Bonneville T100.

This traditionally styled Triumph bike is only five years old, but has less that five thousand miles on the clock - it's barely had the "new" worn off it yet.

With an 865 cc engine, its top speed is "only" 110 mph and the fuel consumption is similar to my 1400 cc car. It is a bike built for style rather than performance, there will be a lot of bikers from my youth who would buy one for purely sentimental reasons and it's yours for just £7,500. It seems to be a favourite with the ladies as well.

The original Triumph company started trading in 1902 and went into receivership in 1983. I never managed to understand that they could not build enough bikes to satisfy the market, and so could charge virtually what they wanted, yet failed to survive. In 1984, John Bloor bought the name and the manufacturing right from the receiver and they now make nearly 50,000 machines a year. Rather than compete with the Japanese, he decided to concentrate on bikes that still look as though they belong in the 1960s and they retain the same comfortable ride characteristics, the workings, though, are somewhat more modern. They use an over-square engine, a configuration that combines longevity with reduced vibration, it also incorporates a balancing system to further reduce noise and vibration, while the heated fuel injector (disguised as an old fashioned carburettor) gives lower emissions, a smoother response and easier starting.

Do I want one?
Well, it's a nice idea, but they're cold and wet; I remember stopping at a motorway petrol station and seeing a washing line with a row of biker's bank notes pegged up to dry. There is no way of keeping the wet out when it rains, and that's a common occurrence in Scotland.

Edit: I notice that there appear to be scratches and dents on the fuel tank and mudguard, these are illusions created by reflections in the polished paintwork.

I've just posted yesterday's "Rosslynlee Station"