In 1983 my husband bought a 1969 Trident. He had a very experienced mate, Roy Kilgour, help him rebuild the engine & the bike has run like a gem ever since. It has the old Lucas Rita electronic ignition & is a first kick starter when both cold & hot. We have a large collection of bikes but have hung onto the Trident mainly because of the lovely exhaust note from the raygun mufflers; a throaty grumble down low changing to a turbine howl as the revs rise.
I think a lot of problems stem to it’s like the carbs and ignition system on these bikes Electronic ignition, even better with more modern carbs would transform reliability
My choice ..T160 Trident. To have the one I turned down unused around 1980. Marshall in Appleton, Wisconsin let me take a spin on a still new 1975 trident from his showroom floor after fixing up my 1970 Trophy 250. I could not swing $3000 as a highschooler. I never forgot the feeling of that short ride
In my youth, I owned a 1977 TR7RV, a 1975 T160V, a 1981 T140E and a 1983 TSX, the only one that I regret buying is the TSX, poor quality control in the last days of the Meriden factory made for a very unreliable machine. The others were a pleasure to own, especially the T160V which had a Norman Hyde 850 big bore kit installed, it was fast, handled like it was on rails and what a wonderful sound from that three cylinder motor.
I made the choice 30 years ago, T140 because it was more practical and a very low mileage (1300), untouched example came up for sale. I haven't regretted it at all, and still get as much pleasure out of riding it now as I did then. It was the second time the Trident lost out, because I had a choice between a new T150 and new Commando 850 in 1974, and chose the Norton then for pretty much the same reason, less complication and more grunt. Still love to see and hear all of them, though.
Having owned a T150 and a T140 back in the 70’s your comparisons are spot on. It always amazed how both bike were 750’s, but the T150 was a monster. On both bikes I dumped the Amal carbs and put 32mm Mikuni’s on instead and with a bit of experimentation with the jets found them to be superior. Thanks for your review as it bought back many memories.
Having been through the hell of trying to jet Mikunis to suit my A65, I opted for Amal Mk2s on my T120. Mikunis were cheaper when I wanted new carbs on the Trident, but I didn't like having three throttle cables so I spent the money for a set of new Amal Premiers.
If the black and gold 150 came from Russell James, it could very well be my former mount, that was exchanged for a 160. Very good comparison test,Bikerdood, with both models having their good and not so good features compared. The Trident and Bonneville were high pedigree machines which by the late 70s found it difficult to stand comparison with new foreign designs coming off the production lines, which is no surprise, given the tooling etc.But here in the 2020s we love riding t them for what they are, and era they hark back to, even if tinged with the sadness of 'what if'
l had a 1977 Bonneville in the 80s !! An S-reg . US export model . Exactly like the one ridden by Richard Gere in An Officer and A Gentleman ! Wish l had kept it now !
Had a couple of Bonnie's and still reminisce about them I have ridden tridents but always preferred the bonnie, both great machines it's just down to which fits you. As for mechanical noise mine were quiet compared to the majority there was no need to make noise just work properly. I now have a collection of bits that can be assembled into a bonnie ready for my retirement
The twin is a nice simple motor, it’s not hard to see why everyone built them. Of course now every Japanese company has a parallel twin in its range. I’d you wait around long enough you come back into fashion
I rode to school on the back of a late 60s Bonneville. It was then when I knew I had to have a motorcycle for myself. I would choose the Bonneville simply for nostalgia
The point is a good choice of classic twins from other companies that are less expensive to b3 and at the very least as good. An equivalent BSA handles much better and trust me vibes a lot less too
I had a T150v for a few years,rode it fairly hard and only suffered a broken rectifier and regular stops for 4star,av 30mpg and 35 on a long run. Unlike my previous 750 Commando,the Trident would start in rain!
Back in the 1980s I was a Triumph mechanic at a Triumph dealership. (Yes, we hung on until the bitter end taking delivery on a TSX a TSS and a red smoke Triumph Executive.) I had a chance to work on, rebuild and ride a number of T150, T160 and T140 Triumphs. There is no comparison. The three cylinder is a much better bike in the way they handle, in the way they run and the way they look. The Bonneville has a weight advantage but the vibration will have bits missing on long high speed runs. There is a reason why the T150 was a race winner and if they are built right they are as reliable as any motorcycle.
Well ironically the old T140 was successful in production racing in mid 70s Trident obviously better on the more modern faster roads. Really does depend how you intend to use them
The trident midle cyclinder had a problem getting a tad on the hot side! You could set the middle carb a bit richer, which helped. The T140 was the best of the two. Lighter, quiker, more economical, also cheeper to maintain. If you want reliablity, Boyer ignition, Dinamicly balencing crank, and all that hangs off it, Nicoomy carbs, porting, Comando clutch to name a few. Once fetteld, there is not much out there that would be better. Yes, I love the T140s.
Despite being warned that the Japanese were working on a 4 cylinder,electric start and oil tight bike,the British bike industry[read BSA] thought that twins were the way to go.That the British bike industry was defunct by the mid 1970's,was a real shame.
That’s cutting out am massive amount of history You should probably read up more because the statement is wrong in so many respects. The idea that the British industry was killed by the Cb750 is nonsense I’m afraid. Makes a good sound bite of course but wrong It’s commonly trotted out by those who can’t be bothered to read a history book After all why bother when you can over simplify instead You do know BSA/ triumph made a 3 cylinder from 68 onwards ??
I had the T140e Bonnie new in 82. Sadly it was a Friday afternoon 3 o'clock build. Far to many faults to list and not a brilliant ride. Quite honestly, I was glad to wave it farewell. I have a Manx Triton T150, now in project form which I will send to Les Wiston. I had to smile when you mentioned, fuel usage. I went for a ride with friends one Sunday on my 750 H2 Kawasaki, using four gallons roughly, covering 74 miles.😱
They were terrible weren’t they, up to say 250 two strokes fuel consumption is acceptable, beyond that it drops like a stone. For that and a number of reasons I think 250 is pretty much the optimum capacity for a stroker
@@bikerdood1100 🏍💨💨 When I was riding in front of my mates, they didn't take it too kindly. They disappeared into my two stroke fog, and when we stopped for a cup of tea, both bikes and riders had fleks of burned two stroke on them.
Hi; I have 3 Triumph; all are daily riders (I always try to have one in proper riding conditions) I use the bikes to commute. I do not have a car. One is a 78 T140E with dual plugs head; double front discs kit; N Hyde rear sets; digital EI for the 4 plugs; rotary oil pump and 32mm carburetors. I put 13000km on the road in a year and a half included long distances like 2000km trip to near Country until the crankshaft had a fissure on the road and let me stranded. PO killed the crank riding besides new bikes at more than 8K RPM. Took me one year to find another crank there in UK; now I have all the other stuff and soon I hope to rebuild the engine again.
