Luigi's Chroming Skills.

**tri boy** · 10th October 2007, 17:11

Six month old rim on a new Triumph Scrambler.
Italian made.
One of several faults of the wheel assembly including:
Hub poorly machined. (Manufacturer unknown).
Easily warped discs. (Malaysian I think).
Poor chrome finish on spokes.
Cheap brake calipers/hoses.
Triumph UK warranty back up. Hopeless. (I feel sorry for NZ franchises. Their reputation will suffer).
Will I buy another Triumph? Never again. (bike has been off the road for 4 weeks, with no progress, so I will dip into my pocket again)

Photos show rust damage after wire brushing the flakes away.

**Mr. Peanut** · 10th October 2007, 18:27

This is pretty shocking considering what UK winters are like, you'd expect finish to be top notch

**Paul in NZ** · 10th October 2007, 18:34

Feck - my 37 year old Triumph rims (Dunlop) are better than that... miles better...

**Crisis management** · 10th October 2007, 18:41

Geez Brent, and here I was looking at Daytona's and Sprint's
earlier this week trying to decide whether they were worth buying!

I am always amazed that we can still get crapy product foisted on us by manufacturers, the only reason can be cost saving. How long have bloody spoked rims been around? 40 years ago my Healing (top of the line, 3 gears even!!) had the bleeding things and I don't remember them rusting.

I hope they pull finger and get the rim replaced now!!

Actually, I will ring the distributor tomorrow and explain how they just lost a new bike sale, you never know, it might help.

Iain

**tri boy** · 10th October 2007, 18:41

Did a bit more research.
Rim manufacturer is " CMR ", formerly "Borrani Wheels".
Established in the 1920s, makers of car/motorcycle wheels for many companys, ie Ferrari, Rover, triumph bikes, and harleys.
You would think after 80 years of making wheels, that the f**kers would get it right.

Working on better options, like Excel rim, after I get the hub remachined. (.3mm run out at the disc carrier face on the hub. That equates to about .5-6mm at the pad contact area.
Re lace the wheel, and try to use the standard disc.(need a new one maybe).
The thrills of buying non Japanese.

**tri boy** · 10th October 2007, 18:52

Originally Posted by Crisis management

Geez Brent, and here I was looking at Daytona's and Sprint's
earlier this week trying to decide whether they were worth buying!

I am always amazed that we can still get crapy product foisted on us by manufacturers, the only reason can be cost saving. How long have bloody spoked rims been around? 40 years ago my Healing (top of the line, 3 gears even!!) had the bleeding things and I don't remember them rusting.

I hope they pull finger and get the rim replaced now!!

Iain

I'm a bit testy at the moment, as this has been a trying experience. I can't go into too much detail, as I not here to cause the NZ agents greif, but the UK has nil stock even if they finally process my claim.
My only reasoning to their nil stock, is that they have been flat out replacing wheel assemblys. (I have checked on other forums, and these wheels/brakes have been common faults).
I can't wait for the UK to get its act together, I got riding to do, so I will fix it myself.
If you plan to buy Triumph, ask the sales man about Warranty turn around times.....he might just faint.

**Crisis management** · 10th October 2007, 18:53

Originally Posted by tri boy

The thrills of buying non Japanese.

Hey, I've owned Ducati's remember........one of my first GT750's had Borrani rims, they were bloody good then (1974).

Hang in there, we need youre guidance around the Waikato soon!

**tri boy** · 10th October 2007, 18:58

Funny how Borrani rims were fine back then.
Thats about when the company was bought out, and became CMR.
Me thinks cost cutting has increased, and quality has suffered.

**Pancakes** · 10th October 2007, 19:00

Ay thats a bit shit mate, from a big manufacturer and one of the ones that people would associate with being at the priceyer end of the market but more quality than some. Doesn't matter where or who they get to make parts for them, they should be made to spec a. And on an off road bike too.

**Conquiztador** · 14th October 2007, 23:36

Originally Posted by tri boy

Six month old rim on a new Triumph Scrambler.
Italian made.
One of several faults of the wheel assembly including:
Hub poorly machined. (Manufacturer unknown).
Easily warped discs. (Malaysian I think).
Poor chrome finish on spokes.
Cheap brake calipers/hoses.
Triumph UK warranty back up. Hopeless. (I feel sorry for NZ franchises. Their reputation will suffer).
Will I buy another Triumph? Never again. (bike has been off the road for 4 weeks, with no progress, so I will dip into my pocket again)

Photos show rust damage after wire brushing the flakes away.

Holy crap!!! Not even the Indian Royal Enfields look that bad!! I would have expected that on a chinese bike but not a Trumphy. Then again, how much of the bits are brittish??

**tri boy** · 15th October 2007, 08:32

Bit of an update.
John at Wheel and Frame NZ in Cambridge has trued the disc to the axle angle as best as possible.
After discussing the general state of build quality etc, he is of the impression that any other wheel assy supplied from Triumph may be as bad, if not worse.
He has noticed a general decline in quality standards over the years, and has his own contacts for quality electroplating. Expensive he admits, but its true triple chroming, with that deep, almost blue hue to it.
The wheel is back on the bike, (we used Fishalene to halt the corrosion), and there is still a slight pulse, and grab/release feel to the front brake, but much better than before.
Can't get a replacement rim, as Triumph UK has nil stock, and I'm not holding my breath re the warranty claim,(even if it gets processed by Xmas)

2/10 for customer support Triumph. Well done.....NOT!

**Paul in NZ** · 15th October 2007, 09:02

I dunno how you guys that buy new bikes keep your cool in situations like this. I'd throw a major spaz.... Are you seriously suggesting a major manufacturer thats cultivated a 'quality' image is NOT going to step up and sort that out for you? What possible excuse could they have? If it's not a rude question, what in $$ terms has this cost you personally? I guess if you have just retrued the wheel and killed the rust its less than $500 but rebuilding the wheel and rechroming the rims not going to be cheap.

I'm astonished......

**tri boy** · 15th October 2007, 10:17

I'll give you a bit of an overall costing Paul, involving only the mods that I felt were required to make the Scrambler worth the $16000 odd that it was sold for. At that price you would think major components would be, if not top of the range, at least of a high standard.(Swallows hard to ignore financial sting).

Suspension: Rear shocks changed as the originals were bottom barrel cheapies. $1400 approx.

Front forks: Set up by RT, with springs/Emulators, because the 1950s designed Dampner Rod assys were terrible off seal. $800 approx.

Front wheel: One disc supplied under warranty to try to solve brake fault. (It didn't, so then it was assumed that a dent in the rim that was quite minor was the cause, WTF

and they wouldn't warant the claim).
Note; Mechanic's 101 says the disc/hub is in direct relation to the AXLE, not the rim. Plus with the dent removed (at my cost) the fault remained.
So far the wheel has cost me $350 aprox.
Further costs of bash plate.$250. (should be on a off seal m/cycle maybe etc), and a few smaller costs that amount to another $200 aprox.
I know this will not be the end, as the bike comes into its second year of warranty, and hopefully I will get a smoother run.
Should of bought a KTM or a higher spec bike as the total cost will be around the $20,000 mark for a inferior product. Ya live and learn.