Progress report - Triumph project

 

Today I went over to the blueberry farm where the beat-up
Thruxton is stored to do a quick inspection and
to fire up the motor.

For my purposes (building a standard Hinckley Bonneville)
I've got 3 main issues:

1. I'm using parts from two Bonneville derivatives, Thruxton
and Scrambler, and so some parts are different than on
the standard roadster.

For instance the Thruxton has low-mounted clip-on bars
and the pegs are several inches too far back. The shift
and brake foot levers are mounted differently.
Also the wiring loom, cables and brake lines are too short.

2. Some of the Thruxton parts are either broken or missing
altogether, especially at the front end where most of
the damage is. For instance the tach/speedo bracket is bent;
the headlight mounting hardware is mangled; the front brake
handle mount is broken and there's no front fender. The tank
has a few dents, but I also have the factory-new two-tone
(white and red) Scrambler tank.

3. The Thruxton had been customized with short mufflers
mounted under the motor. I don't think they have baffles
as they were painfully loud when I revved it up. The pipes
are also aftermarket, and the whole exhaust system is black.
None of this is what I want, so I'll have to scrounge
a whole exhaust system.

My bike wrench suggested a general approach to the project:
pull the motor from the Thruxton first; then move the wheels
etc. to the good frame, then remount the motor. Sounds
simple in theory...

ps. When I revved the motor it didn't shake. Hardly any
vibration at all. This bodes no good, if I want a bike
with character. WTF have they done to the Bonneville,
anyway?

SQ

 



This is one reason why I don't like the Hinckley Bonnies too much.
They're just a bit antiseptic (as well as being just a bit gutless). And
the Scrambler engine is worse, on both counts.

Meanwhile my Street Triple is in for warranty repair. Gnash. But the
Ducati should be back on the road soon.


--
BMW K1100LT  Ducati 750SS  Honda CB400F  Triumph Street Triple
Suzuki TS250ER GN250  Damn, back to six bikes!
Try Googling before asking a damn silly question.
chateau dot murray at idnet dot com

 

Further to my last:


I could deal with this by losing the clip-ons entirely
and drilling two holes in the upper triple clamp for
a pair of fallback risers and then use the original
Scrambler handlebars. This should put them far enough
back so I can sit upright.


I have the original Scrambler pegs and mounting brackets


This is the hard part. The plan is to visit a local Triumph
dealer with a camera and take some detailed pix so at least
I'll see how the factory does it.


The local Craig's lists a stock Bonnie exhaust system for Cdn $400.
Am looking into it, although I don't like the "bent drainpipe" look;
I'd rather go with the Thruxton exhaust style except with mufflers
less restrictive than stock (but not deafening).

SQ

 



You're 100% right. They changed it on the later models. On the earlier
ones, it looks like a bodge.


--
BMW K1100LT  Ducati 750SS  Honda CB400F  Triumph Street Triple
Suzuki TS250ER GN250  Damn, back to six bikes!
Try Googling before asking a damn silly question.
chateau dot murray at idnet dot com

 


Went down there today. Stock Bonneville pipes are Cdn$375 EACH.
Not including muffler. Switching Scrounging Mode to ON.

And the Uh Oh is that the Iceland volcanic ash is delaying
all air shipments out of the UK, including Triumph parts.

 > ...with a camera and take some detailed pix so at least
 > I'll see how the factory does it.

Pix taken. The Bonneville and Scrambler use short, straight
risers for the bars. Installing a pair of fallback risers
should work fine.

However this all merely prelim. Sooner or later I'm actually
going to take a wrench to this thing.

SQ