Triumphrat

Miller261 · 11-26-2012, 06:34 PM

This forum has been a tremendous resource for me over the past six months as I've worked on a frame-off 73 Tiger build, which I plan to submit to this year's Most Improved thread once I take some better quality photos later this week. I have realized that I probably should have documented my project in this part of the forum, but what can I say. It got by me. Better late than never, I suppose.

Ground-up rebuild of a crash-injured bike. Now complete and runs 100%. Thanks for all the great community.

Details and better photos to follow with my Most Improved entry, as well as a link to a a photo journal documenting the project.

Morris the Cat · 11-26-2012, 06:40 PM

Super nice bike!

Would re-consider the clutch cable routing though.

More pic's and details would be great.

Fellow Nutmegger

Miller261 · 11-26-2012, 06:45 PM

Thank you! It runs as good as it looks.

I tried every clutch cable route possible and went with the one that bound the least. It might look cleaner under the tank, but it didn't pull as smoothly.

Cburt · 11-26-2012, 06:59 PM

Oh, damn that's what it's all about.

GrandPaulZ · 11-27-2012, 09:31 AM

Nice build, I really like the Cobalt Blue.

Miller261 · 12-06-2012, 08:34 PM

1973 Triumph TR7RV Cafe-Style Special

I found this bike in 2004 in original and unrestored condition. It only had 6k miles on the clock, was super clean, and still sported its original paint, rubber, and rare-as-hen's-teeth cigar shaped mufflers. I shelved most of the high wear original items (like the perfect seat), replaced the English made K70's with new ones, and put some lower bars on it. Then I rode the bike nearly every day. While attending the University of Virginia, I was riding through town one evening (with a passenger) and was hit by a car. Zero fault of my own. I sustained very serious injuries and spent much of the next year and a half in and out of the hospital. (My passenger made a full recovery from her broken femur. I was not so lucky, but I'll spare you the gory details.) The bike suffered a bent sub frame, bent forks, and nearly every part on the left side was smashed, scraped, or tweaked. After a few years spent recovering from my injuries, sourcing parts, and gathering the initiative, I began rebuilding the bike this past June. For nearly 6 months I spent every second of my free time working on it, and I finished assembly the night before Thanksgiving. Not meaning to sound corny or melodramatic, I feel as though the bike lost its innocence and had been through something dark and traumatic, so I think of this project as more of a transformation than a "restoration." Originality wasn't important to me (obviously), and neither was period correctness; this build is a combination of NOS vintage stuff and high quality modern components that I find functional and/or aesthetically pleasing. 70's Triumph 750's make for great specials, and this one was built specifically for short jaunts on the back roads of New England. (Note, I've made no irreversible modifications, just in case it ever wants to be stock again.) This build cost roughly $3500, and I did all the major work myself in my modest garage, except for paint, powder coating, some machine work, the fabrication necessary to repair the frame, and probably a few other little things I can't remember right now. Upon completion, it fired on second kick and started third kick. I have reduced its weight considerably, and it handles great. This motorcycle starts reliably in a couple kicks, is oil-tight, and (so far!) runs very well.

See the progress in more detail here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/9043988...7632097992782/

Paint by Sean Lezotte at Connecticut Cycle Refinishing.
Hand pinstriped by the legendary Alan Johnson.
Powder coated frame and cycle parts.
Hardware cadmium plated.
Completely rebuilt motor: Sludge tube cleaned; all seals, gaskets, tab washers, and bearings replaced; original bore lightly honed. NOS Federal Mogul pistons and rings. Piston/cylinder clearance .0045.
Three angle valve job with new valves, guides, springs, collars.
Clutch rebuilt with new basket (original sustained broken teeth in crash), Norman Hyde seven plate kit, Barnett Racing T120 springs, and Venhill Featherlight cable. (Effortless two-finger operation. Immeasurable improvement.)
Broken primary cover replaced.
Carburetor cleaned and rebuilt.
MAP Cycle external oil filter.
NOS Webco points cover.
NOS Dunstall Power silencers.
Custom billet yokes and gauge mount.
Gauges refurbished by Nisonger.
NOS Tommaselli headlight ears.
Clip-on handlebars.
Magura master cylinder and braided steel front brake hose. (Will eventually replace rotor and caliper with something lighter and better looking. But I'm out of money.)
New Doherty throttle and cable.
NOS Granturismo grips.
New fuel lines and custom billet petcocks.
Akront Morad shouldered alloy rims, stainless spokes, polished stock hubs, Avon Roadrider tires.
Simplified electrical system (positive ground) wired from scratch with 16g automotive wire and soldered Lucas-style connectors.
Boyer Electronic Ignition, Tympanium, single dual lead coil.
Sealed beam headlight.
Clubman rear set footrests.
340 mm/13.4" Hagon shocks.
Forks rebuilt with new seals, new stanchions, and progressive springs.
Converta Manx-style front fender mounts.
Fiberglass retro side covers.
Renold rear chain.
Corbin gunfighter seat.

Miller261 · 12-07-2012, 12:04 AM

A few more shots.

GrandPaulZ · 12-07-2012, 08:55 AM

I see that you copied to the contest thread, thanx.

Cool before pix of bent pipe & busted primary case, I like that...

Trumpet76 · 12-28-2012, 12:33 PM

Great bike! I'm thinking hard about the Gunfighter seat for my '76 Bonnie and have a question regarding fitment. I have seen one or two pictures on this site of bikes with the Gunfighter seat where the seat does not fit well against the tank. Did you have to do any modifications to the seat or hinges to get a good fit?

Miller261 · 12-28-2012, 01:02 PM

It's a close fit. But you can easily loosen the tank and nudge it forward a hair, which I did. You also have a little bit of wiggle room with mounting the seat. I had to file the latch hole a little bit, but other than that it fit fine. It's a very high quality seat, but as with many aftermarket parts, it might require a little finessing to get it to fit as you want it to.

It fits FAR better than a stock replacement seat I bought some years ago. I actually had to take the cover off and reshape the foam with a bread knife to get it to clear the tank.