I must admit I run a more modern bike when I’m out with other modern bikes to avoid the temptation of thrashing my old BSA. Good to hear from someone who doesn’t run a car My wife pushed to learn to drive when our son was small, to be honest I rarely drive
T140 everytime uk or us spec. Had 4 of them loved them, only sold them caused i needed cash quick thanks to Thatcher wiping out my industry in early 80's
Dear Marje,I'm serving 10yr for arson,rape and robbery and met this lovely girl who used to be a prostitute and intend to get married as soon as her vd clears up. Do you think I should tell her my brother is a tory?!
I did reply to your mention of Thatcher but the guardian of morality within UA-cam deleted it! No freedom of speech on this site,and the saddo has also had a humour bypass
I own both a '72 T150V and a '72 !20V. Living in a rural area with many nice twisty roads, I do tend to ride the Bonneville more. I've also gone down one tooth on the front sprocket to give it a bit more guts out of the corners. That said, I will not ride the T120V on the interstate, it just doesn't feel right at 80 mph. The Trident is just getting started at that speed. If you can't cut up the back roads on a triple you're not trying. If anything the Trident feels more stable and confident in corners even if I do need to downshift twice. One is not advised to try pulling out of a corner at 3000rpm on a triple, though too many people do. As for gas mileage, my T150V gets 44mpg all day when I keep it between 5-6000prm.
I decided to re-visit my youth and buy a T160 trident after years of Hinckley triples. After an eye wateringly expensive but superb engine rebuild the bike is a real pleasure to ride………… until you try to stop the thing. The fact is the single disc at the front is wooden in feel and lacking in retardation. Make no mistake the bike is fun to ride and I don’t regret for one minute buying it but this winter it is going to get a second disc brake at the front. The other thing that has become apparent is how far Triumph have come my Hinkley 900 Daytona has none of the Tridents braking issues but lacks feedback from the road but my 675 street triple R addresses all the issues in a superb package. I await further development from Triumph with interest especially the new 400 single.
Well 40 years is a long time Consider the Japanese bikes of the 70s, if anything their breaks were wore especially in the wet As far as the new 400s I’d be more interested if they were UK built
Before you go to the expense of converting to twin discs, I would recommend changing the front master cylinder from the standard 5/8in bore to 13mm. You can buy a stainless steel 13mm barrel assembly from several of the parts suppliers and they screw straight into the housing as a direct replacement, with the same fittings. It has transformed the front brake on my 1978 T140V, a much better feel and effectively 50% more leverage. I paid about £60 3 years ago for it and it was definitely worth it.
Bit late in the day you used to be able to get better brake pads in 70s 80s ment for racing think thay was Dunlop pads a lot better than standard so there might be something better now
Where can I buy those nice rounded side-panels for a T140 please? Are those wide bars the US models or something aftermarket. Agree with you re TR7, best choice by far. Incidentally re T160's a mate of mine ran a T160 for about 10 years as an everyday bike. He thrashed the nuts off it too and it never failed him once.
Late model TR65 short stroke twin best triumph twin ever made, so much smoother than any other Triumph twin, Tridents run smooth but throttle and clutch are a real pain
It’s a pity this model wasn’t around very long, I reckon it could have been really popular. Other than at shows, don’t think I’ve seen one on the road.
For me the 650, whether T120R or V was and is the perfect incarnation. I certainly don’t get the vibes you describe at 80-90, I only notice them at tickover when the front forks shake. The handling is superb, the sound is perfection. It’s a five speed but even in fifth gear at 20 mph I can accelerate with no snatch. It’s only flaw is clutch drag which I’m planning to eradicate with a top hat bearing conversion.
I had a 1979 t140V. Until I sold it to a mate about fourteen years ago. I agree about the higher the speed the more vibrations. I can remember being flat out and having to re grip the handle bar grips every minute. It had the high bars, so you tended to act as a wind scoop. I had a few twitchy moments on tight country bends trying to keep up with a mates one on a Guzzi and one on a Yam. On hot summer evenings I often think how nice it would be to go for a blast.
Funny so many people claim they never do that but unfortunately they definitely do, bit of a job on a trident , but it it ain’t too bad at least it’s rideable
Propably due to uneven length on the factory push rod tubes. A proper set of aluminium push rod tubes combined with silicone gaskets should solve the problem.
I like the stability of the t150, my BSA a10 a lovely bike to ride and very smooth at low revs, but it is not suitable for high speed cruising, both bike start first or second kick; I have never understood the need for a complicated electric foot.
I went for both, I've owned my T140v since the mid '90s and had the engine rebuilt by SRM at the end of the last century, including many upgrades to the standard spec, and barring annual valve adjustment and regular oil changes I've not had to touch the engine since, it remains the last bike I will sell. It was joined in the garage last year by a T150v, in fairness I think you are fairly correct in your assessment of the 2 bikes, quite how the trident manages to be nearly 100lbs heavier is a bit of a mystery to me, especially seeing how the majority of the cycle parts are the same/very similar. It is very much a "horses for courses" thing, depending on the roads you're riding, the Trident will run at motorway speeds easily, and for long distances, whereas the bonny never quite feels very happy. But swinging A and B roads and it the twin all the way, the trident will keep up but is just much more work.
Nice video, thanks for posting. I’d have g to be T150 over the 140….imho. But……I’d take the TR7RV Tiger over both of them. Admittedly, the Trident has the spine-tingling sound but, that’s it. I’d prefer the lighter weight, easier maintenance and still characterful twin all day.
I have a TR7RV and very happy with it. If I were only 10 years younger (now 65) it would be accompanied by a T150. But sadly the weight, lack of electric start and more onerous maintenance puts me off. Enjoy your content. A comparison between a Guzzi T3, a Commando and a Bonnie (or Tiger) would be a good watch.
Haha 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I wondered when you were going to mention the Triumph Tiger! As you say, less vibration and lots more torque and what you didn't mention, better fuel comsumtion Also, if I remember, the conical hub Bonnies were the 650cc models (both the four and five speed versions). Or were some 750 Bonnies made with them due to the sit in at the time?
Hi .. always think your reviews are great so thanks for that .. could you just tell me which or what date/ year your prefered triumph tiger Tr7 rv wise you mentioned at the end of your trident v bonneville vidio .. thanks
Don’t know about preferred date really, we had a 73 model which we liked very much, although things obviously improved in the breaks department there after. Ours had the US style peanut tank but the square type has a much bigger capacity. In general I think the single carb is generally the way to go, what you loose in performance you gain in relative smoothness, simplicity and reliability
I like the 650 Bonnie would rather go for a tiger and I actually really like the only frame bikes. I actually have a 750 Bonnie of friends in my shed but it doesn’t do anything for me but yeah 160 fantastic looking bike I’d love to try one for a day.
Had a T150V many years ago and it was great on twisty bits as for engine torque you've gotta just get the revs up in a lower gear maybe let it howl itll pull like a train the 120 degree crank soon spins up
I had a 1973 T150V Trident. There were just too many things that were never worked out in the design in the first place. Endless fettling to get things to just barely work. Like the clutch disengagement. The Bonnies had been built much longer and were a bit more complete.
