Triumph Motorcycle?

1bush2hog · Nov 25, 2003

I looked at the Triumphs briefly, but think I will stick with the Harley.

I had an old Trophy 250 I rode when I was 10. Went around a curve on a dirt rode and layed it down. Unfortunately I was wearing shorts which actually helped in this case because the hurt from the gravel under my skin made me forget about that chrome pipe burning a third degree burn into the inside of my calf. I was too young to get out from under the bike and lucky for me a car came along and got the bike off of me.

Lesson learned for sure. But I rode the bike home and been riding ever since. I love (all) motorcycles, even more than my tractor.

That Triumph left it's mark every where I went though, but never left me stranded. Good memories for sure but I like the stability of the HD Motor Company in today's market.

Might want to do a little research on the resell values too before you buy - another reason I ride the best! (IMO) /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

5030 · Nov 25, 2003

Pete:

I guess the new Triumphs' are really quiet. I remember my '68 had a nice throaty tone. The boys at the bike shop said I could put louder mufflers on it, but I won't.

On another subject, I got on your companies website a week ago and broke down and ordered some coffee. It's really good. Hope it makes me as smart as Mike (Pa). /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

5030 · Nov 25, 2003

Tom:

Sled is for sale. You saw it so you know it's in excellent shape. I have 871 miles on the odometer. She tops out at a claimed 143 miles per hour if you have the stupidity to do it. I am slightly stupid, I have had it to 130. Acceleration is pretty brisk too. 0-60 in 2.5 seconds, 0-100 in 5 flat. It will carry the front end on hard pack to over 70 mph. Makes it hard to steer!!

On the subject of storage for the Triumph, it will be in the heated shop along with my 5030 and I do think it will fit in the sled trailer though I might have to take the mirrors off.

5030 · Nov 25, 2003

J:

Back in the 60's, all the "outlaw" scooter clubs were Trumpets and Beezers. Rarely did you see a Harley.

The yuppie crowd in that era rode Norton's and BMW's.

On the other subject, I hate to see any manufacturing jobs lost. I am not an Indian (new) fan. I don't like the styling. The Bonneville is retro, but retro to a period where bikes were pretty advanced for their time.

When I was a kid in Cleveland, maybe 8 years old or so, and I still remember, the guy next door had a Henderson 4, in line with a suicide shift. He took me for a ride on it once and I was hooked forever.

5030 · Nov 25, 2003

Jeff:

That really bring back memories, memories that I will soon relive, at least somewhat!!

I see you have the single carb "Tiger". My 68 had the twin leading shoe vented front brake and 2 Amals, both with "night visitor". I was always impressed with the stock filters. Cotton gauze. Filtered out objects the size of beetles and that was all. In '68, everyone ran velocity stacks anyway.

The new Bonnie's have Japanese carbs, Japanese disk brakes and Japanese electrical systems. The engines, frames, shocks and body parts are made in the UK. I guess they put a balancer shaft inside the engine to dampen the vibrations. I will miss the locktite and the aircraft safety wire. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

From what I understand, the new ones are 49 state legal and have air injection on them. From what I've surmised, it's a good idea to take it off. To that end, the dealer has and is installing a "block off kit" and re-jetting the bike a little richer. I will have to sign a waiver for Triumph that I will only use the bike for "off road purposes". I can do that.

5030 · Nov 25, 2003

J:

Lids are mandatory in Michigan. Even if they weren't I'd not leave home without one.

5030 · Nov 25, 2003

1bush2hog:

I am not worried about resale at all. I should have kept my '68, but I was young, dumb and full of *** so I didn't.

Now I am old grey and blown away and it will be part of my estate along with my Zippo lighter collection and my machine tools. Somebody is going to make out good. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

5030 · Nov 25, 2003

EastTexFrank:

I don't know if you are aware of it, but Royal Enfield is being built again. You can even get them with a Jawa replica sidecar. The 750 Interceptors are gone though. The company is building a 500 thumper. I believe it's a side valve like the old Velocette Thruxtons.

I had a friend long ago that had a 500 Velocette. Talk about a bear to start. I remember the drill, ignition off, roll the engine over TDC. Ignition on, tickle the carb, bring the engine to TDC and stomp it. Not gently. It would break your leg.

Reminds me of the 60's Harley too. The kick start lever was about as long as a Norton. Very short. Triumph and BSA were more civilized, long kick start lever, more leverage.

5030 · Nov 25, 2003

AMP762:

Could you clarify that statement please? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Jeff396 · Nov 26, 2003

Daryl,

Actually, my bike is somewhat of a mutt. It's a '66 500 cc T100C which as far as I can tell really has no model name. If anyone knows different let me know as I'm not exactly up on Triumph model history. It's supposed to have dual carbs and an exhaust that comes back on one side. It also has the vented dual pull front brake from the later models for better stopping power. My brother owned a bike shop in up state New York back in the 80's and he specialized in British. So when he put this one together from a basket case he used the parts that worked the best and the single carb to make it easier to tune. It was supposed to be for his wife but she was so small she had a hard time kicking it over......so she went back to her Trophy 500 (longer kick start lever) and he gave it to me

Good luck on the new Triumph, I'll be waiting for pictures!!!!

