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It’s 2015. Star Wars is back in theaters. Bruno Mars is topping the charts with ‘80s-inspired funk. Throwback Thursdays are trending on social media. It’s peak nostalgia. In other words, it’s the perfect time for Triumph to revamp its modern classic range.
We’re not talking incremental updates, either. It’s a complete overhaul. Three new engines (one 900 cc and two 1,200 cc) replace Hinckley’s trusty 865 cc parallel twin. All three feature liquid cooling and throttle-by-wire. The suspension: renewed. The geometry: refined. There’s ABS, ride modes, traction control, and LED lighting. Forget evolution. It’s a revolution.
By 2021, the Bonnevilles are due for another refresh. The impetus? Euro 5 emissions. To comply with the new regulations, Triumph shaves weight from crankshafts, clutches, balancer shafts, and engine covers. Those weren’t the only changes. Cruise control arrived (on select models). Brembo brakes appeared. It may not qualify as a revolution, but it was certainly an evolution.
Under those criteria, categorizing the 2026 Bonnevilles as an evolution seems charitable. Sure, the series gains cornering ABS and lean-detecting traction control, but the mechanical modifications are slim to none. That might explain my skeptical mindset at the lineup’s press launch in Oceanside, California.
Familiar territory
The roads that weave through northeast San Diego County and southwest Riverside County are fabled among motorcyclists. It’s easy to see why. From Ortega Highway to Palomar Mountain Road, the riding is as diverse as it is challenging. It’s no coincidence that Honda hosted the NT1100 DCT press launch here last May. Less than two months later, Suzuki’s DRZ-4SM test route sent me along the same roads.
It’s familiar territory to say the least. So when Triumph revealed a similar plan for the Bonnies, I knew that few surprises were in store. The same could be said for the T100 and T120. Whether it's the brand’s 900 cc mill or its 1,200 cc variant, both engines are known entities. So are the chassis they rest in. The main addition is the IMU that drives their new lean-dependent aids. It’s a slightly different story for the Scrambler 900. As it happens, that was the first bike on the docket.
Half-scrambled
Triumph rebranded its Street Scrambler as the Scrambler 900 in 2022. Despite bearing a new badge, the model maintained its street-biased build. That (somewhat) changes in 2026. The seat is slimmer. The tank is restyled. The calipers are radially mounted, and the suspenders are Showas. Even the wheels are lighter thanks to new aluminum rims.
The model clearly leans toward the modern side of modern classics. If its USD fork doesn’t say as much, the TFT integrated into its LCD dash sure does. That doesn’t make it dirt-worthy, though. At least that’s what Triumph’s test route suggested.
Our pack of caffeinated journalists spent the morning squiggling T100s and Scramblers through the backroads on the outskirts of Camp Pendleton. This is where the Scrambler shines. Its handling isn’t snappy, but it’s predictable. Its Metzeler Tourance tires aren’t tacky, but they’re well suited for road duty. In sum, the Scrambler 900 is at home on the street. I can’t say as much when it comes to the trail. But that’s not because it performed poorly off the paved path. It’s because we never veered off the paved path.
The South section of Main Divide Road cuts between San Mateo Peak and Elsinore Peak. Just past the gated community of Rancho Capistrano, the two-lane highway narrows to the width of a single semi-truck. The double-yellow line disappears. The pavement is cracked and pocked with potholes. Even with the Scrambler’s retuned suspension, I avoided those deep divots at all costs. I only did so after learning that lesson the hard way.
The first one sent a jolt through my spine. The second jolted me out of the seat. Standing on the pegs provided some relief, but doing so also introduced other issues. With the high-mounted pipes digging into my right calf, bowing out my knee was all but mandatory. Not ideal to say the least, especially for extended periods off-road. There’s little doubt the Scrambler can roll onto the trail. However, the jury’s still out when it comes to the model’s dirt pedigree. Luckily, such traits are of no concern to T100 customers.
Low and slow
Located on the shores of Lake Elsinore, Jack’s Bar-B-Q is known for its award-winning smoked meats. A lunch menu of brisket, pulled pork, and beef ribs put that on full display. Such a large mid-day meal often leads to a drowsy afternoon. Our pace wouldn’t warrant any dozing, though. The return ride sent us back the way we came, but the T100 was far less nippy than the horse I rode in on.
Testing several models at a single press launch presents clear advantages for manufacturers (cost savings, extra coverage, etc.). It also comes with its downsides. One of which is unintended comparisons with sister models. In other words, riding the T100 after the Scrambler did the former no favors. It only highlighted the T100’s lackluster stopping power. Not to mention the muted feel at its brake lever.
