Classic Triumph Bonneville

[Count Steer]

I've just nipped out to the garage and tried it on one of the T140s. In gear clutch plates free and clutch pulled in the kick start does indeed turn the back wheel. Like you I'm not sure what this tells me....

It does tell you that everything is moving freely up to a certain point.

Somewhere at the back of my mind is a dim and distant memory of doing this routine to keep the back wheel spinning while adjusting something - back brake perhaps (and not wanting to fire up the bike in a confined space).

[Nidge]

Can’t imagine there’s an easier way than to simply spin it by hand in neutral

[Count Steer]

Can’t imagine there’s an easier way than to simply spin it by hand in neutral

There was definitely some reason but I can't imagine what it was. It was a long time ago.

[JackyJoll]

I think that if you put it in gear and kick it with the clutch pulled you'll make the wheel go around

Yes.

[JackyJoll]

Boyer Mark 3 is a robust system. Needs good connections to a good battery though. Ignition switch and kill switch can be dodgy that way.

Also needs good connections between trigger plate and black box, because the signal is low voltage and current.

[JackyJoll]

As you’ve seen, the kickstart turns the mainshaft.

When you engage a gear, the mainshaft is connected to the output.

[JackyJoll]

So in theory it is actually possible to kick start the bike when it's in gear on the centre stand

That’s when the bike rolls itself off the stand and leaps through the wall of your shed.

[JackyJoll]

Just brainstorming but did the clutch centre rotate freely before you put the plates in? Its a long time since I worked on a triumph but if the thrust washer needed to be a different size for the new centre would in bind? That might be the resistance you feel with the plugs out

A too-thick washer would stop the clutch freeing properly but wouldn’t affect kicking the engine over.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Its the right sized washer too, there are indeed two sizes and I quadruple checked i had the right one.

Just tried it again, putting it in gear and kicking it makes the rear wheel spin around merrily, nice and easy, in all four gears.

[Count Steer]

You know what's going to happen don't you? Someone old geezer is going to come along, give it a hoof and brrrm. Then they'll say 'Nowt wrong with that, now what's the problem?'

However, that's more data to feed into the 'StubbornTriumph AI system'.

[weeksy]

Its the right sized washer too, there are indeed two sizes and I quadruple checked i had the right one.

Just tried it again, putting it in gear and kicking it makes the rear wheel spin around merrily, nice and easy, in all four gears.

But it still doesn't start

[Mr. Dazzle]

Well yeah....I am contemplating getting the guy who rebuilt the head to have a look. He'll probably jump on it, start it up and say "whats the problem exactly?"

[KungFooBob]

Well yeah....I am contemplating getting the guy who rebuilt the head to have a look. He'll probably jump on it, start it up and say "whats the problem, Princess?"

EFA

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I'm so glad I like old Japanese bikes and not British ones

[David]

Its the right sized washer too, there are indeed two sizes and I quadruple checked i had the right one.

Just tried it again, putting it in gear and kicking it makes the rear wheel spin around merrily, nice and easy, in all four gears.

I aaume that is with the clutch pulled in?

[Mr. Dazzle]

Yes.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I've e-mailed the guy who did this original head repair....

https://vintageclassicmotorcycles.co.uk

I can feel myself getting fucked of with this bike, so it's time to call in someone else I imagine I could leave it a few months to regather my motivation, but I do actually want to ride it at some point. Hopefully he'll just say "yeah they're always tight after a rebuild" or something. Or he'll rebuild it again. Who knows.

[David]

That. It's tight.



Hide the gin.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Well even if it is just tight, the guy who makes a living fixing old Brit Iron will have "the knack" much better than old soft palms Dazzle 'ere.

By way of comparison, I also have a 1965 5TA in the garage. That's a 500cc engine with much lower compression than the Bonnie (7:1 I think). It's also got a much shorter kicker. I can turn that over, plugs in, by hand.

[David]

Even my Velo (6 to 1,and a mere 200cc) was tight to kick over newly rebuilt....
Someone (not me, Guv) is going to say MTFU, put your big boots on and give it a go. Are there any big hills by you?