Triumphrat

Hedge · 05-30-2007

So I had the wife drive me in rush hour traffic 45 miles to Libby's to pick up the bike. It was ready and looking perfect! The Triumph expert there said it needed a different Jet kit to make the whole package come together correctly. He ditched the BC kit and added his choice. He said it was the best Bonne he ever tuned and it ran perfectly. After filling out all the paperwork and giving my wife the stuff to take home in her SUV I was outside with the Black. My heart was beating so fast. I was so nervous. They gave me a quick run through and i got on it and road 45 miles on US1 from New Haven to Stamford going up and down the RPM range and doing a lot of starting and stopping. I ran it between 40 - 60 mph because the road was very light with traffic. I got thumbs up from 3 different guys in cars at stop lights, about a half a dozen construction workers spread out throughout the 45 mile trip thumbs up me, 3 Police officers nodded to me with smiles and to top it all off as I got into Bridgeport 2 Hells Angels were right in front of me and when they heard my Predators they turned around and smiled like a kid at Christmas time. They wanted to know all about her, what year she was and so on. They said that she was friggen beautiful and that Triumph still knows how to make a good looking bike. I got her home and turned the petcock off, put the all weather cover on her and went upstairs and reflected on how lucky I am to join all you guys in one of the oldest fraternities in Motorcycles! The Bike is awesome it pulls like a beatch and it sounds incredible. I will take everyone's advice and do the 1st oil change at 500 miles not 50. I will post pictures of her later on.
Thx all! John

davidc · 05-30-2007

Your excitement permeates your words. Good luck!

Iceseven · 05-30-2007

Very exciting indeed! Definitely post some pics.

SpeedyPete · 05-30-2007

What I really want to know is how the bonnie compares to the Kwak.

"Ya know I love the GPZ so much that I could kiss her" - Lou Reed.

P

mikeypro · 05-30-2007

Congrats on the new bike. Having just picked up mine on Saturday, I know how you feel.

Just let me be one small vote towards keeping your original oil plan. I changed oil at 200 miles (to dino oil) and then again at 500 (to Mobile 1). I am of the belief that the metals will mate with each other better without the small metal shavings that you get in the first hundred or so miles. But, you know how oil threads are...

My second day on the bike a Sportster rider came over and said he had one just like her in 1969, and commented that it was the best restoration job he had ever seen. I told him it was a factory restore job - enjoyed the look on his face - and then told him the full story.

Mattrat · 05-30-2007

Quote:

On 2007-05-30 08:06, HedgeFundGeek wrote:
I got her home and turned the petcock off, put the all weather cover on her and went upstairs and reflected on how lucky I am to join all you guys in one of the oldest fraternities in Motorcycles!

Careful putting that cover on with hot pipes - it will melt and stick to your pipes and give off an interesting odor next time you start her up.

(ask me how I know this :hammer: )

oldmanjob · 05-30-2007

Welcome to the smiling faces club :-D

Scottius · 05-30-2007

Got mine last night too...decided not to start another thread. :-D

So different coming from a Sprint RS, but not better or worse - just different. In the words of one of my riding buddies - "very gentlemanly". It still scoots away from stoplights (not that I can really pin it yet), but very smooth and controlled. Shifts like buttah. Odd not to really hear the pipes - those stockers are quiet for sure. I love the seating position. Really old-school and comfortable.

I can't wait until the break-in's over and I can see what she's got, but for now it's just grin-city. :-D :-D :-D

Hedge · 05-30-2007

To answer a couple of you guys - The Kaw was a friggen animal! It often got confused coming off the line, it didn't know if it should wheelie or smoke the tire and often times it did both. Alas - someone liked it more then me and stole it in the middle of the night. If only I had been awake and got him in the crosshairs of my AR15 he would of been toast! But then this post would not be made because I would be serving 10-20 up at Summers.

I will be very careful with the cover - don't want the $140 cover melting on me.

Scottius - call British Customs and ask for Sean Hicks and get the Performance Package with the Predators and the Nology setup - you will realize that you didn't waste one penny! It is an awesome sound with incredible pull!

amanger · 05-30-2007

They stole a 85 GPZ750 Turbo?No offence but come on, how much did you pay them,did you leave the keys in the ignition.?
I rode a couple of turbo bikes in the late 80s and couldn t work them out.There 1100 cc big brothers went better and were cheaper.
:-D