had looked for a lot of accessories online and finalised them for an upcoming visit to Uk. Then the epiphany happened; its a motorcycle, not a Christmas tree; Ride it before you decorate it. Will stick to some basic necessities and keep the others in the wishlist for now. Need to 'earn' those accessories after some riding.

My SO keeps saying that by adding accessories, I'm eventually going to build a car,and that people already did the R&D that I'm doing.


Get your timing checked. The service center will check the throttle body balance and fix.

Now ride some more and stop making excuses.

[Sushims]

• Congratulations on the Bonnie! Awesome choice of color.Great pics.I wish to have one someday. I ride an FZ 1 now. Some of your grouses I really could'nt comprehend.

• The stupid headlight that always remains on- even when you kill the engine! ???
• its a safety regulation abroad. All the big bikes have it.
• No storage space under the seat???
• This is not a Kinetic Honda!
• The worst brake oil reservoir ever???
• Very period. Like your dummy carbs. (even competition bikes have it.)
• Clutch safety switch- and its weirdly twisted wire???
• How does it matter?
• An engine oil level indicator but no standard center stand???
• Center stand???????

[Sting]

Thanks Sushims, I am glad you like the bike and the pics.

its a safety regulation abroad. All the big bikes have it.

1. It's a safety regulation aboard- not in India. In India it's just a pain where every passerby tries to distract you and tell you your headlight light is on. Also if the 'big bikes' have it and its useful why not the 'small' and 'medium' bikes.

This is not a Kinetic Honda!

Of course it isn't. But it could very take some good things from other motorcycles. Where do I keep my registration papers, a tool box, a puncture repair kit etc. All the handy and nifty little things could pack up in some place convenient.

The worst brake oil reservoir ever???
Very period. Like your dummy carbs. (even competition bikes have it.)

Not period at all- just cheap and plastic. If it was very period the Bonneville T100 would have it which is a more period bike with spoked wheels and a 19 inch front tyre. And if it is period then not sure why competition bikes would have a period reservoir?

Clutch safety switch- and its weirdly twisted wire???
How does it matter?

As long as it doesn't give way over a period of time, it doesn't. But if it does, the clutch safety would prevent the bike from starting and I wouldn't want to be dealing with that in the middle of no where.

An engine oil level indicator but no standard center stand???
Center stand???????

The question being?

Cheers,
Sting

[Sting]

Our maiden motorcycle tour, a trip to Dadhikar Fort:

The Bonnie was finally put to use for the purpose it was bought for; a couple’s touring motorcycle. Our plan is to visit Rajasthan later this month but to test our gear and get a taste of touring together we decided to do a shorter trip. All the planning and detailing I had done for almost a year was put to good use.

After last minute rushes to finalise my wife’s jacket and get the bookings done we set off on our maiden bike tour on 7th February.

Route taken : Delhi- Bhiwari- Alwar- Dhadikar Fort and back. (350 kms)




Spent the night at Dhadikar Fort nestled in the Alwar hills.

Image from: http://www.dadhikarhotels.com/



A view from the fort entrance:




The equipment list:

Helmets: LS 2 FF386, Studds Downtown
Bluetooth: BT Bluetooth and Intercom units
Saddlebag: Dirtsack Frogman
Tank Bag: Rynox Optimus M V2.0
Jackets: DSG Phoenix and Triumph (can’t recall which one!)
Gloves: Cramster Tundra and Triumph Tri Climate
Knee Guards: Some non-branded ones
Gel Seat: Redlineplus.in (used for pillion seat)
Tools:

1. Slime Motorcycle tire inflator,
2. Puncture repair and inflation kit,
3. Newbonnvile.org copied tool set that I have assembled from Stanley tools
4. Spare clutch cable
5. Fenix LD15 torch
6. Leatherman Wingman multitool
7. ROK Straps
8. Crampbuster

We do need better protection for the knees and feet. Will be researching in the coming weeks to see what better we could get. Any recommendations are welcome.

