caution to buying triumph tridents, as they suffer with failed starter clutch,s!!!! 1991-1995 750/900 triples it,s a case of remove starter on top of engine and undo plate underneath to get to part.... 1996-1998 models, its engine out of frame turn upside down and split crankcases to get to the same parts...also not sure if you even get the new clutch parts???.
It,s very important to only start the engine with a fully charged battery that has the ability. to hold sufficient cold cranking amps.If you maintain a healthy battery on these bikes then the starter clutch will not fail.If you try to start these bikes with a weak battery the engine can backfire and distroy the starter clutch,( sprag clutch).
Mark, Triumph 2025 is NOTHING like Triumph of 1990”s. The 90’s were some of the darkest days ever for Triumph. There is simply no comparison between the quality of motorcycles from 90’s to today.
I believe the problem was actually with the ignition, which was later modified. If the battery was not healthy & fully charged then the engine would be spun over slightly slower when being started, which caused the engine to sometimes kickback when a spark plug fired - which then smashed the starter clutch. The replacement ignition was modified in some way to stop it firing as early at low cranking speeds if I remember correctly. It used to be my job to fix them 🫡.
@@philgifford8258 Then you might also remember Service Buelltin 194 relating to replacement of of sprag clutches and starter idler gears and ratio issued in Sep 1995. This arrangement of Sprag Clutch continued to be used in T300 (until 2003 in the case of the Trophy 1200) and in the 955i Gen 1 engines.
I was a 30-year-old business journalist when Triumph launched the Trident in 1991. I test rode a green one on a freezing cold day. After a couple of hours I couldn't feel my hands or feet but I didn't want to stop riding because of my excitement in knowing the British motorcycle industry was back in a big way. John Bloor had bought the rights to Triumph in 1983 and spent eight years and about £80 million is resurrecting the marque. His achievement was as great as that of Branson or Dyson but having always avoided the limelight it's seldom acknowledged. I've often thought about buying one of those original Tridents for sentimental reasons, but I'm a bit too old now for naked bikes - I feel the cold too much. Personally, I don't care whether a Triumph was built in Hinckley or on the Moon. It's the investment in production engineering that counts - the Japanese were the exemplars of this and John Bloor - to his credit - matched them.
Could have knocked me down with a feather. Just put the barbie on and sat down with a beer and here's Freddie sharing my Moto Guzzi trip. And yes, it could have been a book!! The following year, with said Danish girl, we drove a Landrover from London to Nairobi. First stop after the ferry from Spain...Marakesh. I still have a dodgy dagger I bought at the market! Now that trip would have been a bigger book!! Love your channel guys. Drive and ride safe and happy new year to you and yours and all of you lot watching this brilliant content. Cheers from NZ.
If you have any pics or stories (either 4x4 or bike) that you’d be open to sharing for the next book, I would be over the moon to share them- just email me at stories@thelibertatia.com I’m thinking about doing a car road trip book too, so both car and bikes would be of huge interest:)
Hi Freddie I feel compelled to comment on the ‘less for more’ T120 item. I’m a 63 year old ex pat, been riding since 1980. In ‘23 I paid $10K Canadian for a Gen 3 KLR- my 4th KLR and only the second brand new vehicle I have ever owned. I know these are ‘budget bikes’ but I was disappointed from the start by the cheap and nasty fit and finish. Recently I happened to pick up a 2008 Triumph Tiger 955i- I was lucky enough to get one in mint condition and well maintained although it has 60,000 km on the clock. The quality of the build is absolutely superb and the Hinckley triple is to die for. I paid over the odds at $4,500. To quickly conclude - I got a better used bike for half the price of the new one, the accessory level being more or less comparable . The new bikes are costing themselves out of existence and crammed with techno-crap that many of us have been trying for some time to avoid. If I can- I will buy another older Tiger and store it until I have ridden the wheels off this one.
I bought a brand new Triumph Trident 900 ex California model returned to the U.K. in 1999, it was quite a looker with a fantastic original quality paint job but it was just too heavy and with a full tank of fuel I simply couldn't maneuver it around at walking pace speed, swapped it for a Honda X11 that I kept for several years.
The older Moto Guzzis are the best. I have a Nevada 750, tubeless spoked wheels, shaft drive, loads of torque, handles a dream, light, motorway miles in comfort. I’m always looking at new bikes but yet to find anything I like better!
There is a idea for you Freddie , as you like road trips in Europe , find, buy , a bike somewhere in Europe and bring it back to the UK export import the lot , Travel out by train not plane or car , and ride the bike back , if you go classic and if you shop wisely you could then sell to recoup your costs , or raffle it off on your channel .as a fun element lats say the bike has to be from that country so Germany a early boxer BMW or a MZ maybe a Munch Mammoth or Zundap Czech Republic a Jawa or CZ etc , so there's a suggestion if not a challenge for you it would make great content.
Freddy the Benelli 900 sei, 500 Quattro and 250 Quattro were all sold in the UK back in the seventies but a combination of high price and attitudes to Italian bike reliability meant they didn’t sell well. I do remember seeing examples of all 3 bikes back in the 80’s (when I was still a young thing 😂)
Freddie… The small Benelli fours (250cc, 350cc, 500cc) were sold in some markets as Moto Guzzis (they were owned by the same company) as were their two stoke bikes (initially the Guzzi version had improved spec, but later Benelli badged 2 strokes were the same… I used to race one of the Guzzi branded 250cc (231cc in fact) two stroke twins… some Benelli/Guzzi125 singles were built by the Meriden Triumph co-operative in the UK as the 'Co-uno' to keep the occupying workforce building bikes other than Bonnevilles).
I was really surprised to see my zzr1100 on the channel Freddie, thanks. What I didn’t mention was that it passed two mots since I built it, and it costs just £75 fully comp with no excess, and starting afresh with no no claims discount, the vehicle excise duty ( road tax) costs more than that. I’m thinking of selling and starting something else. As always great content and I wish I was in a warm country right now.
