New Bonnie spotted in Oz

THE cruiser-style version of Triumph’s Bonneville has been spied on test in Australia.

The bike, which was first reported in MCN last year, will use the same air-cooled, 790cc, four-stroke parallel twin engine as the current Bonneville. It’s likely to produce a similar 60-odd bhp.

Although Triumph is likely to make changes to the bike’s appearance and design before its public debut, the new cruiser is obviously aimed at securing a piece of the custom-style market that accounts for so much of the US market.

” Think of it as a Triumph Virago, ” said a Triumph insider.

Robin Bradley, Editor of American Motorcycle Dealer, said. ” You have to remember that cruisers account for more than 50 per cent of the market in America, ” he continued. ” Yamaha and Honda have already achieved high sales with their cruisers, and they of course carry Japanese badges. Any product aimed at the same market without a Japanese badge is sure to have broad appeal. ”

Our pictures were taken in New South Wales, Australia.