1979 Triumph Bonneville Special (T140D)

[crazy steve]

It was Studebaker and Packard, or two drunks trying to help each other across the street.

Yeah, Hudson merged with Nash (producing what many called a 'Hash' ) before eventually becoming AMC...

[Barnfresh]

yes - Studebaker and Packard.. Hudson and Nash.. Today we would bail them out with tax money...

[James England]

We had three drunks helping each other across the street... Norton, Villiers and Triumph. It became NVT for a while. Like many drunks, the bikes were incontinent and needed litter trays under them in the garage, fell over a lot, couldn't travel very far without having a breakdown.

The modern Triumphs seem quite nice but a bit faux. After a break from bikes for quite a while, I went to look at the Bonneville and Tiger made now. The problem for me was things like the fuel injectors disguised to look like carbs and generally a kind of false feel to them. For what they are, they are very nice and they look very well-engineered but still false.... modern bikes trying (and succeeding) to look old. That's when I decided to get a 'real' classic, instead of a replica classic and I bought my XS1100. I'm very pleased I did because I love the fact that it's fast, reliable and beautiful but also 32 years old.

[James England]

The oil tank was a 4 inch pipe which also doubled as a frame member. The "oil in frame" was an interesting idea, but the welds eventually cracked and leaked.

I had one! A T120R with the oil in the frame. You have to laugh re the T100 and T120 and T140... the numbers were the claimed top speed in mph! I mean, honestly, there is no way that a T140 did 140mph! I did once do 100mph on my T120R with, amazingly enough, my 75 year old grandma on the back. We were sitting in her apartment, drinking tea and she said , musingly, " Do you know, I've never travelled at 100 miles an hour before". When I flippantly said "I'll take you out on my bike then", she surprised me by replying "Oh good. Did you bring a spare skid-lid?" We ended up doing 10 miles or so, and going down a dual carriageway at 100mph for two miles......... I'm not sure which was more surprising, my grandma or the fact that the Bonneville managed two whole miles at that speed and still got us back in time for cakes....

[Barnfresh]

James: Mine looked like this... except it only had one carb. There was a 650 Thunderbolt and a 650 Lightning... You can see the oil tank / frame right behind the carbs. I guess the Triumph had the same setup starting in '71. Funny - same bike, choose your engine and your badge...

[BigDick]

James, thanks for the perspective. I'll definitely keep your first-hand experience in mind this spring once I get out and about on her. Most of my riding is just around town anyway, "home" is 260 miles away. That'd make a good shakedown "long distance" trip to check how she behaves.

Like I said, most of the bike is new/replacement. Not much Lucas stuff left on her. She is acting like the carbs are gummed up, so that's the next project.

[BigDick]

Also FWIW I read most of your posts to my dad (PO of said triumph) He couldn't stop laughing, mostly because he knows it to be true.

[James England]

Also FWIW I read most of your posts to my dad (PO of said triumph) He couldn't stop laughing, mostly because he knows it to be true.

That's so funny! I'm pleased he wasn't offended. Hey! Tell him that the posts are from a British person about a British bike too. In the olden days, I'd have been hanged, drawn and quartered for treason.

By all accounts, a superb, legendary British bike was the Vincent Black Shadow. A bike before its time since it was apparently well beyond the scope of UK roads at the time. I spoke with an old bloke recently who bought a brand-new one and, of course, rues the day he ever sold it since they now sell for the cost of a reasonable house.....