I once owned a 96’ Speed Triple 750. As others have already said: They are top heavy bikes. Well made and I never had any issues. Although, at the time my bike was only four or five years old. I fitted upright bars and regularly used the bike for an 118 mile round-trip commute. With care, she remained a Black Beauty. A sunny day made my journey to West Dorset more like a Sunday blast. The spine-tingling sound of that T300 triple motor never leaves your soul! To the extent that I later owned a couple of T’Bird 900 Sports. We owe a lot to the Trident T300 and its siblings, in the early range of Hinkley bikes. Without which the marque would not have become the success it is today.
Personally I think that the T300, of the “new” 1990’s triumph Trident 750 and 900 triples the 750’s were a remarkably smooth and potent machine capable of all day comfort, usable power and one of the best all rounders they ever made. It was a bit top heavy and tall but I used one for commuting, touring and weekend scratching and it was a fabulous and very practical modern machine. The new retro range owe more to the 750 bloor triple than older T160’s . That 750 also held the reliability record for Bloor when one achieved 140,000 trouble free miles ridden by a dispatcher who bought one new in the 90’s. Triumph bought it back off him and stripped it to find the engine was remarkably within tolerance! At that time, Porsche engineers visted the Triumph factory to discover how Triumph managed sub 3 micron tolerances on their camshafts, something that Porsche struggled to equal. Those 90’s trumpets were very over engineered deliberately to regain trust in brand reliability and that sweet revvy 750 was imho the best of the 90’s engines. Same pistons and blocks as the 900’s but shorter stroke and much smoother running. Similar top speeds and the 750 may have had less torque but it lacked the vibes of the 900 and was the more refined and more reliable lump.
The 750 were superb bikes. I borrowed one when my 1000 sport was in for a service and I honestly wished I could have swapped them! It handled just right, accelerated smoothly and cornered like it was on rails! Try getting one now! They're as rare as rocking horse poo!
@@stephentaylor1476 That may have well been the courier. I was shown around the factory in 1997 and they said they’d bought the bike and given the owner a new one.
@@ReferenceFidelityComponents hello, I've now extracted this pamphlet from the loft and will be happy to send it to you you if you could send it back. I will send you a sae envelope, please let me know.
I bought a Trident 900 brand new in 1998 and sold it in May 2021. It took me to Europe many times and up to Scotland and down to Cornwall many times. It never broke down, never let me down and it was a difficult decision to sell it but I sold it a mate so I can get to see it any time I like. I replaced it with a new Speed Triple 1050 RS (from Bill Smith at Chester). The Trident was fast, economical, comfortable and had loads of character. Yes it is very top heavy and demands that it is ridden with respect. I had an FZ600 before the Trident and the first time I rode the Trident I thought I was going to drop it the first corner I went round. But, once used to it it handled very well for what it is. In terms of 0-60 acceleration it surprised quite a few of my mates.
I owned and ran a 1996 T312 Trophy 1200 with the same frame for about four years covering about 50,000 miles. What a bike! the early Hinkley Triumphs were very well made, reliable and fun. Mine would easily lift the front wheel at the taffic lights grand prix. Those four cylinder bikes were secretly fantastic!
The Trident was available from '91-'04, also as a 750. Lumpy below 3k can indicate a carb balance is needed. These normally run right at the bottom of the temp gauge, if it's overheating something is not right, my '95 Steamer never overheated despite spending most of it's 97k miles in the tropics, until the thermostat jammed in Wales. If you're doing all the work that the CRK entails, change the sprag clutch/gear to the newer type and don't neglect the battery as "Threepot" said. The brakes on that are the B Spec, A Spec have floating discs and 4 pot Nissins, if the rear locks up too easily, rebuild the caliper, the two pot 27mm Nissin sliding calipers can stick then grab if neglected, the grease in the slider pin sockets may have gone hard.
Doh! The secret is out. Those lovely Hinckley Tridents are classics. I've been pining for one for years. The 750s insure for less than the 900s and the 900s are marginally more powerful. Being old, 66, I have hesitated moving up from my 83 nighthawk 650, but should just get on with it. Thanks for the video. I do like a little lemon drizzle cake. Still having nightmares from driving my 500 Daytona in the dark in the late seventies. These Tridents are not those Triumphs
I'm genuinely considering one of these as a first big bike, I like to do classic style touring, going in a direction with a paper map and finding new places. with the large tank and riding position it seems perfect for me.
Stew has had a few issues with his mainly electrical He bought an old kawasaki versys 650 for very little money and that has taken him all over the place really reliable. Last year we rode from spain to northern france and it didnt miss a beat
Bought one these as my first big bike after test riding all the latest bikes. It its heavy, but its also planted! I recommissioned it myself with no mechanical experience, its east to work on and hasn't dropped a beat this season. Comfortable on long rides, fast enough (for my first bike) and that engine is a delight. Go for it, you wont regret it.
My 1200 Daytona does keep up with everything on the road and easily beats most bikes I bought it to replace my zzr 1100 and despite what the media says the triumph was definitely the faster bike , I’ve had it 12 years and I’ll never change it !
Just a small correction, the Trident T160’s were made at the old BSA factory at Small Heath and not at Meriden. When NVT collapsed the Co-operative at Meriden kept making the twins which was the much older bike of course. Anyway excited at the prospect of seeing that R90S !
