As in GD bought a Sprint yesterday so look forward to picking your brains in this seldom (by me) visited section. As probably to be expected the weight when stationary was slightly intimidating compared to my ST3. But I have to say, I didn't speed on the 80 odd mile trip home from picking it up but.. the power is so effortless it was a proper eye opener. Its a 2005 ST, 45000 miles but ridiculous amount of service history. It had a full service 2k miles ago, including new battery, front a rear brake pads, adjusting the clutch. I normally do one long trip a year with a mate of mine but the Streetie gets tiring on a whole day on the bike. I have tried all sorts of windscreens and flyscreens, work with varying degrees of uselessness and just make the bike look shit into the bargain. So i have been looking for a bike that will do a few big trips a year touring bike so age and mileage were not that important. I wasnt intending to buy one just yet (money bit tighter than normal) but this one came up on the fleabay at a reasonable price so I bought it Friday night. And thought I will worry about explaining what I had been wasting money later. So Saturday morning.. "ah, now you know i was taking you shopping this morning?" It went pretty well to be fair so i lumped in the week long (its gonna be 2) solo trip to France and Spain while I was on a roll. I shall start straight away with the brain picking... It has some adjustable levers, I cannot see any branding on them but, i need them set at the shortest travel for my lady hands but... if i do that it drags the clutch to such an extent it struggles to turn the starter over even with the clutch pulled in tight. It also creeps at standstill obviously again with the clutch fully in, I found this out riding in traffic within a couple of miles and the starting issue when a few miles after picking it up i stalled it and then was sat at the side of the road and it wouldn't start again. After much head scratching, no tools and wondering why it was running fine when i went to see it, i thought, "the only change you have made is the levers.... i then found out with the lever set fully out it doesn't do either. As above clutch cable was adjusted at last service. Any ideas? Also the front brake seems weak, is it just because of the weight and to be expected compared to the ST3? The same sort of lever problem as the clutch. Or should I investigate more?
Just looking at the Clutch setup on your bike, if adjusting the clutch lever itself alters the distance the clutch cable pulls in so much, when you adjust it for your hands does it alter the initial free play when you take up the slack ? ie is there a difference in the free play on the two settings ? I would also recheck the clutch adjustment and also operating lever angle ( at the gearbox end ).
Thanks for the tips re clutch i will look at it. Meant to get an optimate today but it was too sunny to go in the shops so just kept riding Overnight i did the old, tie the brake lever tight trick. Brakes much better bite today.
Also you need to make sure those levers are operating the switch in the lever mounting properly. Ride Safe Joe.
While I love my silver Sprint, most will agree the Caspian Blue is the nicest colour. The single-sided swing arm, triple-everything & under-seat exhaust are sooo cool. Still one of the best looking bikes around for me (Although I would say that given I own one!!) It might be the clutch cable need an adjust or is getting old. Speaking to another Sprint owner (His is an '08), we both have noticed the clutch can drag when everything is hot (I.e fans are running). The adjustable levers are factory fits I gather. I've notice my front brake can be a little spongy now & then. I've had other bike with static callipers (I.e. pistons on both sides) & they were the same. They are more powerful than floating callipers, but this might be the flip-side of that?? That said, the ST3 looks like it has 4-pot static callipers as well. I know the front brakes definitely do not want for stopping power! Could be something as simple as a touch of air in the line or old brake fluid. Maybe experiment with different pads to see what suits you? Never had an issue with starting. While my alternator died not long after I bought the bike once that was sorted it has been faultless, in fact she was garaged in October to make way for my winter-commuter, but the battery was literally fully charged when I uncovered her earlier this month. Mine doesn't have an alarm though. The effortless power is one of the things I love about the bike. I've seen a torque curve in a review & from about 3500 rpm, it's basically flat. Roll-on accelerations are hilarious & I love how the bike can be quiet & docile one second & become a angry sports machine the next.
On my recently acquired bike ( a gen 1) I had an OE clutch lever and the span was ridiculous. You'd need ape hands to get a good grip on it! I bought a Triumph adjustable lever and a new cable as the last owner fitted bar risers (which I've removed) which had put undue stress on an already old cable and caused minor damage at the lever end. It's still firm but not excessively so. You could check that you don't have a non-standard clutch lifter arm. If you do, it may have a longer lever which would require a longer pull for the same amount of engagement. With an excessively short span on the lever this may produce the symptoms you have.
Okay so a brief update on the bike. I have bought a givi top box rack (new), givi monokey pannier rails (fleabay) and an actual top box (new). Who knew that a bloody great box begind you could be so useful? Just waiting to see if some compatible panniers come up on ebay for a reasonable price. Optimate cable fitted and set up. Dual usb socket by the dash wired in. Sat nav charging lead also, still waiting on the ram ball bolt. I have done a 200 ish mile loop on it and a couple of commutes to work. Today I adjusted the clutch cable bottom and top and it is now okay. I squirted the brakes with plenty of brake cleaner a few days ago as the action deteriorated again they improved a bit but they have gone back to how they were. I have ordered some brake grease as a perusal of the triumphrat forums suggest the problems could be sticking calipers so hopefully tomorrow, delivery time allowing, I'll give them a bit of a strip down and a bleed.
