TRIUMPH Bonneville gearbox issues! Is YOUR Bonneville a ticking TIME BOMB?
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- Опубликовано: 16 сен 2024
- latest news on the selector shaft failures reported to affect all Liquid cooled Triumph Bonneville models over the last 2 years.
Triumph Bulletin 197. static.nhtsa.g...
PayPal Donations. threelittlefishes@live.co.uk
PATREON. / stuartfillingham
Was not aware of this issue.
My 2022 T120 experienced this failure 3 days into a 2 week EU road trip.
So 4 years after this video, problem still exists.
3 weeks on, bike still at the dealership.
Trading it in, as soon as I get it back.
Well done Stuart, it’s about time Triumph were brought to book for iffy construction & design on quite a few of there models. There arrogance with customers through their dealer network & themselves is appalling. Thank you for your honesty, it’s also a disgrace the weekly & monthly mags haven’t been as honest as yourself! Keep it up 👍🏻
Great video, unfortunately I'm one of the sufferers with a 2017 Street Scrambler.
Shift shaft assembly went at 3k then the "uprated" part went at 6k, dealer was unwilling to help with the second as the bike was just out of warranty but an e-mail to Triumph got them to do it as a goodwill gesture since it was a recurring fault, now the bike has 8123 miles on it and I got a hint that the problem may be back at the start of a 500 mile journey fom France - the box had a missed shift as approaching a roundabout, no problems after that so far but I know in the back of my mind that this is how it starts.
The problem is the pivot plate edges chipping off, maybe its not disengaging fast enough from the detent wheel as some people have noted a stiffer spring on the uprated part which in theory would make the plate move away faster, with that said I tend to feel its poor manufacturing standards and design that are the root cause of this issue.
How Triumph are handling this though is corporate suicide, people will simply lose faith in the brand and go elsewhere, I certainly wouldn't buy another Triumph which is a shame because other than this issue the bike is lovely, the fact that they'd rather bury their head in the sand and let the consumer keep paying for their mistake is beyond me.
If they invested the time and money to sort this then they would keep a satisfied and broader consumer base who would be able to see that Triumph want to sell quality products which would create returning customers, the way my cases were handled made me feel like they are a grab the money and run outfit!
Ive been waiting for you to do this one, its been a while! My gearbox only went once but that was enough. no longer had Triumph roadside assistance on my 2017 T120. It happened in Scotland and cost me an arm and a leg to have the bike transported home. but did get it fixed under warranty after 5 weeks. traded it in straight away for a continental GT, ive never looked back! I got the same story from triumph that they hadn't heard of the issue before but the forums were full of it!
Thank you for the information. This is how they transform a „Triumph“ into a „Defeat“. And I thank myself for having bought a Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. 👍🏻😉
well done Stuart for reporting this problem, that no one will admit to. .Triumph shame on you.. ( I have a thruxton 2012 900cc ) Got shut of a street triple , with stator problems 2013 rs. put 3 new ones in it..
..Triumph shame on you . And dealers ( stealers ) know it.. Shame on you also.
I feel your pain, I am on my third stator on my 2011 Tiger 1050, First one failed at 16,000kms, next at 33,000kms - third time lucky - now up to 92,000kms on the last replacement which makes it the longest lived yet!
I have had my 2019 street twin for 18 months and it has been flawless.....I hope it stays that way. Made in Thailand.
I ride a cheep 16 year old honda cb1300 with 60k miles ,last owner thrashed it on track days ,now i own it i have serviced it good and it is rock solid reliable bike stuart fillingham good channel .
Beautiful bike, 16 years old and no problems is a testament to Honda's quality.
Another excellent and well balanced video Stuart! I can confirm that this is a very real problem with the T-120. I purchased one of the first in West Australia: a 2016 T-120 Black. It has been and still is a wonderful machine. Coming back from the DGR in Busselton last year I found it increasingly difficult to downshift and by the last 20 of 150 km , it simply would not shift from 6th. I’m fortunate to live semi-rural so was able to finangle my way home without a stop.
Some research on the interweb revealed that this was not an isolated instance of gearshift failure. Some do it after a month, mine at 3 years , and most not at all. There is some discussion about bad heat-treatment on the selector parts , but I don’t know.
I had it towed to the dealer, who has always been straight with me and they had no knowledge of this issue and I believe them. I pointed out that a little digging had come up with this as a common enough fault to rate threads on forums. The bike was out of warranty but has always been regularly serviced
by them. I also pointed out that I’m careful and maintain the machine well and a major component should last well past the warranty period.
Now, much to their credit, Triumph Australia came to the party with free replacement parts and I suspect there may have been persuasion from Kim Britton involved. So for the cost of the labour I have the Bonnie up and running as smoothly as it ever was and I had a front rotor replaced at the same time , my fault this time for dropping the wheel while changing a tyre. All up it was pretty damn cheap for the total labour and I think Britten’s cut me a break on the gearbox too. Fair deal and they came through for a regular customer.
It appears others have not had such a pleasant experience. Not a good way to retain customers. But motorcycles are machines and parts do go wrong but this hating on Triumph for minor failures like brake noise is ridiculous. Mine had the shudder and I easily got rid of it with upgraded pads and copper grease , never to return and she stops fine.
When the REs get some miles under their belt we’ll see some problems there too and when the next big new thing of a retro bike comes along they’ll be copping the acid next.
Seems to me Triumph generally needs to step up and own this issue and make it go away without emptying their loyal customers pockets . Then we will happily buy more. But stuff occasionally breaks so just get over it! Has done so since the dawn of mechanical history.
I also don’t understand the grizzling about price? Mine cost $16,900 base price new and Kim Britten showed me the relatively tiny dealer margin at the time of purchase. I also spent another 2k or so on accessories. You could practically buy two Triumphs for the price of a Harley . And I think the Royal Enfields are excellent but they are in no way equal to the T120 or even the Street Twin. You got a whole lot more technology and performance in the Triumph. The 1200cc liquid cooled engine is a nice piece of engineering and the 6-speed box is a smooth as silk. And I’d had 3 years of enjoyable riding before this issue came about.