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about this T300. I ride a 96 Speed Triple. The top heavy nature adds so much to the riding experience for me. I am looking forward to your presentation of the bike with the CBK Kit. 🫡
In the right hands, those T300`s could show many a Japanese superbike a clean pair of silencers. I remember back around 2000, a mate of mine said he COULD`NT stay with me through twisty lanes, bot 2 up, and he was on a Yamaha Thunderace. I was on my Daytona 1000, which i still have, but needs a full restoration.
I've been riding Hinckley bikes for 27yrs. My first was a 900 Trident. Lovely bike,but keep battery charged otherwise starter clutch could fail. Front brakes are not great. Coils can fail due to positioning over engine,but cheaper alternatives are available.
I had a cruiser styled "Legend" 900 version . Liked but not loved. Heavy, tall and thirsty (5 speed box) but went well and sounded lovely. I think the Trident is a better looking machine tbh and possibly more a "riders" machine? Amazing how cheaply these early Hinkley triples (and fours) can be picked up for now! Another interesting and well produced review. Thank you 👍
I had 1996 model T-300 which I built into a “Speed Trident”, with a Speed Triple 17” rear wheel, amongst other mods. It was a great bike, and I look forward to seeing your build progress!
Thanks guys very nostalgic. I had one which I traded for a Speed Tripple the traded that for a Sprint with luggage. I also found them top heavy but really enjoyed them.
Had one of these, absolutely stonking machine, unburstable strong engine, loved it, I lightly cafe'd mine with lower bars more open exhausts and a bumstop hump seat. And then I had the series 1 speed triple another grunt machine as close as I could get to a Jota.. Wish I could still have them but mayor Khan hates anything older than 2006.
Purchased a new 1997 Trident 900 in 1998 as leftover. Due to top heavy weight, not a lot of fun in the tight stuff although very stable in fast bends. Acceleration from 55mph to 100 is incredibly quick with just a roll on. US magazines called this a Gentleman's Express, seemed pretty accurate. They don't like to sit more than a couple weeks or tough to start, otherwise solid machine. There was a recall on mine for leaking slave cylinder on the clutch. Simple fix. Still had carbs so best to keep good fuel in it and drain if not ridden.
The American magazine "Cafe Racer" has done a series of articles on the conversion of a 1995 Triumph Trident 900 custom using the CRK bodywork. You might like to check out their build. Thanks for the U tube channel.
WOW I always wanted a Yamaha triple..incredible sound. I had a 2005 Bonnie which I sold to finance kids braces. I love this trident. Thank you for the video.
Did you get that Yamha triple, Fernando? Back in the 80s I really loved my XS 750 for its engine, though never really trusted its handling after a high speed wobble, which came from nowhere. Am now looking forward to collecting a 93 Sprint next week. It might have a low speed wobble due to high centre of grvity, but once under way am confident that it will be nothing like the the Yammie Shaftie. Let's hope so !
Currently I have a 92 trophy, I really am new to motorcycles compared to most 7years. I have to say, the worst periods for me is winter, as I don't ride the bike. In summer the bike is a blast, the noise, the weight, the power, it's just so visceral and raw.
It's worth remembering, that Triumph helped Kawasaki in the sixties. When John Bloor needed help, Kawasaki helped them. That's why you can see so many Kawasaki Ninja-design parts on it.
Could you find a power plant for a proper cafe racer build ? and keep that one standard for the odd ride out, looks to be in pretty nice nick for chopping.
I buit 2 crk bikes last year, They now have a 14 liter tank option , I've used that tank but its very wide at the back and stops you tucking in your nees, but the range is a lot better, They make a great cafe racer, goes and handles much better with the weight off and upjetting, The fat tank is a shame , and its not very comfortable, you need lots of breaks, so I would use the 10 liter tank if I built another, Good luck with your build.
Bought my Trident 900 in 93 and still have it. One owner for nearly 31 years. You'll find many of the tridents coming up for sale these days are from owners that have died or finally found the bike is now too heavy to manouvre around in the garage, they are a bit top heavy by modern standards but if you're a tall heavy guy like me 6'4" and 16st they are excellent. big enough to fit me perfectly all day, many oversees trips to Barcelona and `S of France under myself and Mrs W before the kids arrived and fairly easy to work on, though I've never been keen on shimmed valve clearances. I would disagree about the CRK kit making it easier to ride, you lose a little bit of weight from up top, though not enough to make a lot of real difference if your my size because your own weight is what dictates how you can hustle this bike round corners but the weight transfer onto your wrists while making the riding position feel nice but will reduce the length of time you want to ride in one stretch. and if you're not careful bring the zip or buckle on your cafe racing rocker style leather jacket into contact with the paint on the new tank much more than was previously the case. put the daytona 4 pot brakes on it with the larger diameter master cyinder ( VN 1300 fits perfectly, and you can put the triumph top back on the reservoir ) and it'll stop much much better and you won't feel the same need to press the rear and lock it up.
I found my 2000AD thunderbird i bought brand new absolutely awesome, had it for ten years trouble free , went everywhere on it and used it every day then it got nicked outside of my work Jesus! Loved that bike, probably still have it now 22 years later . Insurance payed out so I bought an
I owned one it was a good if limited bike .A genuine 200 mile range and pretty comfortable as well. I loved the engine the low rev vibration is a sign that the carbs need balancing. The frame is the biggest limitation as it kept the weight high not helped by the 5 gallon tank . That said the bike was for me reliable transport I never had any problems with it and for a startup company a good solid product sprag clutch aside. Classic bike possibly not but I would rather have one over a Meridian/NVT bike which are often expensive money pits.
