By NastyNils·
Motorcycle comparison · Retro Classic
Triumph Bonneville T120 (MY2016) vs Speed Twin 1200 (DD04)
Triumph Bonneville T120 vs Speed Twin 1200: style matters. So does everything underneath.
Squeeze the Triumph Bonneville T120's front brake and it doesn't bite until you push hard. The Triumph Speed Twin 1200's radial Brembos grab firmly from the first touch. The front holds steady as you trail-brake into bends.
So which one do you buy?
The Speed Twin 1200 has the edge if…
Sporty riding on twisty roads
Nose ahead: Speed Twin 1200
In the twisties, the Speed Twin 1200 asks a bit less of you to go quickly. What tips it: harder acceleration and stronger brakes. Call it a modest edge.
Daily commuting & city riding
Inches ahead: Speed Twin 1200
The Speed Twin 1200 makes slightly more sense as a commuter. Don't read much into a gap this small.
Character, looks and sound
Edges it: Speed Twin 1200
The Speed Twin 1200 has a bit more presence and character. This one still comes down to taste.
What makes each one tick
Bonneville T120
The T120 makes its case low in the revs, where the twin tugs as soon as the clutch is out and there's no need to chase the tach. Potholes melt into the soft suspension. A sharp bump at speed finds the limit: the damping can't keep up and the rear bobs. Once it's rolling, the low-slung mass vanishes from the bars.
Speed Twin 1200
Along the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Speed Twin drops into each corner off a light nudge at the bars. Out of the curve, there's a muscular shove from low revs with a deep exhaust note riding on top of it. The lever hauls it down from speed with real power and clear feel. The padded seat's good for hours.
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The Bonneville T120 has the lower seat: 31.1 in (790 mm) vs 31.9 in (809 mm).
- The Speed Twin 1200 has the lower wet weight: 476 lb (216 kg) vs 520 lb (236 kg).
- The Speed Twin 1200 makes more peak power: 99 hp (74 kW) vs 78 hp (58 kW).
Which one for the way you ride
Comfortable long-distance riding
Both miss here
Long-haul comfort is a weak spot for both. If you tour, shop with that in mind.
There's no real gap on running costs. Sit on both and let fit and price decide.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
Bonneville T120
What owners say
Strengths
- Strong torque-led 1200 HT engine character
- Easy, accessible handling despite mass
- Authentic retro styling and finish
- Modern essentials present and unobtrusive
Trade-offs
- Front brake lacks initial bite
- Mass for some riders
- Soft, basic suspension
- Pre-LED-era halogen replacement aside, basic headlight beam pattern
- Snatchy / abrupt throttle in Road mode at low rpm
Speed Twin 1200
What owners say
Strengths
- Soulful, torque-rich engine
- Timeless, premium styling
- All-day comfort with a sporty edge
- Powerful Brembo radial brakes
Trade-offs
- Abrupt low-speed throttle response
Known problems to check before you buy
Bonneville T120
- Fuel pump sub-harness moulding defect can allow fuel to seep along wire insulation, risk of electrical short and fire Recall 19V133000 A moulding defect in the fuel pump sub-harness allows fuel to migrate along the wire insulation and reach the main harness connector, where it can cause an electrical short and ignite.
- Clutch cable can chafe through main harness cover and damage internal wiring Recall 19V133000 The clutch cable contacts the main harness cover at the headstock and abrades wires inside, leading to symptoms including loss of headlights, indicators not flashing, or unexpected stall. The fault is the root cause of many community indicator-failure reports.
- Gear-change selector mechanism failure The gear-change selector mechanism can fail through a broken internal return spring or through a bent claw on the detent wheel (often after a left-side drop), causing the bike to lock in a gear or refusing to downshift. Triumph released an updated shifter-mechanism kit (P/N T1191968) in October 2019, retrofittable to the start of production.
- Abrupt throttle response in Road mode at low rpm in 1st and 2nd gear The ride-by-wire ECU map in Road mode is described by owners as having coarse throttle resolution — small wrist inputs produce comparatively large throttle-body movements at low engine speed, resulting in an on/off character in tight low-speed riding. Rain mode smooths the response but reduces overall throttle authority. Common community workarounds: Booster Plug device, ECU re-flash with adjusted throttle map.
- Fuel gauge under- or over-reads; reserve light triggers inconsistently Owners report that the dash fuel gauge does not track tank level accurately and the reserve warning may activate with substantial fuel still in the tank. Triumph has reportedly issued a dealer memo and replaced the fuel-level sender under warranty in confirmed cases.
- Surface corrosion on grab-rail bolts, spoke nipples, brake disc carriers and TPS cover Within months of use, owners commonly report rust forming on exposed steel hardware: grab-rail bolts, spoke nipples, brake-disc carriers, throttle-position-sensor cover. Reported even in non-coastal, non-winter climates. Cosmetic, not structural; progressive if unaddressed.
Speed Twin 1200
No confirmed faults on file yet. That's not the same as fault-free.
What they share
- Displacement
- 1200 cc
- Engine
- Parallel twin
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Fuel capacity
- 3.8 US gal (14.5 L)
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Final drive
- Chain
Where the spec sheets split
| Bonneville T120 | Speed Twin 1200 | |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 31.1 in (790 mm) | 31.9 in (809 mm) |
| Wet weight | 520 lb (236 kg) | 476 lb (216 kg) |
| Bonneville T120 | Speed Twin 1200 | |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 78 hp (58 kW) | 99 hp (74 kW) |
| Torque | 77 lb-ft (105 Nm) | 83 lb-ft (112 Nm) |
| Bonneville T120 | Speed Twin 1200 | |
|---|---|---|
| Front brake | 310 mm | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 100/90-18 | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 150/70-17 | 160/60-17 |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| Bonneville T120 | Speed Twin 1200 | |
|---|---|---|
| LED Headlight | Not offered | Standard |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
