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What I did to my T3 classic today

526K views 2K replies 336 participants last post by  Landlocked 
#1 ·
Here's a potential new a sticky thread. A similar thread worked well on a Jeep site I used to frequent. The idea is that you simply add to the thread when you do something of note to or with your bike and we just let it build for interest and inspiration for the whole group.

So I'll start, here's what I did to my TBird today (well this week anyway):

I de-winterized, cleaned, serviced and otherwise got her ready for the road on Saturday. Sunday, I fitted LED instrument lights and today rode to work for the first time this season (yay!)
 
#4 ·
FWIW I had my seat recovered and I put it on my bike. Due to time and school this year, the Norton is the only bike I am running. The TBS is parked and maybe for sale.
 
#5 ·
Ordered a new EK chain and front sprocket
 
#6 ·
I've been thinking about what I can do to brighten up my instrument lights. I can't see them at all on a sunny day... which of course is the best time to ride. Did your LEDs brighten things up much? Where did you get them etc...?

This may end up being my "What I did to my T3 classic" for this weekend!!:)
take a look here: http://www.triumphrat.net/hinckley-classic-triples/108165-led-instrument-lights.html

and

here:
http://www.triumphrat.net/hinckley-classic-triples/50203-instrument-lights.html

I got mine from superbrightleds.com - there are various options in the various sizes. For best brightness get bulbs which match the color of the lens rather than simple white LEDs
 
#7 ·
Bought a Triumph grabhandle for my TBS from a former TBS owner who shall remain nameless, but you all know whom l am talking about. We did the deal and now l own a near new shiny alloy handle. l am just looking at it gleaming on the table in front of me. Its too good to waste on the bike, l may just hang it on the garage wall. ... l think l should get out more!!.
 
#11 ·
received and stripped out bigAl's airbox - fitted a K&N to it and modified it to be removable without pulling the carbs.
 
#12 ·
Cool thread Mick...keeping the ball rolling...

Fitted an 18t front sprocket today, & was favoured mightily by the god of clutch pushrod seals (incense, chanting etc kneeling over sprocket cover), so no Tiger for me (yet) :D

After my last tyre change to 170/60 17 & already a 42t rear sprocket, I decided the gearing was getting too high so the front 19t was swapped out for an 18t. It also moves my cruising revs up a bit toward engine peak torque & an area I'm using more low TPS (throttle) ignition advance. Will be interesting to see what the mileage does. Bit more comfortable in 1st gear traffic too....oh, and acceleration not harmed either :D

One thing I noticed doing the job relates to drive chain slack. See the photo below...

The bike is on the main stand & rear wheel just off the ground at maximum shock extension. Shock is a ZX9R (otherwise stock Legend rear), about 5 longer than 340mm stocker, c to c.

Note the top run of the chain kinked up & over the upper rubbing strip - definitely a distorting factor when checking the chain slack. Quite likely a stock bike with smaller 17t sprocket would see a similar effect even though the swing arm on mine drops a bit lower on the ZX shock. Better to check it on the side stand & see how it runs over the rubbing strips & might change over likely swing arm angles.

Mike

 
#15 ·
What I did on my Triumph

Mick - cool thread idea, and yes, a good idea generator.

I think you could expand from "what I did to my Triumph" and include "what I did on my Triumph."

Here's my add, even though I didn't do it today specifically (last week):

Took the MSF's 1-day Experienced Rider Course. Turned out to be a good refresher, figured out several things I could be doing a lot better, and it gave me a lot of practice drills to play with in empty parking lots to improve riding. The instructors told me my Legend could easily handle the Sportbike Rider Course and suggested I attend in the future.
 
#16 ·
Gave the Tbird a proper cleaning today and while scrubbing under the rear fender found the wiring harness to the rear lamps and turn signals had a wire that was almost completely worn through. I am not sure how long this wire was buggered up but repaired it and then of course had to go for a test ride!:)
 
#17 ·
Drilled 3x22mm holes in the right hand side of my new K&N equipped (ex-bigAl) airbox. Fitted Thrux needles, 40 pilots and 115main jets, disconnected the aux airbox, set the mixture screws at 2.5 turns and took her out for a test run.....


WOOT!


Much better - maybe still needs a little tinkering but the butt dyno likes it very much.

New T509 cams arriving soon. Would be very interested in hearing peoples thoughts and experiences related to my current setup and how it might be bettered (especially in light of the impending cam change) - I'm very much a newbie to messing with jets and am not aware of a dyno around here for miles.
 
#18 ·
Very similar set up to mine I think, Mick. Your 3x 22mm holes add an extra 10.34 sq cms of intake area, my extra 38mm hole adds 11.34 sq cms. Taking the original 38mm hole into account means you've about 5% less intake area than my airbox.

