Triumph Bonneville T214 Buyer's Guide

The Machine's Character

The T214 takes the 865 cc air-cooled parallel twin and wraps it in a build made to commemorate Johnny Allen's 1956 land speed run, in Caspian Blue, with only 1,000 machines built and each one carrying its own number. The engine makes 67 hp and 50 lb-ft, and the way it delivers that torque matters far more than the peak figure. Everything visible on this bike is doing style work: the 19-inch front wheel, the chain drive, the fins on the barrels. No screens, no ride modes, nothing that dates the look. It is a modern classic built as a collector's piece first.

Ride it and it stays honest. A 30.5 in seat, 507 lb wet, and 58.7 in of wheelbase make for a bike that is easy to place at low speed and settled once it is rolling on an open road. This suits the rider who wants a machine to look at as much as ride, who takes two-lane routes at a relaxed pace and stops in towns. The caveat is real: no ABS, no traction control, a 5-speed box, and a non-adjustable fork. You get preload at the rear and that is the extent of your setup options. Buy it for what it is.

Hard Numbers

Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.

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Key specifications
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	100/90-19
Rear tire	130/80-17
Wheelbase	58.7 in (1490 mm)
Seat height	30.5 in (775 mm)
Wet weight	507 lb (230 kg)
Fuel capacity	4.2 gal (15.8 L)

Equipment check

Chassis

Rear Suspension Adjustable Standard

Comfort

Heated Grips Optional

Known issues

Fuel injector wiring harness recall

fuel system rare Recall

A recall (NHTSA campaign 14V694000) addressed a potential fuel injector wiring harness chafing issue that could cause an electrical short, engine stalling, and possible fuel leakage. Affected 2014-2015 Bonneville models.
Neutral switch annoyance

electrics occasional

The neutral switch can become unreliable, leading to difficulty finding neutral or false neutral light illumination. Often resolved by cleaning or replacing the switch.
Starter low-voltage cutout

electrics occasional

The starter relay circuit can suffer from low-voltage sensitivity, causing intermittent failure to crank. Often remedied by cleaning connections or installing a direct-feed relay upgrade.

The Numbers Compared

Compare the technical specifications of the Triumph Bonneville T214 with other bikes in its class.

Head-to-head: Triumph Bonneville T214 vs. its rivals

Power

67 hp This bike 73 hp Kawasaki VN 1700 Classic 75 hp Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 55 hp Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber 90 hp Honda CB1100 EX

Torque

50 lb-ft This bike 100 lb-ft Kawasaki VN 1700 Classic 53 lb-ft Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 46 lb-ft Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber 67 lb-ft Honda CB1100 EX

Displacement

865 cc This bike 1700 cc Kawasaki VN 1700 Classic 693 cc Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 853 cc Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber 1140 cc Honda CB1100 EX

Wet weight

507 lb This bike 798 lb Kawasaki VN 1700 Classic 439 lb Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber 562 lb Honda CB1100 EX

Seat height

30.5 in This bike 28.7 in Kawasaki VN 1700 Classic 32.7 in Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 30.9 in Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber 31.1 in Honda CB1100 EX

What's new versus the previous generation

If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.

Previous generation · 2005–2015

Triumph Bonneville T100 (986MF2)

Pure British Style, Zero Pretense

Compare to the previous model →

Alternatives to the Triumph Bonneville T214

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 T214. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.