My Manx Triton t150 clutch! I spent endless time trying to set it up, and in the end, I took it to Les Whiston, who got it perfect. They are a bloody nightmare. I was pre warned by a friend who had one that things could get messy. He wasn't wrong.
Hinckley Triumphs of turn of the century are a nice alternative if you want a bike as strong as newer bikes while faster than the classics. Rode a used beefed up 600 cc Norton Dominator that used to outrun Atlases & Bonnevilles in a large college town full of them. Didn’t want to be left in the dust on another classic. Early 2000s Triumph triples are at least capable of keeping up with modern bikes. Some can turn an 11 second quarter. Not Busa/ZX14 fast but faster than even most super cars. Also as cheap or cheaper than the classics. Got one for my “retirement” bike. A Norton Commando Mk III is one of the fastest classics. But even as a former Norton aficionado I don’t see myself riding a bike slower than many smaller modern bikes. And I don’t want my bike to insulate me from the road. So for me approximately 1995-2010 Triumphs are a nice alternative. But if I get a second bike I’m torn between a used HD cruiser & a classic. Though I can be happy with a not terribly expensive bike that runs fast and rides well. But while Hinckley has made a few missteps they have also turned out some fast bikes along the same vein as the classics -Matt’s dad
All true but rather outside the remit of the video. I’ve owned and ridden a few Hinckley Triumphs. They are generally good bikes, not perfect. For me the newer the Triumph the more soulless they have become. Early triples and Hinckley Bonnies have a character of their own but later bikes are faster but less interesting
@@bikerdood1100 Agree with almost all you said. But an 02 Daytona 955i is as fast or faster than many of the later ones IIRC. And I agree not perfect. If I were more of an Iron Butt kind of guy and less of a quarter mile hooner an HD would probably have been my first choice, then a Triump triple for a second bike. But I especially agree that the later models seem soulless compared to the early 2000’s Triumphs Think I saw one late model Triumph with fake carbs, fake pushrods etc. My initial searches were from ‘95 on. After I saw all of that plus rider modes and EUR 5 gimmicks I changed my cutoff to 2015 and eventually to 2010. as newest year. And I am really getting into the Daytona. Though I still haven’t figured out what if anything I will do with the tank & tail.
Yes the Hinckley Triumphs were purposely over engineered, to avoid mechanical failure and gain a reputation for reliability - sadly missing in some of their erstwhile predecessors. The result, generally, is heavy but bombproof bikes.
I built a T140 based TRIBSA, great engine. Crank was balanced well, so vibes weren’t too bad. I’ve never ridden a 750 T150 or T160 but I have just finished building a T150 with 1000cc big bore kit (ua-cam.com/video/DO6h2IqQPD0/v-deo.html). This should give me extra low down torque and I can’t wait to start running it in so I can compare it to the 750 twin.
@@carlosmarcos4070 Hi Carlos. Thanks for your interest. It’s going a bit slow at the moment. I have just had the bike registered so can now ride it legally on UK roads. Unfortunately the weather here has limited me taking the bike out for testing. However, after one test ride I need to check the carb balance and time the ignition with a strobe. I have replaced the carb inlet rubbers as the ones fitted were leaking air. I have also replaced the air filters for velocity stacks as the internal rubber mounts on the filters were blocking some air holes on the carb intakes. I have also fitted an extended idle adjuster. Only other job I need to do is fit an anti-drain valve to the oil tank as the engine wet sumps. I’m hoping to upload a short video in a couple of weeks to show the progress so far. Regards, Shaun.
It's not a 750, but I might be tempted by a late 500cc T100 of some sort as a (slightly cheaper) back-lane bike and use a modern bike on the faster roads
Oddly enough the 500s aren’t always much cheaper, when compared to a T140 at least. A 500 can be smoother but only at speeds below 55- 60 mph, after that those little fellows can be pretty buzzy
@@bikerdood1100 My first go around my 600 Norton was outrunning everything in a large college town EXCEPT a 500cc Triumph. The owner dropped the sprocket gearing. I outran everything else running except that ultra low geared 500 off the line. A 750 Dunstall Atlas owner had a million reasons why he didn’t want to race my bike. But that 500 would walk away from me for about a block or two. After that, I could easily still top the ton. Mike’s 500 could barely break the speed limit before he hit red line. But he did have a lot of fun. But it eventually caught up with him, and he bought the farm. RIP Big Mike from G’ville. But definitely he had fun while it was all going ok. That was a good while ago. But I still feel the need…”. Glad the love of my life is starting to love this new bike of mine also. Wondering how much more time I could shave off of a quarter with a sprocket change. Already came with more than stock HP. All I am going to say for now. Seriously want to run some passes next summer.
@@bikerdood1100 Ok, the chain, rear tyre, sometimes the head gasket, but the fun and that sound, she went through bends like she was glued to the road, my Bonnie was more in the workshop than actually on the road. The Bonnie was a 1979 one, my Trident was a T150V from 1971, I had them both from new.
@@davidmarkwort9711 we ran a T140 for several years and had few problems in all honesty T150s aren’t a bad buy these days, not super cheap but much less than the T160 I tend to do the majority of my own work so the relative simplicity of the twin is attractive. I ride an A10 these days which I find even simpler easy to work on and surprising smooth
@@bikerdood1100 I wouldn't mind the BSA 750 or the T160. My Bonnie left me stranded for 3 hours, until I figured out that the emergency off switch on the handlebar had shorted out.
Most UA-cam videos are non copyright so it’s not required I’m sure some people use mine which is fine It’s kinda free advertising for them anyway I generally like to avoid showing registration plates that kind of thing though You can’t use material aired on US tv for some reason though
Even if I could afford one now, I still prefer my T140V. I had a new 850 Commando 2a in 1974 as my daily transport, and it was a lot more work to try and keep up with the maintenance and repairs in the 2 years I had it than my 45 year old T140 has been for the last 30 years.
That’s why I ride a BSA Those push rod tubes are a pain Not all old bikes leak oil after all If you slip them you should look were you put your feet and wear proper foot where 😂
Read the title Is the Video about the Commando ? If I make a video about the Commando will you type Trident or perhaps C90 Cuz that also for some amazing reason isn’t in a video about Triumphs Or BMW Moto Guzzi Or Honda They ain’t in because it’s a bloody video about triumph Hope this clears up any confusion 😂😂😂
The truth is that neither bike was not that popular as everybody bought either a Honda, a Kawasaki, a Suzuki or a Yamaha. Eccentrics bought Ducatis and the rich bought BMWs or Laverdas. Anyone who wanted reliability steered well away from British bikes, which were just rehashes of bikes from a previous era.
Yawn Point well missed I think. Not all that was Japanese was terribly reliable. So many were sold so few survivors. As a counter the Xs750, the re5 and Hondas first generation V4s all complete crap and that’s before you go anywhere near the strokers. Do try and stay On subject 🙄
You are right bikerdood, the xs750 were awful and early vf750 honda had chocolate cams that packed up in 10000 miles and nearly ruined Honda's excellent reputation. That's why they redesigned it and bought out the great vfr750.