I’m not dissing the REs and would happily own one if I could afford another rego. They have come up with a machine that perfectly meets the market for retro, simplicity and almost complete absence of bells and whistles and deserve the praise being heaped upon them. It’s the bike you’d have coveted in 1970!
Most sensible reply here. Yes, things can go wrong on any bike regardless of make or country of origin. Triumph definitely should take a bit more responsibility when it happens but it helps if you have a decent dealer who will back you up.
Having now watched Simon Hancock's excellent video showing replacement of the offending gearbox parts, my observations are, 1) This is without doubt a manufacturer issue, 2) This is not a huge job that requires any major engine case disassembly. If I owned one of these bikes, I would be more comfortable to use it and if necessary replace the offending parts myself. Given the size of the repair job, I'm even more perplexed why Triumph should duck something that is clearly down to them. Keep up the great service Stuart, great channel sir!
Stuff it, I didn't trust my Speed Twin anymore. Sold it.
Does it affect any speed twin 1200 ?
Thanks Stuart. As a recent and, in light of this video, I guess a nieve returnee to biking I didn't realise how underhand these big manufactures could be. It is quite shocking and I have great sympathy for everyone who has experienced this problem or who now has to live under the shadow of it. Last autumn I went down a slightly different route and bought a Norton 961 cafe racer so you will appreciate I have my own problems 😂. It is currently off the road and in for repair again not an unknown situation judging by comments on the owners' club forums. I would however say that I have found the dealer to be very helpful. The small total number of machines in existence together with recent events makes if feel like a 'we're all in this together' club rather than an us v them situation. I perhaps have another advantage and that is whilst your T120 is just a 'paperweight' to my eyes the Norton is a work of art which gives me great pleasure just to look at (even whilst sitting on a roundabout awaiting the RAC!). My immediate solution to the problem has been like one of your other comment-ers to go Japanese and buy a 2nd hand VFR. A case of history repeating itself? Good luck to all those with problems I hope they get resolved soon.
My buddy Nick has both new & old Bonneville's, the old one he bought when he passed his test back in the 70's & it was second-hand then.
He loves his old one & hates his "modern" one so much he hardly ever rides it at all, says it vibrates less & holds oil better but those things are part of the appeal of his 60's Bonnie & he says it sounds better too.
You are a brave man mr Fillingham. Which in a way is wrong...I mean, why must a man be brave to speak the truth? Anyroad, this info should come from Triumph. Shame on them! But I met the same behavior from the BMW dealer when the fuelindicator on my RnineT stopped working. "Never heard of that on the newer ones" he said. The mechanic said "Oh, one of those again!" Well done mr Fillingham.
I've been riding my street twin for four years now day in day out, and love it but it has not yet gone a hole year without breaking down in some way. Throttle controller, ABS controller, loom breaks etc. not to mention recall for dodgy fuel pump and there is water in the clock. Had to change the fork springs to stop the excessive dive under breaking, changed the rear shocks because they were awful and a de-cat to make it pick up and run better, apart from that all good. I did have to have the selector shaft replaced due to low a speed drop on ice which was my fault. Apart from the selector shaft, the faults I've listed Triumph did cough up the parts for free but I did have to pay for them to be fitted, more fool me, needed the transport, its my only way of getting around. To think that the gear box might fail at any moment, WTF, oh well forewarned is forearmed, but all I can say is, bugger.
Thumbs up for your vids and take care.
Makes me glad I have a 2005 air cooled. No ladadah, no coolent issues, hopefully before the transmission revamp that cause the problem. Just ride. Stay safe and good luck everyone.
I alsow had this problem twice the first time my bike had about 3 months before it's 2 years warranty was up, gears wouldent shift down from 5th at about 15000 km, the Second time out of warranty at about 19000 km the gears would stick at 4th 3rd 2nd and first. The dealer told me it was the way I rode the bike. Fortunately Triumph authorized the dealer to fix it free of charge the second time.
Thank you for the information it cleared things up for me.
Hi Stuart, thanks for the video about this. I commented a while back about my 3 gearbox failures and subsequent repairs and now after ~1000 miles since the last gearbox repair it failed again. Dealer told me they have now added an additional part to the repair kit since the last repair and is checking to see if Triumph USA will pay for the parts and labor. The dealer also offered to buy back the bike so I'm tempted to just get rid of the unreliable headache but it's a shame. I really do love the look of my 2017 t120 black in gunmetal grey. I appreciate your time addressing this issue. Take care!
Stuart: I'm so glad I've subscribed to your channel! This is the first I've heard about this issue. I've contacted Gatto Cycle in Tarentum, PA (just north of Pittsburgh) where I purchased my 2018 Bobber. I will post their response and my experience with them on the resolution to this issue. Thank you so much!!! Lew
Great video. Your authenticity is one of the main reasons I follow you. Keep up the great work and ride safely.
I must be the odd man out. My 2018 T120 has been literally flawless. No gear box trouble, no squeaky brakes, no corrosion, no lens fogging,...literally not one single problem. Fingers crossed going forward. Even though mine has been perfect, I doubt I'd buy another one. Just not enough dealerships in my neck of the woods, so service is inconvenient. And Triumph accessories are crazy expensive with scant variety. Try adding a backrest and luggage rack and you'll see how few choices you have.
Also, I've tried calling and emailing Triumph US customer service to no avail. They don't answer the 24-7 number and they don't answer emails. For all I know they're out of business.
So while my beautiful Bonnie is still pristine I'll list it for sale and move on to a more common brand.
Living in New England riding a naked bike doesn't make much sense anyway, so I think I'll shop for a sports-tourer like an FJR1300 or similar.
Hello Stuart, Really like your videos and tone. I too was very tempted to buy a Triumph Bobber after watching your videos. Then, an Harley-Davidson dealer opened a concession down from my hill. Last month, I tried a Sportster 48, checked on users' experience, and re-assured bought a brand new one. Thanks for your frankness. Such a fresh breath of air from all the professional and wannabe reviewer. I am glad I bought a brand new Harley
Thanks for letting us know about the issue. I happened to be at my official dealer in Tokyo while your video popped. A quick check confirmed that issue was not a concern on my bike bought earlier this year (apr.2020).
