Trident T160V

[Dooly]

Well it's certainly been character building owning an old Brit!
I even got up at 3.30 the other morning and did some work on it.
Ok, I'm an insomniac.

Keeping the oil in the engine is an art form I'm trying to master.
But it's getting better.
As for the wiring and electrics, well kinda sorted via a new starter too. And the starter button earthing on the handle bars, blowing the fuse all the time. As I have'nt been able to start it except by running it down my 200 metre steep driveway. The problem being if it stopped pushing it back up, which is impossible.
And yes, use the kick start they say..........a fucked up hip replacement and me being a weakling softy means I can barely get a swing at it!

And getting the carbs running properly, well, thats this week's endeavour
But it looks and feels cool with low bars now.

I'm glad the electrics stuffed out in the weekend as I would of ridden it and put off a major inspection. Fortunately they did and I spent the time going thru the old girl with a fine tooth comb and found some seriously dangerous issues that have manifested over time.
So the weekend sorted that.

Hopefully a run this weekend if the carbs are rightish, then tear down for a full rewire, brake pads, b/fluid, and a tank respray.

Not as if I've got anything to do like 12 hr days, maintaining 20 acres of lifestyle slavery, 8 horses, and keeping my other 2 modern bikes in the life they are accustomed too. Plus of course maintaining the wife.

Sounds like I'm complaining..........naa.........the old shitter gives me a grin when I work, or look at it.
(The bike, not the wife)

[jim.cox]

Keeping the oil in the engine is an art form I'm trying to master.

It's British, Man.

They never got over total loss lubrication

Just keep putting it in at the top

How do you find changing and braking with the "other" foot?

[Dooly]

It's British, Man.

They never got over total loss lubrication

Just keep putting it in at the top

How do you find changing and braking with the "other" foot?

Have no probs with leaks, expect it, and will be disappointed if it does'nt.
Will mean I've run out of oil!

I've gone from a 10 mm stream from the engine direct to my left leg when riding to a dribble running down the front last night to a slight dribble when running today after a bit of playing.
I'm aiming for minor seepage in this millenium hopefully.

Mine's the flash model, the brake and shift are in the 'normal' spots, so there's no confusion.

I brought the bike to work today on the trailer so I can muck about when I like, plus our auto sparky can make me a new loom.

[ntst8]

How do you find changing and braking with the "other" foot?

Old Brits use the Right foot, its all this modern stuff that uses the "other" foot.

[Pussy]

How do you find changing and braking with the "other" foot?

Last of the Meridan Tridents.... left foot gearchange

[Dooly]

Brought the old girl back home on Friday in anticipation of riding yesterday and testing a few things.

Adjusted the clutch, pulled on it, 'ping' cable goes slack, damn!!
Pull the side cover off, cable not broken but pulled out of holder it sits in. An age, wear thing, sorted it, peened the holder a bit, all good.
Fucked about with the carbs yet again, stripped down again, adjusted needles etc etc, still not right, leanness at cruise, pulls hard thru the rev range, but way too much fuel at idle despite leaning the mixture.
Clutch slipping a bit but adjusted it to suit as I was riding.

Not spending days on them, order a Mikuni carb setup off Ebay off a Brit specialist in the States. 3 new Mikunis, pod filters, new throttle cable, selection of jets, everything ready to go, in fact they say it should run good bolt on. All for $500 USD.
A little bit of tinkering but no probs.

Take it for a half hour run yesterday morn, felt ok, but did'nt quite feel on song.
Was wondering what the smoke was mid part of the bike, always thought it was oil on the exhaust.
Turns out the rear tyre was hard against the chain guard due to the rear end being out of alignment.
Fixed now.
Oil leaks as usual, but much much better and only dribbling down the front a bit. Can live with that.
Pull the plugs, middle one no sign of firing.
Check everything, find the HT lead for that plug not even sitting in the coil, just on top under the boot. Looks like someone has put a new terminal on the end which is too big and it wont go into the coil tower.
All fixed.

Off to the Classic bike club 10kms away for a brew.
Neighbour picks me up on his mint 80 Ducati Darmah.
We dont even get to the end of the road and he stops.
The old Darmah has shit its gearbox.

Carry on, speedo stops working, trying to judge my speed.
Start passing cars, figure must be about 130kph when I see the bacon man.
Thankfully he has a customer but gave me a glare as the howl of the triple roars past.
Get to the club, park up, check for oil leaks (its a paranoia now)
Hardly none on the ground, quite pleased. A dribble here and there but fuckall really.
Go round check the other half dozen or so old Trumpies.
Oil everywhere and leaking so that makes me happy.
Enjoy a few beers.
Ride home.

Open shed this morn, big pool of oil in another spot!!!
Looks like clutch side plate.
Take it off, signs of a repair previous.
Bolt hole split open, no gasket could seal that.
No big deal.
Add it to the small list to do this week.

Yes the list is getting smaller.
Only has to be ok for another week than its off the road for a few more things to tie it over the Summer till resto/customise next Winter.

But I love it, its cool, and I'm just glad I chose to be a mechanic when it comes to owning an old Brit.
Would'nt have it any other way.

[Dooly]

Well the old girl made its goal, to get me there and back on the Classic ride on Sat, before its torn down tommorrow for stuff.

Really weird as I rode with my usual sports bike group instead of the oldies, and stuck to my usual habits, and did'nt spare the horse.

And truly amazingly....I passed a 998S Ducati in the twisties, and got away.
Dunno who was surprised more, me or him.
But I have proof and I'm stoked.

[MSTRS:Me]

Excellent to hear it's progressed to that stage. I always got the horn when I heard a Trident...will be good to get a top-up on a regular basis.

[xknuts]

Heres a pic mate.

Nice, I had an identical one in UK, rode all over Europe but that electric start never worked unless motor hot!

Check out the forum at www.triplesonline.com for lots of useful, and probably some not so useful , info.
And a Trispark electronic ignition (www.trispark.com.au) is well worth a look if you are upgrading from points.

Its all been said, keep at it & u will succeed. Oil leaks are beatable.
Trispark is the new Boyer.
Kilroys line up in CHCH, nice T160 sandwich!

[Dooly]

Nice, I had an identical one in UK, rode all over Europe but that electric start never worked unless motor hot!

Yeah they say that.
The previous owner had the same thing.

But British Spares in Welly sell a 21A battery especially designed for the cold start on them, and it works well. Cost 170 but well worth it IMO.

Just gotta put it all together now, tank's been resprayed, rewired, new Mikunis from the states are here, had another go at leaks etc etc.

[vifferman]

British Spares in Welly sell a 21A battery especially designed for the cold start on them, and it works well. Cost 170 but well worth it IMO.

When that carks it, you may be able to do better. I just upgraded the battery on the VFR to a higher amp-hour/higher CCA battery, and it cost less than either the 'proper' one or the one it replaced. The 'MotoBatt' cost me $86 from Cycletreads.

[Indiana_Jones]

Those bars have to go!
Nice colour scheme.

What he said lol

-Indy