Picked this up yesterday. I couldn’t get to the sellers house fast enough. Pretty original other than rims painted black and shorty exhaust. Not running but will be soon enough. Paint is pretty nice for 51 year old bike. Right side pin stripe and emblem paint peeled off from gas leaking over the years. I kind of like the look though. What do you think?
If only bikes could tell stories! Looks a great project and if it were mine? I'd NOT go overboard on it, change the obvious (hoses, filters, oil etc) and a not too new exhaust and maybe not even wash it. Get it mechanically sweet and ride it. It'll look WELL cool as looking used imho. sweet.
Yep I’m more interested in getting it running perfectly than anything cosmetic. They’re only original once!
A little patina. A little minor modifications. Gives the bike history and character. Just as long as it is not too grungy. Nice bike ! ...J.D.
does your frame have the detachable bolt-on triangular plates for the front motor mounts, or are the triangular plates welded to the downtube? i cant tell from the photographs
hard to see. ive heard of later 69 frames that were sold as 1970 that still had the welded motor mount, but otherwise only 1970 seems to have had that bracket. the rocker boxes dont have the adjuster holes in the side. nice bike, absolutely. i would love to own it. just trying to see what the parts are
I dropped it off at my parents barn right after I bought it. I do remember seeing the triangular plates though. I wasn’t planning on buying anything at this time but this was too good to pass up. At least that’s what I told her!
No, I’m working on a plan for it. There’s a very good local Triumph shop that’s been around for years. I think I’m going to have him go through the engine and get it running good and I’ll tinker around with everything else. I tore down an old Honda and rebuilt it but didn’t have to do anything to the engine. I was at a European bike get together a couple of weeks ago and saw an old Triumph all old and crusty and thought it was the coolest bike there. I just got lucky and found this one. It won’t sit for long.
as near as i can tell, you have scored an almost completely un-molested 1970 bonneville, built in january 1970 for the 1970 model year. the numbers appear good, the head and rocker boxes look right, all the brackets and bolts-ons seem to be present. nothing has been changed except the pipes and removing the chokes. it's all there. that is more or less completely unheard of over here in the states. you have something that is very rare. i would suggest getting it running and never doing anything to it except changing the rubber bits.don't ever throw away any worn-out parts you take off. what's under the seat? i'm wondering whether it still has the lucas electrical components. i can see the finned egg under the headlamp but the zener might be disconnected
Speedrattle, Thank you so much for your input. I will take more pics when I’m at my parents tomorrow. I am really interested to know the best way to approach this project. I do want to keep it as original as possible, but still be able to ride it safely. All advice is appreciated.
theyre as safe as any motorcycle ever was, which means not as safe as your armchair in front of the fireplace. but you own a time machine, which is fascinating. once its sorted out, you are literally stepping into exactly what riding a motorcycle was, 50 years ago. theres avfew things you should change, and people here will make suggestions. IMO, the first thing is easy--lights and tires. lights have vastly improved since 1970, and there is nothing wrong with a quartz halogen or LED replacement. if you change out the whole headlamp, dont lose the Lucas glass lens. theyre getting rare. on tires, i think your bike came with K70s. anything newer than those will be better, unless you ride a lot on dirt roads. in that case, the K70s are perfect. thats it for safety. theres stuff you can change to reduce maintenance, but other people will have all sorts of ideas.
That’s what I’m wondering. Is it ok to replace 50 year old rubber bushings etc.? It definitely needs fork boots. What about grips? Do I get the rear shocks rebuilt or replace? All questions I never knew I’d have. I honestly just want to preserve it as best I can.
you dont have a lot of rubber bushings except in the battery box, lower oil tank mount, fuel tank mounts, and shock absorbers. that stuff you can expect to replace, as it simply doesnt last. . buy your fork boots from kyle at CBS-- they are notoriously prone to deterioration, and he has new ones he guarentees a long time. the new amal company sells original style handlebar grips. swing arm bushings are bronze. they last a long time if lubricated. you can upgrade the shocks if the old ones are worn out, and new versions of the old girlings are available, i think. all the rubber bits will be old and worth replacing as you go. get it lubricated and running and see where you are.
