Never ones to miss out on a collaboration, British brand Triumph has unveiled its latest special edition Bonneville – a T120 inspired by the great rock and roller Elvis Presley.
Elvis had an association with Triumph, specifically Bonnevilles, famously buying seven T120s for his entourage, known as the Memphis Mafia, in 1965. He was known to ride himself, with a T120 TT (a US market version sold for off-road use) featuring in one of his films, 1968’s Stay Away Joe.
The modern day edition is inspired by a J Daar custom Bonneville which was created and auctioned off to raise money for the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation last year. Such was the interest in that machine, Triumph and Elvis Presley Enterprises have collaborated to build a bike we can all buy.
Or, at least, 925 people will be able to ride off on a T120 Elvis Presley Limited Edition, for that will be the total production run. In dealerships in July or August, the special machine carries a £2500 premium over the model upon which it is based. In addition to the exclusivity, the Elvis bike gets a very special livery and some of the usual limited run certification.
The graphics are inspired by Elvis’ legendary 1968 ‘Comeback Special’ with the famous ELVIS graphic taken from the stage lights from the show. Other details are the great man’s signature on the tank and side panels, his ‘TCB’ (taking care of business in a flash) logo on the mudguard, a numbered handlebar clamp, which is also laser etched with his signature. The bike’s certificate of authenticity is signed by bosses of both Triumph and Elvis Presley Enterprises, and comes in a record sleeve which also contains a Sony gold disc.
While Suspicious Minds might see the collaboration as a way of shifting some T120s in a tough market, part of Triumph’s dalliance with Elvis’ estate is their desire to track down one of the Memphis Mafia Bonnevilles from 1965. The company is starting to reclaim its history, much of which can be seen first hand at their Leicestershire visitor centre, but so far they’ve come up short when it comes to finding even one of Elvis’ bikes. Despite much research, which has helped put together the intriguing back story for the limited edition, they’ve yet to track down one of the illusive originals. They’re continuing the search though, and have even set up a dedicated email address for anyone who might have a lead (if you are in the know, Don’t Be Cruel and send them an email to [email protected]). Launching the special edition should, in some small way, help create awareness of the missing bikes.
But back to the latest special edition. Beneath the special livery lies a standard Bonneville T120, which is certainly no bad thing. It’s a beautifully built machine, and while it won’t leave you All Shook Up, you can place an order now. It costs £14,495 and, if previous limited run Triumphs are anything to go by, we wouldn’t expect them to go unsold for long. As Elvis might say, It’s Now Or Never if you want one. And there’s no need to buy one for your mates like he did.
Can’t Help Falling In Love with the new T120 Elvis Presley Limited Edition? Head over to your local Triumph dealership and take care of business.
