I actually remember the original Bonnie and also how much I was intimidated by it. After all this thing was a  huge 100mph monster.

I arrived at my dealer to get my Thunderbird serviced and he said "fancy taking the Bonnie out as a courtesy bike"? I said OK. So I trundled outside with the keys in readiness for an experience.

The first impression was disappointment, I was not intimidated not even a little, the bike felt small and light, a bit like an ER500.  It did look right though, with most of the correct bits in the proper place but with indicators. I was a tad worried by the signs of corrosion on the bolts and other fittings.

If the first impression was disappointment the second impression was frustration, when I started it up it didn't sound like a propabike like the old Bonnie, it was way too quiet, hell it didn't even vibrate or backfire. It definitely need the after-market cans

The seat was firm, correction, it was bloody hard the riding position seemed to be just right though for a period bike. The controls felt light and easy but perhaps a bit too light and easy but it all worked fine. The engine felt a little tame a bit too sanitised for my tastes but it did its job and with a little bit of practised I could probably get it to wheelie just fine. The brakes were OK but the best part was the handling, not in the sportsbike class but safe and secure, again sanitised. You could crank it over a bit but that's isn't the point on a bike like this is it?

The best way to describe the Bonnie is "a safe and pleasant bike", it's ideally suited to the born again market it's clearly aimed at. As far as I'm concerned it would take a lot more than misted up nostalgic glasses for me to buy one, I didn't get any "bad-arsed-rocker" thoughts as I was riding it, indeed my thoughts were "it would make an ideal training bike". For me Triumph missed a golden marketing opportunity but there again they may just have got it right.