Has this ingition switch bracket been drilled and tapped on the wrong side? Switch doesn't fit!

Michael, thank you for your kind words. I'm happy for you that you haven't had any problems with the bike and as you say, your own preventative measures have worked for you. I can't fault what you say, however in my 12 years on this forum I have come up against many small problematic aspects of the twins, of which the mechanical ignition switch is one of the most frequent.

Its not so much of a hobby for me (though electronics has been for around 56 years now). I joined this community to try and use my skills to help people, after all, who knows when I may need help in a different field. I love the exchange of skills and ideas on here. An added bonus is that I've learned so much in return. I look at things from a cost/benefit point of view, and if the troublesome mechanical switch can be replaced by something home made, reliable and more secure, then what's not to like about that. The remote relay switch I linked to earlier can be built by anyone for a tiny fraction of the price of a new mechanical switch. In Brit money, you're talking about the difference between around £30 as opposed to £150 for a new switch.

I agree about the chrome and can't understand why some have the urge to black out everything. Not that I have a problem with that. This is my offering. The chrome was the reason I didn't change the rear light or flashers, though they were converted to LED.

Michael Bryce W said:

Keyless stuff is way over my head

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You may think it is. In actual fact, the only skills you need are to read a circuit diagram and make connections in wiring using crimps (or solder if you are able). Basically put, the remote relay works just like the central locking on a car - you press a button on the fob and that transmits a code to the box (this is the 'authorization' part that your key usually does), which activates or deactivates a couple of relays. Those relays just emulate the switching configuration of the mechanical switch, except that their contacts are far more robust and don't suffer spark erosion due to moisture ingress.

Michael Bryce W said:

High tech modifications like what comes natural to you is a disaster in waiting for me.

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This is nothing high tech. In my time on here I've successfully helped many people with far more complex problems, who were complete novices, never touched a bit of wire in their lives. I've spent months via PM's and email, building complete wiring harnesses for people halfway across the globe. Here's one in New York, that I did the wiring for, to fit the bike with a marine switch, with a start position like a car. The guy wanted to get rid of the right handlebar switches.

With the remote relay, the board comes already built from eBay. The wiring goes on via screw connections and the only thing I've done is to graft on 2 more relays that actually does the ignition and make/supply the circuit diagrams. Further to that, I'm always here via PM.

And a very happy New Year to you too, and everyone here. Yes I do agree that we are apart on the ignition, but has still produced sensible debate. I can only advise from my point of view but people will always choose their own path. That is one beautiful bike you have there, the style and chrome/paint ratio I can tell has been carefully thought through. Although I love a bit of chrome to break things up and add a little class, I don't like to have too much, and of course it needs to be evenly distributed. I actually prefer stainless, when its mirror polished its hard to tell the difference. Chrome has a slightly deeper shine, but stainless won't corrode in the British climate. Aluminium parts like engine cases are stripped of the original finish and mirror polished. Levers, footpegs are billet and the chrome chain guard is from a Thruxton.

Michael Bryce W said:

What is the story on that tank??? That gets anyone a pass for anything on a bike not chrome. That paint job is off the scale. Who did that??? If you know? If anything goes on the cool scale with chrome or can even pass it...it is flames.

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I would have left the bike stock, but it went over one day, causing considerable damage considering that the bike wasn't moving at the time. The price of OEM parts, even used ones were prohibitive. That's when I worked out that using 3rd party bits was not only cheaper but better, so going to town on the bike began. I decided to put my mark on it.

The paint job is mainly symbolic and tells a story. I wanted something very specific - fire (not flames) around the tank, fading to black at the rear, overlaid with a tattered Union Jack. This is symbolic of Triumph's turbulent existence, the flag saying "We are battle scarred, but we are still standing". On the left side panel is a firebird which symbolizes new Triumph's rise from the ashes of the old. I don't like to post this picture because of the old toilet in the background, these pictures were taken when I was in the middle of a bathroom refurb:



On the right side panel (see previous pic) is the Grim Reaper, giving the finger. Nothing to do with being symbolic, this character is from Terry Pratchet's Discworld novels and is really funny. The fenders are both plastic, so it was decided to dress those up a little with an airbrushed "draped" chequered flag.

Originally being quoted eye watering prices just for the tank, I had a look into hydro dipping, but was told that for the flag I would have to use a decal, so that was a no from me. Chance happened when I took a ride to an event and got pointed to a young guy who does airbrushing. He was struggling at the time and I almost choked on my coffee when he quoted less than half the previous quotes, for the whole bike. When I tried to describe what I wanted its as though he could read my mind. Having no money to pay his rent, he had borrowed a jet ski that he had done for a previous customer to display at the event. I was blown away when I saw it - it had an Avengers theme, and not only had he airbrushed the characters, but the actors who played them. His name is Alex Williams and he specializes in photo reality. This guy can airbrush anything.