Hello team Good to be back with you. And a very intresting subject.. When the Trident appeared from Hinckley in 91 i was 31 years old and preparing to settle into married life. Hence I sold myYamaha XS750 triple shaft drive, probably that year. I didn't take much notice of what John Bloor was doing back then, but 30 odd years on and looking at the heritage he has created, I would certainly say these are young classics now, and I think they are amazing.. Much is commented on regarding the spine frame and high centre of gravity, continued right on now with the modern Tigers, but as long as you are not too challenged on the inside leg measurement you should be fine. Hopefully soon the right early Trident or Sprint will turn up, with the all important sprag clutch inspction cover.Later years it was phased out (95 or 96?) which could be a problem if atttention needed. Old fashionened - but aren't all classics!- and great build quality. Plus affordable, as you rightly point out.
From your name I guess you loved the torque on your Sprint! Was the Trophy a very diffent bike ride? The spec looks very similar. Will meet my 93 burgundy Sprint next week. Looks to have been cared for throughout its 46k mile life
Drop the headstock over the forks by about an inch or so to improve the handling! Something I wish I knew when I bought my Trophy 900 in `92 as it under steered through corners. My Daytona 1000 Sport on the other hand handled far better as the bike was lower on the forks! It gave me confidence to attack corners!! But they're both great bikes.
Aesthetically as an alternative to a classic I'd go for the Thunderbird range including Adventurer, Thunderbird Sport and Legend. Some of the colour schemes are awesome.
I bought a very early Trident fitted with a Sprint fairing. Great until the red paint/sealer started to peel off the inside of the tank. Never ending carburettor grief and I was very glad to see the back of it.
I had a Thunderbird sport for 5 years , loved the motor and its power delivery and sound , however it was always top heavy and too tall for my short legs , reason I bought a modern Bonnie , when I sold the T-bird I got £2K more than I paid for it 🙂
I think the early Hinckley bikes were in a class of there own, they are and will become a classic. The early 2001-2005 Bonneville's are outstanding bullet prof bikes with great looks.
Yeah good vlog. Not many of these left in unmolested trim. Yeah, crack on Stu, cause the more converted, the better the value of my standard, low mileage, unmolested version in British racing green 😁. I owned Ian (CRK) original crk roadster based on a trophy 1200. Cool as f#%k but moved it on as now believe original is best. Ian is a great guy👍✌😎 Edit: With the crk there are a few issues. The fuel tank is way too small. Header tank for coolant is inaccessible without taking the fuel tank off. The fuel tap gets in the way of the ram air filter and the filter seems a poor fit and had to keep re seating it. But guess these are gremlins Stu can sort👍
I would disagree that Hinckley Triumph has no connection to Meriden Triumph. John Bloor didn't just buy the name, he bought the entire assets of Meriden company. He licensed the continued limited production of T140 Bonnevilles, and immediately set about creating a new motorcycle production company at Hinckley, recruiting several ex-Meriden engineers and production managers. It is not at all like BSA being re-introduced 50 years after the original company ended. There is a more than a thread of continuity from Meriden to Hinckley. Bloor was really achieving what a better-managed and funded Meriden could and should have done, producing a range of quality modern machines which could compete with the Japanese.
Always liked the Hinckley trident from launch. However when finally riding one only a couple of years ago, was very disappointed. The seating position just doesn’t suit me. Put loads of strain on my stomach muscles. I wanted so much to like it, as I had considered buying one.
Thanks John all is fine apart from the weather and salt on the roads I am desperate to get out again but dont want to risk the beautiful bikes we have lined up Also Dave and Richard have had covid We have coming up BMWR90S Morini500 1st gen Fireblade Harley Electraglide harley Fatboy All waiting and ready to be ridden Thanks for the concern
@@LemonDrizzleGang Thanks Mike, a lot to look forward to then. I forgot you were in the middle of winter. It's easy to become insular when the sun is shining, but you're been missed. Cheers from Tassie.
Instead of the CRK tank, why not just fit the tank off a thunderbird?. It a much better shape, not sure about the capacity but it should be more than the small CRK one.
I've ridden a T309 Mk I Speed Triple for well over a decade now. Yes, it is a heavy bike but well planted at speed on motorway and I can't say wind buffeting has been a problem at (mostly) legal speeds. The top-heavy nature is something to be wary of but only for the first few miles with a full tank. After that it's pretty dependable. I've never locked the rear wheel up in all my years on it - you guys wearing clod-hoppers or something?! Oh one other thing, ditch the Mikunis for Keihins and live a happier life!
