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Can You Tour On A T120?

45K views 183 replies 51 participants last post by  waterfordhunter 
#1 ·
The obvious draw to the T120 is, of course, the looks and sounds of a 60’s vintage Bonneville. Visions of Saturday nights at the hang-out and Sunday morning rides on country roads could be a motivator to part with the cash. But what about the other aspects of riding? Is it a good all-around motorcycle like its namesake? Can you tour on it?

Yes.

To find out, I prepped my T120 for a four day sojourn in the Pacific Northwest, taking a meandering route from Seattle to Libby, MT, and back. To get an idea of the bike’s touring capability, I over-packed a bit, taking extra clothes that I normally wouldn’t need. Quick access items, such as hat, medications, water, flashlight, glasses and face shield cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer and such went into a Cortech magnetic tank bag. The wiring harness, including temp control, for my Gerbing jacket liner was also housed in the tank bag.

Items that I might need along the way, such as tools, the aforementioned electric jacket liner, extra water, bike cover, extra gloves, tire repair kit (including 12 volt air compressor), bungee net, and other various items were packed in a pair of Triumph nylon saddlebags. More on that later.

All my clothes, toilet kit, walking about shoes, extra jacket, and a bottle of….”medicine”.....were packed into an Ortlieb waterproof duffel, which was strapped to the rear seat. The Ortlieb bag also contained my laptop and my C-PAP machine (welcome to middle age) Fully packed, the bag weighed in at 38 pounds.

See thumbnail for photo of loaded and packed bike.

As for myself, over the years I have come to appreciate Aerostich’s Roadcrafter suits. Mine is well over 20 years old, and looks it, but when I wear it it feels like I am riding with an old friend. The Roadcrafter is probably not the most aesthetic thing I could wear on a bare-bones roadster, but at my age I long ago passed up style for comfort and convenience.

The bike handled just fine fully loaded. A pleasant surprise was me not wishing for highway pegs to stretch out on. The seating position allowed comfort for even my ancient knees. The seat easily stayed comfortable between gas and “pit” stops. On one hand, I wouldn’t want to do a Four Corners, or a Three Flags or an Iron Butt on the T120. But as long as the pace was easy, I could easily spend three weeks on it.

The only Achilles Heel of the T120 was the spoked wheels. Yep, I picked up a nail in a remote part of Montana early on Sunday morning. Although I had tire irons, a patch kit and an air pump, I could not, for the life of me, break the bead to get to the tube. Even when a bunch of friendly Harley riders stopped, with me and two of the more hefty ones stomping on the tire, it wouldn’t budge. Were the rims tubeless, I would have fixed the flat in 20 minutes. So, out came the credit card and cell phone. Next time I take one of those compact bead breakers.

If I may be so bold, it occurred to me during the ride that the T120, at least to me, more closely pays tribute to the UJMs of the 70's - bikes that were powerful, comfy, and could do about anything - rather than the Bonnevilles of the 60's. And to me, that's a good thing.
 

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#3 ·
If I may be so bold, it occurred to me during the ride that the T120, at least to me, more closely pays tribute to the UJMs of the 70's - bikes that were powerful, comfy, and could do about anything - rather than the Bonnevilles of the 60's. And to me, that's a good thing.
I feel that the Triumph twins of the '60s, and '70s for that matter, were powerful, comfortable and could do anything.
 
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#4 ·
The obvious draw to the T120 is, of course, the looks and sounds of a 60’s vintage Bonneville. Is it a good all-around motorcycle like its namesake? Can you tour on it?

Yes.

To find out, I prepped my T120 for a four day sojourn in the Pacific Northwest, taking a meandering route from Seattle to Libby, MT, and back.

......... it occurred to me during the ride that the T120, at least to me, more closely pays tribute to the UJMs of the 70's - bikes that were powerful, comfy, and could do about anything - rather than the Bonnevilles of the 60's. And to me, that's a good thing.
Thanks for the write-up! Nice details on the packing.

Did you find the tank bag marred the paint at all? I'm thinking about a magnetic tank bag but am worried about scratching the paint. Which Coretech do you have?

I think it's kinda funny how the industry got so side tracked from standard motorcycles that we now look back at them and realize how usable they were. That's a key appeal of the T120 for me, it's a standard motorcycle.

All bikes were just straight forward motorcycles at one time, long before the Japanese got involved, they just built on it in a big way. Even Harleys before they developed the dresser styled touring models were just basic bikes.

The original Bonnies were seen as sporting bikes but in fact were still very standard aside from the Scrambler models.
 
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#7 ·
Did you find the tank bag marred the paint at all? I'm thinking about a magnetic tank bag but am worried about scratching the paint. Which Coretech do you have?
s.
So far no scratches or mars on the tank. The paint and the clear coat seem pretty robust. The magnets in the tank bag seem powerful enough that if I was concerned, a layer of protective film would be OK and not compromise the bag's ability to stay where I put it. I'm one of those types that while I keep a clean and maintained motorcycle, I don't try to keep it in concours condition. I believe a bike should look well used and well loved. But I'm funny that way.

