Thumper Club Forum
Club House => Chatter => Topic started by: johnr on May 01, 2021, 06:39:43 PM
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Have had a clunky old triumph 500 in the shed since 2014, I've never ridden it and it's just sat there, haunting me. Anyhow, I got offered a straight swap for this, and I snapped his hand off.....
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Looks good John, think you "bagged a bargain"
Is it a runner? 🤔
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Aye John,
Something about "......... coming out smelling of roses!" ;D ;D ;D ;D
That'll make a nice addition to the fleet.
Good health, Bill
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Looks in nice clean condition, great swap. I look forward to hearing how you get on starting it, there's a knack to it which I never mastered I'm afraid...
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Lovely, one of the nicest looking bikes ever made I think. Mind you I would have been happy with the Triumph as well. Maybe I'm just a tart.
Spartacus
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Is that the electric start one or kickstart only? Always quite fancied one but never at the right time....
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Lovely bike :)
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yes its a runner, its a pig to start but then the decompressor lever isnt working right so i need a cable and a few bits to get it straight. its got the most comprehensive history folder you ever will see included, full history of the bike, every reciept, copys of v5's from all the previous owners, letters from the factory dictating who it was built for, including that its the earliest one known to still exist, the first one built went to the states and after a while dissappeared. this was the second frame built and was supplied from new to the white helmets motorcycle display team. there are pre resto pics and they show that it was a mess but you'd not think that now, paint is new, guards are stainless as is the new pipe. theres a lot been done to it but a fair few little jobs need completing to get it right. my insurance policy renews in june so im going to leave it till then as i cant see the point of paying 25 quid to remove the triumph and another 25 to add the matchless when i can do both for nothing at renewal time. other than that, its pretty solid, new chain and sprocket, new tyres, lots of stuff has been done. and its a sight lighter than the triumph so may well even fit on the camper van!
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Sounds very good John and with some sympathetic fettling and the availability of Rotax spares, should keep you in wheels for a good while. :)
Good health and some good weather for Durness.
Bill
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Mick Roe of the Mt club and who sometimes posts on here showed me the starting technique. IIRC he eased past compression using the decompressor, then gave it two almighty swings in quick succession and it fired right up. My bike had an electric foot anyway, so I never really did try that hard to start it on the kicker...
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Morning chaps
I visited the Skoda importers in Kings Lynn in the 80s with the JAWA Owners Club and they had the JAWA import hub there also. They had one of the new Rotax-engined 500s in and they invited us to have a go kickstarting it which produced varied results. Then one of their technicians said to kick it like a two-stroke, just go for it quickly, and it worked much better. There has been loads of stuff written over the years about making Rotax engines start better. I still prefer electric start for any bike.
Spartacus