TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE – THE SECOND SERVICE

Soon.. I had completed 1 year with the beautiful bike. Apart from the pathetic service standards (Read in my earlier blog here), the bike was now running great and I was enjoying it thoroughly (Read my first year experiences here).

The service manual mandates that the 2^nd service should be done at 10,000 kms. or 1 year, whichever is earlier. I had completed 1 year & only 4,000 kms., but still decided to service the bike. This was due to several reasons including my worry that Indian riding conditions (high temperature, dust etc.) would require change of oil and filters irrespective of kms. ridden.

I researched online and also discussed with several other experienced Bonneville riders and prepared this list of things to be checked / replaced during the 2^nd service. The below points are for Bonneville T100 but I doubt that they will change much for Bonneville SE:

• Engine oil change – Mandatory. Do it irrespective of the existing oil quality.
• Air filter cleaning – Important because of the dust pollution, especially if you have been off-roading. Also a chance to shift to better quality BMC or DNA air filters. These feature a much higher air flow capability and better filtering efficiency.
• Engine check with software and tuning – This is the SOP and the basic servicing includes attaching the laptop and checking for any red flags that come up.
• Clutch cable check and lubing – Smoother and lighter clutch operation
• Battery check – To determine the battery condition and top-up charge if required.
• Brakes check – Fast bikes need good brakes. Open and check both front and rear brake pads. Mechanics tend to take shortcuts by checking the pads thickness with torchlight, without going through the hassle of opening the brakes.
• Headlight alignment – The Bonneville headlight tends to shift upwards. I aligned the headlight and also included an additional rubber washer to try and keep the headlight aligned for longer duration.
• Electrical insulations check – Important to check, especially during rainy season.
• Chain lubing and tightness check – The chain is the most important part, as it is constantly getting dirty, wet and greasy. I recommend regular chain maintenance even at home. I use 3M chain cleaner followed by 3M Chain Lube, every 300 kms. or so.
• Front Sprocket cover open and cleaning
• Pistons cleaning and lubing – Only if you are facing some specific problem. I did not get this done.
• Bike wash and cleaning – Careful with powerful spray wash. The rectifier and other chrome parts can easily get damaged even sprayed from a close distance.

Apart from these, I also felt that the handlebar was very heavy, especially when I was turning into corners. The mechanic checked: 

• Fork cone and
• Yoke nut

We found that the Yoke nut was not properly tightened. A slight adjustment followed by a test ride to check the adjustment made, and the handlebars were much lighter and precise.

Triumph Owners Handbook also gives a comprehensive checklist for every servicing from page 62 – 105. So be sure to read this before going for the servicing. The two most important pages:

Apart from the above standard service points, I also made some practical and required changes to the bike. These include:

Horn – The standard horn on the Bonnie is horrible. I have installed 2 standard horns in front of the rectifier. These ensure that I get way when needed.

Foot peg reinforcement – The problem of foot peg breaking and falling off (Read about this in detail in my last blog here) had me worried. It always stayed in the back of my mind while riding, causing unnecessary worry. So I decided to take action and went in for foot peg reinforcement. This is basically adding 2 additional bolts, apart from the standard 1 bolt provided by the manufacturer.

Light bulb – I find that the headlight in the Bonnie is not sufficient, especially at night on roads that do not have streetlights. I searched for an alternative, and zeroed in on the OSRAM 12V 60/55W Night Breaker Unlimited. Make sure to get the bulbs made in Germany. Although the output is same as the stock bulbs, I find a significant difference in the light throw distance and brightness.

I hope that the above details will also help you in getting your Bonneville serviced properly so that you can keep enjoying the ride!!

Please remember to add your comments below for additions that you think are necessary. It'll be helpful for all other riders. Cheers!!

ONE YEAR ON.. MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE

So I just completed a year with my Bonnie. As you have read in my earlier blog, the initial experience was anything but satisfactory. Heres a recap of my first year with the Triumph Bonneville T100

The journey started when I went to Mumbai to collect my bike after the repairs (to replace the ECM) and the first service. The bike was 1 month old with 500 kms. on the odo. 

The return journey from Mumbai to Nasik was a mouthwatering 200 kms. of nice expressway (After I could get out of the congested Mumbai traffic of course J).

In the workshop, firstly I insisted that the bike servicing, including the oil change be done in front of me. The dealer claimed that the servicing was done, but thanks to my earlier experiences, I got the servicing done in my presence and departed happy.

The ride back to Nasik lived upto its expectations. The smooth roads and open throttle led to a smile, which lasted for days. The bike ran perfectly. The smooth throttle response, the torque and the long rev range, which had first made me fall in love with the bike were all back. The zero vibrations, even at speeds above 100 kmph was a very different feeling from my usual RE, but this was one thing about the RE that I did not miss.

The bike was back at home base. All the drama was behind me and the bike was as good as new. The ECM had been replaced and the first servicing was done. 

I started using the bike gingerly. The bond between a biker and his bike is very sensitive. And me and my Bonnie had not really started on the right foot. It took some time for me to understand and trust the bike again.

A new bike warranted a change in riding style too. This was not easy at first, but eventually I got used to being more aware of the signals given by the bike. No vibrations meant that I had to base the gear change on the RPM, a meter that I didn't even have in my RE. 

One thing that I did miss is the support of fellow riders. I have a great group of riders for my RE and we always discuss and support each other when problems and doubts arise about our bikes. I sorely missed having such a group for my Bonnie. I was helped to a far extent by the Indian Bonneville Group on whatsapp. Riders in larger cities will definitely benefit and I strongly recommend forming a group of like-minded riders.

The bike was running great and I was throughly enjoying the weekend rides on the highway and short city rides whenever I could slip away from home. 

But as with every bike, the road was not completely smooth.

My first (and thankfully only) puncture occurred. The rear tyre was punctured. I found this at home, and thank God that the tyre did not deflate on the highway. This was a big problem. I had preferred to buy the T100 because of the large tyres and the fact that it came with spoked wheels, which as per me have more strength that alloy wheels. But spoked wheels also mean tube tyres instead of tubeless tyres.

I understood the basics of the tyre puncture repair. Unfortunately, the owners manual did not give much detail for this activity. I am told that many riders close to the showroom choose to use the RSA to send their bikes to dealer workshop for this job. I did not have this luxury with the distance between Nasik and Mumbai being 200 kms. So it had to be a DIY job.

The removal of the tyre was easy enough, by removing both the exhausts and the axle. The problem came while refitting the tyre, as the pieces just did not fit together.

Tip: Place all the parts while removing in the same order in which they have been removed i.e. the last piece farthest and the first piece closest to the tyre. This makes it very easy to install the parts in the same manner. 

Finally after 6 hours of painstaking labour, the tyre was back in place. Whew!!

Other than this, it was pleasant sailing. Yes, the bike does overflow if kept it on the side-stand and then started immediately after. Yes, the bike tends to be a little rough when the engine is not upto temperature. But these are quirks of the bike and you get to learn and go with them over time. 

Learning restraint is a much tougher job. The bike will keep accelerating and requires discipline from the rider to control speeds, especially on Indian highways, which look deceptively open but can have dogs, people or anything else you can think of come in the way at a moments notice.

I am glad to say that the Bonnie has lived upto my high expectations and shown me a side of riding that is new and wonderful.

Read on for my blog on the second serving after the first year of riding..