S3 reliability?

I have a 2003 America. I bought it 7 months ago and I’ve managed to put on 12,386 miles on it, but I’ve had to work on it constantly! Leaking oil, brake adjustments, headlight burnt out at 5k miles, nothing too major but little headaches adds up. I found a 2003 S3 but somehow, someone managed to put on 30,000+ miles on it!

I have wanted to get something sportier to go canyon riding with and leave all my friends that have Japanese bikes in the dust. But I don’t want to spend half my weekend working on the bike!

Anyone with a Triple with more then 15K miles let me know what kind of problems you’ve run into, if any and what they were.

Thanks!

I have a 2003 America. I bought it 7 months ago and I’ve managed to put on 12,386 miles on it, but I’ve had to work on it constantly! Leaking oil, brake adjustments, headlight burnt out at 5k miles, nothing too major but little headaches adds up. I found a 2003 S3 but somehow, someone managed to put on 30,000+ miles on it!

I have wanted to get something sportier to go canyon riding with and leave all my friends that have Japanese bikes in the dust. But I don’t want to spend half my weekend working on the bike!

Anyone with a Triple with more then 15K miles let me know what kind of problems you’ve run into, if any and what they were.

Thanks!

[Klugman]

I bought a 2003 S3 Feb. 2004. It was a demo bike and had 1200 miles on it. I ride it to work and for pleasure every single day. It now has over 14000 miles on it. I have yet to need my valves adjusted, and havnt had any problems whatsoever.

The Modifications I have are : Triumph low carbon can, with a K&N filter. I also installed the Triumph race tune.

I have run Mobil 1 MX4t from the get go, and not the so called "Triumph" Mobil 1.

Also I should note that I ride hard as hell is hot.


Best bike I ever owned. Or will own.

[Klugman]

I bought a 2003 S3 Feb. 2004. It was a demo bike and had 1200 miles on it. I ride it to work and for pleasure every single day. It now has over 14000 miles on it. I have yet to need my valves adjusted, and havnt had any problems whatsoever.

The Modifications I have are : Triumph low carbon can, with a K&N filter. I also installed the Triumph race tune.

I have run Mobil 1 MX4t from the get go, and not the so called "Triumph" Mobil 1.

Also I should note that I ride hard as hell is hot.


Best bike I ever owned. Or will own.

[miker]

Primedia, welcome to TriumphRat!

I have a 99 S3, which had a hard life as a movie prop for it's first 500 miles, then was ridden by the second owner to work every day until he'd racked up 25,000miles. I bought it and have done another 12,000 miles. My 12,000 miles has been racked up in 8 months.

Apart from tyres and brake pads, it's had one replacement fan, one set of sprockets and two chains, plus all the usual services. When the valve service was due, they didn't need shimming at all.

If anyone asks me, I always say it's the most dependable and reliable bike I've owned and it's also the most fun.

You could do a lot worse!
Mick

[miker]

Primedia, welcome to TriumphRat!

I have a 99 S3, which had a hard life as a movie prop for it's first 500 miles, then was ridden by the second owner to work every day until he'd racked up 25,000miles. I bought it and have done another 12,000 miles. My 12,000 miles has been racked up in 8 months.

Apart from tyres and brake pads, it's had one replacement fan, one set of sprockets and two chains, plus all the usual services. When the valve service was due, they didn't need shimming at all.

If anyone asks me, I always say it's the most dependable and reliable bike I've owned and it's also the most fun.

You could do a lot worse!
Mick

[CanyonChaser]

What movie was your S3 a prop for? MI2? Matrix?

[CanyonChaser]

Doh! I forgot. I think you may be unfortunate with the UN-reliablity of your America. The triples have won awards for their reliability. MCN rated it as one of the best bikes they ever did a readers survey on.

Triumph Readers Survey

[mbeebe900]

I have 26,000 miles on my '02, with no major problems yet (other than damage from various mishaps). the temp sensor went out once and that's about it.

[annasdad]

Bought my Speed Triple with 19000 miles on it from Triumph's main dealer in London. Within a thousand miles the alternator had a short and needed replacing.......leaving me stranded in the back lanes of Sussex in the middle of the night.....nice...!! After a bit of a misunderstanding the dealer agreed to replace the alternator, he initially wanted £800 quid ($1600) for the work...!! The electrics then went "tec" again and the bike would not start. Some TLC and WD40 on all the important bits seemed to sort it. I have recently had the 24000 mile service completed and it is like a new bike. They seem to be good solid bikes with iffy electrics. Even so I still love it and think you have to put up with the "Character" (unreliability) of non Japenese bikes....and we can't all ride Hondas after all.....

Riding in Canyons eh.........lucky git..... :-D :-D