After owning 60 bikes since the 80's, in the past 10 years, a Daytona 955i, Speed triple 1050 and a 675 Daytona i quite fancy an older triumph. The new bikes on sale do absolutely nothing for me at all. Sensors, injection and electronics really let me down. My latest 2012 Honda crossrunner is top heavy. Going to px it in for a Triumph trident 750 N reg 24000 miles. It has a twin bikini headlight fairing. Could be a Powerbronze, not sure. It's definitely not standard. Rest of looks like a museum piece. British racing green. Looks half decent for £2500.
so we have a stock 27 yearn old semi classic that can only get better as time moves on ..then we are going to muck it up and ruin it .. great idea ..yes lets follow the screw it up ..and lie about how nice it is so the block feels good about it ..super
@@katana258 despite what we said its Stewarts bike to do with as he chooses at the end of the day, why will he “muck it up and ruin it” or “screw it up” I would never presume to pass my judgement on something you choose to do but thanks for watching
The original Triumph 3 and 4 cylinder crotch rockets were basically copies of a Kawasaki model except the English built model cost twice as much. People used to copy English motorcycles and now the English copy Japanese motorcycles. I have found Japanese motorcycles to be a One-Shot wonder and just soon as the cam chain breaks and destroys your engine you need to buy another bike. The campaign's on my CX500 destroyed his engine at 250,000 miles. My gear drive Harley Sportster has 350,000 miles that I put on in 20 years. Japanese motorcycles all follow the Honda 750 model where you have everything running in Bear aluminum and if you lose oil pressure your engine is toast. The English had everything running in bearings or bushings because they were not made to be obsolete they were made to last forever. They were made nice and simple and practical. If you abuse and neglect that machine it doesn't matter its country-of-origin it will bite you in the ass quite painfully and quite expensively. I helped on the rebuild of my fifty-year-old Triumph TR6 650 and it was a great learning experience. Plus doing work on your motorcycle gives you a connection with your motorcycle that you simply don't get from just putting gas into it. You get a sense of Pride by doing it yourself. But all the new bikes are loaded with electronics that are delicate and very expensive when they fry. One little mistake and you fry a $400 brain box for your motorcycle that now has to be replaced.
Just a detail but the early Hinckley bikes weren’t copies of Kawasaki’s, but were certainly influenced by their design philosophies. The bikes had to be right from the outset, so the Triumph design team looked closely at all the competition before settling on their own design. The result was modern but not ground breaking at the time, but they were superbly built and we loved them all from the outset. I ride a 1993 900 Daytona and I love it.
Not a good bike but best of luck with it sprag clutches wet liners coils and the air filter is a replacement for whole airbox getting the carbs out nightmare as inlets are old and hard in my opinion early Hinckley triumph are more trouble then there worth even at £900
There are cheap and easy fixes for each of those issues. Well maybe not the wet liners, but the engines are so bulletproof, why would you ever need to take it apart?
Hi Phillip - we are continually trying to improve the videos which bit of the sound did you not like because I turned it low during the ride and the talking, would you prefer it without music in those bits or the whole of the video - CheersMike
Wonderful bikes to be sure, but NO, definitely not a CLASSIC, imo. While it bears the names Triumph and Trident, it’s REALLY just a distant cousin to the Yamahas, Suzukis, Kawasakis, and Hondas of the Japanese ‘Big Four’. A CLASSIC, should be something that has a special quality to it, that is most often called; ‘Character’ by riders of such machines. There were for example, many different British motorcycles produced back in the fifties and sixties, some of them are now regarded as Classics, such as the iconoc Triumph T120 650 Bonneville, but others, are definitely NOT regarded as Classics, such as the God-AWFUL AJS 650 parallel twin (which I believe was called a CSR?) MANY people would like a Triumph Bonneville, but NOBODY wants an AJS 650 twin. AJS made BRILLIANT singles, that everyone knows are Classics, but they SUCKED at making twins and NOBODY wants one of them. Certainly nobody regards them as Classics. The fact is that there is no motorcycle anywhere that is anything like the original Trident. ONLY those T150s and T160s produce that spine tingling howl and that alone is why I say that the only REAL Tridents are those. The others are decent nods to the originals, but if offered the choice between the two, I would take the original thanks. Every time. I just like the way they look, sound, feel, and smell, as well as how they ride, etc. My first one was a 1969 T150 and a decade later, I owned a T160. I miss them both. I’m currently restoring a 1974 T150 that belongs to a mate of mine.
I once owned a 96’ Speed Triple 750. As others have already said: They are top heavy bikes. Well made and I never had any issues. Although, at the time my bike was only four or five years old.
I fitted upright bars and regularly used the bike for an 118 mile round-trip commute.
With care, she remained a Black Beauty.
A sunny day made my journey to West Dorset more like a Sunday blast.
The spine-tingling sound of that T300 triple motor never leaves your soul!
To the extent that I later owned a couple of T’Bird 900 Sports.
We owe a lot to the Trident T300 and its siblings, in the early range of Hinkley bikes. Without which the marque would not have become the success it is today.
Personally I think that the T300, of the “new” 1990’s triumph Trident 750 and 900 triples the 750’s were a remarkably smooth and potent machine capable of all day comfort, usable power and one of the best all rounders they ever made. It was a bit top heavy and tall but I used one for commuting, touring and weekend scratching and it was a fabulous and very practical modern machine. The new retro range owe more to the 750 bloor triple than older T160’s . That 750 also held the reliability record for Bloor when one achieved 140,000 trouble free miles ridden by a dispatcher who bought one new in the 90’s. Triumph bought it back off him and stripped it to find the engine was remarkably within tolerance! At that time, Porsche engineers visted the Triumph factory to discover how Triumph managed sub 3 micron tolerances on their camshafts, something that Porsche struggled to equal. Those 90’s trumpets were very over engineered deliberately to regain trust in brand reliability and that sweet revvy 750 was imho the best of the 90’s engines. Same pistons and blocks as the 900’s but shorter stroke and much smoother running. Similar top speeds and the 750 may have had less torque but it lacked the vibes of the 900 and was the more refined and more reliable lump.