Jeff

jinman · Nov 26, 2003

The first bike I ever had as a 16teen year old was a 200cc Triumph Tiger Cub.

Mine was yellow...and yes, they must have imported them because I bought one from a friend when I was a senior in high school (1966) in Denton, TX. The only bad thing about it was the wet clutch. Well, the clutch wasn't bad, but the clutch housing would not hold oil. It ran out almost in a pencil-stream (or so it seemed). Someone had tried to seal the housing with RTV and it pitted the machined surface so bad it always leaked. Fixing the problem was far, far above my 17 year-old ability, so I traded it in on a brand new Honda CB450.

Oh yes...the first bike I ever owned was a 1954 Harley Hummer. Yep! The Hummer was not that big hunk of useless junk they sell to yuppies now. It was a little 160cc 2-cycle hunk of useless junk. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Oh boy! I'd love to have that back. I could pull it on a trailer with my 1954 Ford Jubilee and I'd have at least one thing on the trailer that was worth something. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Gary_in_Indiana · Nov 26, 2003

Daryl,

I believe Amp was referring to the original Indian Motorcycle Company and the one which recently closed it's doors as having nothing more in common that the name ('Indian').

Bird · Nov 26, 2003

You guys are talking about those "modern" motorcycles; my first one was a 250 cc Zundap. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

5030 · Nov 26, 2003

Jinman:

The Tiger Cub was a whopping rated 5 horsepower. One of our diesel mechanics at the shop had one. He told me it cost $625.00 new. He also said he wished he had it today. Probably worth 10 times that now.

I know the Norton P-11A scrambler I had in '66 would be worth a fortune today. It was a very rare model.

I guess that's why I'm getting the Triumph..... Nostalgia.

5030 · Nov 26, 2003

Bird:

It is Zundapp (2p's)

I remember them too. They were red and grey.

I had a Hodaka Ace 100 long ago. I sold it to a long time friend who just happens to be the president of the HOG in Ohio. It's still in his garage after all those years, in a corner. I think the engine is locked up though. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I hope all you guys realize what we are doing here.....We are a bunch of old farts reliving our childhoods. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

I think when we finally have a TBYNet get together, I'll bring the Triumph along and leave the 5030 at home. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Bird · Nov 27, 2003

( It is Zundapp (2p's) )

Yep, my mistake. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

jinman · Nov 27, 2003

Wow! Bird, I haven't heard of a Zundapp in years. I know they made motorcycles, but didn't they also make a little car? Hmm... Maybe that was Isetta (Izetta?). For home delivery, a pizza place had a 3-wheel, 2-cycle, air cooled Isetta that used to flop over on its side if you went around a corner too fast. After about one year, that thing had most of the paint scratched off both sides. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I do remember once helping the driver lift it up and put it back on its wheels. I think if you had just a little more than average strength, you could do it by yourself. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Bird · Nov 27, 2003

Jim, look at this site. I thought Isettas all had 4 wheels; just the two back ones so close together, but according to this web site, they actually did make some 3 wheel models. In '58, I picked one up one afternoon in Denton. The dealer told me they got 50 mpg and he put one gallon in it. I was going to Plano (about 40 miles) and ran out of gas in about 35 miles. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif It was a fun toy, but I decided against buying it. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

5030 · Nov 27, 2003

Bird:

I remember those cars too, when I was a kid.

It's too bad we have all the government regulations we have today. Our growing up era was a fun era.

One of my childhood friends had a Cushman scooter. I believe it had a Kohler engine in it. He rode that scooter everywhere, winter and summer, It was like a Whizzer, belt drive.

TresCrows · Nov 27, 2003

""I had a Hodaka Ace 100 long ago. I sold it to a long time friend who just happens to be the president of the HOG in Ohio. It's still in his garage after all those years, in a corner. I think the engine is locked up though.

I hope all you guys realize what we are doing here.....We are a bunch of old farts reliving our childhoods. ""

Watch out who you are calling an old ****. I ain't no old goat.
You are correct though other than that. I just miss the freedom we once had. I have noticed though that there is something wrong. I simply cannot carry on a conversation with anyone under 30. I thought maybe it was because I was getting old and out of step. Nope, after my usual scientific investigation of the phenomena to determine the cause of this mis-communication I came to the discovery that sub 30 yo persons cannont carry on a meaningful conversation with anyone of any age /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. They have no attention span, no vocabulary, no sense of history, no sense of self, no empathy with anyone but their own selfish interests. The only thing they do well is interface with computers and electronic gadgets, unfortunately they cannot set the clock on my VCR either because they cannot read the manual.
I have a younger friend in Iraq, he is a wonderful person, so they are not all morons but most of them are exactly that--morons. I sure hope that he comes home safe.
Oh, I taught in the public school system, yep, I am a teacher, trust me----all public schools are TERRIBLE--all of them with few exceptions. The teacher unions run the school systems for themselves, not the kids.
When my friend comes home we are going dirt bike riding, I will ride my 1972 Bultaco 125 and he will ride his Yamaha 125, I will beat him--badly /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif, at least that is my plan /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. I am sure his plan is otherwise, his most recent letter certainly affirmed his desire to roost me off the track, could happen I guess, nah.
Dude, you should go get the Hodaka--really--go get it. J