I had 3 ZZR1100s.....On a French backroad I raced a TGV train ..and I was winning. The village level crossing loomed so I stopped. My wife asked the speed..I said "125mph".."No" she said "165mph I was watching "..with wife and luggage.
When we were kids,the Quality street chocolates were wrapped in the transparent coloured wrappers, red, green, blue purple. As young kids we loved those wrappers. The Quality street chocolates now come wrapped in boring paper wrappers, that's disappointing.
I’ve just got myself a yam fzs1000 2002 in black , and it had been in the gentleman’s kitchen for 12yrs , but unfortunately the man passed. So I started it up done all the checks and to my surprise it had only done 2,600 miles from new. 22yrs old and it’s mint 😊
Hi Freddie, I'm loving your revelations about some of the older forgotten about motorcycles and how good many were. There are also some others that maybe weren't so good and are even rarer than some you have mentioned recently. In recent decades I went on a quest to try and identify what the first bike I ever rode as an 8 year old was. I found the answer last year and didn't even know this British bike came to Australia. I did a video about it on my channel last year but to summarise a long story the one I was given by an old-timer after he saw me admiring it on his back verandah was not in original condition. It had a lawn mower engine bolted onto the side with an exposed fly wheel, the frame was just the skeleton of the original bike and was showing various colours after being repainted many times. There was no clutch and no brakes, the throttle was a thumb control like you get on many lawnmowers, and the gears you changed by turning the left hand grip like a throttle, Forward for second, back for first and neutral in the middle. There were many other quirks to this motorcycle including the rear suspension being springs under the seat and the front was even more unusual with the small spring function down low near the axle. I could go on and on trying to describe this bike. But after a long search scrolling through Google and many UA-cam channels including your tour of a BSA museum a couple of years ago, I finally found the bike on a UA-cam video about a motorcycle collector in the US who found one in pieces in the boot of a car even though the bike was never imported to that country. The motorcycle in question is called a BSA Dandy which I understand was made to offer a very cheap form of transportation for commuters in the 50s. It wasn't very reliable, was prone to overheating and I've heard the original carburetor was inside the gearbox casing not outside like most bikes. Anyway I could go on but I wonder if you had ever heard of the BSA Dandy and is it still possible to buy one on the used market in the UK. I have not heard of any others in Australia. Unfortunately I don't have any photos of the one I rode 50 years ago but you can find some examples of the Dandy on UA-cam, Google and other websites. I know this won't classify as a Bike of The Week but would be interested to see what feedback you get from your viewers if you mention it. Has anyone else heard of what I understand is now an extremely rare little bike. Thanks for your time and enjoy the rest of your Sahara trip. Cheers from Grellis (aka Motorcycling Down Under Australia.) PS - Starting my motorcycle riding journey on that bike with no brakes or clutch taught me a lot about engine braking. I'm sure the original bikes probably had both of those things along with the very unusual gear changer and throttle mechanism.
Freddie! It is I!! Michael here, the one who originally mentioned the idea of purchasing a Honda XRV 750 (or anything else to be honest) abroad and riding it back to the UK. Let's go on an adventure. You and I, fly or take the train to Italy, Milan or Rome probably easiest and pick up a bike each, bargain classics of course and ride them home. Mid to late Spring probably best to miss the snow riding through the Swiss Alps. Message me if you're seriously interested, that would be a HOOT! Cheers, Michael.
A group of companies in the South West of the UK has recently closed down. The brands they sold were Kia, Yamaha, Triumph, and Harley Davidson. The company said that they made only £15,000 profit last year. I am sure they won't be the last to close this year.
I would agree about the Early Hinckley Triumph’s I have a 1993 900 Daytona it is definitely a bike of its time being very stable and slow ( by modern standards) on the steering, everything has to be planned ahead but it is fun to ride, the other guy who commented is 100% correction about the starter sprang clutch issue , fortunately mine had the removable top cover above the gearbox. On another subject, when I was in Australia the countryside as you discribe it seemed to be referred to by the locals as the GAFA.
Hi Freddie, i thought i would let youknow about another BMW dealer who has given up the brand. M & P a very successful dealer ship in South Wales, also decided to stop selling new BMWs they still Harley,s Kawasaki KTM and Royal Enfield pllus some other brands, their are very successful also doing lots of parts and accessories. Whatyou said was so insightful. Manufacturers need to up thier game and think of the end result If you dont have local dealers you aint going to buy the bikes
The bonneville did get a slight revamp in 2021 I think, some things were taken away but others were added, for example cruise control, also mods to the engine
Cheers Freddie, love the buying bike abroad and riding it back idea. You should probably take Joe (from the works) with you, re your enthusiasm for all things old ! At least it maybe rideable on the return😂 keep up the excellent vids Fred love your sense of adventure.
Ah, the early Hinkley tridents. Lovely thing, bought one brand new in 1994, and sadly wrote it off 3 months later. I've been contemplating another as they are so cheap now.
Oh Freddie I’ve always loved those Guzzi’s . All though I’ve never seen one painted blue. A Guzzi is just a Harley with the motor turned the wrong way. Or actually the right way. To keep it cool. Old Guzzi”s are like Farmall tractors, they just keep working.
Buying any vehicle from Germany is great ,I used to be into classic VWs and have bought from Germany on several occasions.The system is so fair,no rip off insurance costs like the UK,at the local registration centre you pay a fixed price for everything and once you get it back you just pay the VAt at a reduced cost and get age related plates issued.Its a pity we don't have the same local registration system like Germany.I love the fact that the cost of everything is just that in Germany,no ifs or buts,no rip off insurance which varies wildly and with no apparent logic like the UK.
Thanks Freddie great content, I purchased my R1250 GS from Reiten Motorcycles a great team, wishing them all the best for their new adventure, speaking of adventures hope you and Monica are having a great time in Morocco look forward to the next part of the trip 👍
Freddie, when you talk about the race for the Japanese Superbikes with the ZZR1100 and the Honda Blackbird don’t forget about the totally bonkers Yamaha Vmax from 85 to 2010!….0 to 60 in 2.5 seconds, and styled as a cruiser, you can pick them up relatively cheaply if you have big enough balls as they reportedly didn’t have the handling to match the straight line speed, look them up!