Thanks for the update on T120 gearboxes. I have seen all your previous reports on these issues over the last 18months and as you say this is probably the tip of the iceberg. As also discussed in past reports is the attitude Triumph has for its customers is just echoed in its attitude to customers reporting failures in their bikes. All make for very poor customer relations, which in turn leads to more customers buying other manufacturers bikes. Only time will tell. Thanks Stu for another honest report
I trust you and what you said on this matter and I sense how difficult it is for you to be the prophet of doom. After seeing your video on this last year and before it was 12 months old I sold my T120.
What a pity Triumph cannot come clean and admit there is a problem, carry out remedial repairs on reported failures and then issue a recall to install improved components.
Considering the cost of the Bonneville range it makes the Royal Enfield range look EXTREMELY good value!
The Bonneville range make a lot of bikes look good value! 😂😂
My Interceptor has the smoothest shifting transmission I have ever had. I have had many bikes too.
@@jimmymac9388 10.000 miles in one single year in all weather - no issue with my RE classic 500
This was one of the major reasons I got my RE INT 650 instead of a Street Twin or T120.
@@lengray44 Mine is smoother than it was, but not what I would (yet) consider "smooth" especially going down from 2 to 1. But that's all bikes, IMO.
Good thing you brought this up. I had gearbox issues on my 2018 T100 at about 13k kms. The bike would get stuck on 3rd or 4th gear and wouldn't upshift or downshift. The dealership promptly addressed the issue and fixed the bike under warranty. I haven't had any further problems since then.
One might say that you "voted with your feet" and bought 2 new Royal Enfields - rather than paying out of your own pocket to fix the problematic Triumphs. Thank you for your efforts on this channel.
I have a 2005 Bonneville l bought in the US new It now has 90000 miles on it with no problem with the gear box
@@crystalryder947 sure...it's not watercooled which are the models in question in this video.
@@David-og7di …i have a 2020 t120 that is perfect since day 1. When you look up gearbox problems t120 on the internet, you only see one RUclips channel talking about this problem. Reading comments on RUclips about people selling their 120”s because of fear of a improbable possibility is about as trustworthy as someone telling you to use cooking oil for your engine. There have been hundreds of thousands of happy satisfied triumph 120 owners
I own a 2018 T120, purchased new in the U.S. and nearing 10K miles. Appreciate hearing about the various mechanical issues raised in a very professional and thorough manner in your video(s). I have not yet experienced any of the problems you mentioned and have only received one recall notice about a wire routing problem under the gas tank which was promptly fixed by my dealer. I find it curious and concerning that I have not received any other of the notices you mentioned in this video. I’ll be taking my motorcycle in for its 10K service very soon and plan to talk to the service manager about this. Thanks for your very informative videos and for not being afraid to address such issues in a fair and objective manner. Ride on!
Your videos have discouraged me to purchase a T120! But I am glad they did, it is not a bike for me despites what I thought after the test rides
Triumph just replaced my gearbox selector shaft after 5 weeks in the shop. The bike had 1400 miles on it. A 2018 T120 bought in 2019. Warranty covered it but the same story “we’ve never heard of this before”. It was stuck in 3rd gear. I had to have it towed in. Total disappointment.
Thanks for sharing
Respect for lifting your head above the turret. Let’s hope Triumph follow your lead.
Wow! Many thanks for the heads-up. I am about to pull the trigger on a Triumph purchase.
It is disheartening to hear when corporations cover up/hide known problems, hoping the issue will somehow evaporate.
Thankfully now, with the world being a lot 'smaller' and information flowing freely, we can exposure this abhorrent behaviour and ultimately raise standards for us, the customers/biking community.
Quick question, if I may - Does this gearbox problem affect the new 2019/2020 Street Twin?
Great work, as usual. Many thanks.
Thank you very much Stuart for the quality of this video and your honesty. I was hesitating between the interceptor 650 and the street twin... My choice is made ! Greetings from Paris.
No problem 👍
Jed's Moto blew his gearbox not long after I bought my 17 triumph Bonneville. First thing I did after seeing that video was drop and change the oil. I haven't had any problems yet but I'm not happy. I have the front brakes squealing issue as well.
Triumph Tiger 800. I bought one used from a franchised dealer, 3000 miles, 13 months old. I joined the IAM and practiced very slow speed U turns and circles. Whilst learning, I stalled the bike a few times. Pressed the starter repeatedly and nothing happened until after many presses. TheTriumph dealer refused to do anything unless I paid for it. I looked on the forum and it turns out to be a feature of the design. The starter button doesn't send 12v to the starter motor, it sends a signal to the computer. After a stall the computer has a cup of tea and thinks about it for a bit. After two seconds of holding the starter button in, the computer wakes up and sends 12v to the starter. You have to hold the starter button in for a full two seconds before anything happens. I took it to the nearest bike dealer (not the Triumph dealer) and got rid of it. I do not want the last thing I see on this earth to be the letters S C A N I A looming over my head just as I have pulled out on to a dual carriageway and stalled a bike. I won't be buying another Triumph.
I own a 2018 Tiger 800. It starts instantly on pulling in the clutch & pressing the button. I occasionally stall it starts just the same. They must have changed something.
@@berniebne8243 Yes probably. Mine was a 2013 model I think.
Hi Stuart. Thanks for scaring the shit out of me. I've owned a Triumph Street twin for 3 and half years from new. The only problem I've had was the wiring loom problem which everyone has heard about. when I took it in for it's second year service on picking the bike up they said they noticed the chaifing and had put a bracket on the bike and repaired the minor damage. They said it was recall they were repairing it when bikes came in for services. Have not had a problem since. Regarding the gearbox have done 8000 miles with no problem although it can sometimes be a bit clunky. I absolutely love the bike and would not change it, I guess I will keep riding it and take my chances. Foot note. If you put in any bike as search on you tube and put problems after the bikes name you will get a long list of "don't buy this bike it has this go wrong with it, that go wrong with it" or "what to look out for before you buy this bike" Every bike has it's problems and if you looked for the perfect bike with no problems you would never be able to buy one.
