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Four82nd: Congrats, according to many you are the proud owner of the BEST year of the Meridan Triumphs! 1969-1970 have the twin leading shoe front brake with the best cable routing for the most efficient brake. These brakes were actually better than many of the early front disc brakes back then. Jim is correct about the "R" in the model number. All 1970 Bonneville's were dual carb 650cc twins except for just over two hundred which were designated T120RT which were 750cc dual carb Bonnies. Triumph had to sell a minimum of two hundred to qualify for racing that year. The "weaknesses" were probably the Lucas electrical systems. Without permanently modifying your bike you can put in a Boyer ignition and a Tympanium which will greatly improve your bikes starting and overall reliability. Keep the oil changed with premium oil and keep the valves and drive chain tension adjusted. If you are going to do any major engine work make sure you know what you're doing, because if yours is an original numbers matching bike and you damage the block and have to replace it it will no longer be a matching numbers bike and the value will plummet. These bike vibrate A LOT so frequently check all bolts for tightness or parts will mysteriously disappear during a ride (locktite is your friend!). Jim is right again... get a workshop and a parts manual you'll be glad you did! Deal only with reputable suppliers (stay away from the outfit in Chicago) and buy the best parts you can find. If you're going to ride the bike much (they're a blast and people will constantly come up to you wanting to talk about the bike) I'd recommend you put turn signals on it for safety! It can be relatively easily done without permanently altering the bike (again as Jim said "they're only original once") and if it keeps you and the bike in one piece it's well worth it. A lot of people would kill for that bike! ENJOY! :-D :-D :-D
[ This message was edited by: ooobaby on 2004-10-23 16:22 ]
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