Triple Trouble - Consumer Rights

[Trinity765]

Recap - I've had my Street Triple from new (Feb 2019) and have had two clutches and a set of cams under warranty which run out February 2021 although the last warranty claim was October 2021.

It's doing it again - making a horrible noise. I don't know if it's the clutch or the cams or both. The bike is in my garage and I consider it un-ridable.

I've contacted a contract lawyer, biker friend who has asked me for all the details and I've written to Triumph GB to ask, under the Data Protection Act 2018, for all the data they have on me/my bikes. That will keep them busy as I have bought three Street Triples and a Honda CB1000r from them.

I'll keep you posted.

[Horse]

@Cousin Jack

Can you advise?

[Trinity765]

May I add that I have done everything I can to keep the bike well maintained including my own oil changes in between services. I don't know how I could evidence that other than I always get my oil from Amazon and my filters over the counter from Wemoto. But I cannot then prove I put those filters and oil on/in my bike.

[weeksy]

HOw many miles on it now ?

How many since the last major work that was done ?

[Horse]

This might be of interest, but ask your mate.

https://www.businesscompanion.info/en/q ... %20content.

If more than six months have passed, the consumer has to prove the defect was there at the time of delivery.

Some defects do not become apparent until some time after delivery, and in these cases it is enough to prove that there was an underlying or hidden defect at that time.

[Trinity765]

HOw many miles on it now ?

How many since the last major work that was done ?

I would have to check but guessing it's done around 10k since they last had it and nearly 38k in total. Since they replaced the cams last year I've been going to a local mechanic who, in my opinion, has been very thorough. I've booked it in with the local guy next Tuesday but I don't know whether I should leave the bike as it is or get this guy to have a look at it.

I have an email from Triumph in June this year when I wrote to them to say that the clutch has started to get noisy again and they said "We have been aware of some clutches on your model being noisy, but once replaced we have not seen any re-occurrences of the issues, so why you should be experiencing the same issue again is a surprise".

I don't know why it would surprise them unless its a different clutch. I don't want a new clutch. I would like a bike that works without needing a new clutch every year. I don't know what I can expect within my consumer rights. I know that the bike was not fit for purpose from the beginning.

Also, while the clutch started being noisy earlier this year, this weekend it started making the "other noise" which is a constant rattling from the timing chain (even when warm) and a thumping rattle which I think is the cams. @weeksy You heard the noise I'm talking about at Pembery last year.

Whenever anyone hears it they say "Oh. No. That's not good".

[weeksy]

Yeah that was 15 months ago now roughly...

Without sounding too harsh here... i'm not sure what you'll get with 38,000 miles on it other than "we can do XYZ"... But i expect it'll cost you.

Question for you... What is your outcome that you'd like here ? What's the end-goal ? Unless you've got a plan and target, it may make any discussions tougher. They're not going to give you a new bike, or a new engine... At the best you get a new clutch/cam, they'll pay half, you'll pay half and then you sell it on ?

[wull]

I hope you get this sorted and in time for next season.

[Pgm]

I’m with weeksy, I’d be looking to get it sorted and out it.

[Supermofo]

I was thinking the same as Weeksy, you definitely need to know what you ideally want and also what you expect to actually happen. I think the absolute best you can expect would be a new clutch/cam and at that point I'd be selling it and buying a different bike. How realistic that is I don't know, but sounds like they've done one job out of warranty and you've had more than one so you might be lucky. A lawyer sounds the best for advice though and you're on that.

Out of interest I'd be asking Triumph for details on warranty claims on that model for clutches/cams. Thing is yours has probably done 4x the mileage that most will have done so it might not be so apparent.

Hope you get a decent result though as sounds like it's a bit of a lemon, either bike or model.

[Trinity765]

Yeah that was 15 months ago now roughly...

Without sounding too harsh here... i'm not sure what you'll get with 38,000 miles on it other than "we can do XYZ"... But i expect it'll cost you.

Question for you... What is your outcome that you'd like here ? What's the end-goal ? Unless you've got a plan and target, it may make any discussions tougher. They're not going to give you a new bike, or a new engine... At the best you get a new clutch/cam, they'll pay half, you'll pay half and then you sell it on ?

The bike may have done 38k but the clutch and the cams have done considerably less.

I don't know what I could reasonably expect hence taking some legal advise. I would accept a trade in value equal to the book price and not the price based on a bike that isn't currently ridable. Is that reasonable?