@@Ian-bq7gpA friend of mine has a T160 owned from new which has done 250,000 miles but the only original parts are the frame and crankcase. Bit like Triggers broom from Only fools and horses.
I agree get the tiger 750. Being single carb, they were far better and reliable. My dad had an old 1939 tiger 100 he did over 100000 miles on with a bronze head that he pulled a sidecar with. He had 2 engines and always serviced one whilst riding with the other engine then he would swop them over and service the other. I wish he had kept it. He sold it when I came along for around £60. It's a collector's dream today as I believe only 10 were made with the bronze heads. He changed the original girder forks for telescopic later forks. I told him after I bought my BSA A10 golden flash of 1955 for £250 in 1980 that he had kept the tiger 100. There's still photos of it in family albums and I'm proud he loved it so much.
Well At least they actually built Bonnies at Meridian Also the video is all about 70s Triumphs so don’t take it so seriously 😂 Hinckley bikes if you can call em that given how few are actually built there are definitely not without their faults it should be noted
When And that was always the problem The one fitted to the rear of our Tiger worked pretty well. But the do need setting up and are no better than is predecessor
@@bikerdood1100 That's because the back brake is single leading shoe. The twin leading shoe on the front with the ridiculous actuating spring was a stupid idea when the 1969/70 2LS worked perfectly well.
Try pretending that you don’t need to have the compression ‘spot on’ with either choice, for anyone to even be able to kickstart, first time everytime, either one of those, and I really will laugh in your face!
@@bikerdood1100 that actually depends on how old your bloody bsa is though doesn’t it mister I know everything there is to know about motorcycles!!! The really old BSA one’s were a single cylinder 500cc petrol engine, rigid frame, with a colonial style seat, and a decompression lever on the handle bars - and therefor yes, you could change the compression in the cylinder, so that you could find that ‘sweet spot’ to kick the bloody thing over, as in it is a kickstart motorcycle, and if you don’t align all the gears correctly, and the compression is too high in the cylinder chamber, the frigging thing will “kickback” and break your damned leg! See, not all women don’t know motorcycles like not all blokes know “ham”!
@@1ihws well My oldest bike is a single from 1935 It has a decompression lever of course but it doesn’t adjust compression It’s an off or on scenario Interesting 80s 500 bikes ad spring loaded cylinder heads which maintained compression to allow for expansion, didn’t adjusted though It should be said that neither the Bonnie or the Trident had decompressors anyway Multi cylinder bikes don’t need em If you check my videos you’ll see me riding a big Velocette and a BSA b31 Ridden a lot of old bikes Oldest dated back to 1910 say you could say I’m familiar with decompress levers And how the work and what they actually do But thanks for the comment
@@bikerdood1100 lol - I’m really not interested in your videos mate seriously, couldn’t give a ratsbum, as my former husband would have said- I have the very real and authentic first hand knowledge of having owned, with my then husband, a 1929 BSA 500cc which took him ten years to restore, because when we picked it up, from Devon Meadows, in pieces, like quite literally in pieces, in about 1985, I was driving an Austin Kimberley, and the frame fit in the back seat, and the boxes of bits, like the original headlights, and all the other pieces it still didn’t have, he had to “find”, and in total, it took ten years to put it all back together, into a fully restored circa 1930 model - so, “next” flog, who think this is about “file compression” for computer crap, “bah humbug” - shove your head back up your I know everything about “history” or “his story” when you bloodywell don’t!
In 1983 my husband bought a 1969 Trident. He had a very experienced mate, Roy Kilgour, help him rebuild the engine & the bike has run like a gem ever since. It has the old Lucas Rita electronic ignition & is a first kick starter when both cold & hot. We have a large collection of bikes but have hung onto the Trident mainly because of the lovely exhaust note from the raygun mufflers; a throaty grumble down low changing to a turbine howl as the revs rise.
I think a lot of problems stem to it’s like the carbs and ignition system on these bikes
Electronic ignition, even better with more modern carbs would transform reliability
My choice ..T160 Trident. To have the one I turned down unused around 1980.
Marshall in Appleton, Wisconsin let me take a spin on a still new 1975 trident from his showroom floor after fixing up my 1970 Trophy 250. I could not swing $3000 as a highschooler. I never forgot the feeling of that short ride
The T160 is my favourite triple, but expensive
In my youth, I owned a 1977 TR7RV, a 1975 T160V, a 1981 T140E and a 1983 TSX, the only one that I regret buying is the TSX, poor quality control in the last days of the Meriden factory made for a very unreliable machine. The others were a pleasure to own, especially the T160V which had a Norman Hyde 850 big bore kit installed, it was fast, handled like it was on rails and what a wonderful sound from that three cylinder motor.
Cool 😎
I made the choice 30 years ago, T140 because it was more practical and a very low mileage (1300), untouched example came up for sale. I haven't regretted it at all, and still get as much pleasure out of riding it now as I did then. It was the second time the Trident lost out, because I had a choice between a new T150 and new Commando 850 in 1974, and chose the Norton then for pretty much the same reason, less complication and more grunt. Still love to see and hear all of them, though.
There is an awful lot to be said for simplicity
I could not stand the T140 vibration it was horrible. Even worse than the pre unit 500cc Tiger 100.
@@Dave5843-d9m You get used to it after 30 years - or perhaps my hands have just gone numb.
Having owned a T150 and a T140 back in the 70’s your comparisons are spot on. It always amazed how both bike were 750’s, but the T150 was a monster. On both bikes I dumped the Amal carbs and put 32mm Mikuni’s on instead and with a bit of experimentation with the jets found them to be superior. Thanks for your review as it bought back many memories.
My pleasure. Good to hear from an owner of both machines
Having been through the hell of trying to jet Mikunis to suit my A65, I opted for Amal Mk2s on my T120. Mikunis were cheaper when I wanted new carbs on the Trident, but I didn't like having three throttle cables so I spent the money for a set of new Amal Premiers.
If the black and gold 150 came from Russell James, it could very well be my former mount, that was exchanged for a 160. Very good comparison test,Bikerdood, with both models having their good and not so good features compared. The Trident and Bonneville were high pedigree machines which by the late 70s found it difficult to stand comparison with new foreign designs coming off the production lines, which is no surprise, given the tooling etc.But here in the 2020s we love riding t them for what they are, and era they hark back to, even if tinged with the sadness of 'what if'
l had a 1977 Bonneville in the 80s !! An S-reg . US export model . Exactly like the one ridden by Richard Gere in An Officer and A Gentleman ! Wish l had kept it now !
