Thunder Roads Magazine of Oklahoma/Arkansas TRMOKAR Jan 18_WEB | Page 25

2018 TRIUMPH BOBBER BLACK AND
SPEEDMASTER
Triumph offers a bit more grit and adrenaline with their Bonnie’s.
D. A. SMITH, THUNDER ROADS OHIO
Triumph motorcycles are known
for classic lines and concepts
that have been well established
over the brand’s 115 year his-
tory. It was somewhat surprising
for many, when Triumph choose
to look outside and draw upon
the inspiration of almost 50
years of custom bike builders to
produce a factory “bobber” last
year. The bike seized upon the
“retro” trends that are sweeping
the industry and offered a cool
reincarnation of their own bikes
– available directly from your lo-
cal dealer out of the box as an
alternative to the 30-40 year
old recreations offered by local
builders. The results were clear
– we loved it.
The Triumph bobber was one of
the best-selling models ever for
Triumph in the US, quickly selling
out the more than 1,000 bikes
shipped across the pond and far
exceeding expectations.
“It was the fastest-selling motor-
cycle in Triumph’s 115 year his-
tory,” Miles Perkins, Triumph’s
head of Brand Management,
extoled. This is based on sales
within the first 30 days of its in-
troduction.
For 2018, Triumph decided to
double down on many of the
characteristics that made the
Bobber so well received and has
delivered us the Bobber Black.
It’s intended to be a meaner,
more muscular and aggressive
looking bike – while incorporat-
ing more of the modern touches
that aren’t available on the 68’
Tigers being chopped down the
street.
Other than the cosmetic “black-
ening” of the bike, most of the
real changes are found on the
Thunder Roads Magazine of OK/AR
25