Alright, so I’m here to talk about my time with the 2017 Triumph T100. Not just a quick spin, but really getting to grips with it, you know? I’d been wanting to spend some proper hours on one of these for a while.
First Impressions and Getting Started
So, there it was. That classic Bonneville look. Triumph, they’ve been building these things out of Hinckley for a good while, and they know how to make a bike that just looks right. First thing I did, even before swinging a leg over, was just walk around it. Took it all in. The spoked wheels, the peashooter exhausts – all that stuff that screams “motorcycle” in the old-school way. You can’t help but appreciate it.
Then, the moment of truth. Hopped on. Felt pretty comfortable right off the bat. Not too tall, not too short. The weight felt manageable, even just rocking it side to side. Fired it up. That parallel twin has a nice little rumble, not too loud to annoy the neighbors, but enough to let you know it’s there. My first “practice” session was really just about getting acquainted. Slow maneuvers, feeling out the clutch, the throttle response. All pretty straightforward, to be honest. No nasty surprises.
Hitting the Road and Digging Deeper
Okay, so after messing around in the driveway, I finally took it out for a proper ride. My plan was simple: see how it handles different situations. First, I navigated through some town traffic. This is where you really start to learn a bike. The T100 was pretty nimble, actually. Good turning circle, easy to filter through the slow stuff. The engine is smooth enough at low revs, which helps a lot.
Then, I found some more open roads. This is where I wanted to see if that 900cc engine had enough poke. And yeah, it does. It’s not a sportbike, obviously, wasn’t expecting it to be. But it pulls nicely, got a decent amount of torque for cruising and overtaking. I spent a good couple of hours just riding, getting a feel for the suspension, the brakes. The brakes are, well, they do the job. They’re not super sharp, but they’re adequate for the kind of bike it is. You learn to use them properly.
My real “practice” for the day, though, after getting back, was to go over the bike from top to bottom. Like a proper pre-flight check, but more intense. I checked all the fluids, tire pressures, chain tension – the works. It’s amazing how many folks skip these basic things. They just jump on and go. Then they wonder why things go wrong. I’ve seen it a hundred times. People buy these beautiful machines and then treat ’em like they’re disposable. It’s a shame, really. A bit of regular attention goes a long way.
Little Quirks and Observations
So, while I was doing my detailed once-over, I started noticing the little things. The finish on some parts is really nice. Good quality chrome, paint seems decent. But then you find other bits, maybe a bracket here or there, that feels a bit… well, built to a price. Nothing terrible, just things you notice when you’re really looking.
One thing I did “practice” was adjusting the mirrors. Sounds silly, right? But getting them just so can be a pain on some bikes. These were okay. Found a good spot eventually. And the seat, after a couple of hours, I started to think, yeah, I could probably do a longer trip on this, but maybe with a short break or two. It’s not a touring throne, but it’s not a plank of wood either.
The whole experience with this T100, it was pretty positive. It’s not trying to be something it’s not. It’s an honest bike. You get on it, you ride it, it does what you expect. No fancy electronics trying to outsmart you, just a straightforward motorcycle. That’s kind of refreshing these days, with all the tech they cram into everything.
Final Thoughts from the Day
By the end of my time with it, I felt like I knew the bike pretty well. It’s one of those machines that’s easy to get along with. It’s not going to set your hair on fire with raw speed, but it’s got character, and it’s enjoyable to ride. My “practice” with it was more about understanding its personality than mastering some complex skill. And yeah, I’d say it was a good day’s work. Definitely a bike I could see myself just hopping on for a weekend cruise without any fuss.