The bag is a Cortech Super 2.0 12-litre bag, available for a little over $100 from the usual on-line suppliers such as Rev-Zilla or Bike Bandit. High quality, and it flat works.
 
#6 ·
Thanks for the writeup, nice job! Sounds like a fun "experiment"!

I wouldn't bother with the portable bead breaker, if I were you, and just stick with the "credit card/cellphone" method. The only way I've been able to break the beads on my spoked Bonnie is by hanging on the long end of an 8-foot 2x4, one end wedged under my house foundation, and with a short piece of wood pressing against the bead. I've been looking at the tubeless conversion kits lately, I think that's the only way to go if you want to be able to repair on-the-road...

-Dan
 
#8 ·
I am inclined to agree with you, after all the sweating, straining and swearing I went through. But, I've done most of my touring on bigger bikes with tubeless tires (Kawasaki Concours, Honda Valkyrie, Triumph Tiger Explorer, Triumph Sprint Executive) and having the ability to fix a flat on the road has saved my bacon several times. Of course, fixing a tubeless tire flat caused by a nail or screw is relatively easy, and the wheel stays on the bike.

This time I was lucky in that it happened where there was cell coverage and there was a bike-friendly tow service available at 8:00 AM on a Sunday.

So, I'd like to at least THINK I have the ability to fix a simple nail flat with the tube-type rims. I'll order up one of these:

http://www.revzilla.com/product/stop-go-tire-bead-breaker

I still may have to use the credit card, but if I am out in eastern Montana at 7:00 PM, I stand a reasonable chance of getting down the road.....eventually.

What wheel conversion were you thinking of? A set form the STwin?
 
#16 ·
Thanks for the nice writeup. I have to agree that the T120 reminds me of a universal bike that is reliable, and can be used both for local and longer distances. The 60 mpg is icing on the cake.

I am planning a similar long trip with the T120, from NY over the Great Lakes, then down to the Dakotas and Denver. I was tempted to take my 2000 Trophy that I have used on similar trips, but really want to see how the T120 works out. I have ordered the Long Haul screen. The Dart Marlin screen I tried was too noisy with turbulence around the helmet. Hopefully the Triumph screen will work out. I like your tank bag, and will probably add that as well.

Regarding how to handle flat tires, I am curious how you planned to deal with them. Do you pull the entire wheel by the roadside, then try to break the bead, patch the tube, etc.? That would seem really hard to do on the T120 without a load of tools. I've changed plenty of tube tires over the years, but can't imagine doing it by the side of the road on the T120. My first line of defense will be a cell phone and credit card. If I'm really in the boondocks, then I think Slime might work well enough to limp to a shop.
 
#35 ·
Regarding how to handle flat tires, I am curious how you planned to deal with them. Do you pull the entire wheel by the roadside, then try to break the bead, patch the tube, etc.? That would seem really hard to do on the T120 without a load of tools. I've changed plenty of tube tires over the years, but can't imagine doing it by the side of the road on the T120. My first line of defense will be a cell phone and credit card. If I'm really in the boondocks, then I think Slime might work well enough to limp to a shop.
You are probably right. The fact the T120 uses a tubeless tire means the sidewalls and bead are a bit more robust than a tire (tyre) designed for a tube. My own experience validates that.

With the addition of the bead breaker, my tool kit should be able to handle a flat. I have tire irons, rim protectors, 12 volt air pump, patches, cement, and valve stem tool. My bottle of Purell serves as lubrication to get the bead seated, along with two Aerostich straps wrapped around the circumference of the tire with a tire-iron taking up the slack, tourniquet-style.

But like I said, I will still have my cell phone and credit card.
 
#39 ·
The Alpina tubeless wheels have proven quite reliable on the Guzzi Stelvio where they are OEM spec. The ones I have hold air quite well.

They are probably what I'd go for if I can't find a better rim. I want to make sure I can get natural aluminum color.

The Kineo rims are super cool but super expensive last time I looked.
 
#40 ·
Yeah I really like the Alpina wheels, and I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) the kits address the individual spokes to plug them. When I checked their site earlier today they only offered last generation Bonneville solutions. Not sure if there is anything available for the T120. Sorry if there is and i missed it. I just found out about Alpina yesterday and their mobile site is brutal.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
 
#42 ·
Just convert them to tubeless. There are several threads discussing it here.
I bought a huge roll of the 3M tape to do mine, and just haven't got around to it yet.

Sent from my SM-N920S using Tapatalk
 
#47 ·
In the 48 years I've been riding motorcycles and well over 160,000 miles, (of which only a very small handful of bikes had mag wheels and tubeless tires, with most being spoke'd wheels and tubes)..... I've had exactly 2 punctures and one was a medium timed leak with a nail (left it in) that allowed me to get to a dealership with only one stop for an air fill up.... the other, a damn 3/8" diameter x 3" lag bolt in my rear tire that made the tire loose all pressure within 20-30 seconds, about 4-5 miles from home.

