What I did with my classic Triumph today?

927130 Views 10039 Replies 407 Participants Last post by Dave UK, 12 h ago

Rathlindri

Discussion Starter · Jan 19, 2011 (Edited)

As a Hinkley triple owner (don't hate me guys!) I sometimes also read the threads on that section of the Triumph Rat forum and they have a long running thread "what I did to my classic triple today" or something very similar. Posters put up a few lines about what they did with their 'bikes that day..... polished it, rode it, rebuilt it, crashed it, etc etc you get the idea, anything goes really.

Anyway, thought it might be worth starting a similar thread here as I'm selling the "modern" 'bike and concentrating on my classics.
I'll start it off....

Today I got back my speedo which I'd sent to the UK for repair. It was working but had a lot of needle "flutter". Looks like new (still) and can't wait to try it out....

OK who's next?

Richard

Reactions: 1

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Rathlindri

Discussion Starter · #221 · Apr 7, 2011

Got my Tiger through the "MOT" test today...roadworthy for another year.... will buy road tax tomorrow.
Weather spring-like at last..18deg C today. Planning to meet up with two Norton Commando mounted mates on Saturday for the first "run" of the year. Felt great to be on the Triumph again this evening going to the test centre....

MoBe

· #222 · Apr 8, 2011

Rathlindri said:
Got my Tiger through the "MOT" test today...roadworthy for another year.... will buy road tax tomorrow.
Weather spring-like at last..18deg C today. Planning to meet up with two Norton Commando mounted mates on Saturday for the first "run" of the year. Felt great to be on the Triumph again this evening going to the test centre....

A drink to your health Rathlindri! Guinness of course!

Rathlindri

Discussion Starter · #223 · Apr 8, 2011

MoBe said:
A drink to your health Rathlindri! Guinness of course!

I'm on it

gatornapper

· #224 · Apr 9, 2011

Friend who I haven't seen in 3 years who lives in Texas dropped by, and I went to show him how Bonnie almost always starts on the first kick. She shamed me, caught but died on first 2 kicks, then refused to start. First time she's done this.

Shame on her. Gonna give her a good spanking tonite.....gotta make sure that she's good to go tomorrow....

Hopefully, today was the last cold day of spring, 51.....tomorrow 80......

Red1959

· #225 · Apr 10, 2011

1st Kick

gatornapper said:
Friend who I haven't seen in 3 years who lives in Texas dropped by, and I went to show him how Bonnie almost always starts on the first kick. She shamed me, caught but died on first 2 kicks, then refused to start. First time she's done this.

Shame on her. Gonna give her a good spanking tonite.....gotta make sure that she's good to go tomorrow....

Hopefully, today was the last cold day of spring, 51.....tomorrow 80......

hahahahh It only happens when no one is watching!

looseparts

· #226 · Apr 10, 2011

Gatornapper - I sure hope your starting troubles are simple to fix - hate to waste the first 80 degree day chasing a dumb problem. Best of luck to you.

Today I have assembled the rear end using the parts I got at the swap meet in San Jose along with some new parts that came in the mail today. Sure went together nicely - Love having all that new stuff to work with. Freshly turned drum, new brakes, bearings, axle, big nuts, spokes, rim, tube and tire and the powder-coated hub - sure looks nice:

Then I put the motor in the frame to see if I might have gotten the offset close when I built the wheel and it seems that I did. After fitting the oil tank, I began looking for a place to put the battery. Having the chassis mocked up like this is risky for me, that it might fall over an damage painted parts, but I have to work out how to mount the tank and seat-bed, figure out where is the license plate going to go, where can I squeeze the oil filter, etc. To tell the truth, I just like sitting back and looking at it - imagining how it's all going to end up. Love this hobby : -)

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gatornapper

· #227 · Apr 10, 2011

Red - actually, she's faithful 95% of the time even when people are watching! Turns out she was FLOODED! Now, how in the world did that happen? Got her running fine tonight, and didn't need to spank her. Can't wait for tomorrow's ride.....

Looseparts - she's looking stunning! Wow......like new. Can't wait to see her rollin'......

RetroRod

· #228 · Apr 10, 2011

gatornapper said:
Friend who I haven't seen in 3 years who lives in Texas dropped by, and I went to show him how Bonnie almost always starts on the first kick. She shamed me, caught but died on first 2 kicks, then refused to start. First time she's done this.

Shame on her. Gonna give her a good spanking tonite.....gotta make sure that she's good to go tomorrow....

Hopefully, today was the last cold day of spring, 51.....tomorrow 80......

Never, never, within earshot of the old tart, offer to show someone how well it starts. I tell ya they understand what is going on!! And just like that, we're left with egg on the face. The old bitches!!

I was at a favorite watering hole. A guy on an old kick start Harley pulled up and showed some interest in my old tart, the only other kick starter there.

