The beautiful Triumph Bonneville T120 is the latest addition to our motorcycle family.
I knew it wouldn’t be long before we signed the adoption papers.
She was being fostered by a bike shop 250 miles away.
Every few days, for a couple of months, the hubby kept checking to see if anyone had adopted her yet.
He’d give me the update, and look sad.
She was still waiting for her forever home.
These regular updates were the first warning sign.
And then he headed off on a 2,000 mile road trip without me.
Naturally, he just happened to stop in at that bike shop on the way home.
Uh oh, I said to myself.
Sure enough, he soon sent me a photo of this gleaming Triumph Bonneville T120.
He was practically hugging her.
And grinning like a maniac.
Here we go.
I’ve seen that look before.
Let the negotiations begin.
And sure enough, within the week she showed up at our back door in a delivery van.
If you’re buying a new bike you may as well celebrate with a motorcycle t-shirt, right?
This one would be perfect.
The Triumph Bonneville T120 finds her forever home.
Pat was beyond delighted with this new member of the family.
He declared:
This Triumph Bonneville T120 is the perfect motorcycle.
I raised one eyebrow.
I won’t even ride her for awhile. I’ll just look at her.
I laughed.
And cleared some space in the living room.
Because clearly she wouldn’t be living in the garage.
She’s just perfect right out of the factory! No changes at all are needed.
I laughed again. This time with an extra snort.
I’ve been here one or a dozen times before.
Nine days passed (yep, I was counting).
And then he snapped.
Maybe I’ll just take her down the road and back.
I shut my mouth, and smiled at him.
As expected, she was a dream to ride.
He still adored her…
But now of course this perfect motorcycle DID need some modifications, after all.
A motorcycle luggage rack to be precise.
Adding a motorcycle rack to the Triumph Bonneville T120 is a simple operation.
It’s so easy it should only take 10 minutes, right?
That’s why we did the spannering in the living room on a white rug…
How to Attach a Motorcycle Luggage Rack to a Triumph Bonneville T120
(Allow more than 10 minutes)
Step 1
Declare the Triumph Bonneville T120 is perfect as she is.
She’ll never even need the brand new stickers taken off the gas tank.
Step 2
Change your mind.
Realise that this motorcycle actually needs a luggage rack to be useful.
Work up to mentioning this to your sarcastic wife.
Step 3
Start looking for a motorcycle luggage rack to fit this perfect bike.
Try not to have a heart attack when you find a Triumph motorcycle rack costs over US$300.
Step 4
Call 911 again when you figure out you need a mounting kit to attach the motorcycle luggage rack to.
Spend another US$250 on that.
Try to ignore your credit card bill, and wait anxiously for the parts to arrive.
Step 5
When those precious boxes show up, rip them open, ignore the instructions and get ready to begin.
Estimate this whole process should only take 10 minutes.
Bravely say this out loud.
Ignore the wife when she starts to laugh, and asks if you believe in the Easter Bunny too.
Step 6
Bring a pile of tools inside from the garage, and set them out on the dining table.
This quick, simple operation will naturally take place in the living room.
That’s where the motorcycle is, after all.
Go back to the garage half a dozen times to get more tools, and the grease and polish.
Step 7
Take off the seat, and leave it on the dining table.
Drop the rear mudguard so you can get at the pre-drilled holes.
Add a coat of polish to the mudguard while it’s so accessible.
Step 8
Unpack the mounting kit, and leave the piles of packaging on the living room floor.
Kick them around the room when they get in the way.
Step 9
While trying to fit the mounting kit, notice there’s a mystery piece of hard black plastic blocking the smooth alignment of parts.
Try and ease it off gently.
For several minutes.
With a couple different tools.
When that doesn’t work, start shouting, and tear it off in bits.
Step 10
Agree to the wife’s pointed suggestion to stop for tea and cake.
Discuss what the function of that pesky piece of plastic we ripped off might have been.
Decide we probably don’t need it.
Too late now, anyway.
Step 11
Return to the 10 minute motorcycle project we are now two hours into.
Grease the bolts for the mounting kit, and try not to drop any grease on the white Persian rug the bike is standing on.
Line up the mounting kit with the bolt holes.
Ask the wife very politely to hold it in place.
Torque the bolts to prepare for the luggage rack itself.
Step 12
Place the luggage rack over the mounting kit holes.
Hold your breath while you see if the holes all line up.
We know better than to just assume they will.
This time they do – so bolt the rack onto the mounting kit.
Re-attach the seat.
Check the status of your marriage.
You’re done!
How easy was that?
The Triumph Bonneville T120 is now even more perfect
As expected, this simple 10 minute fix took all afternoon.
But with the addition of a new motorcycle luggage rack, this perfect bike is now even better.
Because now we can add a rear bag.
That’ll come in handy when picking up gifts for the wife, right?
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