I’m in the market for a Triumph t-120 now, and I find all this disturbing. It is putting me off buying one. So I am doing research to find out what serial number are effected and what exactly the source of the problem is. I am a former mechanic so I have a prey good understanding of how a shift drum works. And why it would damage the selector spur gear and linkage. I test rode a 2020 T-120 the other day and the shifting on it felt smooth and effortless. However I didn’t buy it because the lowballed me on the trade, and I blew it off. I have friend who knows the guy who bought the bike I test rode, and he has had a check engine light twice in the first week of ownership, for a gear selector switch issue. Since I rode the bike and thought it was perfect, to me that is no warning. I will have to say though that I know of several T-120 Bonneville gas mileage reports where they have 90,000 miles on their bike with no problems. It just seems to me that all that cannot be blamed on faulty clutch adjustment, or bad shifting. If you buy a new bike, once it has been broken in, you should be able to ring it out in the corners all day without fear of scattering the transmission, or bending the linkage. If you can’t ride it as you would any other quality motorcycle, it’s a piece of crap. People don’t buy motorcycles to babbly them or keep the path to the dealership warm. They buy them to ride and at times, ride them briskly carving turns. I figure if I buy a Triumph T-120 Bonneville at all. I will buy a new one, so that I don’t buy somebody else’s nightmare. I'm not buying anything until I can feel safe that I am not buying a piece of crap.
The gear selector kit T1191977 fixes the issue. I’m not sure if it was done in 2019 or 2020. One has to check there VIN at the a Triumph store, the one I used in the states online was a Triumph dealer within Cross Country in New Jersey. If you have the old gear selector kit which T1191968 you have the part that is faulty. I had a good one shipped to me before I knew mine was ok, mine is a 2022 model.
Since buying my 2005 T100 all I have seen is Triumph building a bike down to a budget. Same as Bloors’ houses.
same here.
well, that just killed the second hand value of my street twin - not shooting the messenger it's just an obvious side effect of that news.
Won't be long before they'll be a stone at Hinckley, sayng " This is where the 2nd Triumph Factory was, before they self destructed again". I'd sooner buy a Royal Enfield Interceptor. Head in the sand springs to mind.
Maybe they are due another fire at the factory?
@DBD 34 Goldie I believe mostly. Though they say they do R&D and the like in the UK.
Sorry to hear that about your T120. Hope you find some solution. Be safe. Buying a new motorcycle is hard enough these days as I feel they are all overpriced for what you getting, living with them is even harder. It's must be terrible spending your hard earned money then getting these sort of issues.
I just don't understand why they have to make everything complicated these days. If something like this happened to your royal Enfield Bullet you would be able to resolve it yourself at quarter of the price. Why can't companies think that there are still some people who think of them as mode of transportation . Not everyone one is rich and wants a garage showpiece
My gear selector broke inside gearbox on my 2019 Speed Twin. Repaired under warranty,17 months old,18 000 kms. Saw your video and sold it. Thanks for that, wish I had known from the start and brought a Triumph.
Good to know Stewart. Thanks for very detailed info. I was considering swapping my w800 to t120 but I heard some rumours about those issues which stopped me successfully... Glad you posted that.
Thanks Stuart was thinking of getting a used triumph but must say I will be thinking again ,nice to get straight talk as you have two machines
Brilliant video as always Stuart and I personally won’t buy over priced Triumphs and will stick to Royal Enfield, I could have a continental 650 AND a Bullitt for the price of a Triumph , 2 for the price of 1 😃👍🏻
Triumph seem to have a similar business model to that of Harley Davidson. Gouge a patriotic customer base for all you can.
The previous Triumph Rocket III models had a transmission flaw on occasion where a certain retainer clip was installed upside down. Some owners got warranty service from their dealer but to my knowledge Triumph for their part never acknowledged the flaw. I had an R3T Touring but luckily my gears were fine... I ended up broadsiding a deer and wrecked the bike beyond economical repair😫 now i ride a very old Harley for which parts are cheap very available and most of them i can do myself!
I love Triumph. In fact I love Triumph so much in the past 2months during lockdown have got rid of my beautiful Triumphs and have replaced them with one bike, my interceptor and what A beautiful bike it is, in my humble view it's the best Triumph Bonneville Triumph never made. I don't care where it's made, and don't start me on the finish as I see nothing wrong with the finish on the Enfields for the cost. Where as the finish on Triumph my scrambler 1200 was the white one and the pinstripes on the tank don't match the tank twice the price of my interceptor. This is yet another nail in the bargain bin coffin of my beloved Triumph.
Great content again , glad I bought a Honda cb1100 rs now Stuart
I nearly bought one of these. I struggle to see why they’re not more popular
Same..That's the bike I've been looking at, but I'd need a good trade in price on my 18 street twin. I was naturally looking at the speed twin...but how long till there's something wrong with them?
@@RichardsModellingAdventures yes it would be RS for me, I actually prefer the wheels anyway.
Great video Stuart, I’ve been weighing up a 2018 street scrambler v a new ex demo RE interceptor to modify, looks like you’ve just made my mind up. The apparent lack of support from #Triumph for their customers is worrying. Something which I don’t feel I’ll get from RE even if something goes wrong
Christ! Just watched to the end, and thank god I did... was about to book a test ride with my local triumph dealer as I’d hoped a T100 or T120 was going to be my next ride. Why is this not all over the motorcycle press? Thanks for taking the time to get the message out.
This information comes just in time.
I visited a Triumph dealer today and told him, that I will decide by tomorrow weather to by or not to by the T120.
So I will not. Thank you :-)
Another excellent video. My 2009 T100 Bonneville just past the 20,000 mile mark with no real troubles other than an oil leak from the valve cover. Triumph “fixed” the problem but it still leaks. I love the bike and brand but the gearbox and other issues you have mentioned make it difficult to lay out serious money on a SpeedMaster or Speed Twin. Since I truly love the look of older bikes but want the reliability and features of newer bikes (ABS, fuel injection, modern electronics) as well as parts availability and dealer support, I may be going back to a Harley Davidson Sportster. They are everywhere here in the Colonies and still manufactured here. If only my wife would agree to one or three more bikes (I have four), my choice(s) would be easier.
2019 Speed Twin owner. I have had warranty work done to fix this issue. Shifter shaft and detent were both replaced. I do have the dealer paperwork to support this if necessary
@@paulharrison8155 How can it not be, they use the same transmissions.