Nice simple bike the Bonneville, easy work on and great on the right road
I know that, Sam! If I slapped myself for every car or bike I should have kept, my head would look like a big red pumpkin 🙂
Had a couple of Bonnie's and still reminisce about them I have ridden tridents but always preferred the bonnie, both great machines it's just down to which fits you. As for mechanical noise mine were quiet compared to the majority there was no need to make noise just work properly. I now have a collection of bits that can be assembled into a bonnie ready for my retirement
The twin is a nice simple motor, it’s not hard to see why everyone built them.
Of course now every Japanese company has a parallel twin in its range. I’d you wait around long enough you come back into fashion
I rode to school on the back of a late 60s Bonneville. It was then when I knew I had to have a motorcycle for myself.
I would choose the Bonneville simply for nostalgia
The point is a good choice of classic twins from other companies that are less expensive to b3 and at the very least as good. An equivalent BSA handles much better and trust me vibes a lot less too
I had a T150v for a few years,rode it fairly hard and only suffered a broken rectifier and regular stops for 4star,av 30mpg and 35 on a long run. Unlike my previous 750 Commando,the Trident would start in rain!
Brilliant
We’ll rectifiers can go on anything
Speaking as someone who’s had a few Suzukis 😂
@bikerdood1100 my '73 Hustler always went wrong,but being 18 and head down and arse up didn't help!
@@pauldavies3764 likely not
Young riders and maintenance have never been a good mix
Back in the 1980s I was a Triumph mechanic at a Triumph dealership. (Yes, we hung on until the bitter end taking delivery on a TSX a TSS and a red smoke Triumph Executive.) I had a chance to work on, rebuild and ride a number of T150, T160 and T140 Triumphs. There is no comparison. The three cylinder is a much better bike in the way they handle, in the way they run and the way they look. The Bonneville has a weight advantage but the vibration will have bits missing on long high speed runs. There is a reason why the T150 was a race winner and if they are built right they are as reliable as any motorcycle.
Well ironically the old T140 was successful in production racing in mid 70s
Trident obviously better on the more modern faster roads. Really does depend how you intend to use them
TR7 all the way, still have mine after 31 years
As a practical sort I’m inclined to agree
Thanks for the comparison. I am looking to acquire a vintage T140 myself, your thoughts and advice helped. Thanks.
Excellent 👍🏻
The trident midle cyclinder had a problem getting a tad on the hot side! You could set the middle carb a bit richer, which helped. The T140 was the best of the two. Lighter, quiker, more economical, also cheeper to maintain. If you want reliablity, Boyer ignition, Dinamicly balencing crank, and all that hangs off it, Nicoomy carbs, porting, Comando clutch to name a few. Once fetteld, there is not much out there that would be better. Yes, I love the T140s.
Hot middle cylinders were a common triple malady
On two and four strokes of the era
Despite being warned that the Japanese were working on a 4 cylinder,electric start and oil tight bike,the British bike industry[read BSA] thought that twins were the way to go.That the British bike industry was defunct by the mid 1970's,was a real shame.
That’s cutting out am massive amount of history
You should probably read up more because the statement is wrong in so many respects. The idea that the British industry was killed by the Cb750 is nonsense I’m afraid.
Makes a good sound bite of course but wrong
It’s commonly trotted out by those who can’t be bothered to read a history book
After all why bother when you can over simplify instead
You do know BSA/ triumph made a 3 cylinder from 68 onwards ??
@@bikerdood1100 Yes the American dealers did not want triples they wanted twin's
I had the T140e Bonnie new in 82. Sadly it was a Friday afternoon 3 o'clock build. Far to many faults to list and not a brilliant ride. Quite honestly, I was glad to wave it farewell.
I have a Manx Triton T150, now in project form which I will send to Les Wiston.
I had to smile when you mentioned, fuel usage. I went for a ride with friends one Sunday on my 750 H2 Kawasaki, using four gallons roughly, covering 74 miles.😱
They were terrible weren’t they, up to say 250 two strokes fuel consumption is acceptable, beyond that it drops like a stone.
For that and a number of reasons I think 250 is pretty much the optimum capacity for a stroker
@@bikerdood1100 🏍💨💨 When I was riding in front of my mates, they didn't take it too kindly. They disappeared into my two stroke fog, and when we stopped for a cup of tea, both bikes and riders had fleks of burned two stroke on them.
Mine was a 78 Truimph Bonnie heap of shit talk about Friday afternoon bike made on the 13th
The disc's are chromed over cast iron best to have the chrome removed hey presto cast discs underneath. 😊
@@ANTHONYMatthews-qv1jz😅🤣😂 Made on Friday the 13th as well!
Hi; I have 3 Triumph; all are daily riders (I always try to have one in proper riding conditions) I use the bikes to commute. I do not have a car.
One is a 78 T140E with dual plugs head; double front discs kit; N Hyde rear sets; digital EI for the 4 plugs; rotary oil pump and 32mm carburetors.
I put 13000km on the road in a year and a half included long distances like 2000km trip to near Country until the crankshaft had a fissure on the road and let me stranded. PO killed the crank riding besides new bikes at more than 8K RPM. Took me one year to find another crank there in UK; now I have all the other stuff and soon I hope to rebuild the engine again.
I must admit I run a more modern bike when I’m out with other modern bikes to avoid the temptation of thrashing my old BSA. Good to hear from someone who doesn’t run a car
My wife pushed to learn to drive when our son was small, to be honest I rarely drive
T140 everytime uk or us spec. Had 4 of them loved them, only sold them caused i needed cash quick thanks to Thatcher wiping out my industry in early 80's
We had a US spec, much better when we fitted Uk bars
Dear Marje,I'm serving 10yr for arson,rape and robbery and met this lovely girl who used to be a prostitute and intend to get married as soon as her vd clears up. Do you think I should tell her my brother is a tory?!
I did reply to your mention of Thatcher but the guardian of morality within UA-cam deleted it! No freedom of speech on this site,and the saddo has also had a humour bypass
I remember riding my mate dad's collection of British bike's, I was very happy to get back on my 70s Japanese bike.
Depends on the British bike and which Japanese bike in my experience
I own both a '72 T150V and a '72 !20V. Living in a rural area with many nice twisty roads, I do tend to ride the Bonneville more. I've also gone down one tooth on the front sprocket to give it a bit more guts out of the corners. That said, I will not ride the T120V on the interstate, it just doesn't feel right at 80 mph. The Trident is just getting started at that speed. If you can't cut up the back roads on a triple you're not trying. If anything the Trident feels more stable and confident in corners even if I do need to downshift twice. One is not advised to try pulling out of a corner at 3000rpm on a triple, though too many people do.
As for gas mileage, my T150V gets 44mpg all day when I keep it between 5-6000prm.
Perfect combination, your a lucky guy
I decided to re-visit my youth and buy a T160 trident after years of Hinckley triples. After an eye wateringly expensive but superb engine rebuild the bike is a real pleasure to ride………… until you try to stop the thing. The fact is the single disc at the front is wooden in feel and lacking in retardation. Make no mistake the bike is fun to ride and I don’t regret for one minute buying it but this winter it is going to get a second disc brake at the front. The other thing that has become apparent is how far Triumph have come my Hinkley 900 Daytona has none of the Tridents braking issues but lacks feedback from the road but my 675 street triple R addresses all the issues in a superb package. I await further development from Triumph with interest especially the new 400 single.