I live in Austria , formerly from east Kent , UK , the used bikes here are mint as the don’t have any winter use,are meticulously maintained and not butchered with cheap aftermarket tat , I bought a mint ,low mileage Yamaha fazer 600 for moped money
I had a 96 thunderbird. I made an error selling it. The bike market is heading for something not seen in a long time. Its basically crashed and prices are falling hard. Bargain hunting may be back, but biking is expensive today, no two ways about it. IIRC many journo's classed the 900 trident as a hooligan-esque RD350 wheelie replacement hoot of a machine.
Early Hinckley Triumphs are fabulous bikes, and have been undervalued by the market for years. A proper British bike, made in the Midlands, not in Thailand or India. The Trident launched in 1991, following the fully-faired Trophy (1200cc and 900cc) plus the sportier Daytona (750 and 1000). All based on the same T300 platform, with many common components, which makes spares a lot easier. The 900cc triple engine is widely regarded as the pick of the bunch. It has grunt and shove, plus it's compact and makes a wonderful noise. I have a 1991 Trophy 900 in red, just the second example sold in the UK, and registered on an 'H' plate.
I keep looking at the Daytona 955. The only problem I'm aware of is that they can suffer from the tanks swelling due to ethanol in the fuel taking on water.
@@h2489-m2l Yes, I had a lovely red 955i a little while back and took it to a specialist in old Triumphs; he said the tank had swollen and it'd be near impossible to remove (if I ever had to). You have to drain them entirely if you're not going to use the bike for any length of time.
@@specialcircs The 955s are not on the T300 platform, they have a box section ally frame and fuel injection. Good bikes, but a departure from the rugged T300s which first came from the Hinckley factory.
@@specialcircs The issue is more the tank venting from the filler and drainage of the surround for the filler. If the drain pipe gets blocked, water seeps into the tank and reacts with the ethanol causing just enough gas pressure to pass through the Nylon tank wall but not the paint and decals which then lift from the surface. Simplest solution, apart from draining the tank, is to leave the filler open and protected by a waterproof cover if you don't want to do that but are leaving it unused for a long period. 955 Daytona's are less of a problem due to the way the body panels are mounted, it will come off and go back OK if stored supported at the mountings as they are on the bike. Tiger 955i tanks should never be set down on a flat surface, even empty as the "wings" tend to splay and that makes refitting the forward panels difficult. The T400 (885 Carb) Tigers are the worst culprits having screw inserts for the panels inserted into the lower edges of it's Nylon (made by Acerbis) tank. This shouldn't put owners off, as @roverchap rightly says, the T300/400 machines in any of their configurations, are great bikes, reliable if cared for, about as bullet proof as you can get, seriously under rated and astonishing value in today's market. " '90's Triumphs darkest days" I really don't thinks so.
As you know Freddie is bought my new T120 bonneville and had to spend £1,750 on accessories to complete the bike. I paid for the bike £11,350 and really after all the mods ended up being 13,350 by the end.
Visitors to Italy 2025 should aim for Reggio Emilia in April and Imola in September for the Mostra Scrambio (Autojumble/Swapmeet) run by CRAME. Fly into Bologna and stay near the Railway Station. Add the Ducati Factory and Ferrari Museums to your itinary.
I think companies need to be careful with the expensive options list. The Chinese bikes are improving their quality and coming with loads of kit as standard ,especially in the adventure market but I am sure they will up their game in the retro market as well.
Heated grips and radiator guard and centre stand were never standard in the UK and were always extras. Might be right in the USA though. Cruise control was added to all 2021 models. I would imagine in some states in the USA heated grips would never be needed
I had a 1999 Thunderbird sport in Red, it was one of the best bike's ive ever owned, had to sell it after a financial slump, still miss it very much, But i have a 2003 speed triple now, its almost as good, just not quite as pretty.
15 днів тому
The Triumph story sounds like a mix of Shrinkflation and Spindoctoring...
Sadly the adventure bike craze pretty much killed the traditional Sports tourer in a lot of manufacturers product ranges. The ZZR, CBRXX and Busa are wonderful machines that make covering distance at speed truly effortless. Definitely worth taking a ride if you've never tried one before. So smooth in getting the job done. Very affordable as well, what's not to like?
If you're after a new BMW motorcycle, it might be cheaper to buy it in Italy than in Germany. German motor manufacturers often sell cars at least for cheaper prices in Italy. A number of years ago there was a legal case to stop the manufacturers refusing to sell Germans their cars at Italian prices. Whether this still goes on, I don't know but it might be worth checking out BMW dealerships in Italy. I know it's further to travel, but think of the food and the scenery.
Hi Freddy, it would be great if you could share your thoughts on motorcycles that live outside in urban environments. I can afford a nice motorcycle; however, I live in the city of Amsterdam where i need to park my bike outside. I am looking for a motorcycle that is affordable enough you can leave it outside (3000 euro's maximum) but not interesting enough for thieves to steal or when the weather degrades the bike. Harleys and bikes with chrome parts aren't an option. I don't like racers and preferably I should be able to cruise to the south of france on it. I can across some interesting examples: Moto guzzi V75 Polizia (I would love to own a guzzi), Moto guzzi California Jackal/carlifornia/Nevada, Honda ST1100/1300, Yamaha FJ1200... What would you recommend?
Freddie I sold a BMW R60/6 to a German guy who used to come to the U.K. and buy BMW’s to export back to Germany as they were a lot cheaper here. So it’s not always cheaper to buy a BMW in Germany.
All this doom and gloom about bike sales. The MCIA sales figures for December came out today. Bike sales were 122% up on Dec 2023 and for the year as a whole up by 3% compared with 2023. Something to cheer even if it looks like some big discounts across various brands may be the main cause.
