1965 Triumph Bonneville 650cc Motorcycle

Description

The Triumph Bonneville T120 was designed by Triumph Engineering and built between 1959 and 1975, when it was discontinued in favour of the larger-engined T140.The Bonneville T120 was Edward Turner's last production design at Triumph. The new motorcycle was conceived and developed so quickly that it was not included in the 1959 Triumph catalogue. With a 649 cc (39.6 cu in) parallel-twin (two-cylinder) engine the T120 was based on the Triumph Tiger T110 and was fitted with the Tiger's optional twin 1 3/16 in Amal monobloc carburettors as standard, along with that model's high-performance inlet camshaft. Launched in 1959 by Triumph as "The Best Motorcycle in the World", the Bonneville T120 was aimed mainly at the lucrative US market where enthusiasts were demanding extra performance. In 1967 Triumph posted its most successful year in the United States with an estimated 28,000 T120s sold. In 1968 the T120 gained a new and more reliable ignition system. From 1971, T120 models used a new frame which contained the engine oil instead of using a separate tank (this became known as the oil in frame/'OIF' version). A five-speed gearbox finally was fully available by 1972, but competition from larger-capacity motorcycles led to the T120 being superseded by the 750 cc Bonneville T140. Production of the 650 continued until 1973.