Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster Review

Used Buyer Review

The Speedmaster is Triumph doing retro-cruiser properly — not a costume, an actual motorcycle. The 1200cc parallel twin pulls hard from low revs, and that torque character suits the laid-back ergonomics perfectly. It's genuinely comfortable for two-up riding, which puts it ahead of most style-focused cruisers that pretend passenger accommodation exists. Buying used, check the final drive belt religiously — neglected ones crack and leave you stranded expensively. Pre-2019 bikes had occasional throttle-by-wire glitches worth investigating. Look for corrosion around the exhaust headers on bikes stored poorly; it's cosmetic mostly but ugly fast. Low-mileage examples are plentiful because owners buy them, ride occasionally, and garage-queen them. The riding position suits medium-height riders best — tall riders find the reach awkward after distance. It's no sportbike, obviously, but it handles far better than its silhouette suggests. If you want a cruiser that doesn't make other motorcyclists embarrassed for you, this is genuinely it.