Triumphrat

Leftie247 · 04-16-2008

Gentlemen (and Ladies),

I have been wanting to get a motorcycle for a long time but hadn't found one that caught my eye until I saw an ad for a 1974 Trident on a local Honda Dealer's website. I stopped by and checked out the bike. Turns out they were selling it for one of the owner's friends. I don't know a whole lot about bikes so I took a friend who is much more experienced than me and we went over the condition of everything.

The bike has matching engine and frame numbers. The engine has a little over 16 thousand miles on it. The fuel tank has about 98 percent of the original paint on it. There are some chips and cracking in the paint in places and there is minor corrosion where the fuel lines connect.

Front brakes are disk. Rear brake are drum. Chrome looks great except pitting in headlamp and a small hole (think cigarette in diameter) in the left exhaust.

Seat is original and in GREAT shape. The only thing I saw missing was the original mirror.

Guy was asking 3200 for it. I took it home for 2950.

The bike runs but is a pain in the ass to start and it is idling too low (700-800 RPMs). The guy left gas in the tank over the whole winter and it went flat. I put 93 octane and some STP fuel system cleaner in the tank and tried to make some adjustments to the throttle cable to make it idle a little higher. In doing that I made the throttle stickier and now it hangs a moment or two before falling from 3 or 4 k down to idle.

The guy I bought the bike from showed me how he was starting her. I have been turning both fuel lines on, tickling both outside carbs until I got a little fuel on my finger, adding about half choke, and kick starting until it fires up and doesn't die when I add throttle.

I rode the bike from the dealer about 10 miles over to my work. Along the way the last of the crap gas got used up and I filled it with 93 octane thinking the higher temperature might burn out some buildup. On the way to my work the bike died 6 or 7 times when it was idling. All it would take to restart it was one kick though.

I messed around with the bike yesterday and had it to where it could idle about 70 percent of the time without dying but it sounded a little rough.

I brought the bike home tonight and couldn't even get it started at all.

I know that this is kind of vague but I am looking for a place to start trying diagnose what's wrong with the bike. when I had it running if I held it to 1100 to 1200 rpms, the bike ran fantastic. Now I have a pair of ripped up jeans and a couple of sore legs from trying to get it started tonight. The only thing I can think of that is different, is the fact that the battery is almost completely dead. However, I was under the assumption that with a kick start bike, the battery didn't even need to have juice to get it running. Am I wrong?

Can anyone give me an idea of how I go about getting this thing running consistently and not dying at idle? I have the manual and although I have never worked on a bike, I am pretty handy. I just don't know where to even start with this.

Thanks for any help.

Ben

GrandPaulZ · 04-17-2008

You need to do a major tune-up before you'll get good service out of it.

Oil change all around with Castrol GTX or Valvoline 4-stroke motorcycle oil.

Fresh Champion spark plugs.

Check and see if you have points or electronic ignition (it makes a big difference on needing a battery).

Remove the carb bowls (you'll probably have to pull off the carbs) and clean out the jets at a minimum. better, soak them in Berryman's Chem-dip after removing all non-metallic parts.

Adjust valves by the book (you do have a book, don't you?)

Youll need to tickle ALL THREE carbs for starting. Leaving the center cylinder lean IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. Use FULL CHOKE. Kick with throttle wide open and it should fire off immediately; let off the throttle and maintain revs, pull out the choke slides as it warms, till you have the lever pulling the cable all the way out and it settles into a good tickover.

Remember, if you are RELEASING the choke cable via the lever, you are "TURNING ON" the choke (lowering the enricher slides into the carb throats). If you are PULLING the choke cable, you are "TURNING IT OFF".

Adjust Idle with the nut-headed screw that lifts the common accellerator bar, on the left side of the left carb, near the top/front; DON'T USE THE CABLE to adjust the idle, the cable should stay with about 1/8" slack.

You should be good to go for the entire riding season after ensuring that your battery holds a good charge, your brake fluid is topped off, and the tires are good.

stevetorr · 04-17-2008

Hey Lefty ,

Congratulations on the purchase, your going to have fun with it.
Trident t150v s are a great bike but have their pecular ways.
If you go to the triples online website you will find helpfull souls who live and breathe these bikes and can answer just about anything plus can locate part sources
http:www.triplesonline.com

Good luck.

RonD · 04-17-2008

I have two triples and the triples online webb site is the way to go for you.
some things to do-
drain your fuel system includeing the float bowls and run premium unleaded
spark plugs NGK BP6ES
electronic ignition is a good idea
tune and balance your carbies (read up on this its easy)
check all your wiring is clean and well grounded paying attention to coil and ignition connections .
make shure you have a good battery and check the charging is ok.

NOTE-
These bikes have to be well tuned
carry a spare set of plugs (an absolute must)
run premium fuel is a must
others might disagree with these comments but in time you will know the truth.

mike T150 · 04-17-2008

Hi Ben,
As per previous threads but I doubt there is much wrong with the idle jets if you can get it to tick-over at 800rpm this is quite good for a triple. My own T150T ticks over at about 650rpm but I have a new Tri-Spark ignition unit fitted and it's worth the money. The bike starts first time every time and the Tri-Spark hasn't got the wasted spark system that other well know ignition systems employ. Can't speek to highly of the Triplesonline Forum who's members have a wealth of information. If you have a flat battery and you have a Boyer ignition unit fitted the bike will not start as the Boyer needs a minimum of 8 volts to trigger, don't mater how fast you kick it over.
Setting the valves on these is a bit tricky as you have to get the valves on the rock to check the gap. But all the knowledge you require to have this bike purring like a cat is at the Tiplesonline forum.
Good luck with a fantastic bike and welcome to the wonderful world of pre Hinkley Triples.
Mike T150T

retrobiker · 04-17-2008

I'd love to see some pictures.Have fun and ride safe!

Leftie247 · 04-17-2008

Thanks for all the replies guys. I will definitely take the advice given here. I am going out now to check and see what type of ignition I have. If I can get the bike running, I am going to take it to work. I will check in later to post a better reply. I just wanted to let everyone know that I appreciate you all taking the time to help a new guy out.

Regards
Ben

GrandPaulZ · 04-17-2008

I honestly don't see anything positive about letting an air/oil cooled bike idle below 1,000 RPM, low oil pressure destroys bearings.

panda · 04-17-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrandPaulZ

I honestly don't see anything positive about letting an air/oil cooled bike idle below 1,000 RPM, low oil pressure destroys bearings.

I am with you on this all the way.

My wifes 770cc car has over 100,000 miles on it, and on the original engine ( I really must check the tappets someday) The idle is probably too fast, but with summer tempeatures here going to over 45C I see this as a good thing.

Leftie247 · 04-17-2008

I got the bike running today. I had to bump start it but once it got going, it ran pretty good. I drove about 20 miles or so in city traffic and the only real issue I had was the throttle sticking at about 2000 rpms. That and my replacement 1157 tail light doesn't work (need to find a place to get oem parts. Autozone lights aren't cutting it). I had a friend follow right behind me, so no one flew up on my tail.

Here are some pictures of the old beast.