Triumph announce Bud Ekins special edition Bonneville T100 and T120
The new Triumph Bud Ekins Bonneville T120 and T100 commemorates the motorcycle stuntman and off-road racer
TRIUMPH have announced a special edition T120 and T100 to celebrate and commemorate the late Bud Ekins, made famous for the iconic motorcycle jump in the film The Great Escape.
Both bikes feature a one-off ‘Californian inspired’ paint scheme – whatever that is – and is fitted with a Monza filler cap, LED indicators, knurled handlebar grips and dedicated black engine badges.
The special edition machines are only available in the two-tone paint scheme as pictured, and they feature the flying globe emblem, synonymous with the Hollywood stuntman. Triumph have also used the heritage Triumph logo on the tank, further echoing the styling of the bikes Ekins and his lifelong friend Steve McQueen rode at the time. The bikes both come with a certificate of authenticity, signed by CEO Triumph CEO Nick Bloor and both of Ekins’ daughters.
Who was Bud Ekins?
Ekins was born in LA in 1930, he learned to ride in the nearby Hollywood Hills, honing his off-road skills long before he could legally ride on the road. Luckily, California was host to a thriving off-road racing fraternity and even by his late teenage years he earned a mighty reputation as one of SoCal’s top motocross and desert racers.
Ekins’ success in the mid-fifties coincided with Triumph’s emergence as a major player in world motorcycling, with both parties playing their roles in re-defining what a motorcycle was capable of. Triumph’s famous managing director and design chief, Edward Turner, continued to develop incredible Triumph twin engine motorcycles which were becoming increasingly powerful, efficient and reliable. Johnny Allen held the 1955 and 1956 motorcycle land speed world records using Triumph factory engines, and Ekins was forging a lasting alliance with Triumph motorcycles that would ultimately see him regarded as America’s top off-road racer and also a celebrated Triumph dealership owner.
Triumph Bud Ekins Bonneville T100 and T120 specs
Bonneville T100 Bud Ekins SE | Bonneville T120 Bud Ekins SE | |
Engine Type | Liquid cooled, 8 valve SOHC, 270° crank angle parallel twin | Liquid cooled, 8 valve, SOHC, 270° crank angle parallel twin |
Capacity | 900cc | 1200 cc |
Bore/Stroke | 84.6mm x 80mm | 97.6 x 80 mm |
Compression Ratio | 10.55:1 | 10.0:1 |
Maximum Power | 55 PS / 54 HP (40.5kW) @ 5900 rpm | 80 PS / 79 BHP (59 kW) @ 6,550 rpm |
Maximum Torque | 80Nm @ 3230 rpm | 105 Nm @ 3,100 rpm |
Fuel system | Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection | Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection |
Exhaust | Chromed 2 into 2 exhaust system with twin silencers | Chromed 2 into 2 exhaust system with twin silencers |
Final drive | X-ring chain | X-ring chain |
Clutch | Wet, multi-plate assist clutch, cable operated | Wet, multi-plate assist clutch, cable operated |
Gearbox | 5-speed | 6-speed |
Frame | Tubular steel cradle | Tubular steel cradle |
Swingarm | Twin-sided, tubular steel | Twin-sided, tubular steel |
Front Wheel | 32-spoke 18 x 2.75in | 32-spoke 18 x 2.75in |
Rear Wheel | 32-spoke 17 x 4.25in | 32-spoke 17 x 4.25in |
Front Tyre | 100/90-18 | 100/90-18 |
Rear Tyre | 150/70 R17 | 150/70 R17 |
Front Suspension | KYB 41mm cartridge forks, 120mm travel | KYB 41mm cartridge forks, 120mm travel |
Rear Suspension | KYB twin shocks with adjustable preload, 120mm rear wheel travel | KYB twin shocks with adjustable preload, 120mm rear wheel travel |
Front Brake | Single 310mm disc, Nissin 2-piston floating caliper, ABS | Twin 310mm discs, Nissin 2-piston floating calipers, ABS |
Rear Brake | Single 255mm disc, Nissin 2-piston floating caliper, ABS | Single 255mm disc, Nissin 2-piston floating caliper, ABS |
Width (Handlebars) | 715 mm | 785 mm |
Height Without Mirrors | 1,100 mm | 1,125 mm |
Seat Height | 790 mm | 785 mm |
Wheelbase | 1,450 mm | 1,445 mm |
Rake | 25.5 º | 25.5 º |
Trail | 104 mm | 105.2 mm |
Dry Weight | 213 kg | 224 Kg |
Fuel Tank Capacity | 14.5 L | 14.5 L |
Instruments | LCD multi-functional instrument pack with analogue speedometer, analogue tachometer, odometer, gear position indicator, fuel gauge, range to empty indication, service indicator, clock, 2x trip, average & current fuel consumption display, traction control status display, throttle mode status display, heated grip status (accessory) and cruise control ready - controlled by a handlebar mounted scroll button (accessory). | LCD multi-functional instrument pack with analogue speedometer, analogue tachometer, odometer, gear position indicator, fuel gauge, range to empty indication, service indicator, clock, 2x trip, average & current fuel consumption display, traction control status display, throttle mode status display, heated grip status (accessory) and cruise control ready - controlled by a handlebar mounted scroll button (accessory). |
Fuel Consumption | 3.8 l/100km (74 MPG) | 4.5 l/100km (63 MPG) |
CO2 Emissions | 89 g/km | 103.0 g/km |
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