I understand what you say about abilities, I really do, I've been there myself, having taken on a house which was a complete wreck with no knowledge of trade skills (I'm a welder by trade) and not knowing where to begin. Nevertheless I have done what I had to do and I've learned so much over the last 5 years. Still a way to go, but now I know that I'll make it. I think its a matter of self confidence, some tasks have taken me a long time before I plucked up the courage to begin. Its easy for me to say the ignition is a simple job I know, but I've found over the years that if I instill the confidence in someone, if I have the confidence in them, that they can do most anything. The key is explaining and making sure that they understand the job before beginning. Electricity behaves the same, regardless of what it flows through.

I confess that there were times when I clicked and bought online, however these were small items that would be more costly to make myself, the big exception being the Burton seat. If I have to buy or pay for a service I prefer to support the little guy because he tends to care more and offer a better quality product, for example, tune from TTP, lay flat instrument bracket by D9 - both members of this forum with small businesses. LED boards for the flashers and OEM rear light, IMO the best on the market, came from Matchless Clueless, a guy who originally made these for the Matchless forum, and at my request, began to produce boards for the Triumph twins. At first, just boards for the Lucas replica tail lights, then requests from this forum led to boards for the OEM 'ET head' tail lights and OEM flashers.

There's a few improvements on my bike that are hidden, mainly electrical. For example it has keyless ignition that works on both keyfob and RFID frequencies which gives me choice on how I want to switch the bike. With RFID (present a tag, like tapping your bank card in a store), I can get tags in the form of credit card, coin size or a ring, or the pet chip which can be sewn into a glove. A member on here even had the pet chip implanted into his hand. That was a bit overboard I know, but his reasoning was that by programming 'his hand' to multiple RFID units, he could operate numerous things such as garage door, or the ignition of multiple bikes with just a wave of the hand. Of course I think having a tag implanted is insane, however if one is so minded the possibilities are endless - light switches, garage doors - anything requiring switching on or off.

Another hidden feature of my bike is the hazard flashers. These are not ordinary hazards but work in a smart way. Initially, they won't come on without ignition but having set them going the ignition can be switched off. They will keep going until switched off at the handlebar, after that the ignition needs to be on before they will start again. I planned it like this so that if I should get stranded by a roadside breakdown, I can leave the bike to phone for help or whatever without leaving ignition on. I believe that BMW have this feature also.

Michael Bryce W said:

I too make stainless my first material of choice.
The climate where I live is particularly harsh. Lots of salt on the roads in the winter. Lots of rain all the time. I polish my stuff regularly, but stainless takes some of the weight off, but yes this bike takes lots of polishing. I use Mother's mag and aluminum polish and all is good.

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Much the same climate here, in the winter the road salt is wicked, but still necessary. We usually get just a few days of sun during the summer, between showers and heavy downpours in the spring and autumn. The UK is a dank, damp country to put it bluntly.

As far as polishing is concerned I'd like to give you a heads up on some wonderful stuff. Its a metal polish called White Diamond. Its for any metal and is the same stuff that the truckers on your side of the pond use on those big mirror finished aluminium fuel tanks. When I had my engine cases polished I started using this stuff, it leaves behind a protective coating and I only had to polish the cases about once per year, despite the English climate. The white oxidization that plagued me before was gone. However I will say that my bike is pampered and under cover when not being ridden. Paintwork is also a once per year job, I use a ceramic coating (for car detailing) on that, which is a water repellent. Water runs straight off and won't even bead. I find that if water doesn't stick, then neither does the road grime. A simple rinse/wipe over now and again keeps the bike sparkling, no shampoos or detergents. My bike is 12 years old in March.

Michael Bryce W said:

How did your fenders come to be? Again...off the scale.

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I find that plastic has its uses, experience with chrome fenders in the past was not good, they tend to rot from the inside, and at one point I had attempted to cure this by coating the inside with underseal (as on cars). The spray from the wheel simply carved a trench in the underseal and they kept corroding. I thanked the lord when plastic fenders and side panels (and mag wheels too) started to appear, so I didn't want to change them. However, the bike was all black originally. Black is my favourite colour, and the bike did have some chrome but there was too much black.

So when I planned out the paint job, and made it symbolic, I decided on the chequered flag as my personal tribute to Slippery Sam - I'm sure you already know, but Slippery Sam was a factory racing Trident. It earned its nickname when it had engine problems and dropped all its oil on the track during the 1970 Bol d'Or, and still managed to finish in 5th place. Sam went on to win 5 consecutive production 750 races in the Isle of Man TT from 1971 to 1975. It was arguably the best bike to ever come out of the Meriden factory.

I've been up close and seen Slippery Sam many times at the National Motorcycle Museum. However, there was a big fire there in 2003 and Sam was destroyed, but has since been restored. Still, Sam is no longer original.