The 750 were superb bikes. I borrowed one when my 1000 sport was in for a service and I honestly wished I could have swapped them! It handled just right, accelerated smoothly and cornered like it was on rails! Try getting one now! They're as rare as rocking horse poo!
Ian Guiting I think that's his name owned Wavely couriers he did 250000 miles on it .I've got the magazine in my loft as proof.
@@stephentaylor1476 That may have well been the courier. I was shown around the factory in 1997 and they said they’d bought the bike and given the owner a new one.
When I get time , I'll dig it out of the loft, and send you more details on it.
@@ReferenceFidelityComponents hello, I've now extracted this pamphlet from the loft and will be happy to send it to you you if you could send it back. I will send you a sae envelope, please let me know.
I bought a Trident 900 brand new in 1998 and sold it in May 2021. It took me to Europe many times and up to Scotland and down to Cornwall many times. It never broke down, never let me down and it was a difficult decision to sell it but I sold it a mate so I can get to see it any time I like. I replaced it with a new Speed Triple 1050 RS (from Bill Smith at Chester). The Trident was fast, economical, comfortable and had loads of character. Yes it is very top heavy and demands that it is ridden with respect. I had an FZ600 before the Trident and the first time I rode the Trident I thought I was going to drop it the first corner I went round. But, once used to it it handled very well for what it is. In terms of 0-60 acceleration it surprised quite a few of my mates.
I owned and ran a 1996 T312 Trophy 1200 with the same frame for about four years covering about 50,000 miles. What a bike! the early Hinkley Triumphs were very well made, reliable and fun. Mine would easily lift the front wheel at the taffic lights grand prix. Those four cylinder bikes were secretly fantastic!
The Trident was available from '91-'04, also as a 750. Lumpy below 3k can indicate a carb balance is needed. These normally run right at the bottom of the temp gauge, if it's overheating something is not right, my '95 Steamer never overheated despite spending most of it's 97k miles in the tropics, until the thermostat jammed in Wales. If you're doing all the work that the CRK entails, change the sprag clutch/gear to the newer type and don't neglect the battery as "Threepot" said. The brakes on that are the B Spec, A Spec have floating discs and 4 pot Nissins, if the rear locks up too easily, rebuild the caliper, the two pot 27mm Nissin sliding calipers can stick then grab if neglected, the grease in the slider pin sockets may have gone hard.
Doh! The secret is out. Those lovely Hinckley Tridents are classics. I've been pining for one for years. The 750s insure for less than the 900s and the 900s are marginally more powerful. Being old, 66, I have hesitated moving up from my 83 nighthawk 650, but should just get on with it. Thanks for the video. I do like a little lemon drizzle cake. Still having nightmares from driving my 500 Daytona in the dark in the late seventies. These Tridents are not those Triumphs
I'm genuinely considering one of these as a first big bike, I like to do classic style touring, going in a direction with a paper map and finding new places. with the large tank and riding position it seems perfect for me.
Stew has had a few issues with his mainly electrical
He bought an old kawasaki versys 650 for very little money and that has taken him all over the place really reliable. Last year we rode from spain to northern france and it didnt miss a beat
Bought one these as my first big bike after test riding all the latest bikes. It its heavy, but its also planted! I recommissioned it myself with no mechanical experience, its east to work on and hasn't dropped a beat this season. Comfortable on long rides, fast enough (for my first bike) and that engine is a delight. Go for it, you wont regret it.
My 1200 Daytona does keep up with everything on the road and easily beats most bikes I bought it to replace my zzr 1100 and despite what the media says the triumph was definitely the faster bike , I’ve had it 12 years and I’ll never change it !
Just a small correction, the Trident T160’s were made at the old BSA factory at Small Heath and not at Meriden. When NVT collapsed the Co-operative at Meriden kept making the twins which was the much older bike of course. Anyway excited at the prospect of seeing that R90S !
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about this T300. I ride a 96 Speed Triple. The top heavy nature adds so much to the riding experience for me.
I am looking forward to your presentation of the bike with the CBK Kit. 🫡
In the right hands, those T300`s could show many a Japanese superbike a clean pair of silencers. I remember back around 2000, a mate of mine said he COULD`NT stay with me through twisty lanes, bot 2 up, and he was on a Yamaha Thunderace. I was on my Daytona 1000, which i still have, but needs a full restoration.
I've been riding Hinckley bikes for 27yrs. My first was a 900 Trident. Lovely bike,but keep battery charged otherwise starter clutch could fail. Front brakes are not great. Coils can fail due to positioning over engine,but cheaper alternatives are available.
Glad I discovered this channel
Thanks for watching
I had a cruiser styled "Legend" 900 version . Liked but not loved. Heavy, tall and thirsty (5 speed box) but went well and sounded lovely. I think the Trident is a better looking machine tbh and possibly more a "riders" machine? Amazing how cheaply these early Hinkley triples (and fours) can be picked up for now! Another interesting and well produced review. Thank you 👍
I had 1996 model T-300 which I built into a “Speed Trident”, with a Speed Triple 17” rear wheel, amongst other mods. It was a great bike, and I look forward to seeing your build progress!