I forget just how the conversation got round to it, but I mentioned she was a one kick starter. He decided to hang around and hear her fire up. Well he walked away after about 5 minutes, leaving me in a state of collapse from constant kicking in the hot sun. She finally fired up and I krept out of there. I just hope I do not meet him gain.

The old bitch!!

So, triumph owners, you've been warned. RR

Caulky

· #229 · Apr 10, 2011

I suspect the old tarts are really bitchy if she`s up for sale.

gatornapper

· #230 · Apr 10, 2011

Mine's not for sale! And she knows it!

daturat100r

· #231 · Apr 10, 2011

Sprayed triple clamps, pegs, and other last painted bits of Daytona with primer so now apart from front and rear hubs all bits to be painted are stripped cleaned up and primed ready for its black enamel. Then embarked on a search into the bowels of the shed and found the old B31 rigid front frame diamond thats been hanging from ceiling for the last 20 odd years that is to become a father/son project, a low budget bobber style beast to house a spare B31 engine fully rebuilt, for 2nd year of speedway that never happened ,with goldstar cams ,forged hi comp bonneville piston(contains a little bit of Triumph) and Yamaha TT500 valve gear and a s/a gearbox fitted with an A7 splined mainshaft so it can take a suzuki t500or gs550 clutch. Also have front forks ,front and rear wheels and located a set of triple clamps tonite from a friend with a rigid who is templating front engine plates for me and has also has offered to donate an ancient quadrant handchange lever if it can be made to fit. Straight after photo it was stuck into the electrolytic bath and will be ready in the morning for primer.I kick myself for parting with all my rigid parts now but it was long ago and did help with trading for swing arm parts.Its not like i need another project but it can slip in nicely with the daytona and i may get carried away and chuck my swingarm project into the mix as well and get all the painting over and done with before winter sets in. A little rusty but will look a whole lot better in the morning
http://www.triumphrat.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=35067&stc=1&d=1302436925

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gatornapper

· #232 · Apr 11, 2011

Now, Retro, you shouldn't be so hard on the old gal. She does have a few years on her now. Old Triumphs are like plants.....you talk to them nicely, they thrive and grow.....talk mean to them and all kinds of trouble comes.....

Instead of spanking Bonnie last night, I sweet talked her - and you know what? Twice today she showed others how wonderful she is and she started first kick! Back to her old self!

She even took me for a good 75 miles today of both city & country twisty ride with nary a hiccup - and no oil to be seen anywhere!

RetroRod

· #233 · Apr 11, 2011

gatornapper said:
Now, Retro, you shouldn't be so hard on the old gal. She does have a few years on her now. Old Triumphs are like plants.....you talk to them nicely, they thrive and grow.....talk mean to them and all kinds of trouble comes.....

Instead of spanking Bonnie last night, I sweet talked her - and you know what? Twice today she showed others how wonderful she is and she started first kick! Back to her old self!

She even took me for a good 75 miles today of both city & country twisty ride with nary a hiccup - and no oil to be seen anywhere!

You're on a winner there bro!! RR

daveforty

· #234 · Apr 11, 2011

Still MOTd and taxed from last year, so changed the engine and gearbox oil, a bit of routine maintenance stuff and some fresh petrol then went out for a nice pint of Chiltern Ale. Took a few kicks to get it going, but it has been first kick subsequently.

oldbritbiker

· #235 · Apr 11, 2011

If its FLOODED i find after a couple of kicks i open throttle wide and it usually does the trick

coloradobob

· #236 · Apr 12, 2011

After riding the Trident around the neighborhood, I noticed oil on the fins on the left side. I was ready to do the reed valve mod and pulled on the crankcase vent hose. It was completely loose. It's smaller than a Bonne (no 2 pistons falling together) and hard plastic. 5 seconds with the heat gun and it's on. I opened the door to the refrigerator and opened some calming fluid. Bob

RetroRod

· #237 · Apr 12, 2011

coloradobob said:
I opened the door to the refrigerator and opened some calming fluid. Bob

Very necessary for Triumph owners!! RR

gatornapper

· #238 · Apr 12, 2011

oldbritbiker said:
If its FLOODED i find after a couple of kicks i open throttle wide and it usually does the trick

Of course! Been my practice for carb engines for almost 50 years......

My curiosity was - how did she get flooded??? Never happened before on a cold start attempt.

MoBe

· #239 · Apr 12, 2011

Finally got the entire exhaust system,new muffler mount brackets and all,mounted on the `73 today.Despite my best efforts I have not been able to acheive the picture perfect install I was looking for.Although everything is well fitted and solidly mounted the finished product doesn`t exactly look like what I`m seeing in pictures of other 70`s Triumphs with that style of exhaust system.Perhaps someday I will figure out where I made the wrong turn but for now things will have to remain as they are.

Ming

· #240 · Apr 14, 2011

Today I polished my Tiger and parked it at the end of the drive with an AV (for sale) sign on it.
Bill.

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