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Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 9:20 am
by Mr Moofo
It was the first bike I had ...
So I have kind of got a hankering for the first gen speed triple - but people now consider them collectors items.
So I am looking at the 900 Daytona ... big / heavy etc ... but easy to work on etc.
Anyone have any experience?
Re: Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 9:39 am
by v8-powered
No experience with the 900's but had a couple of 955's - T595 and 955i.
Peachy engines and despite weighing similar to a car, with the right suspension they can be made to handle well too - I used to track mine and despite much piss-taking and harsh words such a 'pig-iron' and 'ships anchor' it held it's head high at places like Snett amongst the Power Rangers on their litre sports bikes.
Sure the 900's can be dropped in to a similar category....
Re: Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 9:40 am
by weeksy
Always always wanted an old school Triumph speed triple, sometimes it was the black, sometimes it was the lime green one i wanted. I can certainly see how they'd attain 'classic' status.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-spee ... SwywBfCLBM
Looking at it now.. i'd probably go black.
Re: Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 10:30 am
by Nidge
I'd still go for the the original 1994/5? A mate had one brand new in 1995, at the time there was a one make support series at BSB (or may have been WSBK) for them which meant there was a lovely Yoshi 3:1 (one of the very few mods that were allowed for the race series) available which sounded glorious- I still think it was one of the best sounding bikes I've ever heard. They still look good in a brutal kind of way I reckon, and as you say prices are on the rise but still available for reasonable(ish) money:
Re: Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 11:01 am
by KungFooBob
Nidge wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 10:30 am
I'd still go for the the original 1994/5? A mate had one brand new in 1995, at the time there was a one make support series at BSB (or may have been WSBK) for them which meant there was a lovely Yoshi 3:1 (one of the very few mods that were allowed for the race series) available which sounded glorious- I still think it was one of the best sounding bikes I've ever heard. They still look good in a brutal kind of way I reckon, and as you say prices are on the rise but still available for reasonable(ish) money:
I remember watching John Cooper ride one around Mallory when they were launched.
iirc they did a 750 version too.
Re: Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 11:06 am
by Taipan
I wanted the bug eyed version some years ago but never went ahead as there so many complaints about gearboxes exiting stage left?
Re: Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 11:09 am
by KungFooBob
Taipan wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 11:06 am
I wanted the bug eyed version some years ago but never went ahead as there so many complaints about gearboxes exiting stage left?
I heard the same about the Daytona with the same engine, at 12,000 miles the gearbox would explode.
Re: Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 11:09 am
by Mr. Dazzle
weeksy wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 9:40 am
Always always wanted an old school Triumph speed triple, sometimes it was the black, sometimes it was the lime green one i wanted. I can certainly see how they'd attain 'classic' status.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-spee ... SwywBfCLBM
Looking at it now.. i'd probably go black.
I've got a 1997 T509 Speed Triple in my garage...It's Lucifer Orange, from the first year of "bug eye".
Pretty much totally stock. It was my first big bike. I plan to do a full strip and rebuild one day, it's bound to be a classic.
Just like this.
The gearbox did indeed exit stage left not long after I got it in 2003. Fortunately it was replaced under warranty.
Re: Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 11:10 am
by KungFooBob
While we're here, can anyone confirm the urban myth that the early Bloor/Hinckley engines were based on Kawasaki lumps?
I was once told that dealers often supplied engine bits in Kawasaki packaging?
Re: Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 11:15 am
by Mr. Dazzle
It's more likely Triumph tapped into the same supply chain as Kawasaki for cost reasons.
McLaren do the same with Jaguar for all their "normal" bolts etc.
Re: Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 12:21 pm
by Supermofo
If it's a Gen 2 then surely it's gotta be the Nuclear Red (pink)?
Re: Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 12:47 pm
by Mr Moofo
Nidge wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 10:30 am
I'd still go for the the original 1994/5? A mate had one brand new in 1995, at the time there was a one make support series at BSB (or may have been WSBK) for them which meant there was a lovely Yoshi 3:1 (one of the very few mods that were allowed for the race series) available which sounded glorious- I still think it was one of the best sounding bikes I've ever heard. They still look good in a brutal kind of way I reckon, and as you say prices are on the rise but still available for reasonable(ish) money:
That is exactly what I would want - but not for north of 5k!
Re: Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 1:03 pm
by Nidge
Re: Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 1:23 pm
by Mr Moofo
Saw the both of those - the top one has merit.
The bottom one has all sorts of engine mank going with the paint etc ... can be bothered with that at that price ...
Re: Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 1:33 pm
by Mr. Dazzle
Gratuitous shot of me out running my mate at Santa Pod...
Re: Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 1:52 pm
by Horse
KungFooBob wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 11:10 am
While we're here, can anyone confirm the urban myth that the early Bloor/Hinckley engines were based on Kawasaki lumps?
I was once told that dealers often supplied engine bits in Kawasaki packaging?
It was never a secret* that the first design team bought several Japanese bikes to strip down. Kawasaki were IIRC the 'best' to use for inspiration or guidance.
* eg Articles in the bike press
Re: Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 2:06 pm
by Mr Moofo
when i bought mine, i was told by the dealer that they ere based on Kawasaki engines ...
And there was a lot about it in the press at the time.
Re: Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 4:01 pm
by Mr Moofo
Seems they have sprag clutch issues - and repair involves splitting the case....
Re: Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 4:05 pm
by weeksy
Mr Moofo wrote: Sun Aug 09, 2020 4:01 pm
Seems they have sprag clutch issues - and repair involves splitting the case....
As do Aprilia and early KTM990s but people still own and ride loads
Re: Nostalgia - I have begun to look at Early 90's Triumph triples
Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 4:20 pm
by KungFooBob
Sprags normally get buggered when they turn the wrong way.
If there's not enough juice in the battery to fully turnover/start the engine and it kicks back, that's what kills the sprag.
So just keep it charged/well used.