The Trident looks cool. I've owned and now own 2 Hinckley Triumphs. 1st had a 2012 Tiger 1050se in pearl white full luggage, my cousin now owns it. It was a head turner. Now, a 2016 Trophy SE. Both great bikes. Bike manufacturers & dealers are top heavy in staff & management. Sorry to say, but the industry is going to decline after so many good years, not enough young riders to replace us oldies, who have large disposable income& no mortgage. Then you have the cost of living to support your young family. If you tell your partner & kids there's no money for food or utility bills as you need a new set of tyres, it isn't going to go down very well.
Yes you are right and the 900sei had an extra cylinder tacked on each end. We had a local dealer when was in my teens and he sold bennelli,frantic, garrelli,gilera and even some gitane mopeds
Disposable income is low, interest on finance is high, options and servicing are a con - and you can buy a bike nearly as good from India or China for 1/3 the price - shouldn't be a surprise to OEMs that the 70s is repeating itself!
@@tuesdayatdobbs From what I gather the two business have diverging interests. But I don't understand that because surely they both want to sell bikes? And with the market being rocky at the moment why would you want to try to establish a new dealer network? Wasn't Enfield going their own way? Yet I still see Enfield at my local MotoGB dealer. Royal Alloy bikes are now decent bits of kit. There more MotoGB dealers out there than Vespa dealers. Just seems odd.
You prob already know this Freddie but Suzuki named the Hayabusa thusly because Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcons) eat blackbirds for breakfast! Take that Honda!
I started riding Triumphs in the 70's. The new Triumphs are okay, but they are NOT really Triumphs. They're copies of Japanese bikes and about as bland as unsalted porridge. Oh, they go well and all that, but they're boring. Sorry, but they are. BMW's are fantastic bikes in many ways, but they're even MORE boring. People who don't understand what I'm saying are motorcycle enthusiasts. People who Do understand, are motorcycle LOVERS. I've ridden lots of bikes in my half century and most of them lack character in my opinion. I don't care about all the high tech gadgets a bike may come with, they're as soulless as an electric bike as far as I'm concerned.
the Guzzi V50 was actually a pretty poor bike, reliable and hard wearing they were not, you really should research things before telling people to buy them, and now watch many of thesae big dealers start to sell Chinese bikes, already started with some selling CFmoto, as for the Benelli 500, it was pretty much a copy of the Honda CB500 but not reliable, and the 750/900 were the same things but with a couple of extra cylinders tacked on, and they were available in the UK but they were expensive and poorly built, a few binned the engine and replaced it with the Honda engine as it stayed together far better, and there were also 250 and 350 versions
At that time, most Italian bikes had reliability issues, mostly due to their poor electrics. Riders usually upgraded them. Any still on the road will have been sorted.
@@ChrisParrett-qo4sx well aware of that, and they also had plenty of engine issues as well, and that goes for the Benelli and the Guzzi, neither were exactly the best bike either company made, so no not all still around will be sorted, electrics etc yes, mechanicals not so much
Have China 🇨🇳 bought over most of the large motorcycle companies and are now doing what Quality Street have done. 😅 Has China bought over the United kingdom 🇬🇧 and Europe 🇪🇺 Should we all learn 🤔 Mandarin 😅 I wonder do Chinese tourists get upset when they buy a souvenir in America and then find out it was made in China 🇨🇳 😅
I tried an old Guzzis Californian it vibrates much worse than my 883 sporty solid mounts and jumped to the right Everytime I gave it throttle. Totally overrated bike.
caution to buying triumph tridents, as they suffer with failed starter clutch,s!!!! 1991-1995 750/900 triples it,s a case of remove starter on top of engine and undo plate underneath to get to part....
1996-1998 models, its engine out of frame turn upside down and split crankcases to get to the same parts...also not sure if you even get the new clutch parts???.
Thank you so much, Mark! I’ll pin this comment
It,s very important to only start the engine with a fully charged battery that has the ability. to hold sufficient cold cranking amps.If you maintain a healthy battery on these bikes then the starter clutch will not fail.If you try to start these bikes with a weak battery the engine can backfire and distroy the starter clutch,( sprag clutch).
Mark, Triumph 2025 is NOTHING like Triumph of 1990”s. The 90’s were some of the darkest days ever for Triumph. There is simply no comparison between the quality of motorcycles from 90’s to today.
I believe the problem was actually with the ignition, which was later modified. If the battery was not healthy & fully charged then the engine would be spun over slightly slower when being started, which caused the engine to sometimes kickback when a spark plug fired - which then smashed the starter clutch. The replacement ignition was modified in some way to stop it firing as early at low cranking speeds if I remember correctly. It used to be my job to fix them 🫡.
@@philgifford8258 Then you might also remember Service Buelltin 194 relating to replacement of of sprag clutches and starter idler gears and ratio issued in Sep 1995. This arrangement of Sprag Clutch continued to be used in T300 (until 2003 in the case of the Trophy 1200) and in the 955i Gen 1 engines.
I was a 30-year-old business journalist when Triumph launched the Trident in 1991. I test rode a green one on a freezing cold day. After a couple of hours I couldn't feel my hands or feet but I didn't want to stop riding because of my excitement in knowing the British motorcycle industry was back in a big way. John Bloor had bought the rights to Triumph in 1983 and spent eight years and about £80 million is resurrecting the marque. His achievement was as great as that of Branson or Dyson but having always avoided the limelight it's seldom acknowledged. I've often thought about buying one of those original Tridents for sentimental reasons, but I'm a bit too old now for naked bikes - I feel the cold too much. Personally, I don't care whether a Triumph was built in Hinckley or on the Moon. It's the investment in production engineering that counts - the Japanese were the exemplars of this and John Bloor - to his credit - matched them.
Superb insight, I really enjoyed this
I've had(still got a tbird) 4 Hinckley made Triumphs. Don't think I'd have the same look on Thai made ones?🤔
Could have knocked me down with a feather. Just put the barbie on and sat down with a beer and here's Freddie sharing my Moto Guzzi trip. And yes, it could have been a book!! The following year, with said Danish girl, we drove a Landrover from London to Nairobi. First stop after the ferry from Spain...Marakesh. I still have a dodgy dagger I bought at the market! Now that trip would have been a bigger book!! Love your channel guys. Drive and ride safe and happy new year to you and yours and all of you lot watching this brilliant content. Cheers from NZ.
