Riding after 12 yrs: Overwhelmed with accessories & riding gear options

I have booked the Triumph Bonneville T120 so that I can ride to Ladakh with my friend (who owns a Royal Enfield Interceptor 650) after getting used to motorcycling again.

BHPian mohitaga recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi All,

I wanted to share my recent experiences with Triumph and needed suggestions and opinions from our community’s experts.

After almost 12 years, I am planning to buy a two-wheeler again. I have been driving only four-wheelers since 2012. So I know it will be quite a change.

Why a bike?

Well, the discussion started when one of my close friends who owns an Interceptor 650 suggested going on a bike trip (obviously Ladakh). So I thought let’s first get used to bikes again, then only we can plan for such a long trip (Jaipur - Ladakh).

First, it was taking bikes on rent, but that somehow didn’t appeal to me. I thought why not buy some classic machine and plan for it?

How I finalised T120

I was a big fan of Bonneville Bobber back in 2015/16. So, definitely wanted to check Triumph bikes. For classics, I could shortlist either Speed Twin or T120. T120 looked more appealing in videos and photos, given it was pure classic with a couple of modern features. So I wanted to see the entire Bonneville series in person. Little did I know, the Triumph dealership at Jaipur did not have even a single Bonneville on demo. Only one customer’s speed twin was parked in front.

Test Drive and Dealership Experience

I was actually surprised at how they expect to sell a bike if they don’t have it on display. Later after watching a couple of videos, I understood that this is the case with tier 2 cities. Since these bikes are expensive with little to no demand, normally dealerships don’t want to keep them in their inventory.

I had a conversation with the sales person and told him that I can’t really make a decision, since I have never driven one and have no experience with a super bike. I was a bit confused, if this would be too big to handle or maybe not as comfortable as I am expecting. He agreed to arrange a test drive as early as possible.

To my surprise, he called up the very next day to schedule a test drive. Though this wasn’t a TD vehicle and I didn’t really want to know how he arranged it.

So me and my Interceptor friend reached the dealership to see it in person. Till this time, my friend was not in favour of my decision. He was like, buy the Interceptor or any other RE 650 and suggested that there won’t be so much of a difference.

Now when we both saw it in person and took it for the TD, his opinion took a 360 turn. He said when this started he really felt it… and the way the bike handles is no comparison to his Interceptor. He also mentioned that his Interceptor is more of a raw bike, whereas this is more sophisticated and league ahead.

Well when I drove it, it was purely magical. Bike didn’t feel like it was a 250 kg heavy machine, it was easy to handle. I couldn’t take it to the 6th gear though, as it was already reaching close to 80 in 5th and I didn’t want to drive it faster than that. Later the sales exec told me that this bike has good gear ratios and can be easily driven at 40-50 in 6th gear.

I decided, that if I was going to buy one this was the one I wanted. Now why not any RE 650? Well when my friend bought the Interceptor, I was the one who convinced him to buy it instead of a Classic. Reason was simple, the Classic was turned more into everybody’s bike and lost its exclusiveness. Whereas Interceptor was still limited. Now today with so many RE bikes and a waiting period of 3-9 months, it wasn’t simply for me. I wanted something which isn’t common at all.

What I booked

I booked the bike the very next day and after going through almost all of the color options, I finalized the matt graphite color. Here is the picture for reference (it’s from Google, I am yet to receive my)

Suggestions I Need

• I will be driving the bike most probably after a week or so and right now I am overwhelmed with the accessories, riding gear, navigation and whatnot.
• What are the basic must-have riding gear and accessories needed?
• Which helmet should I buy?
• Bluetooth headset with an intercom is needed? We are planning to go on a 150-200 km trip to start with.
• I would also love to hear any Triumph owner’s experience with their machines since there are very less videos or user experience available. Especially on the Bonneville series.

Thank you, everyone, for your time and I am really looking forward to your suggestions.

Here's what BHPian skviknaraj had to say about the matter:

First, congrats on the booking. Looking forward to your travelogue and experience with this machine.

It all depends on the budget you have in mind. Please go through the TBHP thread on riding gear.

If you can get a CE AA-rated jacket/pants very good (Revit, Leatt and Oxford) or from Indian manufacturers (Viaterra, Rynox, DSG), no matter what try out the gears in person and check the fit before making the purchase.

As for the Gloves, Viaterra and Rynox both have CE-rated gloves.

Don't forget the boots, finding a good branded one will be tough as mentioned in the above thread on riding gear. However, a visit to Delhi or Mumbai should get you sorted.

For the vehicle accessories part, I would suggest getting the crash guards first. And as you start riding more, based on your need preference and budget you can add them later on. Hopefully, before your Ladakh ride, you will have settled into your bike and will know what else is needed.

Again, budget is key here. Please use this TBhp thread as a reference.

Also don't forget a set of earplugs.

IF you both are going to be riding together, then you can invest in them. Preferable if you both could get the Bluetooth intercom from the same brand. You have the Bluarmor, Cardo and Sena. Can use this thread as a reference.

Here's what BHPian mygodbole had to say about the matter:

FIRST and foremost, get a good battery charger. I had a Triumph America (a Bonneville with a cruiser look) and the battery conked off in just 21 days of not riding. It is a pain in the place where the sun doesn't shine and mostly everywhere else. In my case in 2010, I ended up calling Triumph UK and they agreed to replace the battery and suggested a battery charger.

While at it, also purchase good quality jump start cables and make sure to carry them. They really help in tight situations since most sedan (not Alto/Swift) batteries can help jump-start the bike. Additionally, learn how to jump-start your bike, do it in the Triumph workshop so you can learn from the experts. Ask questions if anything is NOT understood (even if others laugh behind your back, better safe than being stranded)

Sissy bar/grab handle needed. Budget and buy.

Extended mud-guard (to protect the engine area) in case you plan on riding in the rains. It will certainly impact the aerodynamics.

Be prepared to spend more in case the 'footrest' seems inadequate.

A 'tank' bag may be useful. Keep on your spending blueprint.

Riding gear is personal choice/legal aspects/weather impacted. Good riding gear is essential when you go on a long ride > a long ride comes when you are comfortable on the bike at highway speeds > Takes time. So, plan but take a breath before blowing cold cash.

I type all this not to scare you, but to make you aware of the challenges since you state that you will be riding after 2012. Knowledge is power, not a scarecrow.

Ride safe.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.