Thanks guys very nostalgic. I had one which I traded for a Speed Tripple the traded that for a Sprint with luggage. I also found them top heavy but really enjoyed them.
If you enjoyed this don't forget to check out some of the other videos.
Had one of these, absolutely stonking machine, unburstable strong engine, loved it, I lightly cafe'd mine with lower bars more open exhausts and a bumstop hump seat. And then I had the series 1 speed triple another grunt machine as close as I could get to a Jota.. Wish I could still have them but mayor Khan hates anything older than 2006.
1975 T 140 which i use every day problems free, also have a 995i
Purchased a new 1997 Trident 900 in 1998 as leftover. Due to top heavy weight, not a lot of fun in the tight stuff although very stable in fast bends. Acceleration from 55mph to 100 is incredibly quick with just a roll on. US magazines called this a Gentleman's Express, seemed pretty accurate. They don't like to sit more than a couple weeks or tough to start, otherwise solid machine. There was a recall on mine for leaking slave cylinder on the clutch. Simple fix. Still had carbs so best to keep good fuel in it and drain if not ridden.
You always do an honest down to earth report on the bikes . Thanks Mike
The American magazine "Cafe Racer" has done a series of articles on the conversion of a 1995 Triumph Trident 900 custom using the CRK bodywork. You might like to check out their build. Thanks for the U tube channel.
WOW I always wanted a Yamaha triple..incredible sound. I had a 2005 Bonnie which I sold to finance kids braces. I love this trident. Thank you for the video.
Did you get that Yamha triple, Fernando? Back in the 80s I really loved my XS 750 for its engine, though never really trusted its handling after a high speed wobble, which came from nowhere. Am now looking forward to collecting a 93 Sprint next week. It might have a low speed wobble due to high centre of grvity, but once under way am confident that it will be nothing like the the Yammie Shaftie. Let's hope so !
Not yet Matthew. Soon...before I drop dead!
Currently I have a 92 trophy, I really am new to motorcycles compared to most 7years. I have to say, the worst periods for me is winter, as I don't ride the bike. In summer the bike is a blast, the noise, the weight, the power, it's just so visceral and raw.
Next week we are starting filming again got some tasty bikes lined up I have been desperate to get out again
Thanks for watching Mike
That does sound good… as you say it’s a modern classic in it’s own right. Good video - thanks.
I wonder if any Bloor-Tridents was converted to T160 look-alikes?
It sure does makes the right noices.
It's worth remembering, that Triumph helped Kawasaki in the sixties. When John Bloor needed help, Kawasaki helped them. That's why you can see so many Kawasaki Ninja-design parts on it.
Could you find a power plant for a proper cafe racer build ? and keep that one standard for the odd ride out, looks to be in pretty nice nick for chopping.
I buit 2 crk bikes last year, They now have a 14 liter tank option , I've used that tank but its very wide at the back and stops you tucking in your nees, but the range is a lot better, They make a great cafe racer, goes and handles much better with the weight off and upjetting, The fat tank is a shame , and its not very comfortable, you need lots of breaks, so I would use the 10 liter tank if I built another, Good luck with your build.
Thanks Ray great info I will pass on to Stew…cheers Mike
Bought my Trident 900 in 93 and still have it. One owner for nearly 31 years. You'll find many of the tridents coming up for sale these days are from owners that have died or finally found the bike is now too heavy to manouvre around in the garage, they are a bit top heavy by modern standards but if you're a tall heavy guy like me 6'4" and 16st they are excellent. big enough to fit me perfectly all day, many oversees trips to Barcelona and `S of France under myself and Mrs W before the kids arrived and fairly easy to work on, though I've never been keen on shimmed valve clearances. I would disagree about the CRK kit making it easier to ride, you lose a little bit of weight from up top, though not enough to make a lot of real difference if your my size because your own weight is what dictates how you can hustle this bike round corners but the weight transfer onto your wrists while making the riding position feel nice but will reduce the length of time you want to ride in one stretch. and if you're not careful bring the zip or buckle on your cafe racing rocker style leather jacket into contact with the paint on the new tank much more than was previously the case. put the daytona 4 pot brakes on it with the larger diameter master cyinder ( VN 1300 fits perfectly, and you can put the triumph top back on the reservoir ) and it'll stop much much better and you won't feel the same need to press the rear and lock it up.
I owned a 1998 Triumph Trophy back in 1999. Loved it. This 900 is a beautiful bike, especially for the price he paid, he practically stole it !
I found my 2000AD thunderbird i bought brand new absolutely awesome, had it for ten years trouble free , went everywhere on it and used it every day then it got nicked outside of my work Jesus! Loved that bike, probably still have it now 22 years later . Insurance payed out so I bought an
I owned one it was a good if limited bike .A genuine 200 mile range and pretty comfortable as well. I loved the engine the low rev vibration is a sign that the carbs need balancing. The frame is the biggest limitation as it kept the weight high not helped by the 5 gallon tank . That said the bike was for me reliable transport I never had any problems with it and for a startup company a good solid product sprag clutch aside. Classic bike possibly not but I would rather have one over a Meridian/NVT bike which are often expensive money pits.