I guess I just don't have this fear so many seem to have.... is it just me?
 
#48 ·
I agree that flats don't generally occur all that often. Problem is, you just never know when it will. And being stranded in BFE ain't all that great a feelin.
I could have ridden hundreds of thousands of miles without a helmet too. Turns out, I've only needed one a couple times over the decades, but when I did, they were really useful...
 
#69 ·
I think it would've been cool if Triumph had put sealed spoke wheels running true tubeless on the T120. It would've increased the bike cost a tad, but economies of scale could've helped make it not so bad.

Sure seems like based on conversation that tubeless are a nice-to-have for trying to avoid rapid deflation (safety), and avoiding getting stranded (making it EASIER on touring [not saying touring with tubes is impossible]).

As for the Pike County Ohio comment, yeah, I'm aware of that locality. Lots of friends have campgrounds there, and even more friends ride their motorcycles through there on Saturdays during the summer. I get your point though. Not a fantastic place to break down. Pot fields, meth labs, and FBI crime scenes. Those kinds of localities are best toured in groups, not alone.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
 
#70 ·
You can't tour on a T-120. The 270 crank far too weak for such work. Then the water cooling, what happens when you run out of water and you can't find water. Far too much risk for extended hours of use. Risk management just far too complicated with a 270 without a proper carburetor. Fuel injection alone using a computer.....what will happen in triple digits when all of that stuff heats up?
 
#73 ·
I've ridden my 79 t140 to Canada and across a dozen states in the last 35+ years without a flat or a debilitating breakdown.much of it was 2 up with luggage. I went to a music festival in upstate New York in August of1969 on a BSA B25. My son is ridding his bicycle from San Diego to CT in May. Yeah you can tour on a t120
 
#82 ·
Without inventing life-threatening scenarios for breakdowns and explosive tubed-tyre decompression, I think the reality is that if you're touring you really want to know that when you're 100 miles from a garage you can get there even if you have a nail in a tyre. Sure, you can take bead breakers, a variety of spanners, and spare tubes, but it is a damn site faster and easier if you can simply either leave the nail in place and ride with a 20psi tyre, or remove it and plug it with a simple kit for tubeless tyres.
I would simply invest in a conversion kit and be done with it.
For those with Thruxton 2016's it's even more important, as they don't have a centre stand so you'd have to take a portable paddock stand :)
 
#83 ·
Here's pictures of my rig which I set up to do touring. Hepco & Becker top case stays on and for long trips I put on the Giant Loop pannier. My tank bag and GPS also stay all the tme. Just installed the Eager Beaver 3-circuit and Denali driving lights. I love the look of the Remus.
 

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#87 ·
I put on the Triumph LongHaul windscreen on my T120. It is well built and does a decent job, but I found a bit too much turbulence. I added a Laminar Lip, which I've had good luck with previously on quieting down my old Trophy. The 'Lip' definitely helps to send the air over my helmet and quiet it down. I don't have any pictures handy, but I got the generic, mid-width one that goes on with velcro tabs. I rode for a month or two with it before winter hit, and will probably drill holes in the Triumph windscreen and mount it permanently with nylon screws come spring. Getting a quiet windscreen without going to a barn door is a challenge on any bike. The two layer approach seems to be an effective one, so that the air can come up under the second screen and reduce the vacuum and turbulence. Any retired aircraft engineers out there could have a second career designing a compact, quiet windscreen.
 
#93 ·
Interesting solution. I also have a turbulence problem with the Longhaul and wished the air flow would go over my helmet. The Madstad I had on my Tiger 800 and BMW F800 that worked well but Madstad still doesn't offer one for the T120. Madstad uses the same dual flow approach you described. Do you have a part number or better description of the Laminar Lip you ordered? Cheers
 
#88 ·
I have a naked bike w/o a windscreen and find it almost as good as the stock screen on my Sprint ST. I do not find riding long distances at high speeds tiring w/o a screen. This includes riding in down pouring rain as well.
 
#90 ·
Entertaining thread this! Evokes images of banjos and shotguns.?
I've travelled through a few places in Africa where I would not want a breakdown but it always seems in these places there's good people too.

Already done some relatively long trips on the T120 and it is now equipped with a cheap top-box , the oiled-canvas panniers, and an Aldi ( Torque ) tank bag which is excellent for not much money .
Just bashed off an order for the TEC progressive fork springs last night to assist the front end in keeping up with the improved back shocks.

So, has anyone found a useful tubeless conversion kit and fitted it yet? I like the idea of carrying a minimal repair kit and have done quite enough tyre wrestling on my old Bonnie to know it's not something for the side of any of the long desert highways here.
 
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