I'm not an engineer, but I can appreciate that it must have posed an interesting challenge when they sat down to figure out just how to do a rear suspension on the Triumph Bonneville Bobber. Because the thing is, while it does everything in its power to give you that 1940s Americana hardtail, floating saddle look, there is actually a rear shock engineered into the thing. I know, I know; it may be hard to believe.
Another thing to wrap your brain around is the idea that the Bobber is perhaps a bit more rider-friendly than you might at first expect. I mean, as I approached the Bobber, I know that I, for one, regarded it somewhat warily. You see, typically, larger motorbikes and I don't always get along. As I've mentioned in the past, I'm a short rider with an even shorter inseam. The number of times I've tried to ride a big bike and have not even been able to reach the side stand is sadly not zero.
Built on Triumph's 1200cc parallel twin Bonneville platform, one very interesting thing about the Bobber is that it's the swagger and personality of this bike that's massive; not necessarily its physical size. It's easy to conflate the two until you sit on it; or in it, as the case may be.
Handling takes a moment to get used to, if what you've previously been riding is any other bike in the current Bonneville lineup. While the handling on the Bobber isn't bad, it does turn in differently than you may be expecting if you've been flinging the other Bonnies through turns all day. That's particularly true at low speeds, so you'll definitely want to take time to familiarize yourself with how best to maneuver your Bobber if your plans for it involve cruising up and down the main drag looking cool.
Updates for 2026
For 2026, the Triumph Bonneville Bobber gets a few choice upgrades. Since most riders do, in fact, love spending as much time in the saddle as possible, Triumph upped the tank capacity on the Bobber to a full 14 liters (or 3.7-ish gallons). To balance out the proportions of this slightly larger tank, as well as enhance rider comfort, Triumph also widened and reprofiled the saddle so it's ready to give the rider all the support they might need.
Please note, I did say 'rider' in the singular; this isn't a bike for taking a pillion, because the lone wolf rides alone. Or something like that. But yes, there are aftermarket options if you do find yourself wanting to take a pillion, although it will definitely change the look of this bike.
The Brembo front brake setup, with a new radial master cylinder, feels wonderfully reassuring. That's particularly good news, because the 1200cc engine that powers the Bobber is tuned in a way that both feels and sounds like it wants to spur you on. With that kind of encouragement, brakes that are up to the task are undoubtedly essential.
Other changes include the addition of lean-sensitive optimized cornering ABS and traction control, which are welcome additions to the entire 2026 Bonneville lineup.
An Unexpected and Pleasant Surprise
Now I'm going to talk about something a bit weird, and it's the side stand. It might seem like an inconsequential detail, but if you are or you know a rider with short legs, then you may already be aware that poor side stand consideration can, in fact, make riding motorcycles an honest-to-goodness chore.
One thing I genuinely appreciate about the Triumph Bobber is actually its side stand. When you're riding, if you look down at the area just below your right foot, you'll see it folded up and back, with a little ball protruding upward and within easy reach if you need to stop for any reason and park your bike. Slow down, stop, and then you can easily toe it down and out into place without even needing to actually look at it. Once you know where it is, it's very easy to feel with your left toe, so you can use your eyes to help you maneuver and park the bike the way you like instead of searching all over the place to find your side stand.
Quite a few physically large motorcycles do, in fact, have very low and approachable seats. However, if the side stand is so far forward that it's next to impossible to reach, that's not really a very accessible situation, is it? That's really a place where the Triumph Bonneville Bobber shines, and its side stand is absolutely something I wish that more large motorcycles would adopt. I mean, why wouldn't you want to make your side stand easy to use? I can't think of a good reason not to; can you?
Another good thing to note is that lane filtering is more possible on the Bobber than you might at first expect. Those bar-end mirrors might make you give a shifty sideways look at the available space between two vehicles parked side-by-side at the stop light, but they're not as wide as they might feel at first. Obviously, use your best judgment before making any sudden moves, but threading the needle on the Bobber is a lot less impossible than you might think, on first glance.
The 2026 Triumph Bonneville Bobber will be available in the US and Canada in your choice of two colorways: Interstellar Blue/Sapphire Black or Jet Black. The Interstellar Blue is quite pretty in sunlight; of the two, that's the color I'd personally go with, but that should probably come as no surprise.
If you're interested in getting your hands on a 2026 Bobber, it's available to order now at all authorized Triumph dealerships across the US and Canada, and should roll into dealerships in February 2026. MSRP starts at US $14,795 or CA $17,595, depending on where you're located.