If you have any pics or stories (either 4x4 or bike) that you’d be open to sharing for the next book, I would be over the moon to share them- just email me at stories@thelibertatia.com
I’m thinking about doing a car road trip book too, so both car and bikes would be of huge interest:)
Hi Freddie
I feel compelled to comment on the ‘less for more’ T120 item.
I’m a 63 year old ex pat, been riding since 1980.
In ‘23 I paid $10K Canadian for a Gen 3 KLR- my 4th KLR and only the second brand new vehicle I have ever owned. I know these are ‘budget bikes’ but I was disappointed from the start by the cheap and nasty fit and finish.
Recently I happened to pick up a 2008 Triumph Tiger 955i- I was lucky enough to get one in mint condition and well maintained although it has 60,000 km on the clock.
The quality of the build is absolutely superb and the Hinckley triple is to die for. I paid over the odds at $4,500.
To quickly conclude - I got a better used bike for half the price of the new one, the accessory level being more or less comparable .
The new bikes are costing themselves out of existence and crammed with techno-crap that many of us have been trying for some time to avoid.
If I can- I will buy another older Tiger and store it until I have ridden the wheels off this one.
I bought a brand new Triumph Trident 900 ex California model returned to the U.K. in 1999, it was quite a looker with a fantastic original quality paint job but it was just too heavy and with a full tank of fuel I simply couldn't maneuver it around at walking pace speed, swapped it for a Honda X11 that I kept for several years.
The older Moto Guzzis are the best. I have a Nevada 750, tubeless spoked wheels, shaft drive, loads of torque, handles a dream, light, motorway miles in comfort. I’m always looking at new bikes but yet to find anything I like better!
Checking this out, thank you Jackie🙌🏻🙌🏻
There is a idea for you Freddie , as you like road trips in Europe , find, buy , a bike somewhere in Europe and bring it back to the UK export import the lot , Travel out by train not plane or car , and ride the bike back , if you go classic and if you shop wisely you could then sell to recoup your costs , or raffle it off on your channel .as a fun element lats say the bike has to be from that country so Germany a early boxer BMW or a MZ maybe a Munch Mammoth or Zundap Czech Republic a Jawa or CZ etc , so there's a suggestion if not a challenge for you it would make great content.
Munch Mammoth? Not a chance I'd buy a ticket tho
A munch mammoth, rare as hens teeth, megabucks if u can even find one, good suggestion, id buy a ticket too😊
I love this!! I also really should put my money where my mouth is at least once
@tuesdayatdobbs that's settled then young Frederick 👍
How long have you been watching our Mr. Dobbs?
Freddy the Benelli 900 sei, 500 Quattro and 250 Quattro were all sold in the UK back in the seventies but a combination of high price and attitudes to Italian bike reliability meant they didn’t sell well. I do remember seeing examples of all 3 bikes back in the 80’s (when I was still a young thing 😂)
No freakin way...! How do you find these kid..so proud!!!!
Freddie… The small Benelli fours (250cc, 350cc, 500cc) were sold in some markets as Moto Guzzis (they were owned by the same company) as were their two stoke bikes (initially the Guzzi version had improved spec, but later Benelli badged 2 strokes were the same… I used to race one of the Guzzi branded 250cc (231cc in fact) two stroke twins… some Benelli/Guzzi125 singles were built by the Meriden Triumph co-operative in the UK as the 'Co-uno' to keep the occupying workforce building bikes other than Bonnevilles).
I was really surprised to see my zzr1100 on the channel Freddie, thanks. What I didn’t mention was that it passed two mots since I built it, and it costs just £75 fully comp with no excess, and starting afresh with no no claims discount, the vehicle excise duty ( road tax) costs more than that. I’m thinking of selling and starting something else. As always great content and I wish I was in a warm country right now.
I had 3 ZZR1100s.....On a French backroad I raced a TGV train ..and I was winning. The village level crossing loomed so I stopped. My wife asked the speed..I said "125mph".."No" she said "165mph I was watching "..with wife and luggage.
and the best thing about J.B's bike of the week is that, apparently, @21:52 he rides with Ringo Starr (famous British rock n roll musician)
Those early Hinckley bikes are built like tanks! Ive had 4. Still got a 96 Thunderbird👍
When we were kids,the Quality street chocolates were wrapped in the transparent coloured wrappers, red, green, blue purple.
As young kids we loved those wrappers.
The Quality street chocolates now come wrapped in boring paper wrappers, that's disappointing.
I’ve just got myself a yam fzs1000 2002 in black , and it had been in the gentleman’s kitchen for 12yrs , but unfortunately the man passed. So I started it up done all the checks and to my surprise it had only done 2,600 miles from new. 22yrs old and it’s mint 😊
Hi Freddie, I'm loving your revelations about some of the older forgotten about motorcycles and how good many were. There are also some others that maybe weren't so good and are even rarer than some you have mentioned recently. In recent decades I went on a quest to try and identify what the first bike I ever rode as an 8 year old was. I found the answer last year and didn't even know this British bike came to Australia. I did a video about it on my channel last year but to summarise a long story the one I was given by an old-timer after he saw me admiring it on his back verandah was not in original condition. It had a lawn mower engine bolted onto the side with an exposed fly wheel, the frame was just the skeleton of the original bike and was showing various colours after being repainted many times. There was no clutch and no brakes, the throttle was a thumb control like you get on many lawnmowers, and the gears you changed by turning the left hand grip like a throttle, Forward for second, back for first and neutral in the middle. There were many other quirks to this motorcycle including the rear suspension being springs under the seat and the front was even more unusual with the small spring function down low near the axle. I could go on and on trying to describe this bike. But after a long search scrolling through Google and many UA-cam channels including your tour of a BSA museum a couple of years ago, I finally found the bike on a UA-cam video about a motorcycle collector in the US who found one in pieces in the boot of a car even though the bike was never imported to that country. The motorcycle in question is called a BSA Dandy which I understand was made to offer a very cheap form of transportation for commuters in the 50s. It wasn't very reliable, was prone to overheating and I've heard the original carburetor was inside the gearbox casing not outside like most bikes. Anyway I could go on but I wonder if you had ever heard of the BSA Dandy and is it still possible to buy one on the used market in the UK. I have not heard of any others in Australia. Unfortunately I don't have any photos of the one I rode 50 years ago but you can find some examples of the Dandy on UA-cam, Google and other websites. I know this won't classify as a Bike of The Week but would be interested to see what feedback you get from your viewers if you mention it. Has anyone else heard of what I understand is now an extremely rare little bike. Thanks for your time and enjoy the rest of your Sahara trip. Cheers from Grellis (aka Motorcycling Down Under Australia.)
