By NastyNils· ·
Motorcycle comparison · Retro Classic
Triumph Bonneville T120 (MY2016) vs Speed Twin 1200 (DD50)
Triumph Bonneville T120 vs Speed Twin 1200: buy with your heart, but read this first.
At the end of a fast straight, the Triumph Bonneville T120's front brake doesn't bite at first, and you're squeezing the lever hard before it slows. The Triumph Speed Twin 1200's lever pulls the bike down with real force. It keeps building, and you can feel every bit.
So which one do you buy?
The Speed Twin 1200 has the edge if…
Sporty riding on twisty roads
Small edge: Speed Twin 1200
Back-road fun leans slightly toward the Speed Twin 1200. What tips it: harder acceleration and more feel through the bars. It's a narrow call, so trust your test ride.
Daily commuting & city riding
By a nose: Speed Twin 1200
For the ride to work, the Speed Twin 1200 noses ahead. Credit lighter steering. Don't let that alone make the call.
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 Bonneville T120's crankshaft gives it an off-beat pulse that's closer to a V-twin's than an old British engine's. A small turn of the throttle finds the torque peak at 3,100 rpm, just off idle. Its low center of gravity hides the heft once it's rolling. The bars swing in without fuss.
Speed Twin 1200
On the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Speed Twin 1200 flicks from one curve into the next with little effort at the handlebar. There's strong torque from low revs. Higher revs don't go to waste: the twin finds a lively finish up top. The suspension soaks up a bump and keeps tracking.
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The Bonneville T120 has the lower seat: 31.1 in (790 mm) vs 31.7 in (805 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: 104 hp (77 kW) vs 78 hp (58 kW).
Which one for the way you ride
Comfortable long-distance riding
Wrong job for both
Long-haul comfort is a weak spot for both. If you tour, shop with that in mind.
Don't look for a gap on running costs: there isn't one. Go by how each one fits you.
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
- Torque-Rich and Flexible Power Delivery
- Strong and Progressive Brakes
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) | 31.7 in (805 mm) |
| Wet weight | 520 lb (236 kg) | 476 lb (216 kg) |
| Bonneville T120 | Speed Twin 1200 | |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 78 hp (58 kW) | 104 hp (77 kW) |
| Peak power at | 6,550 rpm | 7,750 rpm |
| Torque | 77 lb-ft (105 Nm) | 83 lb-ft (112 Nm) |
| Peak torque at | 3,100 rpm | 4,250 rpm |
| Bonneville T120 | Speed Twin 1200 | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| Heated Grips | Standard | Option |
| LED Headlight | Not offered | Standard |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
