2026 Triumph Bonneville T120: polishing an icon

There’s a particular comfort in climbing aboard a Bonneville T120. It’s a bit like catching The Great Escape on telly on Christmas Day: you might not have asked for it, but once it’s on, everything feels exactly as it should. 

And that, in many ways, sums up Triumph’s approach to the 2026 update.

I’d ridden the T100 the day before, and like that bike, the changes here aren’t exactly screaming for attention. Roll away from the kerb and, for the first hundred yards, there’s no obvious moment of revelation. The first 20 kilometres become a quiet game of Where’s Wally, searching for tangible differences between this bike and the outgoing model.

But that’s kind of the point. From the reach to the bars to the steady throb of the 1,200cc twin, everything about the ‘new’ £12,195 T120 feels reassuringly familiar.

What is new with the 2026 T120

Triumph’s headline updates for 2026 are largely electronic, and all of them now come as standard. Lean-sensitive Optimised Cornering ABS and traction control are powered by an IMU, cruise control is no longer an optional extra, and there’s a revised LED headlight with a brighter beam and an attractive DRL, still housed within the same classic round shell.

There’s also a USB‑C charging socket neatly integrated into the cockpit, revised side-panel graphics with a circular Bonneville motif, and a handful of new hand-finished paint schemes that manage to look both fresh and deeply traditional at the same time. Less visibly, the bike is now Euro 5+ compliant, and the underlying electronics have been updated to support the new tech without disturbing the modern-classic aesthetic.

Mechanically, though, not a lot has changed — and Triumph is clearly comfortable with that.

What’s not new

The liquid-cooled 1,200cc parallel twin carries over wholesale, with its 270-degree firing order, single overhead camshaft and eight valves. Power and torque figures remain at 78.9bhp and 77.4lb ft, delivered through a six-speed gearbox with a slipper clutch but no quickshifter. The chassis is the same tubular steel setup, suspended by KYB forks and twin rear shocks, and slowed by twin front discs with Brembo calipers.

On paper, it’s business as usual. On the road, it feels exactly that — and largely all the better for it.

Our route starts with a mix of town traffic and highway cruising, giving plenty of time to reacquaint myself with the T120’s easy-going nature. One thing that stands out early is just how at home this bike feels in urban settings. Despite sharing its engine platform with the Bobber and Speedmaster, which can feel slightly out of place at low speeds, the T120’s conventional riding position and well-balanced centre of gravity make it far less demanding.

The gearbox plays a big role in that. It has a relatively long throw at the lever, but each shift is clean, direct and accompanied by a satisfying mechanical ‘clunk’. The clutch lever is notably light for a 1,200cc machine, and once you trust the gearbox’s accuracy, clutchless upshifts come naturally.

I spend a fair bit of time flicking between the riding modes, but for most situations Road mode is where the T120 feels happiest. Throttle connection is clean and predictable, and while Rain mode might feel slightly redundant on the smaller T100, it makes more sense here. With the extra torque on tap, especially if you’re riding two-up, the softened response could be genuinely useful — and may help avoid the dreaded helmet clash with a pillion.

Once the slower roads are behind us, we begin to climb into the hills. The temperature rises rather than falls, and eventually we arrive at a stretch of asphalt that feels purpose-built for this bike: a ribbon of road snaking up a mountainside for seven or eight miles, going nowhere in particular. With the California Highway Patrol keeping other traffic at bay, it becomes our playground. This is where the T120 really settles into its stride.

It turns with a level of composure that some modern classics struggle to match. The suspension feels taut without ever being harsh, dealing neatly with surface imperfections while keeping the bike settled and predictable. Despite its 233kg wet weight, the T120 carries its mass well, never feeling unwieldy or reluctant to change direction. It’s not effortless, but you don’t have to wrestle the thing through a set of bends as you do on some bikes

The engine, though, remains the heart of the experience. Its delivery of power and torque is so smooth and linear that you barely notice it tailing off towards the top end. In fact, for the first few spirited miles, the only real cue to upshift is the rev-limiter stepping in unannounced.

It’s not the most mischievous engine in the Bonneville family — that honour still belongs to the Bobber with its hot-rod tune — but it might be the most complete. There’s urgency when you ask for it, refinement when you don’t, and plenty of character throughout, all accompanied by an exhaust note that’s just restrained enough to make you wish it wasn’t.

2026 Triumph Bonneville T120 Verdict

The 2026 Triumph Bonneville T120 is a lesson in restraint. Triumph hasn’t tried to reinvent a bike that already knows exactly what it is. Instead, it’s added genuinely useful technology, improved safety systems and a few thoughtful quality-of-life upgrades, all without disturbing the calm, unhurried character that defines the T120.

If you’re looking for fireworks, there are louder and livelier bikes in the Bonneville range - check out the Bobber for a more raucous Bonneville experience, and the Speedmaster for a more comfortable one. But if you want a modern classic that feels finished, balanced and quietly capable in almost any situation, the updated T120 is the old friend you need to get reacquainted with.

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