2015–2016 · Retro Classic · Buyer's Guide
Austria's Purist British Twin
The Newchurch is a special edition of the air-cooled Bonneville, built to mark the Tridays gathering in Austria, and Triumph put its effort into how the bike looks rather than into the spec sheet. Underneath sits the 865 cc parallel twin with its 360-degree crank, making 67 hp and 50 lb-ft, fed by fuel injection and cooled by the air moving across its fins. A steel double cradle frame carries all of it. No ride modes, no traction control, no screen to scroll through. It sits at the purist end of the modern classic field and makes no apology for that.
It rides the way it looks. The torque does the work, so you short-shift and let it lope instead of chasing revs. Ownership stays straightforward: 40 mpg, five gears and a chain to look after, low running costs, a dependable air-cooled twin, and an aftermarket deep enough that no two of these stay identical for long. It fits the rider who wants presence and calm on back roads, in small towns and on weekend trips. The honest caveat is what it goes without. No ABS, no traction control, and 496 lb (225 kg) to steer puts wet roads and heavy traffic squarely on you.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 67 hp (50 kW) @ 7,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 50 lb-ft (68 Nm) @ 5,800 rpm |
| Displacement | 865 cc |
| Engine | Parallel twin |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Gearbox | 5-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 310 mm |
| Front tire | 110/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 130/80-17 |
| Wheelbase | 58.7 in (1490 mm) |
| Seat height | 29.1 in (740 mm) |
| Wet weight | 496 lb (225 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.2 gal (16 L) |
| Top speed | 112 mph (180 km/h) |
| Fuel economy | 40 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
None of this is my own test ride. It's what has filtered back over years of listening to owners at rallies and club nights, in paddock talk, and in the messages riders send me directly. For the Newchurch the pattern holds steady: praise is about character and easy ownership, complaints about running gear.
The loudest agreement is on the look. Owners describe paint and finish that read like the British twins of the sixties, not a modern bike playing dress-up. Riders also keep saying how little the thing asks of them: it starts, it runs, and servicing stays basic in a way restored vintage machinery never manages. Slow-speed manners get steady credit, with wide bars and balanced weight turning U-turns and tight parking into non-events. A smaller group brings up resale, saying these hold their money better than the competition.
The front brake comes up more than anything else. Riders say it wants a hard squeeze and gives little bite when you first touch it, and it shows up fastest two-up or when the pace picks up. The suspension draws the other recurring note: on broken pavement owners describe a short, choppy ride with sharp edges coming straight through.
Premature electrical sensor failures
Throttle position sensors, coil packs, and camshaft position sensors can fail on older or high-mileage examples, causing rough running or no-start conditions. More common on earlier carbureted or high-mileage bikes, but certain models are not immune.
Corrosion on fasteners and brightwork
Bolts, engine covers, and chrome plating can show rust spots if the bike is ridden in wet weather or not cleaned regularly. This is primarily a cosmetic concern but may affect resale value.
Where this Triumph Bonneville Newchurch pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Top speed
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Bonneville Newchurch is actually built for.
This one is built for you. It looks right parked outside a diner, it is happy holding a two-lane pace all day, and 40 mpg keeps the fuel stops predictable. Pack rain gear and plan your own throttle work.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
You get the look, the beat and conversations at every gas stop. Just know this is a lean British twin, not a big-bore highway cruiser, with no luggage and no cruise control for long interstate runs.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
Fine for a relaxed loop with a lunch stop, less convincing when you want to push. It runs out of appetite as the pace climbs, and there is no ABS backing you up on unfamiliar pavement.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Triumph Bonneville Newchurch. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Successor · 2019–2020
Classic Bones, Real Pull
Competitor · 2015–2019
Italian Soul, Stone Simple
Roughly $1,800 cheaper used than this bike at 10 yr
Competitor · 2015–2021
Fun Chassis, Honest Soul
Roughly $1,000 pricier used than this bike at 10 yr
Same Platform · 2009–2015
The Original Retro Blueprint
About the same used price as this bike at 11 yr