They redesigned the gear box prior to releasing the speed twin Doug nothing odd about it.
Integrity.....Not a lot of it about ! Hope for everyone that's bought one get's it sorted by Triumph , but I'm not holding my breath they seem to have big company disease . Apparently there is a recall coming on the Interceptor for the brakes binding , not as serious as your gearbox issue but I hope RE keep on top of stuff or they'll end up in Triumphs situation .....great video as usual !
Many thanks for the updates. Im a bobber black owner and yes you are partly responsible lol. Mine has been in the dealers for nearly 4 weeks while they try to resolve a wiring loom / rectifier issue which has killed the bike. You have put my mined at rest as buying a new T120. I can't find the BC brass tips any where though that looked amazing on yours.
Keep up the journalism.
Am I glad I owned an air-cooled 2013 Bonneville! Never let me down in 4 years of daily use.
I believe the bikes BEFORE that VIN are previous generation air cooled bikes. Those bikes are called Bonneville T100 or T120 too, so I believe the VIN is to reduce confusion. My theory is based off the fact my twice-broken 2016 T100 (900cc liquid cooled) has a VIN not much after that specified in the document.
That makes perfect sense Phil, thankyou!
@@stuartfillingham7011 No problem! Keep up the good work with this series and trying to get to the bottom of the problem. I'm looking forward to anything else you have to share on this subject.
My T100 was last 'fixed' in December. I've done 4,000km since then and am curious to see whether it will stay 'fixed'. PS - my VIN ends 794807
Greetings Stuart! Thanks for showcasing my comment! I can report that since the transmission failure at 20K miles my 2018 T120 is running healthy and strong at 64K miles or 103K KM. The bike has worked it's way back to reliable status for my daily riding and long distance tours... My Next big mileage bike will be a Japanese offering but wanted to report that I have not encountered any issues since the full transmission rebuild back in 2018. I will state I have no intention of trading in my bike (since whats a T120 like this worth with oodles of miles anyway) but it will be the last modern classic 1200 I will buy new. Cheers!
Good to hear the rebuild of your transmission has held firm, that's encouraging news.
I've been playing Tetris in my garage to see if I can make room for a new Rocket 3, but until Triumph take ownership of the issue with the Classic's gear box, I'm quite concerned that any issues in the new R3 will also be summarily denied and ignored.
@@MakoVette love the new Rocket 3... But I decided to get the king of the class. A Gen 2 Yamaha VMAX 1700. Absolutely love that bike and I never fretted buying it used... Why? Because it's a Frickin' Yamaha! I'll be going Yamaha more often than not moving forward. I'll never sell the T120 and I'll be hitting 100K miles before I retire it... Ride more, worry less and ride what makes you worry the least!.. Best, -Jedz
8 years & 9 bikes on modern Triumph twins, now gone Japanese. Enough was enough. 😕
Triples are very reliable am i wrong?
Which Japanese bike did you go to?
And here!
CB1000R+
Constantinos Charalambous I believe the triples were re-designed from the ground up! Normally ok.
Yes, it seems to be the same everywhere - once, I remember reading about some overheating problems of Gold Wings (don't remember year model, so long ago) and told that people had had a gathering and protest in Germany about that (at the importer office or like that). So everyone here just got angry and told me to you-know-what... And, Lately there was news in Motorrad magazine that a second 765 Triumph had a blown engine at under 30 000 kms (the first didn't last 30k, had similar engine damage). And, again someone got angry and testified this magazine people don't check oils and abuse bikes and the Triumph that the angry person happened to have, had never had any problems (and obviously never will). I just wondered how come it happened to Triumph and not the other bikes they test and abuse, they are anyhow the largest motorcycle magazine in Europe...
Anyhow, interesting information. Thanks.
I’ve had my Street Cup with vin starting in the 850 range since late 2017. I’ve run it pretty hard with over 8k miles on the clock. No issues so far with anything, did get the wire loom recall taken care of. Brakes, clocks, everything is good so far so fingers crossed if I need anything! Maybe the key is to not baby them and run the snot out of them! I don’t have a dealer within 150 miles, but so far I’ve done all the maintenance and upgrades myself. If I have a recall come up this serious it will be a pain to deal with. I love my Triumph and would keep it indefinitely but this could be a deal breaker.
I have 29,342 miles on my 2018 Street Cup, the past couple of days I thought the shifting felt a little off and now I see this.
I appreciate the information, since I'm considering the T120. My current ride is a 2016 Street Triple R. It's been flawless, stone cold reliable. And at 62, I'd be willing to give up some performance for an upright riding position. I hope Triumph sorts out their issues with the Bonneville line, and it would be refreshing for them to be transparent about their problems. I'm considering the Royal Enfield Interceptor, however, I wish they had a more robust dealer network, I live in the Southeastern U.S.
I Still have my 1971 T150V since 1996 , ok it's been in storage for the last 7 years but honestly I had less trouble with that in 17 yrs than my brand new 2015 Thunderbird . Triumph was like a religion to me so to buy my 1st new bike was pretty exciting , anyway I traded that bike in after 2 years because of problems (very long story) on a new Kawasaki Z900RS , haven't looked back since . Meridan was real Triumph , Hinkley is just a bike company using the Triumph name , cheers
Hi Stuart....Mine went tits-up about this time last year. All fixed at no cost to me. But, I was a month off the road. Our dealer was great though. Three weeks ago it started playing-up again. Can’t have it looked at until 28th August. Another Summer ruined. It’s my only bike and I’m lost without it. It’s going the journey as soon as it’s fixed. Going Japanese......
This week i fell in love with a 2016 racing green Thruxton 1200 and was about to sell my H-D Super Glide because i want something smaller/lighter....i am happy i still bought nothing!
Another great video keep the coming bought my T120 last September only done 1500 miles fingers crossed
No confidence in Triumph my bike goes in Monday new wiring harness 21 months old ,will be going at some point .Going back to Honda.
Based on my personal experience, you'll learn to love your Enfield and appreciate what a hidden gem it is. They are the best, dirt cheap, sleeper bikes on the market. They just keep amazing me how good they are and they just keep going and going. RE will own the retro market in a few years' time and put Triumph to shame.
Couldnt agree more Dick!