PS - Starting my motorcycle riding journey on that bike with no brakes or clutch taught me a lot about engine braking. I'm sure the original bikes probably had both of those things along with the very unusual gear changer and throttle mechanism.
Freddie! It is I!! Michael here, the one who originally mentioned the idea of purchasing a Honda XRV 750 (or anything else to be honest) abroad and riding it back to the UK. Let's go on an adventure. You and I, fly or take the train to Italy, Milan or Rome probably easiest and pick up a bike each, bargain classics of course and ride them home. Mid to late Spring probably best to miss the snow riding through the Swiss Alps. Message me if you're seriously interested, that would be a HOOT! Cheers, Michael.
Great to hear from you, Michael! I’ve just saved your details as I am quite tempted by this😀
Happy New Year Freddie.
A group of companies in the South West of the UK has recently closed down. The brands they sold were Kia, Yamaha, Triumph, and Harley Davidson. The company said that they made only £15,000 profit last year. I am sure they won't be the last to close this year.
Starmernomics. Things will only get worse.
Freddie: The voice of a young Rowley Beirkin QC
I believe he must be vearrghy , vearrrrghyy, drunk….
I would agree about the Early Hinckley Triumph’s I have a 1993 900 Daytona it is definitely a bike of its time being very stable and slow ( by modern standards) on the steering, everything has to be planned ahead but it is fun to ride, the other guy who commented is 100% correction about the starter sprang clutch issue , fortunately mine had the removable top cover above the gearbox. On another subject, when I was in Australia the countryside as you discribe it seemed to be referred to by the locals as the GAFA.
Hi Freddie, i thought i would let youknow about another BMW dealer who has given up the brand. M & P a very successful dealer ship in South Wales, also decided to stop selling new BMWs they still Harley,s Kawasaki KTM and Royal Enfield pllus some other brands, their are very successful also doing lots of parts and accessories.
Whatyou said was so insightful. Manufacturers need to up thier game and think of the end result
If you dont have local dealers you aint going to buy the bikes
Thanks!
That’s incredibly kind of you, thank you Robert!
The bonneville did get a slight revamp in 2021 I think, some things were taken away but others were added, for example cruise control, also mods to the engine
Cheers Freddie, love the buying bike abroad and riding it back idea. You should probably take Joe (from the works) with you, re your enthusiasm for all things old ! At least it maybe rideable on the return😂 keep up the excellent vids Fred love your sense of adventure.
I cannot be trusted if the bike breaks down on the way home- I assume I’d just have to dump it somewhere and get a flight back home😆
Ah, the early Hinkley tridents. Lovely thing, bought one brand new in 1994, and sadly wrote it off 3 months later. I've been contemplating another as they are so cheap now.
Oh Freddie I’ve always loved those Guzzi’s . All though I’ve never seen one painted blue. A Guzzi is just a Harley with the motor turned the wrong way. Or actually the right way. To keep it cool. Old Guzzi”s are like Farmall tractors, they just keep working.
I’ve never considered this Steve, but I will now always think of Guzzis as Italian Harleys after this😀 They’re stunning aren’t they❤️🇮🇹
Hey Freddie , they did a Benelli 250 Quattro too , absolute jewel of bike 🙌
Oooooo googling this!
Buying any vehicle from Germany is great ,I used to be into classic VWs and have bought from Germany on several occasions.The system is so fair,no rip off insurance costs like the UK,at the local registration centre you pay a fixed price for everything and once you get it back you just pay the VAt at a reduced cost and get age related plates issued.Its a pity we don't have the same local registration system like Germany.I love the fact that the cost of everything is just that in Germany,no ifs or buts,no rip off insurance which varies wildly and with no apparent logic like the UK.
I'm really surprised you have not mentioned the New Hornet1000 at a£8999 it's the bargain of the decade,,,, 150hp.....
Great shout!
Thanks Freddie great content, I purchased my R1250 GS from Reiten Motorcycles a great team, wishing them all the best for their new adventure, speaking of adventures hope you and Monica are having a great time in Morocco look forward to the next part of the trip 👍
Freddie, when you talk about the race for the Japanese Superbikes with the ZZR1100 and the Honda Blackbird don’t forget about the totally bonkers Yamaha Vmax from 85 to 2010!….0 to 60 in 2.5 seconds, and styled as a cruiser, you can pick them up relatively cheaply if you have big enough balls as they reportedly didn’t have the handling to match the straight line speed, look them up!
I live in Austria , formerly from east Kent , UK , the used bikes here are mint as the don’t have any winter use,are meticulously maintained and not butchered with cheap aftermarket tat , I bought a mint ,low mileage Yamaha fazer 600 for moped money
I had a 96 thunderbird. I made an error selling it.
The bike market is heading for something not seen in a long time. Its basically crashed and prices are falling hard. Bargain hunting may be back, but biking is expensive today, no two ways about it.
IIRC many journo's classed the 900 trident as a hooligan-esque RD350 wheelie replacement hoot of a machine.
I worked with that man with the v50 we were with Harry Neal demolition Glad you made I was riding a Triumph t120 then still have
Oh wow, great job!
