I decided to tackle the question of whether the 1970 Triumph Bonneville is reliable head-on. It’s been bugging me for weeks, so I figured I’d put in the sweat and find out myself.
Getting my hands dirty
First up, I hunted down a 1970 model. I drove out to this grumpy old guy’s garage last Thursday—bumped over potholes the whole way. After some quick haggling, I handed over cash for a rusty blue one. Paid extra for it to actually start, which it did—just barely! The engine coughed like it was half-dead, but I managed to push-start it in the gravel drive.
Over the weekend, I took it for long rides around my neighborhood. Started by warming it up slow, then rode it hard on the highways and backroads. Noticed it vibrated like crazy at high speeds. One time, the throttle got stuck and I nearly wiped out on a curve—scared the pants off me. Took it home and tinkered under the hood. Changed the spark plugs and messed with the carburetor. It ran smoother after that, but still leaked oil everywhere.
Kept riding it daily to work this week. By Wednesday, I was cursing at it. Broke down in the rain miles from anywhere. Had to push it a quarter-mile to a gas station. Tore into the wiring and found some frayed cables. Patched them up with tape—cheapo fix, but it got me home. That repeated a few times, even after I swapped out the old battery. Honestly felt like a money pit.
What I learned about its pros and cons
After all that, here’s my take:
-
Pros
- That engine roar? Pure music when it’s working right—makes you feel like a classic movie star.
- Super simple to wrench on if you’re handy. I tightened bolts and adjusted things in my driveway easy.
- Looks damn cool. Even all beat up, neighbors stopped to stare and ask about it.
- Breaks down too often. Stalls, leaks oil—high upkeep makes it unreliable for daily use.
- Safety hazards galore: weak brakes that fade fast and dodgy wiring.
- Parts hunt is a nightmare. Hard to find spares without scouring junkyards or overpaying online.
Cons
In the end, I’d say it’s a mixed bag. Fun ride when it behaves, but costs more in time and cash than it’s worth. For me, it drove home that old bikes aren’t reliable unless you’re always fixing them. Learned the hard way—never buy one unless you’re ready for endless drama.