Well 40 years is a long time
Consider the Japanese bikes of the 70s, if anything their breaks were wore especially in the wet
As far as the new 400s
I’d be more interested if they were UK built
Before you go to the expense of converting to twin discs, I would recommend changing the front master cylinder from the standard 5/8in bore to 13mm. You can buy a stainless steel 13mm barrel assembly from several of the parts suppliers and they screw straight into the housing as a direct replacement, with the same fittings. It has transformed the front brake on my 1978 T140V, a much better feel and effectively 50% more leverage. I paid about £60 3 years ago for it and it was definitely worth it.
@@rickconstant6106 thanks for the advice !
You should try an Explorer,fantastic bike
Bit late in the day you used to be able to get better brake pads in 70s 80s ment for racing think thay was Dunlop pads a lot better than standard so there might be something better now
Where can I buy those nice rounded side-panels for a T140 please? Are those wide bars the US models or something aftermarket. Agree with you re TR7, best choice by far. Incidentally re T160's a mate of mine ran a T160 for about 10 years as an everyday bike. He thrashed the nuts off it too and it never failed him once.
T160 is an unfortunately rare beast but lovely
Didn’t notice those panels during the video edit bit they do look better than stock
Open road Trident , back road Bonnie. One or the other Bonnie ,I’m a sucker for torque and is more hands on , I had both .
We do love a torque laden motor, so much fun on a twisty road
Late model TR65 short stroke twin best triumph twin ever made, so much smoother than any other Triumph twin, Tridents run smooth but throttle and clutch are a real pain
They do say that, unfortunately very rare. Saw one on sale recently very tempted
It’s a pity this model wasn’t around very long, I reckon it could have been really popular. Other than at shows, don’t think I’ve seen one on the road.
For me the 650, whether T120R or V was and is the perfect incarnation. I certainly don’t get the vibes you describe at 80-90, I only notice them at tickover when the front forks shake. The handling is superb, the sound is perfection. It’s a five speed but even in fifth gear at 20 mph I can accelerate with no snatch. It’s only flaw is clutch drag which I’m planning to eradicate with a top hat bearing conversion.
You get a fair bit in my experience to be honest
I had a 1979 t140V. Until I sold it to a mate about fourteen years ago.
I agree about the higher the speed the more vibrations.
I can remember being flat out and having to re grip the handle bar grips every minute.
It had the high bars, so you tended to act as a wind scoop.
I had a few twitchy moments on tight country bends trying to keep up with a mates one on a Guzzi and one on a Yam.
On hot summer evenings I often think how nice it would be to go for a blast.
Ours has US style high bars
Not for long though, they soon went in the bin
I found them comfortable up to sixty five. Having had straight bars and clip ons in the past, which on a long run gave me a lower back ache.
I do much prefer British style touring bars as fitted to my BSA, very comfortable indeed
I’ve have 71 trident ,it’s lovely . Smooth , handles sadly it’s leaking oil around the push rod tubes 😫
Funny so many people claim they never do that but unfortunately they definitely do, bit of a job on a trident , but it it ain’t too bad at least it’s rideable
Propably due to uneven length on the factory push rod tubes. A proper set of aluminium push rod tubes combined with silicone gaskets should solve the problem.
Never mind unless it spoils your polish, it's not an excuse to pull it down, just ride it and tidy it later,
I like the stability of the t150, my BSA a10 a lovely bike to ride and very smooth at low revs, but it is not suitable for high speed cruising, both bike start first or second kick; I have never understood the need for a complicated electric foot.
Handy when you stall the things a lights
A definitely try to avoid that on my A10
Especially on a hill
Yeah thats true, @@bikerdood1100
I went for both, I've owned my T140v since the mid '90s and had the engine rebuilt by SRM at the end of the last century, including many upgrades to the standard spec, and barring annual valve adjustment and regular oil changes I've not had to touch the engine since, it remains the last bike I will sell. It was joined in the garage last year by a T150v, in fairness I think you are fairly correct in your assessment of the 2 bikes, quite how the trident manages to be nearly 100lbs heavier is a bit of a mystery to me, especially seeing how the majority of the cycle parts are the same/very similar. It is very much a "horses for courses" thing, depending on the roads you're riding, the Trident will run at motorway speeds easily, and for long distances, whereas the bonny never quite feels very happy. But swinging A and B roads and it the twin all the way, the trident will keep up but is just much more work.
There is obviously a lot of metal in that triple motor it would seem
The Crankshaft weighs as much as a small child
@@adeypop1 got to damp those vibes somehow
3 Is perfect company😁
In the right circumstances
Can be a crowd they say 😂
Nice video, thanks for posting. I’d have g to be T150 over the 140….imho. But……I’d take the TR7RV Tiger over both of them. Admittedly, the Trident has the spine-tingling sound but, that’s it. I’d prefer the lighter weight, easier maintenance and still characterful twin all day.
I see it the same way
Am very tempted by the triple
I have a TR7RV and very happy with it. If I were only 10 years younger (now 65) it would be accompanied by a T150. But sadly the weight, lack of electric start and more onerous maintenance puts me off. Enjoy your content. A comparison between a Guzzi T3, a Commando and a Bonnie (or Tiger) would be a good watch.
74 Trident & 76 Bonny,no comparison,ride engine, quality, pure sound the Trident hands down.
May depend on the type of road
On the whole,I'd go for the Tiger 750 for it's sheer gruntability...and then I woke up,sob!
We loved owner tiger it was a great bike all around really
Haha 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I wondered when you were going to mention the Triumph Tiger! As you say, less vibration and lots more torque and what you didn't mention, better fuel comsumtion
Also, if I remember, the conical hub Bonnies were the 650cc models (both the four and five speed versions). Or were some 750 Bonnies made with them due to the sit in at the time?
😁
Hi .. always think your reviews are great so thanks for that .. could you just tell me which or what date/ year your prefered triumph tiger Tr7 rv wise you mentioned at the end of your trident v bonneville vidio .. thanks
Don’t know about preferred date really, we had a 73 model which we liked very much, although things obviously improved in the breaks department there after.
Ours had the US style peanut tank but the square type has a much bigger capacity. In general I think the single carb is generally the way to go, what you loose in performance you gain in relative smoothness, simplicity and reliability
I like the 650 Bonnie would rather go for a tiger and I actually really like the only frame bikes. I actually have a 750 Bonnie of friends in my shed but it doesn’t do anything for me but yeah 160 fantastic looking bike I’d love to try one for a day.
You and me both
I think I would be with you Biker Dood and go for the Tiger. Could not cope with 30mpg. My current 2017 T120 1200cc gives me MPG into the 60's.