Rieten is my local BMW bike shop. BMW doesn't think they are big enough to sell new bikes. They are wonderful dealer
Tuesday with dobbsey. Love it ❤
Early Hinckley Triumphs are fabulous bikes, and have been undervalued by the market for years. A proper British bike, made in the Midlands, not in Thailand or India. The Trident launched in 1991, following the fully-faired Trophy (1200cc and 900cc) plus the sportier Daytona (750 and 1000). All based on the same T300 platform, with many common components, which makes spares a lot easier. The 900cc triple engine is widely regarded as the pick of the bunch. It has grunt and shove, plus it's compact and makes a wonderful noise. I have a 1991 Trophy 900 in red, just the second example sold in the UK, and registered on an 'H' plate.
I keep looking at the Daytona 955. The only problem I'm aware of is that they can suffer from the tanks swelling due to ethanol in the fuel taking on water.
@@h2489-m2l Yes, I had a lovely red 955i a little while back and took it to a specialist in old Triumphs; he said the tank had swollen and it'd be near impossible to remove (if I ever had to). You have to drain them entirely if you're not going to use the bike for any length of time.
I had a 1995 Trident 900. It was OK but had a high centre of gravity, making low speed handling a bit ponderous.
@@specialcircs The 955s are not on the T300 platform, they have a box section ally frame and fuel injection. Good bikes, but a departure from the rugged T300s which first came from the Hinckley factory.
@@specialcircs The issue is more the tank venting from the filler and drainage of the surround for the filler. If the drain pipe gets blocked, water seeps into the tank and reacts with the ethanol causing just enough gas pressure to pass through the Nylon tank wall but not the paint and decals which then lift from the surface. Simplest solution, apart from draining the tank, is to leave the filler open and protected by a waterproof cover if you don't want to do that but are leaving it unused for a long period. 955 Daytona's are less of a problem due to the way the body panels are mounted, it will come off and go back OK if stored supported at the mountings as they are on the bike. Tiger 955i tanks should never be set down on a flat surface, even empty as the "wings" tend to splay and that makes refitting the forward panels difficult. The T400 (885 Carb) Tigers are the worst culprits having screw inserts for the panels inserted into the lower edges of it's Nylon (made by Acerbis) tank.
This shouldn't put owners off, as @roverchap rightly says, the T300/400 machines in any of their configurations, are great bikes, reliable if cared for, about as bullet proof as you can get, seriously under rated and astonishing value in today's market. " '90's Triumphs darkest days" I really don't thinks so.
This is definitely the season now to get a deal on a bike.
Freddie, are you aware of charge's to use the Blackwall tunnel and the new Silvertown tunnel. 24 hours a day from £1.50 - £2.50!
Just seen this😳
Happy new year to you and yours Freddie
Happy new year!
As you know Freddie is bought my new T120 bonneville and had to spend £1,750 on accessories to complete the bike. I paid for the bike £11,350 and really after all the mods ended up being 13,350 by the end.
Very interesting. The base price is very tempting, but those extras add up wuickly
hope youre enjoying your trip freddie.
Loving every second of it, thank you so much!
I found this interesting. Please could you review air fryers next week?
Of course😆
@ Top man Freddie 🫢
Visitors to Italy 2025 should aim for Reggio Emilia in April and Imola in September for the Mostra Scrambio (Autojumble/Swapmeet) run by CRAME. Fly into Bologna and stay near the Railway Station. Add the Ducati Factory and Ferrari Museums to your itinary.
I can attest to Louis list as I have a 2020 T120 and have wondered the same thing. Why do the contain less and cost more.
I'm surprised Triumph don't make the front mudguard an optional extra in USA as most owners will put it in the bin (trash can).
Import legislation I suppose ?
I think companies need to be careful with the expensive options list. The Chinese bikes are improving their quality and coming with loads of kit as standard ,especially in the adventure market but I am sure they will up their game in the retro market as well.
Heated grips and radiator guard and centre stand were never standard in the UK and were always extras. Might be right in the USA though. Cruise control was added to all 2021 models. I would imagine in some states in the USA heated grips would never be needed
Thanks for this🙌🏻
Thanks again Freddie.
I had a 1999 Thunderbird sport in Red, it was one of the best bike's ive ever owned, had to sell it after a financial slump, still miss it very much, But i have a 2003 speed triple now, its almost as good, just not quite as pretty.
The Triumph story sounds like a mix of Shrinkflation and Spindoctoring...
Sadly the adventure bike craze pretty much killed the traditional Sports tourer in a lot of manufacturers product ranges.
The ZZR, CBRXX and Busa are wonderful machines that make covering distance at speed truly effortless.
Definitely worth taking a ride if you've never tried one before. So smooth in getting the job done.
Very affordable as well, what's not to like?
If you're after a new BMW motorcycle, it might be cheaper to buy it in Italy than in Germany. German motor manufacturers often sell cars at least for cheaper prices in Italy. A number of years ago there was a legal case to stop the manufacturers refusing to sell Germans their cars at Italian prices. Whether this still goes on, I don't know but it might be worth checking out BMW dealerships in Italy. I know it's further to travel, but think of the food and the scenery.
Hi Freddy, it would be great if you could share your thoughts on motorcycles that live outside in urban environments. I can afford a nice motorcycle; however, I live in the city of Amsterdam where i need to park my bike outside. I am looking for a motorcycle that is affordable enough you can leave it outside (3000 euro's maximum) but not interesting enough for thieves to steal or when the weather degrades the bike. Harleys and bikes with chrome parts aren't an option. I don't like racers and preferably I should be able to cruise to the south of france on it. I can across some interesting examples: Moto guzzi V75 Polizia (I would love to own a guzzi), Moto guzzi California Jackal/carlifornia/Nevada, Honda ST1100/1300, Yamaha FJ1200... What would you recommend?
You wont get many crayfish on the ceiling, i admire your optimism though.
Glad I wasn't the only one who thought that 😂
I had to look up at the ceiling to get this😆
Freddie I sold a BMW R60/6 to a German guy who used to come to the U.K. and buy BMW’s to export back to Germany as they were a lot cheaper here. So it’s not always cheaper to buy a BMW in Germany.
Interesting!
