Classic Triumph Bonneville

[JackyJoll]

Fork gaiters sold for “classic” bikes are usually poor quality.

You’ll get better ones by taking your measurements and searching eBay.

Re top end leaks: the rocker box gaskets do quite a lot of settling after assembly, incurring a requirement to retighten head bolts and the little 1/4” fasteners.

[Mr. Dazzle]

New brake shoes arrived in the post today, so that's a job to do soon. Honestly - I think this is the first set of drum brake shoes I've actually handled, which surprises even me given what I've done as a job for nearly 20 years now!

I'm taking the bent centre stand to work on Friday, managed to get access to the BFO vice+bench in the machine shop. Harder than it sounds Here's the drawing I sent.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Cleaned the centre stand up ready for attempted straightening. It's position under a leaky old brit bike meant it was covered in a not insignificant amount of oiley crap, but it only took a bit of paraffin to shift it.

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Pretty much what it looks like. That twisted lug needs twisting back. It's steel, so I stand more than half a chance of doing it without it just snapping.

[Rockburner]

You need some Gunk.

[Mr. Dazzle]

You need some Gunk.

I probably do!

My plan is to refit the centre stand, hopefully this weekend after straightening, then take the front wheel out to sort the brakes. I've got a new centre stand fixing kit with all the bolts, spring washers etc.

My big question is what to do, if anything, with the front brake plate. It's black (kinda!) at the moment, which AFAIK means it's mid-70s in vintage. This bike a '69 and should have a silver plate I believe. I dunno if I should/can paint it or something while the bike is apart. Or even just paint it black again.

It's supposed to have a "bacon slicer" trim on the other side too, which it currently doesn't.

Could probably stand to have some similar thoughts about the levers etc. too. I believe levers are just ally, but I've not had a proper look. I could vapourmatt those at work and relacquer.

[iansoady]

It'll be aluminium alloy under the coating so if you can remove that & polish it up it'll look fine. Although I think it looks nice black.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I guessed that the stock silver (for 69) is painted too, just painted silver?

[cheb]

Keep it black, it'll help with heat dissipation.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I think I might just re-paint it black, much easier than trying to paint it silver over the existing black!

[Rockburner]

The black paint will be more effective than a bacon slicer.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Bacon slicer goes on the other side though, side opposite the camera.

Black carbon fibre bacon slicer?

[Rockburner]

Bacon slicer goes on the other side though, side opposite the camera.

Black carbon fibre bacon slicer?

Even less effective!

[JackyJoll]

Keep it black, it'll help with heat dissipation.

The backplate doesn’t get hot and it wouldn’t matter if it did.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Keep details like that out of it!

[Mr. Dazzle]

I bent the centre stand back into shape today. It was absurdly easy, just clamped it in a vice and gave it a tweak.

Sadly my new mounting bolts are the wrong size. Need to fathom that one out, clearly bought the wrong kit. For now I've fudged it with some nearly there bolts so I can get started on the brake.

Not entirely convinced by the way the front wheel is held in, it's stupid easy to undo and get out it's just half moon end caps on the forks and 4 small bolts.

Got the brake apart easily enough. Just needs a damned good clean up, paint and re-lube. The old shoes were well shiny, that's what my pic is trying to show. The cable is shot though, really stiff and sticky. I was gonna replace it anyway.

Honestly surprised it worked as well as it did, it can fully compress the forks and lock the front. I suppose what I'm actually saying is that the forks and tyres are shit.

[KungFooBob]

As it's a bit of a bitsa anyways, would the forks/wheel/brakes from a 70's T140 fit?

You'd get a nice disc then.

[Mr. Dazzle]

CBA.

A) Because if I wanted a bike objectively good I wouldn't be bothering with this old heap,
B) From what I hear, it'd be a disc but not necessarily a nice one anyway.
C) They're actually alright, as above. Expecting/hoping they'll be very alright when sorted.

I do leave a massive gap in front TBF . But everything about the bike demands a different sort of attention and input anyway. S'part of the charm.

[JackyJoll]

Not entirely convinced by the way the front wheel is held in, it's stupid easy to undo and get out :lol it's just half moon end caps on the forks and 4 small bolts.

The only problem I’ve heard of, with that sort of attachment is the caps being split by overtightening of the nuts.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Not entirely convinced by the way the front wheel is held in, it's stupid easy to undo and get out :lol it's just half moon end caps on the forks and 4 small bolts.

The only problem I’ve heard of, with that sort of attachment is the caps being split by overtightening of the nuts.

I'd worry more about them shaking loose. With the modern way of doing it you've got quite a lot more "graceful degredation".

[JackyJoll]

I’ve had two bikes (AJS & Enfield) with those caps and studs clamping the spindle and they never came loose.

I don’t remember ever hearing about anyone else’s ones coming loose either.

You’d notice something wrong long before the wheel fell out, anyway.