We did not use the tail bag since it was a short trip and we were keen to test the saddlebags for fit and comfort. The DirtsackFrogman performed exceedingly well and did not budge an inch in spite of some high speed touring (both sides had about 7kgs each). Though I would strongly suggest a Gel Seat to cover the saddlebag straps and Velcro for a comforting ride.



Apart from the road between Gurgaon and Bhiwari, the rest of the road is glazed tarmac and the Bonneville can be pushed to its reasonable potential. Since this was the first time we were touring we only cruised at about 80-90 km/hr on the first leg of the journey to Bhiwari. As confidence grew and the road got better and emptier between Bhiwari and Alwar the speed increased and the Bonnie came into its sweet spot. The fuel efficiency I got was about 19kmpl- reasonably good considering the expectation I had.



We decided to ditch the safety gear for an early morning ride into the village. Mustard fields were in full bloom and quite a sight with the hills and the fort forming the background. The usual village scenes of goat herders, buffaloes being milked, houses on small embankments adorned Dhadhikar.



An evening cultural performance at the Dhadhikar fort. The fort (which has been restored a few years ago) has changed the fortunes of the local place with employment, visibility, infrastructure et al - thanks to tourism.



My parking camouflage. An 8 odd year old boy passed by and said "Dad, another Royal Enfield". I was impressed with his Trademark recollection; but more importantly with my ingenious mind - I had managed to outwit an eight year old.



The roads after Alwar are something like this:



By the end of it got used to the attention:


We're much better prepared for Rajasthan post this trip and weather permitting Rajasthan will bring a great adventure. Amen!

Cheers,
Sting

[Odeen12]

Awesome Awesome thread. I love horses and motorcycles. That Triumph looks beautiful. Just the right bit of the old and new.
Sorry about this, but does anyone have a Speed Triple here. Haven't seen a single ownership thread.
Again, Lovely motorcycle Sting. Have lots of fun on it.

[Sting]

Glad you like the thread, Odeen! My wife and i just completed a 1500 km trip to Udaipur...report coming soon!

[Odeen12]

Looking forward to that story.
My father used to have thoroughbreds, hence the connect immediately.
If you a gaming fan you should check out "Red Dead Redemption" Horses and the wild west galore!

[Sting]

Bon(nie) Voyage: A trip to Rajasthan

My wife and I have toured across Rajasthan many times before covering Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Kumbhalgarh, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Sam, Bikaner and we still want to go back for more.

Considering Rajasthan is a familiar territory with great roads, and very accessible from Delhi we decided to finally introduce the El Caballo Blanco to the region of Marwar. Incidentally, the most famous El Caballo Blanco in Indian history, Chetak, belongs to this region!

We added 2 more things to our riding gear, Alpinetar SMX boots and Knox knee protection and set off on our longest bike trip ever!

Route: New Delhi- Jaipur-Chittorgarh-Udaipur and back
Total kms: 1510
Duration: 8 days/7 nights

Day 1: Delhi to Jaipur via Bhiwari (~250kms)

The roads from Delhi to Jaipur are a nightmare with bottlenecks, poor traffic discipline and construction going on in multiple places. We had an hour long stopover for lunch at my sister’s place on the route and chose to stay in Jaipur in an Airbnb accommodation very close to the Delhi-Ajmer expressway. This made entry into the city convenient and allowed us to make a start next day without getting stuck in Jaipur traffic.

Colonel’s Homestay. Accommodation was cheap, rooms were reasonably large and this place is well connected to the city.



The weather thankfully during the entire trip remained cool (sometimes chilly!) thanks to some freak snowfall in the northern part of India. We weren’t complaining!

Early morning pack up and preparation. The wonderful dogs to keep us company at Colonel’s homestay- a Labrador, a Pomeranian, a Lhasa Apso, a beagle and well..a few more!

Jiya watches on..


As our touring progressed, we got better and better at packing our luggage. During the first few days we were always watchful of the saddle bags not rubbing the tires or resting on the exhaust. By the end of it we became self-proclaimed professionals!

Day 2: Jaipur to Udaipur (~430 kms)

This was the longest distance my wife and I would have covered together on a motorcycle. The usual route to Udaipur is via Ajmer and a few people recommended this. However, previous experience told me otherwise and we decided to take the slightly longer route via Chittorgarh which has the advantage of having less traffic and being 4 lane till Udaipur.

