Login

u/AngryDog69

▲ 3 r/Triumph

2020 Triumph Bonneville T120 ACE with 1,309 miles for $8300 from dealer - Good Deal?

I know I want a T120 and am ready to pull the trigger on one. This one just got posted but I won't be able to visit it in person for a few days. I could just have it delivered sight unseen for $100. It comes with a warranty, so that makes me feel better about just buying it.

Is it a good deal? If so... oh man!

This 2020 Triumph Bonneville T120 ACE with 1,309 miles runs well. It comes equipped with ABS and heated grips. It's been upgraded with an aftermarket exhaust, a windscreen, and foam grips.

Powered by a 1,200cc parallel-twin engine, the Bonneville puts 79 horsepower and 77 foot-pounds of torque through a 6-speed transmission. With a 3.9-gallon fuel capacity, the Bonneville has a 180-210-mile range. It has a 30.9 inch seat height and a 493-pound dry weight.

This vehicle has been through our Premium Vehicle process, which includes a comprehensive service, safety inspection, and full detailing. It comes with a 30-day Comprehensive Warranty and a 90-day Powertrain Limited Warranty.

reddit.com
u/AngryDog69 — 5 days ago
▲ 2 r/ATV

I recently bought 47 acres of wooded land in New England and I’m looking for a used ATV that can be more of a workhorse than a weekend cruiser.

Primary uses would be trail/property work, hauling tools, pulling a small trailer, moving brush, dragging light material when needed, using a winch, and possibly plowing or trail clearing. I’m not looking to mud ride or go fast. I want something reliable, useful, and reasonably easy to maintain.

**EDIT** Given the used prices for the listings below, should I consider brand-new?

Here are the top options I’m considering based on postings for used machines on Craigslist:

1. 2020 Yamaha Kodiak 700 Special Edition - $7,500
Link: https://nh.craigslist.org/snw/d/hudson-yamaha-kodiak-700-special-edition/7931608563.html

  • 52 hours / 382 miles
  • Power steering
  • Warn winch
  • Rear storage seat
  • 27-inch ITP Mud Lite tires
  • Factory black alloy wheels
  • High Lifter lift kit
  • Seller says excellent condition, needs nothing
  • No trades/offers

This seems like the most “ready to work” option. My only concern is the lift kit and whether that suggests mud use or extra CV/axle wear. (Owner replied re: lift kit: "It was mainly used for ice fishing so we added the lift kit for clearance and for the tires as they're a little bigger.")

2. 2022 Honda Rubicon - $7,000
Link: https://nh.craigslist.org/snw/d/laconia-honda-rubicon/7926797698.html

  • 154 miles
  • Excellent condition
  • Automatic or manual shift
  • Seller says they are selling because they don’t use it enough
  • Sparse listing, so I still need to confirm exact trim, EPS, paperwork/title, and whether it has any accessories

This seems like the safest long-term reliability play if the paperwork is clean and it has power steering. But it may need a winch, storage, tires, etc. added.

3. 2014 Polaris Sportsman 850HO XP EPS EFI - $5,900
Link: https://nh.craigslist.org/snw/d/newbury-2014-polaris-sportsman-850ho-xp/7927430851.html

  • Seller told me 279 hours / 2,170 miles
  • EPS
  • Winch
  • Plow
  • Rear chains
  • Heated grips
  • Upgraded LED lights
  • 2-up seat with storage
  • Seller says excellent condition, adult owned/ridden, plastics intact

This is probably the most work-ready machine for the money, but the hours/miles and plow setup make me wonder about belt/clutch/front diff/CV wear.

4. 2018 Arctic Cat Alterra VLX 700 - $4,950
Link: https://nh.craigslist.org/snw/d/weare-2018-arctic-cat-alterra-vlx-700/7928069497.html

  • 292 miles
  • EPS
  • CVT
  • 2WD/4WD on the fly
  • Front and rear racks
  • Front poly basket
  • Gun/bow holders
  • Tires in good shape
  • Seller describes it as a workhorse

This looks like a lot of machine for the money. Concern is parts/dealer support and resale compared with Yamaha/Honda/Polaris due to the recent private equity acquisition.

