Triumphrat

KaptWilly · 06-19-2007

From the May 2007 Issue No. 328 of Classic Bike, Page 13:

According to VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, UK) new Bonneville spokes are safe. Despite evidence of over 30 breakages, a spokesman concluded that there "is no safety defect under the terms of the Code of Practice".

Ronnierockster · 06-19-2007

Final word on spokes.... PING :hammer: :hammer:

Doc_Hollywood · 06-19-2007

Sounds like horse puckey to me....

The problem with these wheels is in one of three places, the spokes (they keep breaking, but why), the rim (not heat treated right, and springy or soft), or the hub (truly crappy design where the spokes hook in the flanges or heat dissipated through the spoke heads). Whoever figures that one out will be winning the $64 dollar prize on todays game show.

Personally I am betting on all three.

Too many years truing my own wheels, and never had a spoke break for an unknown reason till I bought a Bonnie. Go figure.....

Doc

FattRat · 06-19-2007

Can't be the spokes, as three heavy duty Buchanan spokes broke on my rear wheel.

Can't be the wheel, because said Buchanans were mounted up to my Excel alloys.

That leaves the hub which has already been suggested by some as a poor design.

I put over 22,000 miles on factory Triumph Bonnie wheels with no problems, and less than 4,000 miles on my Excels & Buchanan's before three spokes broke. I loved my Bonnies, but I won't own another one unless it comes with forged wheels and tubeless tires. The other option is either a Ninja 650 or BMW F800.....

Sorry Bonnie, but at least it's been fun.

CAPTDON · 06-19-2007

A said I have never broken a spoke- even on my dirt bikes. There has t oba some kind of defect?? He** the Ford Explorers & firestone had some problems . Nothing was officially aknowledged, but therr were some hefty claims done. My spokes are good so far - but if they present a problem I will go w/ alloy wheels! May not be true Bonne but my ass is more valuable than nostalgia. Someomne mentioned didfferent spokes breaking from the hub?? Sounds like a problem worth investigarting!! Also left side only?? :???:

merlin · 06-22-2007

The last word is that there will never be a last word on this subject.

FattRat · 06-23-2007

The 'last' word,
is that the spokes are NOT the problem.

The spokes break because of ANOTHER more persistent problem. Said problem can not be 'fixed' except at the source. Triumph needs to redesign the Bonneville's hub; the spokes just happen to be the weakest link.

I may not know what the hell I'm talking about here, but I wonder if chamfering and polishing the spoke holes at the hub will at least reduce the likelihood of putting undue stress at the base of the spokes.

Well..... gotta finish this cup-o-coffee, shower, and join the fellas for a ride. Oh, and apparently (for a little more than a Thruxton) a photo-shopped version of the new naked BMW F800RR with it's parallel twin, belt drive, forged wheels, and high compression Rotax engine is now being circulated on the 'Net. :-D

Motorboy · 06-23-2007

I'm acquiring the parts for a spare set of spoked OEM wheels and FattRat is right about the Hub being the root problem....The Engineer/Designer missed correctly calculating the placement and angles so the spokes are straight from hub to rim....

They all have a bend to them as installed and "A bent part is half broken" as my old teachers in Aviation college use to pound into our student heads....

Have a close look,,, you will see....Robert

Nathan · 06-23-2007

Quote:

On 2007-06-23 09:38, FattRat wrote:
...new naked BMW F800RR with it's parallel twin, belt drive, forged wheels, and high compression Rotax engine is now being circulated on the 'Net. :-D

Saw one image of this bike that looked like a terrified cat. Saw another that looked like one of the coolest bikes evar!

KaptWilly · 06-24-2007

I always thought those two headlights of different sizes made the bike look like Bill the Cat. "Ack - Snort - Barf."
Seriously, nice bike though...