Evening all - posting this as a reference for others and for the nosey who just like to take a gander at what's going on. Story so far. Joined E-Bay March this year because I was bored and drunk. First thing to pop up as a suggestion was a Triumph Trophy - I don't know why, I've never even given Triumphs a second look, but there we are, Karma is Karma. Placed a bid. Passed out. 5 days later my bid wins. B*gger Now what. Bike delivered as a non-runner - 1992 Triumph Trophy. Oh what have I done...?
Actually the bike doesn't look that bad - a bit worn round the edges like the rest of us of a certain vintage but generally not bad....
And yes, if you were wondering, a V-Max as a winter hack is an absolute f*cking giggle. A million smiles per mile. You really have to try it, because when people tell you they live on the edge - until they've got a V-Max on full chat in the snow, believe me, they really f*cking haven't.
So I had another look at it and from whatever angle I looked, to quote Arnie, it was "one ugly mother f*cker"
So what the hell am I going to do with this nasty looking turd then I asked myself ? Enter google stage left, search custom Triumph and well, here we are... Next up joined a Triumph Forum under my real name, because its got a crap interface that just asks you for your name without giving you a clue that this is what your avatar is going to be called from now on, with a view to boring the rest of you senseless with whats probably been done a thousand time already anyway. Seriously though, site administrators, you need to make allowances for angry, drunk middle aged technological f*ckwits because we are numerous and clueless and we are just going to drop our personal info onto the web without a second thought. Because we don't think and don't care... get it sorted huh ?
So place an order with CRK - which as it turns out is in the process of changing hands - and decide to look at starting this non-runner. Fuel ? Check. New battery - CRK suggested item, no point buying 2 now is there ? Check. Re-join the neutral switch cut out on the starter solenoid that some f*ckwit has cut in half. Check. Turn over bike. Nothing. B*gger. Charge battery Check pick up coil - ok Give tools to 9 year old son and tell him "Hulk Smash" Fairing removed, plugs out and f*ck me look at that, those things are older than most of the people on tik tok. 9 year old changes plugs. Bike fires up and revvs its f*cking nuts off. Oh FFS - what kind of cretin has been at this thing ?!? Split throttle switchgear - hmmm - thats FT you know. Try starting bike again - starts and ticks over lovely. Re-connect switch gear and its revving faster than an 18yr olds right hand. Damn Get 9yrd old to use small arms & fingers on the throttle cable adjuster on the carbs. Bike starts and revs fine. Reconnect throttle to switch gear and she revs fine. Sorted. Non-runner fixed. Give 9 yr old the rest of the tools and tell him to go to town. Grab a beer and check the result....
Industrious little b*gger isn't he ?!? So there we are, you're up to date. CRK bits have all come - New guy Tom is a nice bloke and very helpful. Things on the list next - Fork seals have failed - need replacing - meh - worry about them later. Left hand front engine cover is corroded - whole engine will need a paint - probably the biggest job. Frame looks ok - will drop the engine and give it a once over to check it out. Wheels will need a recoat of some description but again for later. So I guess I need to strip it completely and go ground zero up - I don't know what its going to look like at the end - I have no immediate design in mind - I think this will be a strip, refurb, rebuild and then body work paint in some design or other depending on my mood. Fosters can anyone ? Kelloggs cornflakes ? Who knows. Who f*cking cares Update again when I sober up.
Welcome to the forum Jim. A novel approach to build report but highly amusing. Like Father Jack discovered bikes
You lot need to get out more. build on hold - shop inspectors have put things on hold while the footballs on….
You've gotta have more than one hobby. You'd only get bored. Looks like you're good at painting too. Welcome Jim Lane, welcome indeed. I'll have the cornflakes, ta.
Oooo I got lots of hobbies Iron - one I'm not allowed to do anymore because its called offending public decency according to the judge... I did argue that if I was surfing the train whilst naked with it in my hand the occupants would have to be real try-hards to see it but apparently that's not the point. So today, because its Sunday and summertime we actually tried to play a game of cricket - yay !! But of course because its a Sunday and summertime if fucking rained as soon as we changed and got on the field. I know, I know, what was I thinking ?!? Trying to go outside in June FFS... lesson learned. Better have a look at the stinker in the shed instead I spose... Last of the shiny stuff now clutched in grubby mitts so lets have a real dig into this pig....
First things first, lets have those silencers off. Now these are cosher 1990's items by the look of them & they look, in my eye because I'm of that vintage, fucking superb So I think I'm going to keep them and use them on the finished article. You at the back - be quiet. Even now, with 32 years of bikes under me, I still can't quite accept a motorcycle which has a single exhaust. Its just looks wrong. Life is about balance and you need more than one end can. Sorry, but there it is. You at the back - shut the fuck up or you'll see me after class for a proper b*ggering, you hear me ?!? So where was I ? Oh yes, silencers. Now here's a thing - can you spot it ?
A+ Top of the class if you did. Otherwise join Jenkins in the after class b*ggering queue if you didn't... That's right, its the good old, 12mm nut that won't stay done up held in place by the 13mm nyloc routine !!! Was having a proper self-righteous mechanic melt-down moment for a while there and then remembered that these have probably been on the bike for 20 years - and this was normal practice back in the day for the home 'mechanic'. Anyway, I still swore and muttered "will you give me f*cking strength !" under my breath. Thinking I may shorten the link pipe and angle these bad boys up in line with the new subframe tubes. Or maybe remove the link pipes altogether & go for the low, underslung look. Thoughts ? Clean ones I mean...
So onto the front mudguard then and f*ck me, hammerfist Harry and been at this end of the b*stard bike as well !! Would you look at this ?!? 3 different sized fasteners, 2 of which have had their Allen key heads rounded off !!! Aaaaarrrrrgggghhhhh!!!! How tight so you think those f*cking things need to be ?!?