5. 2019 Polaris Sportsman 570 Touring EPS - $6,000 OBO
Link: https://nh.craigslist.org/snw/d/goffstown-2019-polaris-sportsman-570/7930603387.html

  • 700 miles
  • 2-up Touring model
  • Power steering
  • Push-button 4WD
  • Engine braking
  • 3,000 lb winch with handlebar controls
  • Practically new 6-ply tires
  • Garage kept, 2-owner machine
  • Seller says it needs nothing

This seems like a solid middle-ground option. Concern is whether the longer Touring chassis is annoying in tighter wooded trails.

6. 2014 Polaris Sportsman 850 H.O. from dealer - $5,999
Link: https://philbrickmotorsports.com/atvs/

  • 878 miles / 163.5 hours
  • Recent service: brake pads all around, high beam bulb, tie rod kit, oil change
  • Dealer listing
  • Need to confirm EPS, winch/accessories, belt/clutch condition, front end tightness, and overall history

This has the power, but fresh tie rods and brakes at relatively low mileage make me wonder if it was worked hard, plowed heavily, or had front-end stress.

My current thinking is:

  • Kodiak 700 is probably the best “buy once and use it” option.
  • Honda Rubicon might be the best long-term reliability option if it has EPS and clean paperwork.
  • Newbury Sportsman 850 is tempting because it already has plow/winch/chains/storage, but the hours and plow use make me cautious.
  • Arctic Cat 700 is probably the best value, but I’m unsure about parts/support long term.
  • Sportsman 570 Touring is a dark horse, but maybe not ideal for tight woods.
  • Philbrick 850 is probably lower priority unless it checks out really clean.

For people who use ATVs for actual property work, what would you buy and why? Anything here you’d avoid? Also, what specific inspection items would you focus on for these machines before buying?

Edited: Added this table for easy comparison.

# ATV Price Use / mileage Key features & accessories Main upside Main concern Current read
1 2020 Yamaha Kodiak 700 Special Edition $7,500 52 hrs / 382 mi Power steering, Warn winch, rear storage seat, 27" ITP Mud Lite tires, factory black alloy wheels, High Lifter lift kit Most “ready to work” option; low hours, good accessories, strong Yamaha reliability Lift kit and bigger tires could mean extra CV/axle wear, though seller says it was for ice fishing clearance Likely best overall choice if clean underneath
2 2022 Honda Rubicon $7,000 154 mi Automatic/manual shift; seller says excellent condition and not used enough Safest long-term reliability/resale play; very low miles Sparse listing. Need to confirm exact trim, EPS, paperwork/registration, and accessories Could be #1 if it has EPS and clean paperwork
3 2014 Polaris Sportsman 850HO XP EPS EFI $5,900 279 hrs / 2,170 mi EPS, winch, plow, rear chains, heated grips, upgraded LED lights, 2-up seat with storage Most work-ready setup for the money; already equipped for property/plow use Higher hours/miles, older machine, plow use could mean belt/clutch/front diff/CV wear Good value if mechanically tight, but inspect hard
4 2018 Arctic Cat Alterra VLX 700 $4,950 292 mi EPS, CVT, 2WD/4WD on the fly, front/rear racks, front poly basket, gun/bow holders, good tires A lot of machine for the money; low miles, 700-class utility ATV Parts/dealer support and resale weaker than Yamaha/Honda/Polaris Best value play if support risk is acceptable
5 2019 Polaris Sportsman 570 Touring EPS $6,000 OBO 700 mi 2-up Touring model, power steering, push-button 4WD, engine braking, 3,000 lb winch, handlebar controls, nearly new 6-ply tires, garage kept Solid middle-ground machine with the right utility features Longer Touring chassis may be less convenient in tight wooded trails Good dark horse, especially if price moves
6 2014 Polaris Sportsman 850 H.O. from Philbrick $5,999 163.5 hrs / 878 mi Recent brake pads all around, high beam bulb, tie rod kit, oil change; dealer listing Big power, known recent service, dealer sale Need to confirm EPS, winch/accessories, belt/clutch condition, and front-end history. Fresh tie rods/brakes at low mileage are a yellow flag Worth a look, but lower priority than Kodiak/Honda/Newbury Polaris
u/AngryDog69 — 12 days ago
▲ 5 r/Triumph