Thanks Jack, i'm hoping the birthday fairy in a week or two might come up trumps So next update, red rubber grease arrived. Left hand caliper - 1 piston out of 4 working, the other three all seized and depressed into the caliper. An hours work saw them freed up and all 4 greased.. Right hand caliper - 2 pistons out of 4 working. They were both on the same side of the caliper. Other side the pistons were again depressed into the caliper freed up relatively quickly. No wonder they seemed under powered! I think if they go back to how they were it will be new calipers.
I am assuming they were, repeated doses of brake cleaner and lever presses were all I used to free them. When a piston worked I clamped it back in. More brake cleaner, more lever presses, was hoping the clamped in piston would increase the pressure on the others. My theory was that clamping them in turn as they freed would eventually put most hydraulic pressure on the most stuck. They all came out one by one using this method, didn't look unusually corroded. A quick test ride confirmed they continued to work.
WOW!! I've had the odd piston stick in brake callipers, although the Sprint's fronts are pretty well behaved for me, but to have 5 of your 8 pistons jammed is a new one on me. Glad you've got them sorted, if it reassures at all, I'd have done the exact same process. Sounds like a previous owner has been a bit neglectful in places, which is sad because one of the reasons I bond with a bike so much is that they *need* owners to be on point with care and maintenance, it means a bike can never be a wheeled appliance the way modern cars are.
Latest update, So the Sprint has been a pain, the Regulator/rectifier fried as evidenced by hot right leg and smoke from behind the fairing. I investigated and the wiring from the stator was fused and the wiring back into the loom bike side of the regulator was stiff, cracked and corroded. I therefore replaced the stator, regulator/rectifier with a moffset (ok cheapo chinese off ebay). Everything working but stator to rectifier connection block super hot. I then took it out and hard wired it. I relocated the regulator to the front by the radiator. I also set up a bigger wire pig tail from the main loom direct to the battery positive and negative. End result charging at idle shows 12.8 volts, 3000 revs 13.2 volts, rode it for approximately 15 miles which was enough to drain the battery so the bike wouldnt start again without external charging. So pleading to the gods of the internet, ideas please.... mine are at replacing the brand new regulator/rectifier
Well fitted another Mosfet regulator, bought from Sprint Manufacturing. The wiring back to the bike from this one bypasses the oem loom. It also comes with a replacement stator plug which is much heavier duty. Seems to have done the trick, battery showing 13.6v at idle and 14.4v at 3k revs. This is definitely a case of the old adage being true, "buy cheap, buy twice". So with a photos from the other week when i started and one from today with the newest regulator.
Personally I’d ditch the Chinese levers and refit an OEM set, mate of mine had a front aftermarket lever snap whilst doing an emergency stop a few years ago.
So after an interlude. The bike hasnt been on the road much. Had another stator failure! Luckily the new mosfet regulator survived. So fitted the new stator when it arrived. Then the starter motor went, I ordered one from ebay that was new from Italy. When it came, eventually, it was the wrong one. Sent it back then had a month long battle to get a refund. In the meantime ordered a second hand one. When that came also bought some upgraded heavy duty wires for the starting / earth circuit. Been riding it for the last 2 weeks almost daily but just couldn't get comfortable with the handling. Turn in seemed slow and the whole bike just felt vague in corners. I obviously don't expect turn in like the street triple but i most certainly didn't like the running wide feeling in most corners . Checking out the suspension, rear preload and rebound was set up harder than if there was rider, passenger and full luggage and front preload was set less than for a lone rider. All set back to oem single rider sttings. Yesterday i then checked the tyre pressures, front 32psi, rear 33 psi. Set to standard 36f 42r. I also put on some 28mm bar risers as i was getting quite a bit of wrist discomfort. I took it out for 60 mile ride, the bike was transformed. For the first time i felt comfortable and had actual fun on my favourite B road loop! I was really glad as the thoughts have been building that ive bought a lemon and i will never like this anyway. I have been harbouring thoughts of getting rid of the damn thing. Got up early this morning to put the pannier racks back on that i had taken off. During this i also put on some LED indicators with integrated brake lights (it also has DRL but i didn't wire those in as i wanted the brakes to stand out). I also put some LED bulbs in the front together with a flasher relay to sort out the flash rate. Job done pleased at the result. Look at the back tyre, there is a bloody nail embedded in it! You couldn't make it up. Anyway booked in for a replacement Michelin Tuesday morning, if the front wasn't so new i would have ordered one of those too and switched to Bridgestones as I much prefer them.
So update for this year. Been riding the bike since lockdown restrictions changed and it has been fine apart from the brakes being weak again. Stripped them and the pistons are seized yet again. Found on fleabay a full 2008 front set up, master cyclinder, lever, brake lines and calipers for less than half the cost of a piston and caliper seal rebuild kit. As the 2008 will come with larger master cylinder and the updated calipers (or so internet scouring will tend to suggest) it seemed a bit of a no-brainer. As a result of all this i had a day out on the ST3 instead for a 230 ish mile trip, it was very uncomfortable after more use of the sprint.....