Triumph and England

[Edbear]

For your etification a UJM is an air-cooled, sohc or dohc, 4 cylinder japanese motorcycle............. HTH.

You're not wrong! And thanks for the link. I think it was about the time of the GS Suzuki's, beginning with the acclaimed GS750 that the term started to gain traction. The GS range was very good and showed the Japs could finally start building frames to match the engines. My old T500 was typical of the "hinged in the middle" frames and gave me my first rreal scare when it tank-slapped!

HAve liked the new Triumphs from the first release and would love a new Scrambler, but not sure about the pipes as regards pillion leg clearance. Anyone rode pillion on one?

[Paul in NZ]

Thanks Paul. This appears to be a looong term project from what I can tell. Was surprised at what he'd paid for the "basket case" bits. Way more than I've thrown at the GSX thus far and thats up and running and road legal. But each to their own.

It'll be nice to follow the progress as it comes together and learn a little in the process.

Oh and I stumbled across one of my eighties TWO WHEELS mags the other day that had an article about one of the staffers rides, a T140 of all things. Interesting read.

T140 'project' bikes usually cost more than they are worth. By a looong way! The only T140's worth big money at the mo are super clean 'original' paint ones OR really really well restored ones! Make sure everything is NOS (ex factory) etc etc.

T140's are actually very nice bikes and I'll buy one one day.. maybe...

If it's not real original, I reckon make it into a light custom.

I like my C though and it took a step closer today (a small one) and I spent a happy hour with the new loom spread on the floor while I cpmpared it to the old one, made some stuff... Looked at it a bit, twaeked the front TLS brake and just mucked about with it!

It's moved on from here. This is the last photo I have on the PC.

[Ixion]

[QUOTE=Edbear]

For your etification a UJM is an air-cooled, sohc or dohc, 4 cylinder japanese motorcycle............. HTH.QUOTE]

,,, My old T500 was typical of the "hinged in the middle" frames and gave me my first rreal scare when it tank-slapped!

,,?

What ever did you do? I've ridden several bazillion miles on T500 and GT500 and never had a tank slapper. And the T500 had a steering damper , too.

The GT750, now, I could believe. But the 500s are OK, providing you keep the shocks and swing arm bearings in good nick. Not modern standard handling (and they were always a tourer not a sprots bike) , but perfectly safe and predictable.

[Motu]

I'm sure in this day and age if the pipes burnt pillions legs,then Triumph would of been sued to oblivion already.Look what happened to Yamaha for just putting the red line in the wrong place...

[Edbear]

What ever did you do? I've ridden several bazillion miles on T500 and GT500 and never had a tank slapper. And the T500 had a steering damper , too.
The GT750, now, I could believe. But the 500s are OK, providing you keep the shocks and swing arm bearings in good nick. Not modern standard handling (and they were always a tourer not a sprots bike) , but perfectly safe and predictable.

Um, well, you see... there was this cute girl on a CB350 I wanted to catch up to heading through to Rotorua via the Mamaku's and I guess I was going a bit quick around a particular corner and hit a dip just past the apex at around twice the recommended 35mph and as you say, the rear shocks were maybe a little past their best... She had a bit of a head start on me and I never did catch her, the violence of the tankslapper left me a little shaken as it was into oncoming traffic and I slowed down a lot for a while!

[SPman]

T500's were sort of good for everything, weren't they........

[Bonez]

T140 'project' bikes usually cost more than they are worth. By a looong way! The only T140's worth big money at the mo are super clean 'original' paint ones OR really really well restored ones! Make sure everything is NOS (ex factory) etc etc.

T140's are actually very nice bikes and I'll buy one one day.. maybe...

If it's not real original, I reckon make it into a light custom.

I like my C though and it took a step closer today (a small one) and I spent a happy hour with the new loom spread on the floor while I cpmpared it to the old one, made some stuff... Looked at it a bit, twaeked the front TLS brake and just mucked about with it!

It's moved on from here. This is the last photo I have on the PC.

Nice. How do you get on with aquiring components? I guess with the internet things would be much easier? Thought about getting a trumpy twin, but the experience the next door neighours freind had with his 650 put me right off. It even stayed a few nights in the "play pen" while he was trying to sort it out. Two sets of pistons in about three months and it was ment to have been put together by someone who actually knew what they where doing. Oh I read somewhere there is a conversion to put a centre bearing on the crankshaft. Is that correct?

The last major project I had was an R65 I stripped, over one winter in my old airforce flat. No engine work needed but the frame and bodywork needed urgent attention and the loom tidied. Had aquired a sohc CB750F around the same time, but flicked that off as soon as I could, thank goodness. Just tried to keep beasties mobile since, with the minimum of effort. One reason I bought the second 750FC was I needed something to "play" with. I've set a reasonable budget, I think, that I can to adhere too. A bit anal I know, but hey it needs to be done.

Funny how more bikes seem to park themselves in the garage as soon as your back is turned though

[Edbear]

T500's were sort of good for everything, weren't they........