Hey r/Triumph,

Long-time lurker, first-time poster, first-time-real-motorcycle-owner-to-be. Currently I roll around on a Honda Trail 125, which is delightful but is approximately the motorcycle equivalent of a golden retriever puppy. Time to add a grown-up bike to the garage that can actually do highway speeds without sounding like a blender full of marbles.

Quick stats on me:

  • 6'2", 220 lbs, so I need something that doesn't make me look like I'm riding a unicycle
  • New England based, so cold mornings and salt-fearing pavement are a way of life
  • Use case: mix of highway and backroads, occasional 2-up (rare, but want the option)
  • Manual transmission experience: zero. The Trail 125 is semi-auto. I'm signing up for the MSF course before I do anything stupid.
  • Budget: $8K-$12K
  • Hard requirement: ABS (I'd like to keep my collarbones in their original configuration)

I've narrowed it to four contenders, all from this beautiful Hinckley brand:

1. 2023 Bonneville T100 (private seller, Craigslist)

  • $7,900, 3,600 miles, one owner
  • Loaded with farkles: center stand, engine guards, windscreen, grab rail

2. 2018 Bonneville Speedmaster (dealer: National Powersports / Concord Triumph)

  • $7,999, 5,490 miles, NH inspected
  • Cruise control, heated grips, windscreen, axle sliders, luggage rack, aftermarket exhaust

3. 2026 Bonneville T100 (new, MOMS Manchester)

  • $11,495 MSRP, ~$12.5K out the door

4. 2026 Speed Twin 900 (new, MOMS Manchester)

  • $11,495 MSRP, ~$12.5K out the door

5. 2026 Bonneville T120 (used)

  • $10,999, 1496 miles

The Internal Debate:

The Speedmaster is the spec-sheet winner: 1200cc, cruise control, heated grips, low seat, dealer purchase, all the toys for almost the same money as a 900cc bike. But it's 8 years old and ~580 lbs which feels like a lot of bike for a guy whose only motorcycle currently weighs about as much as a fully grown labrador.

The 2023 T100 is a screaming deal on paper but it's a private sale and I literally cannot test ride it because, again, I don't know how to use a clutch yet. Buying a $7,900 motorcycle without riding it first feels like online dating but with more potential for mechanical regret.

The new bikes at MOMS would give me full warranty and zero existential dread, but they're at the top of my budget and don't have cruise control or heated grips standard (which the Speedmaster does, for $4K less).

Questions for the hive mind:

  1. Am I overthinking the weight thing? Is 580 lbs actually scary for a noob, or does it disappear once you're rolling?
  2. Speedmaster owners: how's the feet-forward cruiser posture for long highway stretches? Worth the trade-off vs the more upright Bonneville/Speed Twin posture?
  3. T100 vs Speed Twin 900: I get they share an engine. Beyond aesthetics, what actually makes you pick one over the other day-to-day?
  4. Anyone regret buying a 1200cc as their first manual bike? Or regret going 900cc and wishing they'd gone bigger?
  5. For New England riders: are heated grips actually a game changer or just a nice-to-have?
  6. Is buying a private-sale bike sight-unseen (well, sit-on-able-but-not-rideable) ever a good idea, or am I going to end up writing a sad post in three months?

Roast my logic, share your experiences, tell me I'm an idiot for not just buying a Royal Enfield, whatever helps.

Cheers, and thanks in advance.

reddit.com
u/AngryDog69 — 14 days ago