Description
Purchased new in May 1982 from the Norton-Triumph dealer in Aalst Belgium (Podevijn). FIRST OWNER! Original invoice and papers. 11, 622 km. Original engine and transmission regularly serviced. New fork legs/ stanchions oil seals. New disc brakes master cylinders (front & rear). New brakes lines (reinforced). Polishing of iron discs and all chrome and alloys (original). New flashing indicators (as original). New battery (1 year old). Recent renewal of all oils (brakes, fork, engine, gearbox). New rubbers on the gear selector, kickstarter and center stand lug. New spark plugs and spark plug cables. New cable grommets.
Tank paint and saddle like new (I made 3 round trips between Belgium and Catalonia with this bike in the summer 82-83-84 then stored it for 40 years in Spain away from dust, light and humidity but engine regularly started). Never parked in the rain or driven on salty winter roads.
This motorcycle is sold with the original tool kit, some spare parts, upper engine gaskets, inch tools, a Haynes Workshop Manual (190 pages on Bonneville 650 & 750 Twins from 1963 to 1980).
This machine was re-registered in Belgium as a vintage motorcycle and put back on the road in 2022. It has covered 1000 km since then without any problems. The parallel twin starts at the first kick. Clutch and gearbox as new. Everything works like new (speedometer, rev counter, warning lights, headlights, controls, etc.). This Bonnie stands out from the crowd of T140Es still on the road!I bought this new motorcycle when I was 24, at the end of my studies, with the earnings from my student jobs. At that time, I was hesitating between a Honda CB 750 Four and the Triumph Bonneville 750 (T140E). They were both the same price. I fell for the charm of the English motorcycle and the unique character and sound of its parallel twin. It was one of the last big machines that still started with a kick start. The electric starter was optional... It obviously didn't have the elasticity of the in-line 4-cylinder nor the brakes of the Honda. But it was a purist's bike. Since then, I have of course owned many motorcycles of different brands, on and off-road, and always found what I was looking for when it came to taking the handlebars for a long trip. The Bonneville was also an accessible motorcycle when it came to maintaining it and carrying out maintenance, or even easily replacing parts (provided you had the inch wrenches and sockets). On the other hand, this vibrant British bike required more attention than a Japanese one, in particular frequent adjustments (balancing the 2 carburetors, tightening the screws and securing them with Loctite, adjusting the valve clearance, etc.). Provided you comply with this little ritual, the Bonnie will give you a good driving sensation (except for comfort).