Before I did this, I'd calc'd the intake area that 3 others, some time back, had used with 115 mains (2 had used 40s, 1 used 42 pilots IIRC). I can't recall the figures, but there was a spread of areas in the region of 20% around my +1 x 38mm hole. It didn't seem too critical, & these 3 posters all reported good running throughout the rpm range. (Which is my situation too.) I think I've now set my (40s jets) pilot screws at 2 3/4 out, having tweaked a bit from starting ~ 2 1/4.

I have Dynojet Needles (from TBS Keihin kit) which are more aggressively tapered than stockers or Thruxtons, which I had tried before opening the airbox. I think the Dynojets work even better now than before, but for the bangs per buck, the Thruxtons would do quite well imo & be a worthwhile upgrade with a more open airbox. (I made no clip position changes to the DJs after adding the extra 38mm hole.)

Pop on decel from the Thunderbike 3-1 is now very much less from a sharp roll off after an aggressive squirt to 6 or 7k rpm or so. MPG (factoring out the Ignitech ignition) is down a little, maybe 4 or 5%. Considering that & the excellent accel from all revs, I'm thinking fuelling is fairly good & not planning any other changes.

Hope this helps, Mick?

Just while discussing more power...

The performance imo is now really showing up the chassis, especially, I think, the back end/ swing arm. Hard accel to the red line really seems to get things flexing & sqirming. I've had a couple of test rides out recently on a Suzuki RF600 sportbike I'm fixing/servicing for someone. It's about 100hp, doesn't feel much more powerful than mine (tho' a little) but there's no comparison with it's chassis - rock solid, over less than perfect roads, caning it to 120mph+. The RF is a tad lighter, shorter but only 41mm forks, so think the front end's about even. It's swing arm, however, is an aftermarket braced brick of a thing, just massive. No flex or squirm that I could feel, & I think that's why.

So, I suspect the Legend/Tbird swing arms are a major weakness (relatively). A bit too skinny & the axle mounting system no where near stiff enough. The T3 Trident/Sprint eccentric system looks like it effectively wraps a lot more swing arm metal around the axle ends. (Surely needed with 98hp on tap?) It's an important area in swing arm/wheel stiffness performance.

What do other folks with big power upgrades think?

Not sure what's involved, but a T3 swing arm might be a project next winter....

Quite enough of my ramblings for now :D

Mike
 
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#19 ·
Mike, thanks for the detailed reply - I'm thinking the swing arm may not be the weakest link there (though a T3 swap would be a very easy project - maybe 1 hour max). You should try a T3 with a Kawasaki front end and rear wheel - it handles TOTALLY differently - improvements come through a huge reduction in unsprung weight and much better technology in the forks and brakes.
 
#20 ·
Seeing as it was raining again (on a Bank holiday, what else?) I changed my bars yet again, this time for something with less pullback and more width. One day I will settle on a pair that are right. I collect handlebars like my wife collects shoes.
 
#21 ·
Yesterday I:

*Tried to figure out where I want to mount the remote reservoir for the ZX-9 shock I installed... and finally managed to get the pre-load lock collar loose.

*Got most of the my new speedo/tach pod & mount fabbed up & primed.

*Soldered parking light on new headlight to wiring harness.

*Moved wiring harness stuff out of old headlight bucket into new mounting area.
 
#24 ·
Received my new green cams (ex-T509) - courtesy of member triyumph885. Itching to get them fitted, but also wondering what the jetting increase will need to be - anyone got any thoughts, I'm currently at 115 mains, 40 pilots, thrux needles and an opened up airbox with K&N and its running pretty nicely.
 
#25 ·
If you plan on keeping the airbox (& why not?), there's stuff on the T3 Sport/Touring forum (& mbe Tiger?) IIRC on Mikuni to Keihin conversions for 98hp motors. So maybe start there with jetting etc., can't recall if they mod the slide hole/springs ? Then try & get a measure of their total airbox intake area on then & open yours up to that. Probably the small difference in comp ratio won't make much odds? Maybe your exhaust should have TBS style cross pipe, 3-1 or similar (or T3) rather than a classic's plain 2-1, 1-1, if it hasn't already ?

Cheers
Mike
 
#26 ·
Today I blew a cool £560 (sterling) on my bike. TOR peashooters, some replacement chrome bits, the secondary airbox, fork protectors and some Hagon progressive springs.I haven't cracked it up yet, as it's night time here, and my neighbours may not be too grateful. I'm going to do the Hagons over the next couple of days. As far as I've read the TORs don't require any jetting changes....I don't want power, I just wanted new shiney cans with a bit of character..........and they were a lot cheaper than new standard ones.

Rob
 
#28 ·
Got the T509 cams in, got lucky with the shims I was able to swap them around to get within specs - will finish her up tomorrow and see how she runs.
 
#29 ·
My progressive springs showed up

I installed the ZXR shock last weekend. It only took me 6 months or so to screw up the courage to tackle that job.

I was so pleased with that mod that I ordered the progressive springs that afternoon. They arrived today.

I'm confident I'll have them on by the end of the year...
 
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