Otherwise, I'll see what the local mechanic says. I trust him and I'll be paying to have him take it to bits and find out what the issue is, then have a discussion and then take it from there. I love Street Triples - when they work they are ace to ride. I can't imagine another bike being as good - weight/handling/braking/acceleration/fun especially for my own weight and size.

[Trinity765]

I'm going to buy a new bike next year regardless. The question is, do I keep the Street or do I trade it in. I can't trade in a bike that doesn't work.

[weeksy]

Yeah that was 15 months ago now roughly...

Without sounding too harsh here... i'm not sure what you'll get with 38,000 miles on it other than "we can do XYZ"... But i expect it'll cost you.

Question for you... What is your outcome that you'd like here ? What's the end-goal ? Unless you've got a plan and target, it may make any discussions tougher. They're not going to give you a new bike, or a new engine... At the best you get a new clutch/cam, they'll pay half, you'll pay half and then you sell it on ?

The bike may have done 38k but the clutch and the cams have done considerably less.

I don't know what I could reasonably expect hence taking some legal advise. I would accept a trade in value equal to the book price and not the price based on a bike that isn't currently ridable. Is that reasonable?

Otherwise, I'll see what the local mechanic says. I trust him and I'll be paying to have him take it to bits and find out what the issue is, then have a discussion and then take it from there. I love Street Triples - when they work they are ace to ride. I can't imagine another bike being as good - weight/handling/braking/acceleration/fun especially for my own weight and size.

There's a few.... MT09, KTM790 are 2 that come to mind really, maybe even the GSXS that a few on here like a lot.

Your thoughts are to me reasonable.... to them, i honestly can't see it. The dealer is associated to Triumph, but that would mean for example Triumph would pay them £1000.... which i don't see happening. I think best case you can even think is Triumph fix it, no cost to you, then you trade it in at a dealer.... but that would be a fantastic outcome..

[weeksy]

I'm going to buy a new bike next year regardless. The question is, do I keep the Street or do I trade it in. I can't trade in a bike that doesn't work.

Course you can.... just not for the same money as a working one

[Trinity765]

A quick thanks. Things like this do my head in as I simply don't know what to do. All I want is a bike that I can ride. Open to suggestions of what bike next. I'm 5'3" which limits the choice and I do not want an adventure bike anyway. I'll be doing some Europe next year and perhaps some Scotland so big miles.

[Supermofo]

Is yours a lemon, in which case maybe get another Street, or given you mention other bikes having clutch issues you might be better off jumping ship. Does this come up on any of the Triumph forums?

As for other bikes as Weeksy says the MT09 and 790/890 Dukes spring to mind. When I sat on the 790 it felt a fair bit smaller than my 690 did although it is heavier it's also lower. The Z9 and the GSXS I should imagine are a fair bit heavier, mine is fine on the road but is a bit of a lump pushing it about. RS660 could be another contender but I don't hear great things about them in reliability terms.

Of all the alternatives for the kind of miles you do I'd be looking at the MT09.

[Bustaspoke]

A quick thanks. Things like this do my head in as I simply don't know what to do. All I want is a bike that I can ride. Open to suggestions of what bike next. I'm 5'3" which limits the choice and I do not want an adventure bike anyway. I'll be doing some Europe next year and perhaps some Scotland so big miles.

I love my 675R Street Triple,but after reading posts on the forums over the years I wouldn't buy another Triumph.
If you enjoy the triple engine I would have a look at the MT 09.My little SV650 surprised me,it's been a great fun bike & it's smaller than the Street Triple.If you can cope with less performance it may be worth a look,certainly get a test ride on one.Maybe have a look at that new Hornet?
HTH

[Trinity765]

I've asked Triumph what they'd give me as a trade in value.

[weeksy]

I've asked Triumph what they'd give me as a trade in value.

'Triumph' ? the dealer your bike is now at ? or Triumph as in the organisation ?

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I've asked Triumph what they'd give me as a trade in value.

If Triumph think there's nothing wrong with it they should give you the same money as one that doesn't sound like a pneumatic drill.

How bad is the sound, the knocking sound you describe could be the clutch centre nut coming undone or the clutch shock absorber springs just having some wear, does the noise go when you rev the bike up, or when you pull the clutch in.

Cams wearing in modern engines is rare