For one year only Triumph is offering a range of 10 ‘Chrome Collection’ machines – eight from the Bonneville line-up and two special Rocket 3s.
Just like the pinstriped Gold Line versions of the Bonneville T100, T120, T120 Black, Speedmaster, Bobber, Street Scrambler and Scrambler 1200 that were launched a year ago as special 2022 machines, the new Chrome Collection bikes aren’t limited in number but will only be sold for one year, starting right now.
The two Rockets are undoubtedly the most imposing machines. The Rocket 3 GT Chrome Edition gets a fully chromed tank with red paint over the front section, a black headlight bowl, flyscreen, front mudguard and rear bodywork. The Rocket 3 R Chrome Edition, meanwhile, has a similarly chromed tank but with a black section at the front, matching the same black headlight bowl, screen, mudguard and other bodywork that’s seen on the GT.
The bikes’ specs are unchanged, with the same 2500cc three-cylinder engine as the standard Rocker models, with 221Nm of torque and 167PS peak power, but the limited-edition colours and chrome tanks add £900 to the price of the base Rocket 3 GT and Rocket 3 R, taking them to £22,200 and £21,500 respectively. The price increase doesn’t seem bad, given that each of the Chrome Collection models has at least five hours of extra work in their manufacturing process, with up to three hours spent hand-polishing the chrome alone.
The Bonneville-based Chrome Collection bikes start with the Bonneville Bobber Chrome Edition, which also gets a fully chrome-plated fuel tank. Like the Rocket 3 R, the front section of the tank has black flashes painted over the chrome, and thanks to a combination of a gloss black frame, mudguards and side panels, as well as black wheel rims and black engine cases, the overall impact is a two-tone black-and-chrome machine that harks back to the 1950s and 60s. As an accessory, there’s the option of a short, black front mudguard.
Next up, there’s the Bonneville T120 Chrome Edition, sharing the same 1200cc engine as the Bobber but with a more conventional Bonneville look. For the Chrome Edition, the tank is again chromed but this time features a lower portion in Meriden Blue. An optional fly screen in matching Meriden Blue is also offered, while the rest of the bodywork is black.
The Speedmaster also gets a Chome Edition version for 2022, following a similar pattern to the T120 but with the lower portion of the chrome tank painted red. Again, the rest of the bodywork is black and there’s an optional short front mudguard, like the Bobber.
The Scrambler 1200 isn’t left out, also getting a Chrome Edition for 2023. As with the other 1200cc Bonnie-based models, it has a fully chrome-plated tank but this time a stripe of Brooklands Green is painted over it. Again, there’s a contrasting black headlight bowl and side panels, but the Scrambler 1200’s mudguards and silencer heat shield are finished in brushed aluminium.
Pricewise, the Chrome Collection machines based on the Bonneville 1200 platform cost £800 more than the base models. That means the Scrambler 1200 Chrome Edition will be £13,095, the Bonneville T120 £12,095, and the Bobber and Speedmaster each £13,195.
Stepping down to the smaller, 900cc bikes in the Bonneville range, Triumph has opted to use metallised decals on top of painted tanks for the chrome effect, rather than chroming the tanks and then painting over the top. It’s a move that helps cut their prices while retaining the chrome look.
The Scrambler 900 Chrome Edition has a Brooklands Green tank with the chrome effect in the kneepad area, allied to the same, black-painted mudguards and headlight bowl seen on other models in the Chrome Collection. A matching green flyscreen is an optional extra.
The Speed Twin 900 follows a similar route, but with a red painted tank, again with chrome effect in the kneepad sections, black bodywork elsewhere and an optional red flyscreen.
On the Bonneville T100 Chrome Edition, the main paintwork of the tank is blue, while the metal decal runs in a stripe down its centre. Again, the rest of the bodywork is black and there’s a flyscreen option in blue.
The use of metallic overlays rather than chrome plating means the 900cc models are substantially cheaper than the 1200cc bikes and Rockets. All the 900cc Chrome Editions are priced £350 above the models they’re based on, pushing the Scrambler 900 to £9,945, the T100 to £9,745 and the Speed Twin 900 £8,945.
The most chrome-laden machine of all in the Chrome Collection is the Thruxton RS Chrome Edition, which gets the full chrome plated treatment on its tank like the other 1200cc Bonnevilles. Although at first glance it appears to be completely chrome, there’s actually some painted detailing on the seams in black, matching the frame, wheels, headlight bowl and mudguards. The fork protectors are silver, and optional accessories include a black headlight fairing. Like the other 1200cc models, it costs £800 more than the base version, coming in at £14,395.