As one can imagine, maintaining a breakneck pace with such restrictions presents its own challenges. But here’s the thing: That’s not the T100’s primary objective. The model’s superpower isn’t quickness, it’s approachability. The model’s 900 cc p-twin is far from overwhelming. Its 31.1-inch seat height is inseam-inclusive. Plus, it’s a looker.
Performance isn’t the T100’s foremost function. If that’s your concern, the T120 is probably more of your speed.
Spot the difference
Visually, there’s little to differentiate the T100 from the T120. From the faux fender struts to the large headlights, from the dual clocks to the peashooter pipes, the two Bonnies are cut from the same sheet metal. The discerning eye may notice the T120’s fork gaiters, upgraded seat, model-specific tank badges, and brush-finished case covers, but it’s the model’s 1,200 cc powerplant and dual-disc front brakes that truly set it apart.
Triumph's 1.2-liter twin makes as much as 103.5 horsepower (at 7,750 rpm) and 83 foot-pounds of torque (at 4,250 rpm) in the Speed Twin 1200. Inside the T120, the engine is tuned to produce 78.9 horsepower (at 6,550 rpm) and 77.4 foot-pounds (at 3,500 rpm). That curbed output seems meager by comparison, but it's proportionate to the T120’s chassis.
The power delivery is direct, but it’s hardly intimidating. The Brembo binders match that energy with sufficient bite and stopping power, even if the feedback is vague. The suspension finds a similar middle ground, soaking up everything but the hardest of hits. Long story short, the T120 isn’t just a more powerful T100, it’s also a more refined one. But the real question is whether the 2026 model is a more refined T120.
New enough?
Motorcyclists reserve the term “pure” for the most basic of bikes. It’s often applied to models that forego the complexities of technology in favor of simplicity. Triumph’s Bonnevilles were the paragons of “pure” in years past, but the updates made to the 2026 range threaten that status. After testing the latest batch of Bonnies, I’m torn between which camp I side with.
That’s because, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t trigger the IMU-governed rider aids on the T100, T120, and Scrambler 900. Neither cornering ABS nor lean-sensitive TC kicked in before my self-preserving nature did. Only after testing the cornering functions in the dirt lot of Jack’s Bar-B-Q (Daily Rider style) could I confirm their presence.
Given the performance envelopes of the three modern classics, such advanced rider aids may seem overkill. At the same time, the features work in the background. Meaning, they don’t interfere with the ride. In that way, the new Bonnevilles aren’t all that different from their predecessors. Some will see that as a positive. Others will see it as a negative. Where you stand on that divide will greatly determine your outlook on the 2026 Bonneville lineup.
| 2026 Triumph Bonneville T100 | 2026 Triumph Bonneville T120/T120 Black | 2026 Triumph Scrambler 900 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (MSRP) | $11,495 | $13,995 | $12,395 |
| Engine | 900 cc, liquid-cooled, eight-valve, parallel twin | 1,200 cc, liquid-cooled, eight-valve, parallel twin | 900 cc, liquid-cooled, eight-valve, parallel twin |
|
Transmission, final drive |
Five-speed, chain | Six-speed, chain | Five-speed, chain |
| Claimed horsepower | 64.1 @ 7,000 rpm | 78.9 @ 6,550 rpm | 64.1 @ 7,000 rpm |
| Claimed torque | 59.0 foot-pounds @ 3,750 rpm | 77.4 foot-pounds @ 3,500 rpm | 59.0 foot-pounds @ 3,750 rpm |
| Frame | Steel tubular cradle | ||
| Front suspension | KYB 41 mm fork; 4.7 inches of travel | Showa 43 mm fork; 4.7 inches of travel | |
| Rear suspension | Dual KYB shocks, adjustable for spring preload; 4.7 inches of travel | Dual KYB RSU shocks, adjustable for spring preload; 4.7 inches of travel | Dual Showa RSU shocks, adjustable for spring preload; 4.7 inches of travel |
| Front brake | Single Nissin two-piston caliper, 310 mm disc with ABS | Dual Brembo two-piston calipers, 310 mm discs with ABS | Single four-piston caliper, 320 mm disc with ABS |
| Rear brake | Nissin two-piston caliper, 255 mm disc with ABS | ||
| Rake, trail | 25.5 degrees, 4.14 inches | 25.8 degrees, 4.41 inches | |
| Wheelbase | 57.1 inches | 56.9 inches | |
| Seat height | 31.1 inches | ||
| Fuel capacity | 3.8 gallons | 3.2 gallons | |
| Tires | 100/90-18 front, 150/70R17 rear | 100/90-19 front, 150/70R17 rear | |
| Claimed weight | 514 pounds | 503 pounds | 487 pounds |
| Available | March | April | |
| Warranty | 24 months | ||
| More info | triumphmotorcycles.com | triumphmotorcycles.com | triumphmotorcycles.com |
