Triumph spreads the gold across the Bonneville range

British motorcycle manufacturer Triumph is highlighting the skills of its paint shop by making eight Bonneville models in its Modern Classic line available with gold-colored accents. Called Gold Line Edition, the motorcycles stand out with an array of elegant hand-painted details.

Shining light on what its paint shop is capable of wasn't the only driving force behind the project. Triumph explained that its customers have been asking for brighter and more custom-inspired liveries. While the aftermarket can fill that gap, Triumph joined the growing list of companies in the car and motorcycle industries that give buyers (who are often enthusiasts, not merely consumers) customization options.

The list of Gold Line Edition models includes the Bonneville T100, the Street Scrambler, the Bonneville Speedmaster, the Bonneville Bobber, the Bonneville T120, the Bonneville T120 Black, the Scrambler 1200 XC, and the Scrambler 1200 XE; they're all pictured in our gallery. Each bike puts a slightly different spin on the Gold Line Edition look. For example, the Scrambler 1200 XC gains a Carnival Red and Storm Gray fuel tank with an Aluminum Silver stripe, brushed foil knee pads, and a Jet Black side panel. The Bonneville Speedmaster features a Silver Ice fuel tank with Black Sapphire twin stripes, the same brushed foil knee pads, plus gold and silver "Bonneville Speedmaster" logos.

All have at least one styling cue in common: hand-painted gold-colored pinstripes that highlight the various parts, like the fuel tank and the side panels, and matching "Gold Line" logos. It's a subtle treatment; none of the Gold Line Edition models look overly blinged-out.

Triumph notes that the gold accents are hand-painted in-house using a special soft-bristled brush, and that they're normally applied in a single stroke. It takes many years of experience and a very, very, very steady hand to pull it off. The paint normally applied to cars and motorcycles is too thin for brush work, so Triumph's painters use a blend of powdered color and a cellulose laquer to apply the accents. When the finish is dry, the painter adds his or her initials to the motorcycle before spraying one final clear coat of lacquer to seal the finish.

Production of the eight Gold Line Edition models isn't limited, but they'll only be available for one year. Deliveries are scheduled to start in the United States and Canada in December 2021, and pricing ranges from $11,450 for a Bonneville T100 to $16,500 for a Scrambler 1200 XE. For context, the regular-production T100 starts at $10,700 while the Scrambler 1200 XE carries a base price of $15,700. 

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