Triumphs- mostly non-thumper related

[Andy M]

I'm ashamed to say I had to bite the bullet and get the Triumph serviced at a dealer. In mitigation it is currently my only form of transport and the valve shims needed doing as well as the MOT. The idea of taking off the cams and waiting for Triumph in Leeds (Bar stewards all ****ed off to the TT and wouldn't do anything until July!!) to get the right shims was too much, so off I went to York for some very nice chaps at A-1 to do the lot in the day.

The best bit is that they loaned me a Bonneville Scambler. Now this might be of interest as it's air-cooled, has sensible performance and due to the "both together" engine design and low state of tune (50 HP from 865cc) it feels like a single that would cheerfully climb the side of a house. The riding position is very much like a BMW Airhead GS while the available revs are more like an XT600. The seat height is sensible and the tyres would be well up for the Dragon etc. The downside is the price (6000 squid) and the total tack of protection from the elements, but once they hit the used market I think they'll be worth a look.

The wind thing really got me BTW as it's a while since I rode a totally naked bike. According to the GPS my screened 790 averaged 15 mph more (in heavier traffic) over the same two legs. The supposed 10 hp (60 hp from the 790) difference IMHO can't be the thing, the 900-50 hp was well capable of the ton (not that I'd find out on the A-64 on a Thursday afternoon officer), you just couldn't cruise much above 60 in comfort.

All that torque and wide bars could make it a useful lighter sort of sidecar tug too I think.

So that's another bike on the list for when I win the lottery!!

Andy

[hondamichael]

hm the triumph twins look very good , i like the look of the scambler too
the only thing that puts me off ,is they manufacture in asia somewhere
thailand i believe or so and
then put a true english pricetag on them ,
so i would prefere something like that here , it has the right look is also a twin
sounds realy nice and cost far less then a used triumph with similar milage
http://cgi.ebay.fr/KAWASAKI-W650-SCRAMBLER_W0QQitemZ120103979659QQcategoryZ119856QQcmdZViewItem
and with another exhaust simply transform it to a truxton lookalike for a third of the price of the original
but as i`m not realy a twin fan i would like to see some more of the jap retro bikes coming to europe like the kawasaki tr 250

[Andy M]

hm the triumph twins look very good , i like the look of the scambler too
the only thing that puts me off ,is they manufacture in asia somewhere
thailand i believe or so and

They are made at Hinckley in Leicestershire. You can tour the factory if you ring and book, it's a good day out.

The Asian factory assembles kits sent out from Hinckley for the Asian market although local content is probably expanding in those bikes. I think you might have read some guff MCN printed a while back (on page 2), but probably missed the retraction (printed on page 42 in true "News of the World" style)! I guess it's possible they might eventually move, but having spent millions on a new factory that they claim is the most efficient in the world I think it'll be 10 years plus before they do. The "Made in England" badge is still part of the brand here and in the US, so perhaps they'll never move out.

Andy

[MrFluffy]

Working on a trophy 1200 for a friend today, and its got made in england stamped all over it, even the ht leads have it moulded in. I can quite believe its all english made still.

Sadly the duff ign coil was also made in england, and the replacement one should arrive in a week or so, as it was a funny low impedance one that I didnt have a spare to suit... And the airbox design is silly, you cant buy a airfilter for it, theyll only sell you the whole airbox, we flushed out the foam sandwich one in some fluid, retreated it with filter oil and put it back in. Of course that was after taking off half the faring, the carbs (the carbs have to come off to change/clean the airfilter!) and sundry other items. Airbox design by Slumberglade hall reincarnate. The rest of it seems pretty good in balance though...

[trophydave]

I had a 900 Trophy for a good few years.I must agree removing the airfilter was the worst job on the bike.The airbox fits around the frame,I seem to remember having to take the carbs off to get enough room to move it.Not far behind was the centre spark plug whiuch on the triples is directly under the frame top tube.Saying that it was a good bike if rather top heavy.

[guest27]

Ahh but if you read your service info on the filter it is something like 30K between changes - and pulling that lot off at 30K is no probs.  Having said that My 900 - in the care of a friend - has cleared 35K and they had the filter out - was fine and dandy.

R