1970 Triumph Bonneville T120R
An older restoration in Astral Red and Silver, out of a collector’s storage and back to running and riding. New petcocks, fuel lines, and inline filters through our shop. Starts on the first or second kick and runs strong — the Bonneville you ride, not the one you park.
A 1970 Triumph Bonneville T120R in Astral Red and Silver, with 11,816 miles on the clock. It’s an older restoration that was last running and on the road in 2007, then spent the years since in a collector’s storage — kept well, but showing its age the way any restoration does after that long. We went through the fuel system in our shop and it now starts on the first or second kick and runs strong.
What we love about it
The 1970 Bonneville is the one people picture when they hear the words British twin — twin-carb 650, low and lean, in the last year before Triumph moved to the oil-in-frame chassis. A lot of riders will tell you 1970 is the pick of the whole Bonneville line for exactly that reason. This one does what a good Bonneville should. It starts on the first or second kick, runs strong, the gears shift smoothly, and the clutch is light and easy. And because it’s an older restoration rather than a fresh one, it’s exactly the bike you’d actually want to ride — it looks great going down the road, and you’re not worried about putting a scratch or two on it getting there.
What you should know
Triumph named the Bonneville after the Bonneville Salt Flats, where Johnny Allen’s Triumph-powered streamliner ran 214 mph in 1956. The production bike arrived in 1959 as the twin-carburetor hot rod of the 650 line, and the T120R is the US roadster version. By 1970 it had the twin-leading-shoe front brake and a decade of steady development behind it — the last of the pre-oil-in-frame bikes, which is why this year gets singled out by collectors and riders alike. We bought this one out of a collector’s long-term storage and recommissioned it ourselves, so the fuel-system work below is ours.
What it still needs
The tank was lined at some point and the liner is starting to come off — that’s part of why we fitted inline fuel filters, and having the tank properly stripped and re-sealed should be on your list. Beyond that, we’d recommend a tune and a full service, plus a fresh set of tires, to bring it to tip-top. It’s an older restoration showing its age: presentable, not perfect, and honest about it. On paperwork: it comes with a clean California title. Since the bike has been off the road since 2007, re-registering it in California may involve DMV back fees — we recommend doing your own research on that before you buy.
Who it’s for
Someone who wants to ride a Bonneville, not guard one. It has the looks of a restored bike without the anxiety of a fresh one — park it outside the café, ride it home in the dark, and don’t lose sleep over a stone chip. If you’re after a concours-fresh 1970 to show, this isn’t that bike; this is the one you put miles on.
The work, listed out
- 01Recommissioned in our shop after long-term storage
- 02New petcocks
- 03New fuel lines
- 04Inline fuel filters added
Full spec sheet
- Year
- 1970
- Model
- Triumph Bonneville T120R
- Displacement
- 649cc
- Engine
- OHV parallel twin, four-speed
- Carburetion
- Twin Amal Concentrics
- Front brake
- Twin-leading-shoe drum
- Rear brake
- Drum
- VIN
- ND31280 T120R
- Title
- Clean California title — possible DMV back fees, buyer research recommended
- Mileage
- 11,816
- Last on the road
- 2007
- Condition
- Rider — older restoration
- Status
- Available