I have a 2017 triumph Bonneville t120 black and during my warranty my gearbox went out 2x under warranty. So had it repaired
Its not looking good for Triumph, drop in sales due to the Interceptor, and if the DOT get in on a recall of all bikes that could finnish them. Another name from the British bike manufacturers names disappearing into history, as it did before.
I really looked at a 1200 xe scrambler, but I've been watching your videos and you mentioned the gearbox issue, and after my K1600 experience with a gearbox I wasn't going to travel down that road again.
Your a rare commodity these days, even though it could render your own bikes worthless your still telling it how it is. Well done for sticking by your principals, even though you have a big investment in Triumph.
Thank you Stuart.
Well, I lately watched Shawn Smoaks doing some recall for BMW 1600 gearboxes so Triumph might not be the only one with issues. But BMW might just recognise things.
@@iivaridark6850 yes I bought one the gearbox wasn't its only issue, canbus failier, TFT loosing partial display.... but the most ironic thing was the SOS button didnt work. BMW fit an SOS button as an option which speaks volumes about their faith in their reliability.
For my personal governance, buying Japanese bikes is the workaround I use to get around reluctant and denied warranty policy found in all premium bikes brands (BMW, Ducati and Triumph)...
Hi Stuart, another problem for Triumph will be key fob issues on the new Rockets. They keep going out of range while riding and if you stall it at the lights it won't restart until you move around and get the bike to recognise it again. Definately a safety issue.
I've never had a 'keyless' bike but it's quite common in modern cars. All the keyfob problems I've had in cars have been due to failing batteries in the keyfobs. As the battery voltage drops the range at which they're detected also drops. Don't assume that a new bike has a good battery in the keyfob. Not saying that's the issue here but it's the first (and easiest) thing to check.
@@phil1898 I think there could be an issue with the operating parameters of the fob because even with a new battery the problem still exists.
@@kaybarton4322 @Phil I've watched a couple of reviews of the rocket on here, both had this issue with the key on test rides. I also think it could more than a battery problem!
Well, that's made a decision a little easier... Second hand Street Cup or New RE twin? Cheers uncle Stu 👍. Yes, i know... Street Cup is T100, not T120 but Triumph's response as described has put me right off. Shame really coz i really like the look of the Street Cup. Maybe it is for the best though.
And this is why I recently purchased a 2019 Suzuki GSX S750, after owning a 2006 and 2011 Triumph Bonneville.
As an owner of a brand new 2020 T120 this vid gave me anxiety. Good to know it should be sorted by now. Thanks for the great content Stuart, keep it up!
I know I'm a bit late to the party but does it mean that the 2020 models are updated and okay and these issues are only affecting the earlier models?
My 2020 Speed Twin 6th gear gave up at 11,400 miles and 4 months out of warranty......Triumph uk weren't interested in contributing in any way to fix the problem..... 11k bike,of this age and mileage, needing almost 3 grand to fix,is disgraceful. Disgusting attitude and poor,second rate motorcycles.
2016 T120 gear change
From new, my T120 had a resounding clunk if I downshifted to use engine braking for example. It was also a little clunky up shifting below 3000 rpm. So I downshifted when stopped or nearly stopped. Did not use the engine to slow me down and upshifted at 3000 rpm. Now with over 22,000 miles on the bike, it seemed to be getting more clunky than before or my mind is playing tricks on me, after reading about other people having transmission failure. It just seems to my old forgetful mind that Triumph was if not now still, building bikes with engines that could run for 200,000 miles but transmissions falling far short of that. So yesterday I changed oil and filter but instead of the recommended 10/40 I used AMSOIL Motorcycle oil in 20/50. I went for a short ride afterwards and can’t say I noticed any difference. Today I rode nearing 100 miles with a passenger and found the bike shifted quietly and without fault. I am fully aware that much engine wear starts on start up and 20/50 may shorten engine life; however this seems to be more of a balancing effort between engine and transmission life, and at age 75 this is fine with me. So this is a sample of one bike, one rider, on an early production bike. Maybe its worth a try, I know oil is expensive but better than letting a bike just sit.
I had the same experience with my Tiger 1050 SE in 2011, it jumped out of gear and back into gear while crossing an intersection at 60kph nearly causing me to lose control in traffic only 200km into run in, barely out of the showroom floor, Triumph replaced shift spring saying the selector seemed too soft, I took it away and the bike nearly tried to kill me again l, it went back, was pulled down and they found a missing 4mm thrust washer from 1st to 2nd gear, this was fixed and 1st and 2nd gears were replaced as well as the shift fork that was marked. I was told by the dealer that Triumph had never heard of this happening before, I believes them that it was a one off until I heard from an ex staff member in another state when I told him about the issue some years later and his response to me was "Oh, you had one of those ones" there were multiple Tigers in Australia with the exact same issue, something the dealer did not tell me at the time... I refused to buy another Triumph from that day on, I still have that Tiger, it has 90, 000kms on it, it's had 3 stators fail (All of which Triumph replaced under warranty but only coverd the labour for one), a broken Pivot plate caused by clutch stick issues) a new starter sprag clutch and motor due to a hot start issue which Triumph will to this day ague is not a problem and has been fixed with after market uprated stater and battery leads. This is a standard arrogant Triumph response that is slowly killing the companies reputation, I have other stories about a mates Thunderbird Storm and a valve issued from factory that I won't go into but I assure you it was the same response, he had the issue fixed out of his own pocket, sold the bike and bought another bike (Not Triumph) - Would I buy another Triumph? maybe, but I'd want a full service history first.
Thank you for the heads up! I own a 2016 T100, and have had no issues yet. But it’s good to keep in mind if something does happen.
Does the 2011 se full into this category
I love your videos, they are very informative and I could listen to you speak all day long. I just purchased a 2022 Speedmaster and then stumbled onto your channel and this video. 😳 I was marginally put at ease when I heard you towards the end of the video state that anyone that purchased a later model year could likely be fine because the transmission had been redesigned. Or at least I believe that's what you said! Very much love this motorcycle and I hope she remains faithful.
Mine sounds like new years eve at the london eye when i roll off the throttle...front brake sounds like a banshee..and 2nd gear happens some of the time...ahh well it looks good in the hallway with the morning sun shimmering off its tank...
