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Branching out from its ample line of Harley-Davidson and Indian motorcycles, FM has introduced a 1:10 version of perhaps THE classic British motorcycle, the 1969 Triumph Bonneville 650. When new, the Bonneville stood among
motorcycling's elite. Triumphs were successful in most forms of racing, and were the 'image' bike of their day. Among celluloid Triumph riders were Marlon Brando (The Wild One), Steve McQueen (The Great Escape), and 'The Fonz' (Happy Days). Sadly, Triumph and the rest of the British industry stood on their laurels while the Japanese makers were inventing incredible new bikes, with unheard-of reliability and performance. Triumph ceased trading in 1983, but the name has been brought back for a fine line of
contemporary bikes. The 1969 Bonneville gets the nod from most enthusiasts as the prettiest Triumph of all, so FM certainly picked the right prototype!
How good is the FM effort? Well, as a Triumph owner, I am amazed and delighted with FM's work. The instruments, dual throttle cables, gas lines, wiring, and air cleaners are perfect miniatures of the real ones. The seat hinges up to reveal the battery. The maroon, silver, and gold tank and
fender markings are magnificent, as are the laser-cut wheels and the jewel-like front fender braces. The kickstart lever, brake pedal, handlebar levers, side and center stand, and the suspension all work. Best of all, this model gets the magnificent proportions just right. It LOOKS like a
Bonnie, and that is a compliment! A nifty miniature of the '69 Triumph sales catalogue and a scale helmet and goggles are included. Pans? Yes, a few. The front forks operate nicely, but telescope below the bellows instead of beneath them. The 'chain' runs inside the rear sprocket instead of on top. The gas tank decals have a visible seam. On my example, the headlight is tilted slightly skyward. The exhaust pipe headers are (to my eye) a little too rounded as they tuck below the bike, and have a chrome brace to the front of the engine that doesn't exist on the real bike. The fender colors are reversed from those shown in the catalogue photo. That's the whole list - not much to complain about!
I hope this is the first of many FM images of classic British bikes. I can't wait to see a similar superb effort on the BSA Lightning, Norton Commando, Ariel Square Four, .... I give this model a 4.75 out of 5, and would recommend it to any fan of outstanding model building or classic
motorcycles. The issue price is $135. (05/21/2000)
(05/28/2000)
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