Back By Unpopular Request.

**James Deuce** · 11th August 2006, 10:26

Arrrrrrr. ArrrrrRRRRrrrr.

**Motu** · 11th August 2006, 10:54

If you were going to own a Triumph,that's the best choice - the last of the good frame and brakes,real 9 stud motor,but not a Bonnie.The later models didn't have the light flickable handling,and the motors didn't feel as peppy - a Triumph is a hoon's bike,you don't want it to feel like it's doing something right.

**jazbug5** · 11th August 2006, 11:49

Paul, I am speechless.

You've made rather a sad woman a happy one, for a wee while anyway.
God, you've done a great job!

Want to work on a shitey Bandit for a bit...?

**Paul in NZ** · 11th August 2006, 12:06

Originally Posted by jazbug5

Paul, I am speechless.

You've made rather a sad woman a happy one, for a wee while anyway.
God, you've done a great job!

Want to work on a shitey Bandit for a bit...?

Yeah - drop it over and I'll take a look.. ;-)

**HenryDorsetCase** · 11th August 2006, 12:22

I really really like that. great effort.

I have set the left side view pic as my desktop wallpaper....

:drools:

**moko** · 11th August 2006, 14:44

Originally Posted by Motu

If you were going to own a Triumph,that's the best choice - the last of the good frame and brakes,real 9 stud motor,but not a Bonnie.The later models didn't have the light flickable handling,and the motors didn't feel as peppy -

When I started riding a lot of my mates were running old 500 Triumphs,bitzas mainly but they were fun,cheap to run, reliable and the guys were convinced that British was best,I was the only one who stuck to Jap bikes but enjoyed the rides I blagged on the native machinery.As time went on I worked my way up the capacity ladder to an XS650.The rest of the guys went for new 750 Bonnevilles.This was 1978 and no wonder Triumph went bust if my mate`s bikes were anything to go by.Badly put together,slow and totally un-reliable,and we`re talking about new bikes here.I saw guys in tears of frustration as their pride and joy let them down yet again or shook off footpegs and exhausts ,speedos routinely packed up and they found themselves left behind by my ratty old Yam.The letters pages of MCN and the bike mags were full of tales of crap build quality and shoddy workmanship.I got GS850,another mate got a GS750 on the same day and that was it,one by one the Triumph fans chopped in their machines,at a massive loss,Triumphs reputation was rock-bottom by then,for Kawasakis and Suzukis.So while you see the finger pointed at the Japs for killing off the Brit motorcycle industry the sad truth is that it committed suicide,Meriden finally went to the wall because it deserved to,a lot of people bought a lot of crap,often in a mis-guided attempt at patriotism,their thanks was often a kick in the teeth.There are some really nice Meriden Bonnies around but most have been rebuilt by enthusiasts and turned into what should have come out of the factory in the first place,general opinion seems to be that the 650`s are way better than the 750`s and the capacity hike was "for the sake of it" rather than for any apparent benefit.Just after Meriden went down you could hardly give one of their later bikes away let alone get a decent price for it.

**Paul in NZ** · 11th August 2006, 15:11

Originally Posted by moko

There are some really nice Meriden Bonnies around but most have been rebuilt by enthusiasts and turned into what should have come out of the factory in the first place,general opinion seems to be that the 650`s are way better than the 750`s and the capacity hike was "for the sake of it" rather than for any apparent benefit.Just after Meriden went down you could hardly give one of their later bikes away let alone get a decent price for it.

I 100% understand what you are saying but....

There were a hell of a lot of people riding these bikes that never understood them and in all honesty should never have purchased them in the first place. Any meridan triumph that vibrates that badly has something significantly wrong with it and if attended to promptly, will give excellent service, within the parameters of the design. This is basically a 1950's bike and as such, the customer is expected to be a factory development rider as well.

The post 1973 T140's are in everyway a 'better' bike than the 650's except they are derivative and lost the purity of design / concept. They are more reliable and if left standard, a very nice old bike but they are not, nor will they ever be a GSXR beater and unfortunately, they lost their 'triumphness' along the way..

The older bikes have one significant advantage, they still 'zing' and if you have never ridden one, try and beg a ride because they are a thrilling machine to ride. They are exciting motorcycles and despite the numbers they feel fast and agile and are more FUN than a room full of randy rubber nuns on a wine trail. This bike has been flogged to the red line in everyone of it's 4 gears at every opportunity. I've raced it, been to rallys on it, toured on it and hammered it up and down the Summit Rd in ChCh every week, rain hail or shine and eventually I seized it going down the gorge into Wellington because I ignored the warning signs when I should have just bored it and whacked in some pistons and rings.

At some stage I wrecked the speedo and replaced it but going back through shed notes it did about 50,000km last rebuild without a serious (head off) spanner being laid on it. (bear in mind, routine mtce on these would scare your average modern biker witless). Properly serviced and sorted these are good bikes BUT they demand a sypathetic owner. They usually telegraph impending disaster well in advance but if don't listen - kablooie.......

The british industry lost it's way, books have been written about it for sure BUT. the 1968 to 1970 Triumphs were the dogs bollocks and if I had the money, THIS is the bike I wanted, without a doubt. You can keep your boring efficient 4's, this bike is viagra on wheels.

Paul N

God knows where you lived because a T140 has always been a desired thing. They held their value extremely well in all of NZ and infact there were always more buyers than decent bikes.

**Motu** · 11th August 2006, 16:01

Originally Posted by Paul in NZ

There were a hell of a lot of people riding these bikes that never understood them and in all honesty should never have purchased them in the first place.
.

Zigactly - I didn't have much to do with later later Triumphs - but often as a known Brit bike supporter I'd be cornered at a party by some ''bike expert'' who's mate had a '78 750 Daytona (in joke,kay?) and it was always breaking down and his K400 could clean it up.Those later bikes were pretty crap...they were smothered in Kalifornia regulations quick fixits that doubled their weight and halved the hp,they were being thrashed to an inch of their lives to keep up with the K400.As Paul says,volumes have been written about the British motor industry,it was a complex situation and you can't say just one factory did one thing wrong.

I found the '71's a taller wider bike and didn't feel as comfortable on them,although the handling was great - but I didn't ride Triumphs for their great handling,that's what I had my Norton for,Triumphs were dumb fun.

**andrea** · 11th August 2006, 16:49

yeah man thats a real primo bike, hmm never no i might get one too instead of the 636

**kiwifruit** · 11th August 2006, 16:52

thats a credit to you sir. Very nice.

**WickedOne** · 11th August 2006, 16:54

Very, very nice. I am however scared as shit of those "scrotum removers" on the tank!!!!

**James Deuce** · 11th August 2006, 17:07

After seeing those pictures I feel very privileged to have helped get that engine in the frame.

Very privileged to be considered a mate of Paul's in actual fact.

Bloody excellent stuf.