Hi Thought I would introduce myself. Have just rebuilt my Triton. It’s a 1960 T110 pre-unit engine in a 1965 Norton featherbed frame. It’s a collection of bits woven together, sometime hammered, to make one offs!! It’s a labour of love that never appears to be finished, according to the other half. Do have a couple of question, but thought it polite to introduce myself first.
Hi and welcome, that Triton is a beautiful thing. My friend has a 1964 Triton and ive ridden it a few times, what a magic experience it is. Enjoy the forum, and the bike.
Hello there Triton and welcome to the Triumph Asylum - Nursie will be round with your meds soon !!! Beautiful picture of a beautiful bike. For those of us (well, me really) who've never experienced one, can you tell us what it is like to ride a machine like that. Is is vibey? Does it corner well by comparison to a modern bike on todays tyres - paint us some pictures if you can - it would be most appreciated as I've only experienced modern Hinkley Triumph products and I'm assuming yours will be lighter than the more modern machines ???
Good questions big lad, @Triton1960 yes I'd like the answers the big lad asked too out of curiosity as I've never rode something like that too?
Not wanting to steal Triton1960's thunder but my brief experiences of riding my friends Triton were the first ever time I had ridden a British bike. Right hand gear change, down for up and all that. It is very light and not wanting to crash it, (its worth north of £12,000) I was being very careful so did not "test" the handling too severely. Having said that I had plenty of confidence to ride it briskly and was pleasantly surprised how well it went. I guess you have to take it all into account against modern stuff in terms of brakes and damping but overall I was very impressed. He'd fitted a twin carb manifold and that lifted the performance a bit. Yes it's vibey, the front wheel looks like it's not fastened up properly when it's ticking over, but it pulled well enough for me to see 85 on the speedo when I rode it down the runway at Pistons and Props a few years ago. Last year I rode it on the road to a classic car and bike event at Bruntingthorpe where his Jag won a prize but the bike didn't! Apparently it's going to be at the Classic Bike Live in Peterborough and may even have a for sale sign on! Damn.
Welcome in beautiful bike, but there never really ever completely done always something to fettle or tweak
It is actually a lot smaller than it looks which makes for a challenging riding position given I am 6ft. It is the most uncomfortable bike I have ever ridden given you are almost laying on the tank. However for grin factor it is the best I have ever ridden and I have ridden a few bikes in my time. The vibration is not too bad, but get in the 70mph range and things go blurry!! Very rarely get near that speed..,,, no need to, it’s just a privilege to hear the exhaust note as you throw it around corners in country lanes To my surprise it’s handling is amazing in corners and that’s down to the feather bed frame. It’s a labour of love and I think of myself as a custodian ready to pass it on to the next lucky person. Took me 35 from first seeing a Triton to owning this one. I always have to allow for extra time when I pull in anywhere for a stop as bikers and non-bikers can appreciate its lines. A friend summed it up when he said ‘it’s motorbike porn’
Watch Mike Hailwood films on YouTube for how the older bikes handle. 'An ordinary hero' is a great documentary for starters. I rebuilt and rode a Norton Dominator 600SS in the 70s/80s and they handled great, heavy on the clutch hand and with brakes nothing like today's but just great bikes to ride. Sold it to buy my first house.
Hello Triton and welcome to the forum Lovely looking Triton mate. I had a 650 Triton way back in 1967 as a 17 year old, bought it for £75 if my memory is correct. The frame was a wideline featherbed with roadholder forks, the rear hub was a QD like yours in the photo, brakes were rubbish not a patch on the Jap bikes of that period and neither were the electrics. It had a pre unit 6Tc engine with 3134 cams and high comp pistons and had swept back pipes connected to goldie exhausts. She worn a fibreglass petrol tank, couldn't afford an alloy one. Clipons and big chrome headlight were the order of the day. Riding the thing was exhilarating for a 17 year old but those vibes would rattle the bike to pieces, regularly lost a gear lever and once lost a bell mouth off the carb, once up to 80/90 mph everything got blurred. Tyres were not the best especially with a square profile cross ply Avon Speedmaster Enjoy riding yours
Who cares how it rides? Looks like that outweigh every other factor. If necessary drain the oil and push it into your front room! Curly
