Triumphrat

NewOldSkool · 01-14-2008

There are alot of guys (gals) on here with a wealth of knowledge. I notice most have alot of tech data that still just blows me away. I am still learning on how things even work in the motor, so I am nowhere near able to comprehend how it I change this by 1º or shave 0.00001mm off of here it will give me +5hp. Where did you guys learn this? Are there some good books I could pick up to help this newbie out with some of this knowledge that would just be great to know. I understand that some are in this by trade or have a lifetime of experience or college, but any pointers besides those?

pabonne · 01-14-2008

Quote:

Where did you guys learn this?

Just keep hanging out on the Rat.net!

rmak · 01-14-2008

I always thought that the now defunked (I think) modification page would have made a good book. Expanded with more illustrations and more how-to articles. Everything from quick and cheap mods to in-depth major engine work. It would be a good companion to a standard shop manual. And a great gift to a Triumph vertical twin owner. There you go, Shawn. A guarenteed money maker.

mecscc · 01-14-2008

A lot of the stuff is pulled together by Keef in the blogs section on this site. A haynes manual is pretty good with pics to work you through the basics of specific sections of the Bonnie. And it has several sections on tools, troubleshooting, etc. that are great general advice. And, more generally, Haynes sells a basic instruction book on motorcycle maintenance. Two places to browse for overall books on mm would be motorbooks.com and Amazon, key words: motorcycle maintenance.

dazco · 01-14-2008

yep. Just reading and searching here and at a few other triumph forums will bring a boatload of info. Some will conflict with others, so you have to read as much as you can find then get a sort of general consensus then just go for it. What you read here will give you the basic idea, but it's doing it where the real learning takes place. We can only point you in the general direction using a keyboard from 1000 miles away. But once you dig in it will all be up to you, so the other important thing is that you have a fairly strong mechanical aptitude. Thats not to say many people don't have enough, but there are those who would probably be better off leaving it to a dealer. But i imagine thats a very small minority.

But anyways, in short, all the info you'll ever likely need you can find right here by asking and searching. With that, a manual, and a decent mechanical aptitude you can do pretty much anything you have the drive and desire to do. Don't skimp on the right tools either...........the aggravation you will feel when you don't have to right tool for something isn't worth the money you saved not buying it. Man, i spent 10000 cuss words learning THAT lesson !

sweatmachine · 01-14-2008

I've been obsessing over motorcycles since I was a kid, learning and studying and memorizing all the specs and details I could soak in. I got my first bike, a Z50, when I was about 9 or 10 years old. I upgraded bikes through the years, always soaking in the knowledge. Combine that obsession (and it is surely an obsession) with a little bit of wrenching, reading, and several years and it really piles up. Always learning, always obsessing, always enjoying and living for that next accomplishment.

bmetz99 · 01-14-2008

My father was an aircraft mechanic, he raised me with tools instead of toys. I started buying junker bicycles and repairing and selling them at age 12. At 15 I rebuilt my first motor (the 170 six cylinder in his '63 Falcon). So I guess I was lucky in having someone to teach me first hand about taking things apart, fixing them, and putting them back together.

But there's a lot more to it than mechanics. You have to understand the why of engine design in order to make reasonable and effective modifications. Until you know stuff like bore-to-stroke ratio and how that affects piston speed and available valve area, and how those in turn can dictate cam design, then you're pretty much at the mercy of seeking recommendations from others.

A forum like this can be a wonderful resource. It can also be the source of frustration, misinformation, and downright bull(r@p. You may find people with a lot of enthsiasm and an air of authority spouting utter garbage.

How do you winnow out the truth from the nonsense?

Look for properly supported arguments. Not "I threw out my gonkulator and the bike works perfectly fine so it must just be a piece of junk that some idiot engineer tacked on". More like "The gonkulator's desinged function is to reduce engine flatulence, but it does so at the expense of choking off exhaust flow, so if you remove it and appropriately re-jet (see attached dyno sheet) you'll gain 5 horsepower".

I'd also suggest reading every column that Kevin Cameron ever wrote. You'll find some very important (and sometimes complicated) technical information explained in a way that makes intutive sense. Pick up a copy of his "Sportbike Performance Handbook". There's a couple of college degrees' worth of good information there. Even if you aren't hot rodding a GSXR, the principles explained in there will apply to pretty much any internal combustion engine.

Take a small engine repair course at your local community college. With any luck you can take it as a night class. Not only will you learn all the really important principles there, but it will in all likelihood be taught by someone who loves internal combustion engines and who will be delighted to spend all the time you want answering your questions.

It also helps if you work somewhere that gearheads hang out. I'm a mechanical technologist at a government R&D facility (Lawrence Livermore Lab). This place is crawling with hot rodders and guys who do stuff like build experimental aircraft in their garage. Again, some excellent resources.

That's what I can think of off the top of my head, anyway.

NewOldSkool · 01-14-2008

Thanks guys, yeah I figured most would be trial and error and life long tuning. It just get fustrating sometimes when I want to do a thing and I really don't understand how it works. I can take apart and put together most things... but understanding what you are doing is a completely different thing. My father owns his our car shop and I have worked for some major auto guys, but I was young and stupid and never tapped into they experience and only want to hurry and get the job done. I never did major work, but I watch and never really asked question on why things do what they do. Now I can change parts, but cannot tell you what the effect of a broke one is... yeah I know it sounds weird but it is true. As I start to get older I realize that more satisfaction comes from doing things right, rather then just fast. And it is starting to leak into my modding fever with my Bonnie. I will pick up that book tomorrow and get start cracking on it. My goal is to be able to install a 904 kit myself... and "know" what I am doing next year. But not only for the modding aspect, I would like to be able to know what is wrong with the bike is something is failing aside from... its not running right. (Insert rejetting comment here). In time...

Cynr1023 · 01-14-2008

Wow, I was looking at getting a job at Lawrence Livermoor Labs a couple years ago. Nothing too technical though.

RonD · 01-15-2008

your right the key to learning is understanding how things work.
the 2nd key is research what your attempting.
the 3rd is now that you fully understand and have reseached the work proceed.
the 4th key if at that stage your haveing problems seek help.
things to remeber
everyting must be spotlesly clean
some things need lubrication before they go back together.
every nut and bolt needs the correct tension to tight you strip threads, to loose and the thing can come undone.
gasket surfaces need to be dead flat and the correct gasket applied at the correct tension.
before you attemp anything thing twice and act once.
Reading material-
motorcycle engineering by phil irving
tuning for speed by phil irving