Hello team Good to be back with you. And a very intresting subject.. When the Trident appeared from Hinckley in 91 i was 31 years old and preparing to settle into married life. Hence I sold myYamaha XS750 triple shaft drive, probably that year. I didn't take much notice of what John Bloor was doing back then, but 30 odd years on and looking at the heritage he has created, I would certainly say these are young classics now, and I think they are amazing.. Much is commented on regarding the spine frame and high centre of gravity, continued right on now with the modern Tigers, but as long as you are not too challenged on the inside leg measurement you should be fine. Hopefully soon the right early Trident or Sprint will turn up, with the all important sprag clutch inspction cover.Later years it was phased out (95 or 96?) which could be a problem if atttention needed. Old fashionened - but aren't all classics!- and great build quality. Plus affordable, as you rightly point out.
Had a 94 SPRINT for 50000km: loved that bike! Big, grunty -never let me down. Then a 98 TROPHY.
From your name I guess you loved the torque on your Sprint! Was the Trophy a very diffent bike ride? The spec looks very similar. Will meet my 93 burgundy Sprint next week. Looks to have been cared for throughout its 46k mile life
Still got my 94 sprint with 53k miles. Currently at the IoM TT.
The triumph triples are great engines, my go to bike is a 2007 1050 a real roadster.
Drop the headstock over the forks by about an inch or so to improve the handling! Something I wish I knew when I bought my Trophy 900 in `92 as it under steered through corners. My Daytona 1000 Sport on the other hand handled far better as the bike was lower on the forks! It gave me confidence to attack corners!! But they're both great bikes.
Sounds as good as it looks lovely real bike
Aesthetically as an alternative to a classic I'd go for the Thunderbird range including Adventurer, Thunderbird Sport and Legend. Some of the colour schemes are awesome.
I bought a very early Trident fitted with a Sprint fairing. Great until the red paint/sealer started to peel off the inside of the tank. Never ending carburettor grief and I was very glad to see the back of it.
The sealer your talking about wasn’t a factory option
Was there a follow up to this?
Still ongoing 😀👍
I had a Thunderbird Sport but didn't really gel with it
Top value for money cheers gang 👍🏻
I had a Thunderbird sport for 5 years , loved the motor and its power delivery and sound , however it was always top heavy and too tall for my short legs , reason I bought a modern Bonnie , when I sold the T-bird I got £2K more than I paid for it 🙂
I think the early Hinckley bikes were in a class of there own, they are and will become a classic. The early 2001-2005 Bonneville's are outstanding bullet prof bikes with great looks.
Yeah good vlog. Not many of these left in unmolested trim. Yeah, crack on Stu, cause the more converted, the better the value of my standard, low mileage, unmolested version in British racing green 😁. I owned Ian (CRK) original crk roadster based on a trophy 1200. Cool as f#%k but moved it on as now believe original is best. Ian is a great guy👍✌😎 Edit: With the crk there are a few issues. The fuel tank is way too small. Header tank for coolant is inaccessible without taking the fuel tank off. The fuel tap gets in the way of the ram air filter and the filter seems a poor fit and had to keep re seating it. But guess these are gremlins Stu can sort👍
I would disagree that Hinckley Triumph has no connection to Meriden Triumph. John Bloor didn't just buy the name, he bought the entire assets of Meriden company. He licensed the continued limited production of T140 Bonnevilles, and immediately set about creating a new motorcycle production company at Hinckley, recruiting several ex-Meriden engineers and production managers. It is not at all like BSA being re-introduced 50 years after the original company ended. There is a more than a thread of continuity from Meriden to Hinckley. Bloor was really achieving what a better-managed and funded Meriden could and should have done, producing a range of quality modern machines which could compete with the Japanese.
Good points well said thank you
Always liked the Hinckley trident from launch. However when finally riding one only a couple of years ago, was very disappointed. The seating position just doesn’t suit me. Put loads of strain on my stomach muscles. I wanted so much to like it, as I had considered buying one.
Nothing for 3 weeks? Hope all is well.
Thanks John all is fine apart from the weather and salt on the roads I am desperate to get out again but dont want to risk the beautiful bikes we have lined up
Also Dave and Richard have had covid
We have coming up
BMWR90S
Morini500
1st gen Fireblade
Harley Electraglide
harley Fatboy
All waiting and ready to be ridden
Thanks for the concern
@@LemonDrizzleGang Thanks Mike, a lot to look forward to then. I forgot you were in the middle of winter. It's easy to become insular when the sun is shining, but you're been missed. Cheers from Tassie.
Instead of the CRK tank, why not just fit the tank off a thunderbird?. It a much better shape, not sure about the capacity but it should be more than the small CRK one.
I've ridden a T309 Mk I Speed Triple for well over a decade now. Yes, it is a heavy bike but well planted at speed on motorway and I can't say wind buffeting has been a problem at (mostly) legal speeds. The top-heavy nature is something to be wary of but only for the first few miles with a full tank. After that it's pretty dependable. I've never locked the rear wheel up in all my years on it - you guys wearing clod-hoppers or something?! Oh one other thing, ditch the Mikunis for Keihins and live a happier life!
Stew must have feet like a clown … cheers Mike
After owning 60 bikes since the 80's, in the past 10 years, a Daytona 955i, Speed triple 1050 and a 675 Daytona i quite fancy an older triumph. The new bikes on sale do absolutely nothing for me at all.
Sensors, injection and electronics really let me down. My latest 2012 Honda crossrunner is top heavy. Going to px it in for a Triumph trident 750 N reg 24000 miles. It has a twin bikini headlight fairing. Could be a Powerbronze, not sure. It's definitely not standard.