In the 1970s bennelli if I could spell it , sold a four cylinder 250 cc
That Benelli 500 looks like a copy of the CB 500 four Honda from that era.😊
They were,and the 900sei was the same with an extra cylinder tacked on each end
Bet it's a little warmer than the UK 😅
-7c here today in Chicago
Of course😆
All this doom and gloom about bike sales. The MCIA sales figures for December came out today. Bike sales were 122% up on Dec 2023 and for the year as a whole up by 3% compared with 2023. Something to cheer even if it looks like some big discounts across various brands may be the main cause.
The Trident looks cool. I've owned and now own 2 Hinckley Triumphs. 1st had a 2012 Tiger 1050se in pearl white full luggage, my cousin now owns it. It was a head turner. Now, a 2016 Trophy SE. Both great bikes.
Bike manufacturers & dealers are top heavy in staff & management. Sorry to say, but the industry is going to decline after so many good years, not enough young riders to replace us oldies, who have large disposable income& no mortgage. Then you have the cost of living to support your young family. If you tell your partner & kids there's no money for food or utility bills as you need a new set of tyres, it isn't going to go down very well.
Freddie beware - if you import a bike from Germany when you arrive at the UK border there is probably gonna be some UK taxes to pay.
A round of applause a British Built Motorcycle hooray.
Did Benelli not make a 6 cylinder bike
Yes,they made the 750 sei and 900 sei
The engines of those Benellis were apparently essentially reverse engineered Hondas. If you look closely it’s apparent.
Yes you are right and the 900sei had an extra cylinder tacked on each end. We had a local dealer when was in my teens and he sold bennelli,frantic, garrelli,gilera and even some gitane mopeds
Fantic!
I know, bloody auto correct!
I’ve got one, happens every, single, time, I try to write about it.
@@longjonwhite Frantic is actually a good name for one of those Italian mopeds. 👀🧐😎😜
Wow😳
Hyabusa translates to peregrine falcon. They eat blackbirds. Always beautiful marketing from Suzuki 👌🏽
@@MrG61-u9k Regardless, it is still called a Blackbird, whatever the reasoning.
@@MrG61-u9k That didn't really work, did it.
Disposable income is low, interest on finance is high, options and servicing are a con - and you can buy a bike nearly as good from India or China for 1/3 the price - shouldn't be a surprise to OEMs that the 70s is repeating itself!
I’ve just got a triumph sprint rs for £1k absolute bargain
Dobbs, who is your best Bond?
Connery for me- his screen presence was incredible
Triumph prices will kill the brand. New Honda cbr1000 with rave reviews by all 150 bhp for£8999
Let's face it - soon the only way to buy a brand new bike will be on Amazon.
All things you dont need freddie....TRIUMPH ARE TRYING TO GET THE PRICE DOWN.
Greed, Greed, Greed! does our companies, corporations, government think we are all millionaires! what do i know!!
I hear MotoGB soon won't be agents for Royal Alloy.
“Royal Alloy”??
@@G58 You need to get yourself the internet.
@G58… That’s ok, we all have gaps in our knowledge, but surely you could have typed that into Google as quickly as you did here.
Interesting!
@@tuesdayatdobbs From what I gather the two business have diverging interests. But I don't understand that because surely they both want to sell bikes? And with the market being rocky at the moment why would you want to try to establish a new dealer network? Wasn't Enfield going their own way? Yet I still see Enfield at my local MotoGB dealer. Royal Alloy bikes are now decent bits of kit. There more MotoGB dealers out there than Vespa dealers. Just seems odd.
You prob already know this Freddie but Suzuki named the Hayabusa thusly because Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcons) eat blackbirds for breakfast! Take that Honda!
This is one of the best back stories I’ve ever heard!
The Blackbird was named after the SR71 aircraft not the feathered variety, misplaced marketing from suzuki as usual.
Great video man as usual you're ratty10
I started riding Triumphs in the 70's. The new Triumphs are okay, but they are NOT really Triumphs. They're copies of Japanese bikes and about as bland as unsalted porridge. Oh, they go well and all that, but they're boring. Sorry, but they are. BMW's are fantastic bikes in many ways, but they're even MORE boring. People who don't understand what I'm saying are motorcycle enthusiasts. People who Do understand, are motorcycle LOVERS. I've ridden lots of bikes in my half century and most of them lack character in my opinion. I don't care about all the high tech gadgets a bike may come with, they're as soulless as an electric bike as far as I'm concerned.
A triumph bike woth 24000 kms needs to be rebuilt???
My dear Brits, Brexit is what you voted for. So stop whining about closing dealerships. Consequences...
We didn't all vote for it.
the Guzzi V50 was actually a pretty poor bike, reliable and hard wearing they were not, you really should research things before telling people to buy them, and now watch many of thesae big dealers start to sell Chinese bikes, already started with some selling CFmoto, as for the Benelli 500, it was pretty much a copy of the Honda CB500 but not reliable, and the 750/900 were the same things but with a couple of extra cylinders tacked on, and they were available in the UK but they were expensive and poorly built, a few binned the engine and replaced it with the Honda engine as it stayed together far better, and there were also 250 and 350 versions
At that time, most Italian bikes had reliability issues, mostly due to their poor electrics. Riders usually upgraded them. Any still on the road will have been sorted.
@@ChrisParrett-qo4sx well aware of that, and they also had plenty of engine issues as well, and that goes for the Benelli and the Guzzi, neither were exactly the best bike either company made, so no not all still around will be sorted, electrics etc yes, mechanicals not so much
Have China 🇨🇳 bought over most of the large motorcycle companies and are now doing what Quality Street have done.
😅
Has China bought over the United kingdom 🇬🇧 and Europe 🇪🇺
Should we all learn 🤔 Mandarin 😅
I wonder do Chinese tourists get upset when they buy a souvenir in America and then find out it was made in China 🇨🇳 😅
I tried an old Guzzis Californian it vibrates much worse than my 883 sporty solid mounts and jumped to the right Everytime I gave it throttle. Totally overrated bike.
Interesting!
No idea
How the hell do you do what you do not a negative comment just interesting and wishing you both all the best !!
I love it so much Allan😀 This is exactly what I’d dream of doing, so I know I’m extremely lucky
Because he’s so lovable 😊