👍🏻
Simplicity is best
Especially with older vehicles I think
Had a T150V many years ago and it was great on twisty bits as for engine torque you've gotta just get the revs up in a lower gear maybe let it howl itll pull like a train the 120 degree crank soon spins up
Nice 👍🏻
How about a comparison between the bsa a65 and rocket 3?
Interesting idea
On another note my Trident is a 4 speed and seemed geared way to low, I took a few teeth off the back which helped immensely,wish I had the 5sp
Yes the triples are not well suited to a 4 speed box because of their relative lack of low down torque
I had a 1973 T150V Trident. There were just too many things that were never worked out in the design in the first place. Endless fettling to get things to just barely work. Like the clutch disengagement. The Bonnies had been built much longer and were a bit more complete.
In many cases true
My Manx Triton t150 clutch! I spent endless time trying to set it up, and in the end, I took it to Les Whiston, who got it perfect. They are a bloody nightmare.
I was pre warned by a friend who had one that things could get messy. He wasn't wrong.
Hinckley Triumphs of turn of the century are a nice alternative if you want a bike as strong as newer bikes while faster than the classics. Rode a used beefed up 600 cc Norton Dominator that used to outrun Atlases & Bonnevilles in a large college town full of them.
Didn’t want to be left in the dust on another classic.
Early 2000s Triumph triples are at least capable of keeping up with modern bikes. Some can turn an 11 second quarter. Not Busa/ZX14 fast but faster than even most super cars. Also as cheap or cheaper than the classics. Got one for my “retirement” bike.
A Norton Commando Mk III is one of the fastest classics. But even as a former Norton aficionado I don’t see myself riding a bike slower than many smaller modern bikes. And I don’t want my bike to insulate me from the road.
So for me approximately 1995-2010 Triumphs are a nice alternative. But if I get a second bike I’m torn between a used HD cruiser & a classic. Though I can be happy with a not terribly expensive bike that runs fast and rides well.
But while Hinckley has made a few missteps they have also turned out some fast bikes along the same vein as the classics
-Matt’s dad
All true but rather outside the remit of the video.
I’ve owned and ridden a few Hinckley Triumphs. They are generally good bikes, not perfect. For me the newer the Triumph the more soulless they have become. Early triples and Hinckley Bonnies have a character of their own but later bikes are faster but less interesting
@@bikerdood1100 Agree with almost all you said. But an 02 Daytona 955i is as fast or faster than many of the later ones IIRC. And I agree not perfect.
If I were more of an Iron Butt kind of guy and less of a quarter mile hooner an HD would probably have been my first choice, then a Triump triple for a second bike.
But I especially agree that the later models seem soulless compared to the early 2000’s Triumphs
Think I saw one late model Triumph with fake carbs, fake pushrods etc.
My initial searches were from ‘95 on. After I saw all of that plus rider modes and EUR 5 gimmicks I changed my cutoff to 2015 and eventually to 2010. as newest year. And I am really getting into the Daytona. Though I still haven’t figured out what if anything I will do with the tank & tail.
I had a triumph Daytona 1996. I loved it, so torquey and fast and was scarey when you opened it up but very stable.
Yes the Hinckley Triumphs were purposely over engineered, to avoid mechanical failure and gain a reputation for reliability - sadly missing in some of their erstwhile predecessors. The result, generally, is heavy but bombproof bikes.
Have had both. Trident gone and now have 77 Bonnie. Trident just too fussy in riding and maintenance for my taste.
The simplicity of the twin can be a real bonus if you do your own work
You stole my thunder 🤣 I've going say Tiger
Well it’s the sensible choice
Tiger 100 R for me.
Smaller bikes are ok, speaking from experience but over 60mph are very buzzy and busy we found the bigger engine more relaxing
I built a T140 based TRIBSA, great engine. Crank was balanced well, so vibes weren’t too bad. I’ve never ridden a 750 T150 or T160 but I have just finished building a T150 with 1000cc big bore kit (ua-cam.com/video/DO6h2IqQPD0/v-deo.html). This should give me extra low down torque and I can’t wait to start running it in so I can compare it to the 750 twin.
Well will definitely feel different that the Honda
Hope it’s brilliant
Radical change! How's it going?
@@carlosmarcos4070 Hi Carlos. Thanks for your interest. It’s going a bit slow at the moment. I have just had the bike registered so can now ride it legally on UK roads. Unfortunately the weather here has limited me taking the bike out for testing. However, after one test ride I need to check the carb balance and time the ignition with a strobe. I have replaced the carb inlet rubbers as the ones fitted were leaking air. I have also replaced the air filters for velocity stacks as the internal rubber mounts on the filters were blocking some air holes on the carb intakes. I have also fitted an extended idle adjuster. Only other job I need to do is fit an anti-drain valve to the oil tank as the engine wet sumps. I’m hoping to upload a short video in a couple of weeks to show the progress so far. Regards, Shaun.
It's not a 750, but I might be tempted by a late 500cc T100 of some sort as a (slightly cheaper) back-lane bike and use a modern bike on the faster roads
Oddly enough the 500s aren’t always much cheaper, when compared to a T140 at least. A 500 can be smoother but only at speeds below 55- 60 mph, after that those little fellows can be pretty buzzy
@@bikerdood1100
My first go around my 600 Norton was outrunning everything in a large college town EXCEPT a 500cc Triumph. The owner dropped the sprocket gearing.
I outran everything else running except that ultra low geared 500 off the line. A 750 Dunstall Atlas owner had a million reasons why he didn’t want to race my bike. But that 500 would walk away from me for about a block or two. After that, I could easily still top the ton. Mike’s 500 could barely break the speed limit before he hit red line. But he did have a lot of fun.
But it eventually caught up with him, and he bought the farm. RIP Big Mike from G’ville. But definitely he had fun while it was all going ok.
That was a good while ago. But I still feel the need…”. Glad the love of my life is starting to love this new bike of mine also.
Wondering how much more time I could shave off of a quarter with a sprocket change. Already came with more than stock HP. All I am going to say for now. Seriously want to run some passes next summer.
My 3 cylinder, every time.
I’d say depends on budget
@@bikerdood1100 Ok, the chain, rear tyre, sometimes the head gasket, but the fun and that sound, she went through bends like she was glued to the road, my Bonnie was more in the workshop than actually on the road. The Bonnie was a 1979 one, my Trident was a T150V from 1971, I had them both from new.
@@davidmarkwort9711 we ran a T140 for several years and had few problems in all honesty
T150s aren’t a bad buy these days, not super cheap but much less than the T160
I tend to do the majority of my own work so the relative simplicity of the twin is attractive. I ride an A10 these days which I find even simpler easy to work on and surprising smooth
@@bikerdood1100 I wouldn't mind the BSA 750 or the T160. My Bonnie left me stranded for 3 hours, until I figured out that the emergency off switch on the handlebar had shorted out.
@@davidmarkwort9711 all you got home
That ain’t stranded that’s just slightly delayed 😂
Don't think new cranks are available for the tridents ?