Laxmi Vilas, about 100 kms from Jaipur was our first stop. Incidentally, almost everything in Rajasthan is a Haveli, Palace, or Vilas even it was made just 3 years ago from brick, mortar and cement! The place was swarming with foreign tourists and the Bonnie got admiring looks from all around as we parked it close to the restaurant.



I’d recommend this place for a stopover for those travelling this way. A clean restaurant, safe parking and good hospitable staff.

Serial killer!




Day3,4:
We had booked the Jagat Niwas Palace on lake Pichola for a 2 night stay. This is a beautiful Haveli converted into hotel. The roof top restaurant has some amazing views of the City Palace, Jagmandir and shore line. The lake side hotels have narrow approach roads so travelling on a motorcycle had its advantages.

Convenient and secure parking. The staff was extra helpful in creating space inside the Haveli so that I could park the motorcycle.


Hotel rooftop restaurant overlooking the palace on one side, Lake Pichola on the other..


Spot the celebrity?



Day 4,5:
Tatasaraasa Tree of Life Resort and Spa, Udaipur
The view from the room says it all. Unfortunately, some part of the resort is still under construction. This should be a popular resort for travelers in the winter of 2015.



A few old Fords kept the Bonnie some company at night. I tried to enquire about the details of these Fords but the staff weren’t aware. A quick look told me that these were no longer 4X4 and probably modified to take Toyota/Matador engines.



We drove up to the Monsoon Palace/Sajjangarh Fort. The drive is beautiful and so is the view but that where it ends. I would suggest fellow travelers to make a pass at this if you are short on time.



Fatehsagar Lake on the left and Lake Pichola on the right..



Lake Pichola..



Day 6: Udaipur to Jaipur

Unfortunately this leg of the journey was marred by drizzle and occasional rain. Our luck with good food continued and we stopped at a random restaurant for protection from rain and to fill our stomachs.




Day 7: Rain!!
Remained indoors in Jaipur due to incessant rains. Eventually decided to hire a cab and went shopping a little.

Dinner at night at "Steam", Taj Rambaugh's restaurant which has been converted from a 100 year old locomotive.



Checked the forecast and it showed thunderstorms and rain in Delhi so we decided to extend our visit by a day and checked out of IBIS to Taj SMS Hotel.

The Taj Sawai Madho Singh Hotel shares the boundary as Taj Rambaugh and provided a luxurious stay. Staff was courteous and the greenery and chirpy birds were a different experience from the barren landscape of Rajasthan.

[ATTACH][/ATTACH]

Day 8:

Ready to ride back to Delhi..



Durable saddle bags? Dirtsack beware..there's competition coming!


Comments on the bike:

VERY competent tourer with the only drawback for India being the low ground clearance. It bottomed out countless times and I eventually lost the side stand spring on one such occasion.

The pillion seat is very comfortable and that is a huge plus for us.

I can't recall how many egos El Caballo must have destroyed on the highway. The harder suspension does have an advantage when it's fully loaded. I enjoyed riding it more fully loaded that without luggage (within cities/towns).

Some random pics:

[Sting]

I recently booked the train tickets to Kanpur. However, the great feedback on the road conditions to Kanpur prompted me to change plans and do a solo trip on El Caballo Blanco.

Route: Delhi> Agra> Etawah> Kanpur (Golden Quadrilateral Route)
Distance: 1054 kms
Duration: 36 hours.

The road was terrific and for a change the low ground clearance of the Bonneville wasn't an issue. Rain seems to be becoming an inevitable part of the trips.. A couple trip is planned to Gethia (Nanital) this long weekend on El Caballo.

The Bonneville continues to excite us!

Some pics:

The Yamuna Expressway:


Butt break before Etawah:


Kanpur to Etawah. Some stretches were better than the YEW!


Lunch at Hotel Gunjan, Sirsaganj



The inevitable rain:

[jkdas]

Great! Been following your thread for sometime coz I too have the same feelings and comments about the Bonnie.

Sharing a pix