Triumph Bonneville T120 DGR Is a Black-Tie Motorcycle Only Few Will Get to Enjoy

That’s right, the machine described by Triumph as the "definitive British motorcycle icon" is getting a limited edition version, spawned as a means to celebrate this year’s run of the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride (DGR).

That’s an event created in 2012 in Australia and dedicated to riders from all over the world. We talked about it before here on autoevolution, mostly because ever since 2014 Triumph has been its partner, and almost every year it released some sort of special product tied to the DGR.

In the past two years, for instance, we’ve had a one-off variant of the Thruxton RS (2021), and an unlikely pairing between a Bonneville T120 and a Gibson Les Paul Standard guitar (2022).

For this year the special treat is called Bonneville T120 Black DGR, and it’s not a one-off affair like the previous ones, but an entire run of 250 units that will be sold on the global markets.

Basically, the bike is your standard T120, with the 1200cc High Torque engine in its frame, Brembo braking hardware, 32-spoke wire wheels front and rear, and two riding modes, Road and Rain.

It’s the look that sets it apart, though, and that has been specifically created to be a celebration of the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride. And since this is a ride for gentlemen we’re talking about, the idea was to dress the two-wheeler in a way that resembles a black-tie outfit just right for a night out in town.

That was achieved by giving the Bonneville a two-tone paint in metallic Phantom Black and Crystal White. Gold accents can be found on the fuel tank and side panels. The same two places are where official DGR branding was included.

Now, the DGR may be an event dedicated to motorcycle riders, but it’s a fundraiser as well. The 90,000 people that took to the streets in some 800 cities across the world last year have raised over the years $37 million for prostate cancer research and men’s mental health.

So in 2023, of the 250 bikes Triumph is making for the event (each of them numbered and signed by DGR founder Mark Hawwa and Triumph CEO Nick Bloor), the one wearing the 001 tag will be donated to the highest fundraised campaign of this year. For the rest of us, the ones who will actually be able to get their hands on one of these bikes, the selling price is $13,495.

The 2023 Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride takes place on Sunday, May 21. All you have to do to take part is own a bike and be willing to ride it while wearing a business suit.