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March 07 2010
This Bonnie could be mine.
I've been dreaming for big motorbikes for years, or I should say decades. Taiwan banned heavy motorcycle (over 150cc) import and production since the 1970s, and lifted the limitation only after its 2002 enrollment into the WTO.
So I didn't have a chance to have one in my young years, and in almost the mid-40s as of this year I finally got the driver's license of this class (over 250cc) and have the budget allocated to buy one.
As many others think I should look like this:
...and I really have Harley-Davidson stuff such as a bandanna, a leather vest and a pair of boots, except the "egg-boiling" leather trousers not suitable for tropical Taiwan.
But as the age adds up, in addition to Taiwan's crowded city traffic, it becomes somewhat unrealistic to keep a Harley-Davidson as a daily bike. Most H-D owners here hang out together on weekend rides, but not daily commuting or short stops.
The price of H-D bikes (or I should say all imported bikes) are ridiculously steep here -- about twice of which in the US; this could be the last reason that made me turn to the British Triumph instead, albeit also expensive.
In the past week, I've considered pre-owned Honda CB400SF as an entry-level stepping stone, as well as Bimmers like R1150R and F650GS. No, not Japanese bikes; I know Japanese wheels are relatively cheap with respectable quality, but they just couldn't turn me on.
And 2010 Triumph Bonneville or Thruxton are also on the list if I decide to fall deep into debts. Last night, right before I made up my mind, I found a seemingly nice pre-owned Bonneville T100 on an auction site.
I contacted the seller and went to see it on Sunday afternoon.
This is it. The 6-year-old carburetor Bonnie T100. It's in mint condition with common Triumph caveats: somewhat leaky cylinder head and flaky chrome plating, but still looks good on the iPhone camera.
The oil leakage can be seen under the charming, classic Triumph mark. If that's a year's worth, I think I can take it.
Albeit old, the mileage of this Bonnie is low: well under 4000 miles, and the front section of the exhaust pipes is still in light blue, instead of heat-tempered purple. This girl will still be a English beauty after some clean-ups.
I was the first bidder but not the only one, so I still have to wait and see what would happen. But anyway, I like this bike and wish to have a nice ride soon.