Oh nothing would surprise me
Some NOS out there at the very least I expect
The Bonnie
Definitely the less expensive choice
I’d plump for a Tiger 500 cos i’m cheap.
Well you’d be wrong
In the Uk a Tiger 100 is often more expensive than a T140
Strange but true
@@bikerdood1100 Oh no!😢 the way things are going i wont be able to afford a Bantam.
@@mygreatbigfoot1679 possible no of us will 😂
68 Rocket3 .. BSA
Interesting
Rare and pricy choice
I see you are using many videos from Russell James Motorcycles UA-cam channel. Have you their permission??
Most UA-cam videos are non copyright so it’s not required
I’m sure some people use mine which is fine
It’s kinda free advertising for them anyway
I generally like to avoid showing registration plates that kind of thing though
You can’t use material aired on US tv for some reason though
Oooh the copyright police on duty...
Are you from Essex?
Good god no 😂😂😂
@@bikerdood1100 I was looking for my old mate "Doddy" from Braintree.
@@davidmarkwort9711 oh I see
Don’t believe I sound southern although by coincidence my Grandfather was southern (Kent)
@@bikerdood1100 So you're from the Sheffield area? You are definately not a "Northener", I lived in Lancs for some time.
bonnie
Maybe 🤔
Great video but for 5 minutes just be quiet and let us hear the bikes!!!
Rude
And no
I'd choose the Norton Commando
I would not if I’m be honest, I’m a big fan of staying solvent
Even if I could afford one now, I still prefer my T140V. I had a new 850 Commando 2a in 1974 as my daily transport, and it was a lot more work to try and keep up with the maintenance and repairs in the 2 years I had it than my 45 year old T140 has been for the last 30 years.
Bonny start switch on fuel tickle carbs ignition on go to kick slip on oil patch under bike fall over end up in hospital lmao
That’s why I ride a BSA
Those push rod tubes are a pain
Not all old bikes leak oil after all
If you slip them you should look were you put your feet and wear proper foot where 😂
Do you mean to tell me it's wrong to ride in shorts and flip flops lmao
Save up for my 78 Truimph 750 cost me £1042 then it was easier to say what didn't go wrong then did ,heap of shit
I’m sensing bitterness 😂
Buy a Tiger 🤣🤣🤣
They have claws
Commando ??
Read the title
Is the Video about the Commando ?
If I make a video about the Commando will you type Trident
or perhaps C90
Cuz that also for some amazing reason isn’t in a video about Triumphs
Or BMW
Moto Guzzi
Or Honda
They ain’t in because it’s a bloody video about triumph
Hope this clears up any confusion 😂😂😂
The truth is that neither bike was not that popular as everybody bought either a Honda, a Kawasaki, a Suzuki or a Yamaha. Eccentrics bought Ducatis and the rich bought BMWs or Laverdas. Anyone who wanted reliability steered well away from British bikes, which were just rehashes of bikes from a previous era.
Yawn
Point well missed I think. Not all that was Japanese was terribly reliable. So many were sold so few survivors. As a counter the Xs750, the re5 and Hondas first generation V4s all complete crap and that’s before you go anywhere near the strokers. Do try and stay On subject 🙄
You are right bikerdood, the xs750 were awful and early vf750 honda had chocolate cams that packed up in 10000 miles and nearly ruined Honda's excellent reputation. That's why they redesigned it and bought out the great vfr750.
The T160 is far better than the T150.
@@Ian-bq7gpA friend of mine has a T160 owned from new which has done 250,000 miles but the only original parts are the frame and crankcase. Bit like Triggers broom from Only fools and horses.
I agree get the tiger 750. Being single carb, they were far better and reliable. My dad had an old 1939 tiger 100 he did over 100000 miles on with a bronze head that he pulled a sidecar with. He had 2 engines and always serviced one whilst riding with the other engine then he would swop them over and service the other. I wish he had kept it. He sold it when I came along for around £60. It's a collector's dream today as I believe only 10 were made with the bronze heads. He changed the original girder forks for telescopic later forks. I told him after I bought my BSA A10 golden flash of 1955 for £250 in 1980 that he had kept the tiger 100. There's still photos of it in family albums and I'm proud he loved it so much.
Hinckley rubbish?, come on, 100 times better than Meriden stuff.
Well
At least they actually built Bonnies at Meridian
Also the video is all about 70s Triumphs so don’t take it so seriously 😂
Hinckley bikes if you can call em that given how few are actually built there are definitely not without their faults it should be noted
Conical brakes works well if SET UP PROPERLY
When
And that was always the problem
The one fitted to the rear of our Tiger worked pretty well. But the do need setting up and are no better than is predecessor
@@bikerdood1100 That's because the back brake is single leading shoe. The twin leading shoe on the front with the ridiculous actuating spring was a stupid idea when the 1969/70 2LS worked perfectly well.
Try pretending that you don’t need to have the compression ‘spot on’ with either choice, for anyone to even be able to kickstart, first time everytime, either one of those, and I really will laugh in your face!
Compression ?
Timing you mean surely?
Not like compression is something you can adjust without changing the pistons
@@bikerdood1100 that actually depends on how old your bloody bsa is though doesn’t it mister I know everything there is to know about motorcycles!!! The really old BSA one’s were a single cylinder 500cc petrol engine, rigid frame, with a colonial style seat, and a decompression lever on the handle bars - and therefor yes, you could change the compression in the cylinder, so that you could find that ‘sweet spot’ to kick the bloody thing over, as in it is a kickstart motorcycle, and if you don’t align all the gears correctly, and the compression is too high in the cylinder chamber, the frigging thing will “kickback” and break your damned leg! See, not all women don’t know motorcycles like not all blokes know “ham”!
@@1ihws well
My oldest bike is a single from 1935
It has a decompression lever of course but it doesn’t adjust compression
It’s an off or on scenario
Interesting 80s 500 bikes ad spring loaded cylinder heads which maintained compression to allow for expansion, didn’t adjusted though
It should be said that neither the Bonnie or the Trident had decompressors anyway
Multi cylinder bikes don’t need em
If you check my videos you’ll see me riding a big Velocette and a BSA b31
Ridden a lot of old bikes
Oldest dated back to 1910 say you could say I’m familiar with decompress levers
And how the work and what they actually do
But thanks for the comment
@@bikerdood1100 lol - I’m really not interested in your videos mate seriously, couldn’t give a ratsbum, as my former husband would have said- I have the very real and authentic first hand knowledge of having owned, with my then husband, a 1929 BSA 500cc which took him ten years to restore, because when we picked it up, from Devon Meadows, in pieces, like quite literally in pieces, in about 1985, I was driving an Austin Kimberley, and the frame fit in the back seat, and the boxes of bits, like the original headlights, and all the other pieces it still didn’t have, he had to “find”, and in total, it took ten years to put it all back together, into a fully restored circa 1930 model - so, “next” flog, who think this is about “file compression” for computer crap, “bah humbug” - shove your head back up your I know everything about “history” or “his story” when you bloodywell don’t!