Excellent video report Stuart. Might have said before about my 2014 Scrambler gearbox locking up on me on holiday in Spain. As you've said Triumph are a brick wall on this even when I was pointing to Forums reporting the same issue. I loved the bike and had the gearbox rebuilt, but it became temperamental in jumping out of gear. I approached the Triumph stand at the NEC a couple of years ago and spoke to the exact person I had been mailing and got the 'hard luck' response.
Last year I reluctantly decided to trade it in for an Interceptor
Good advice there about reporting to the DoT 👍
I grew up on Triumphs, starting with a 1969 Trident, followed by a 1973 650 Bonneville, then a 1974 Norton 850 Commando, a 1973 750 Bonnie, then a 1975 T160 Trident and a 1973 750 Tiger.
In 2009, I was about to put down the money for a brand new Bonneville, at the Australian price of; $15,000 on road. A mate with a very tidy 883 Sportster said he’d been offered $7,000 as a trade-in. It took me about 30 seconds to make that decision and 15 years down the track, I still have that bike, although now, it’s a 1275 and had a ground-up rebuild by your truly.
A friend of mine who bought a 2009 Bonneville back then, still has it and a few years back, did the full circuit of Australia, a trip of over 20, 000 kilometres. His bike (like mine) has never let him down and I’m saddened by stories like this, because Triumph seems to have become quite arrogant towards customers, which is not too different from Harley Davidson, sadly.
About the only bike I would buy brand new (unlikely) would be a Royal Enfield, for the simple reason that I have not yet heard anything but praise from owners about RE’s after sales service. I’m happy with my Sportster though and don’t see myself changing it for anything. The gearbox and shift mechanism is like something out of a tractor, but it handles clutchless changes (both up and down) with ease. I don’t know why HD stopped making the Sporty, they’re a far better bike than the big ones imho.
From other comments on here, I think this is a very poor effort from a once respectable company. I love Triumphs, but I love my Sporty too.
I bought a Thruxton in 2012. It suffered from gear selection issues, which seemed to be from the selector mechanism failing to click into position when changing down gears, usually from second to first. It was stripped apart twice under warranty, and had various new components within the first 6 months of its life. I suffered the same bullshit excuses, from the dealer, and also from Triumphs technical team. In the end I was literally told by Triumph warranty department to thrash the guts out of it, it will loosen the gearbox up, (!) as the selector drum was tight. In the end I gave up trying to get them to fix it, and live with the problem. No one seemed to believe me.....like you say, most people go into denial about their issues, and of course no one else had ever had this issue.
But I would never ever buy another brand new Triumph motorcycle.
Triumph refusing to accept responsibility for issues and their general lack of back up support basicly left me no choice to give the brand away after owning 4 triumphs the latest a 2019 tiger sport where the engine shut off for no apparent reason on numerous occasions, they couldn't give a toss so went to bmw not sure if they will be any better but so far so good I'm done with triumph which is a sad thing to say,my next addition will be an interceptor 650👌
Am I correct in thinking that for an investment of £75 plus many hours pondering over the Haynes manual I can buy the new selector kit and solve this (potential) issue. How about you tackle this on yours and publish one of your excellent how to videos that we can follow?
£75 is that it 😥😂 most manufacturer’s have issues along the line. But what great idea 💡 it ok telling everyone about the a problem nice to hear a solution. And Stewart that would be a good vid to do and it would be a positive one as I think everyone needs a bit of positivity at times like these.
@@MrSmileyshaun Yeah easy to say! but putting a new selector shaft in, is not a job for the novice! A lot of riders struggle with the concept of an oil and filter change, so are likely to get themselves into trouble tackling a job like this. A dealer has just quoted my mate over £600 to have his third selector shaft replaced! First 2 were done under warranty but bike is 3 years old now and they told him it was his fault because he had adjusted his clutch lever incorrectly!
Archi Bald I am sorry to hear about your friend but if that’s true he has changed 2 before he needs to appeal for this to be sorted by Triumph. This would be going to Triumph direct and make a complaint against the dealer. As the dealer may not off carried out the repairs correctly. Due to he has had a issue twice before and it is still a problem triumph has to respond if he doesn’t get any joy might need to get legal advice. But I am sure triumph will sort it. I do go as I find and I have got 3 different bonnies myself 2010 Thruxton 900 se a Thruxton R 1200 2016 and a XC 1200 scrambler and none have given me any issues touch wood 🤞🏼 the only issues I have had was the clocks had condensation in them I told my dealer and they got changed, the rear shocks had some rubbing so I also told the dealer and the dealer said we will need to put it to triumph and a week later it got the ok and was sorted. Most manufacturers due have they issues and recalls. It must be a hard call if a bike keeps coming back with the same problem it is not being repaired properly or miss use. I do the some dealers are better then others. As I say I can only say as I find and I do find my triumphs are sound so far I have taken them across Europe and last I took the Scrambler from the south of England to Scotland 🏴 and spent a week of riding round Scotland. The Thruxton went around the peaks and we went touring wales 🏴 so they do go through they paces.
Mr Stuart Fillingham , you Sir! have given all the T120 owners the "Full Fillingham", thank you for your honesty and brutal assault on the subject. So lots of us now have expensive paper weights (self included), is there any light at the end of the tunnel albeit expensive repairs. The T120 is a sweet ride but if I do find a Japanese alternative will happily trade in as they seem to be much more reliable. Pls keep your Channel as honest as is, not many like you around Sir.