Yup! I loved mine! Well you would, wouldn't you after the previous bike was a B31 BSA! Of course I wish I still had that, too. Got a pic of the old T500. It's come up invalid file, so I'll try again.

[Big Dave]

I'm sure in this day and age if the pipes burnt pillions legs,then Triumph would of been sued to oblivion already.Look what happened to Yamaha for just putting the red line in the wrong place...

They don't burn your legs. I rode it around in Akl peak hour.

And I'm taking Triumps beautiful demo on the capital coast adventure ride next Sunday.
Luckiest bastard going or what!

[Edbear]

Ahah! Had to do some editing of the pic, but here it is!

[popelli]

Nice. How do you get on with aquiring components?
.
:

look at classic bike (investment bike) magazine

british spares or wahtever they call themselves in wellington do an excellent mail order service

no shortage of suppliers for parts for british bikes, all of these people do mail order

e bay is full of parts for them as well

[Paul in NZ]

Nice. How do you get on with aquiring components?

Apart from a few rare bits it's probably easier to get stuff for these bikes than anything else apart from my Moto Guzzi. Not to mention cheaper! You can buy off the net or I pop over to British Spares or call les at Best of British. Some of the repro stuff is rubbish so you need to listen to the xperts and develop 'the eye'. Good news is, as long as you are not anal about 'originality' you can nearly always keep one going.

I can still buy new old stock complete front end, $1,300 and new gas tank (painted) $1,100. (expensive but so is a top restoration paint job)

Thought about getting a trumpy twin, but the experience the next door neighours freind had with his 650 put me right off. It even stayed a few nights in the "play pen" while he was trying to sort it out. Two sets of pistons in about three months and it was ment to have been put together by someone who actually knew what they where doing.

Hmm.. Sounds like a mates bike. Assured me he and the mechanic went through it in great detail etc etc. After the second siezure i asked him.. "You did clear out the sludge trap didn't you?" "What sludge trap?" ahh ha! No more problems except he decided to run a morgo 750 kit and it wasn't a really nice one. New, these bikes went pretty well if the oil was changed regularly and they were treated kindly. Bank on about 25,000 to 35,000 miles between top end rebuilts (usually rings gaskets) and 50,000 to 60,000 miles between tear downs to change bearings (mine has an estimated 80,000 and crank is still std. They will go longer on modern oil and a oil filter conversion.

There were some dodgy pistons out there but I think they have all gone now, get the engineer to check em and use the expensive hepolite rings.

Oh I read somewhere there is a conversion to put a centre bearing on the crankshaft. Is that correct?

Not possible I would have thought. AJS / Matchless twins had them with debateable benifits. Again, properly assembled and in good condition they are a fairly robust unit but they will die if you abuse them or think you are going to out drag GSXR's.

One reason I bought the second 750FC was I needed something to "play" with. I've set a reasonable budget, I think, that I can to adhere too. A bit anal I know, but hey it needs to be done.
:

It's one of lifes little pleasures. Riding is great but I have had many a pleasant hour or 2 tinkering away in the shed as well..

[Oscar]

They don't burn your legs. I rode it around in Akl peak hour.

And I'm taking Triumps beautiful demo on the capital coast adventure ride next Sunday.
Luckiest bastard going or what!

But I get my hands on it first.
What is the most adventurous route from the Mount to Hamilton?

[Big Dave]

Via East Cape.

[Paul in NZ]

Not so - he bought the rights - and that's all about intent - not execution - he chose vary it because of the baggage of unreliability that came from meriden.
reference to meriden was strictly verboten for almost the first 10 years - it's only after enough distance in terms of reliabilty has been put between now and the 'lucas' era that the cool parts of the history are embraced.

Thus the third incarnation of the hinckley logo we see now.

really well done.

Also a little unfair on Lucas who generally made pretty good equipment. I mean how many cars went 1,000s of miles on their stuff.

The problem was the manufacturers would not pay for quality coupled with the change from the old DC systems to more modern AC systems. It was all leading edge stuff at the time! Look at the evolution of just the alternators used and the regulation systems. Many of the failures were due to the manufacturers doing daft things with the bits. Once Triumph went to enclosed alternators and moved the zenner to the front of the bike (better cooling) they were actually pretty reliable.

Lucas eventually provided Triumph with the Rita electronic ignition which in many ways is better than the more popular boyer aftermarket one.

Add in the fact that most of the bad rep these bikes got came from the 3rd, to 12th owner of a poorly maintained wreck of a machine with no spares back up so bodges were rife.

At the time, I can never remember having any problems with genuine Lucas equipment or reconditioned stuff. I can remember having loads of issues due to youth, poverty, impatience, lack of spares and ability etc.

Paul N

ps - I make an exception for those 6V DC generators though! Work of the devil.... Well OK, I only ever got one of them to work properly!

pps - You would be astonished what you can purchase these days by way of upgrades. 3 phase alternators with better load control, solid state power boxes etc etc.