Featured Vintage Tiger New Steamer!

I wonder how many roadworthy Steamers there are in the South West, UK. Would be worth a meet during the summer perhaps☕️

 

We’ll set a date when mine back on the road Mart.

 

Same here. I HOPE I can get mine sorted out before we run out of riding weather but I'd definitely like a "STEAM GATHERING" later in the year.

Kevin, my Tiger's also Caspian blue and is a 94 on an L plate.

We'll need to organise somewhere central - how about the Axe Valley Wildlife Park at Axminster ........ Tigers meeting at a wildlife park? I'll get my coat ...................

 

Consider it done Adie. I’ll let you know when mine’s ready to roll and your suggestion sounds good to me. The more Steamers the Better eh

 

I wouldn’t mind a bit of that if you don’t mind? Be nice to give the old girl a good run out.

 

That’s another nice steamer Kevin.

 

Heck, yes, Jim - the more the merrier. We will have a Streak of Steamers!! The collective noun for tigers is 'streak' or 'ambush'! The Somerset Streak or the Axe Valley Ambush?

 

Think I prefer the Axe Valley Ambush as a name? Not sure my wife would be to keen on me going to Somerset for a streak?? She’d be like, “oh no, not all this again?!? You promised to stop all of that after the last court appearance”?!?

 

Changing the subject slightly, but as this chat seems to be full of highly intelligent people that know everything there is to know about Steamers, could I ask some advice? I need to change my battery, at the moment she has a YB14L-A2 but I was told I should increase the 14 to as high as I can get? Any advice on what and where to get would be very much appreciate.

 

Changing the subject slightly, but as this chat seems to be full of highly intelligent people that know everything there is to know about Steamers, could I ask some advice? I need to change my battery, at the moment she has a YB14L-A2 but I was told I should increase the 14 to as high as I can get? Any advice on what and where to get would be very much appreciate.

 

If I am right, I think the standard starter motor is down on power because of the way Triumph designed it. So I’m not sure that more battery amps would result in better cranking power. A beefier starter motor and battery seems to be the best solution. I’ve seen some new starter motors on eBay for the Steamer which are uprated. But you are looking at a lot more than your initial costings. I was thinking about contacting the manufacturers to get the information you need. They are made in Oz though. The devil is in the detail

 

First thing to say is that I'm NOT, in any way, an expert on batteries, or a mechanic or technician so the following advice should be viewed to be as potentially valuable as what you pay for it!

The standard spec. battery is exactly what Triumph thought adequate to go in there from new based on cost; capacity and capabilty. If the standard battery is kept in good condition and you don't try to start the bike when, say, it's cold and the battery is low on charge, then you should have no problems with that standard YB14LA2. Starting the bike in other than optimal conditions MAY - not will - lead to starter clutch (sprag) problems.

My advice would be to 'phone someone like Tayna batteries - they seem to be consistently in the low end of prices for new batteries - and ask if they have a higher powered equivalent to the standard spec. The replacement battery needs to be the correct dimensions and terminal locations and, as long as it fulfills those requirements, it should be OK.

If you do find one, maybe let us know the make, spec., cost and supplier?

 

Will do & thanks for both replies.
Got to say, all the chat about the old girl got my mouth salivating so I’ve just taken her for the first ride of the year. Took me 30 min to get her going but when she’d warmed up she was lovely!!! Definitely need a weekend away very very soon.

 

Two Steamers on eBay must have seen us discussing these top bikes; they’ll soon be shipping back from the US as all we do in the UK is break them for spares. Why would you wanna pay the silly money for a new Triumph when you can get a great Steamer at these prices. PCP makes it so easy to rent your bike and pay off the depreciation for them We need more Steamer fans to buck the trend Even if you stored the bloody thing you can only make money. My opinion granted, just amazes me why such an iconic bike is so ignored.

 

Did a bit of digging around and I’ve been recommended a Motobatt MBTX14AU it’s a gell battery and according to the reviews, very good. £55 inc delivery tomorrow and should last for years if looked after. I’ll let you know how I get on. Thanks again for the advice.

 

No problem .... BUT ..... if you're going to get a gel battery, do, please, consider getting a 'float' or maintenance charger compatible with gel type batteries. The GEL battery is not , in itself, necessarily the solution to the starter/sprag issue - any good battery in good condition will do the job. What IS required is a battery that is kept in good condition when the bike's not being used.

OPTIMATE seems to be the accepted 'standard' in the field of maintenance chargers but, I don't think you'd not go far wrong trying one of these :-

https://www.halfords.com/workshop-t...rs-jump-starters/halfords-maintenance-charger

It claims to do all you need it to; comes with a sub harness to leave on the bike (looks like it's a standard plug harness), and is compatible with standard and gel type batteries. Sounds ideal to me.

Even better - become a forum subscriber and receive a Halford's TRADE discount card and you'll get a discount (up to 30%) on most Halfords purchases! Doesn't get better than this, Jim.

 

The fu

Cheers Adie, I’ve already got a Optimate 3 so hopefully that should look after it?
Forum subscriber sounds interesting, I’ll look into it, thanks.

 

Yep, the Optimate 3 should be fine if it's left on the battery when the bike's in long term storage.

The forum subscriber bit is easy enough and, I'd guess that using the Halfords card just once on a decent size spend could save you the cost of membership! Be aware, though, that is might take a few weeks to get hold of the card - which is sent through the post - so if you've got any big purchases impending then maybe think about delaying them temporarily?