Rest of looks like a museum piece. British racing green.
Looks half decent for £2500.
Shame you are converting it.i wanted one badly at the time but my feet had trouble touching the ground. Now in my seventies it would be to heavy.
Its so quiet i thought it was 300cc.
so we have a stock 27 yearn old semi classic that can only get better as time moves on ..then we are going to muck it up and ruin it .. great idea ..yes lets follow the screw it up ..and lie about how nice it is so the block feels good about it ..super
+Roy Rodriguez
This is not a vincent or a Brough Superior its a cheap £800 Hinkley Triumph
@@LemonDrizzleGang watch your video you said is was a semi classic .. that will only get better as it ages
@@katana258 despite what we said its Stewarts bike to do with as he chooses at the end of the day, why will he “muck it up and ruin it” or “screw it up” I would never presume to pass my judgement on something you choose to do but thanks for watching
A kg a litre, where do you buy your petrol! Currently riding a Daytona 1200, cracking useless lump.
o dear , why ruin it ;; just ride it its fine like it is ;;;
The original Triumph 3 and 4 cylinder crotch rockets were basically copies of a Kawasaki model except the English built model cost twice as much. People used to copy English motorcycles and now the English copy Japanese motorcycles. I have found Japanese motorcycles to be a One-Shot wonder and just soon as the cam chain breaks and destroys your engine you need to buy another bike. The campaign's on my CX500 destroyed his engine at 250,000 miles. My gear drive Harley Sportster has 350,000 miles that I put on in 20 years. Japanese motorcycles all follow the Honda 750 model where you have everything running in Bear aluminum and if you lose oil pressure your engine is toast. The English had everything running in bearings or bushings because they were not made to be obsolete they were made to last forever. They were made nice and simple and practical. If you abuse and neglect that machine it doesn't matter its country-of-origin it will bite you in the ass quite painfully and quite expensively. I helped on the rebuild of my fifty-year-old Triumph TR6 650 and it was a great learning experience. Plus doing work on your motorcycle gives you a connection with your motorcycle that you simply don't get from just putting gas into it. You get a sense of Pride by doing it yourself. But all the new bikes are loaded with electronics that are delicate and very expensive when they fry. One little mistake and you fry a $400 brain box for your motorcycle that now has to be replaced.
Just a detail but the early Hinckley bikes weren’t copies of Kawasaki’s, but were certainly influenced by their design philosophies.
The bikes had to be right from the outset, so the Triumph design team looked closely at all the competition before settling on their own design. The result was modern but not ground breaking at the time, but they were superbly built and we loved them all from the outset.
I ride a 1993 900 Daytona and I love it.
@@daytona955joopthe 900 triples for copies of a Kawasaki and the parts are interchangeable with it.
Not a good bike but best of luck with it sprag clutches wet liners coils and the air filter is a replacement for whole airbox getting the carbs out nightmare as inlets are old and hard in my opinion early Hinckley triumph are more trouble then there worth even at £900
There are cheap and easy fixes for each of those issues. Well maybe not the wet liners, but the engines are so bulletproof, why would you ever need to take it apart?
You forgot to mention the forks are crap ,eat seals
Kill that back round music PLEASE!
Hi Phillip - we are continually trying to improve the videos which bit of the sound did you not like because I turned it low during the ride and the talking, would you prefer it without music in those bits or the whole of the video - CheersMike
Wonderful bikes to be sure, but NO, definitely not a CLASSIC, imo. While it bears the names Triumph and Trident, it’s REALLY just a distant cousin to the Yamahas, Suzukis, Kawasakis, and Hondas of the Japanese ‘Big Four’. A CLASSIC, should be something that has a special quality to it, that is most often called; ‘Character’ by riders of such machines. There were for example, many different British motorcycles produced back in the fifties and sixties, some of them are now regarded as Classics, such as the iconoc Triumph T120 650 Bonneville, but others, are definitely NOT regarded as Classics, such as the God-AWFUL AJS 650 parallel twin (which I believe was called a CSR?) MANY people would like a Triumph Bonneville, but NOBODY wants an AJS 650 twin. AJS made BRILLIANT singles, that everyone knows are Classics, but they SUCKED at making twins and NOBODY wants one of them. Certainly nobody regards them as Classics.
The fact is that there is no motorcycle anywhere that is anything like the original Trident. ONLY those T150s and T160s produce that spine tingling howl and that alone is why I say that the only REAL Tridents are those. The others are decent nods to the originals, but if offered the choice between the two, I would take the original thanks. Every time. I just like the way they look, sound, feel, and smell, as well as how they ride, etc. My first one was a 1969 T150 and a decade later, I owned a T160. I miss them both. I’m currently restoring a 1974 T150 that belongs to a mate of mine.
Have you seen our oyher classics videos
Hate to see a survivor fall victim to the grinder . Surely there is some pile of junk somewhere that can be sacrificed to god of the fad ?...
I don't think John bloors triumph have made anything good enough to be a classic at around 30 years old,
a fireblade or VTR absolutely is a classic
We have an early Fireblade to review in the next couple of weeks
VTR? SP1 and 2 maybe, but my cooking 1000F version was snatchy and uncomfortable.
Mk1 Striple is an absolute classic and has been for a decade.
no it is brol no good
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