Triumph, "buy with confidence"; what a joke!!!!!! I traded in my T120 Bonneville for a new bike after 2 gearbox failures one at 2700 miles and one 500 later losing money in the deal as I'd intended to keep the bike much longer and bought a 1200 Scrambler. I'm now (04 08 19) sat in the middle of the Austrian alps over 4 hours away from where I need to go today with yet another gearbox failure at 2500 miles. 3 gearbox selector failures in less than 12 months. Triumph assist was contacted at 0845 but will only take me to a garage that is closed till Monday and leave me stranded, so I asked them to recover me to my destination near Vienna. it is now 1230 and I'm still waiting for a reply. The other 7 people I'm riding with have gone on ahead after arranging for me to be picked up in a van an 8 hour round trip. Triumph assist phoned back 8 hours after the original call just as we set off for Vienna to say that they couldn't recover the bike till the following day. Triumph assist have been a nightmare and our holiday, that has been planned for over 18 months, ruined. When and if I ever get home I'll be demanding a full refund under my guarantee as the bike is not fit for purpose and it is a highly dangerous situation losing the ability to down shift properly especially when riding alpine passes. By the time I reached my last destination the bike was too dangerous to ride safely I didn't want to totally lose the ability to down shift as happened twice with my t120 while trying to ride to Vienna, or leaving me stranded on a pass or the motorway. I demanded my money beck on my return, Triumph said as my bike was 2 months old and they wouldn't issue a refund after the bike was a month old! I now ride a Ducati
WOW! really sorry to hear this Charles. I do sincerely hope you get back home safe and sound, sorry about your holiday.
@@stuartfillingham this was last year. Bought the second bike, the 1200 Scrambler, after Triumph dealer had assured me that the gear box fault had been addressed as I had no confidence in the T120 after 2 gearbox failures. Triumph even suggested it was my fault for riding too many miles! Or that I was riding it too hard! As I pointed out to them I used to ride bikes for a living and had never suffered a gearbox failure and asked them how many miles they would expect from a gearbox before any problems may arrive outside of normal service parameters, they wouldn't answer the question. I also pointed out that a bike with this fault was potentially dangerous and not fit for purpose, not surprisingly they disagreed. I also have it in writing from Triumph that they admit there is a problem with the 1200 gearboxes, but they claim this has been addressed, clearly not!
Hi Charles please accept my apologies for MR Harrison! This is not a forum and I think hes forgotten where he is. There is no obligation to prove any thing to anyone on here and it was wrong of him to ask you to publish a private letter here. I have removed it hope you dont mind.
Very disappointing for a new bike , sorry to hear that mate . I'd trust my old Meridan Trident over a new Thailand Triumph any day , I can fix it on the side of the road if need be
@@LondonSteveLee So was I till my 1200 Scrambler failed with the same problem at 2500 miles leaving me stranded in Austria. There has also been a recall in the states for gearbox problems with the Speed Twin.
Truth= trust from this comes friendship aka love
Hi Stuart, not good for triumph interesting video hope they get there act together, stay with your bullet mate more reliable for half the price. Picked up my second enfield yesterday treated myself to the bullet trails this time. Good video keep up the good work.
How disappointing. Following are several related experiences I've had:
I contacted the Triumph dealership I purchased my 2017 T120 within the first month of owning the bike. I was told that not only were they aware of the issues, but that this is how the Triumph gearbox was designed - It's a hallmark, not an issue. Subsequent inquiries and concerns were similarly dismissed.
In another conversation, they told me that the "shrieking" noise that sometimes occurs when braking is part of the running-in process and will go away. This is also not true.
Later, after receiving a recall letter from Triumph, upon calling the dealer, I was told they had already performed that particular service on my bike. They hadn't.
As with your situation, I no longer feel safe riding the T120. It's presently the most expensive paperweight I own, as well.
The T120 was purchased to (partially) fulfill a childhood dream. It was also supposed to be the most reliable and highest quality bike I owned.
I've more stories, but to be honest, this is all a bit heartbreaking.
Sadly this debacle tells us all we new to know about the integrity of Triumph. All manufactures have issues, it’s how you deal with them that matters. I feel sorry for all the victims who bought into Triumph with this model. You’ve just saved a load of us (me included) from buying a used Triumph. Think of how many bikes are currently flor sale in this category. I’m staying with Honda! I rate you as one of the best RUclips channels for honesty, integrity and telling it how it is. Thanks Stuart.
As you say, you as the messenger do not deserve abuse. But actually a very big thank you for bringing this to public notice
Hope you get your own machine sorted out
Think I'll just stick with my 2006 yellow Thruxton. The old girl has never failed to provide a "British Twin" riding experience, reliable as an anvil and made in England.
I ride a 2006 790cc Bonneville. Carburettor. Apart from the usual service and clutch renewal. It's been great. Travelled all over France and Spain with my wife as pillion. Luggage the lot. Not a murmer. Put 21000 miles on her in 2 and a half years. The earlier ones seem to be more reliable?
2018 t120 black with later vin starting with 84.. 4300 miles shifts perfect, no issues at all. Hoping it’s a late enough VIN to be resolved. Really don’t want to sell the bike because I love it, but now I’m too afraid to keep it.
Tiger 800 & Bobber owner here. Tiger 800 has had a gearbox failure which required some upgraded parts fitting at my own cost. Bobber has a wiring loom issue somewhere along the ignition wiring which causes it to die which has happened to me a few times over 60mph. Now I am worried about the gearbox problem which my Tiger suffered. All of this has to be fixed at my own cost, should be recalled!!
Worked in motor trade and most vehicles have a fault which is covered by warranty or good will, golf going suffered with fuel pump fail, Mercedes Benz suffer with ball joint wear out , all trade People say never heard of that sir !
Another brilliant video, sir! Thank´s for the heads up!!!!
Geezzz - it sounds like the “leaders” at Triumph went to the Stewart Garner School of Company Management.
When you phone Triumph you get put through to the stewart garner call centre
I have owned 2 Triumphs the first was a Sprint which I sold because in cool mornings it would not change from 1st to 2nd. You needed to pull up put it in 2nd and then after that it would work ok.
The 2nd a Thunderbird that developed false neurals after a couple of years. Both bikes where purchased new and the issues happened after the warranty expired. I purchased a Harley Road King which subject to what you hear has never given me any issues. I have toured the US many times with it.
The gearbox issue sounds like a design fault they (secretly) know about, with an expensive fix, not least because of the man-hours involved in removing the engine and splitting the cases. But they haven't dealt with this issue in a responsible way. There is no chance I would ever buy any post-2010-ish motorcycle that isn't a Honda, and I find Hondas dull. Better a dull bike than one with issues like that. I just don't think it's right to cut the end-user loose as a beta-tester and then deny all knowledge of a widely reported fault. When Honda sold NC700s/750s with clutch baskets that failed, they dealt with the issue.