Temporary seat

Electrical tape and foam rubber!

Triumph Motorcycles, Meriden Documentary 1983

 

Just watched this on Youtube. Quite sort of depressing actually, but very interesting none-the-less. Ive read about about Norton and its coming to an end, but hadn't read much further into the demise of Triumph. I was very interested in that it became a workers cooperative, but this doco shows up, superficially, some of the flaws in that. There's also an interesting bit near the end at the new factory where one old chap talks about not wanting to get work done, or parts made, elsewhere. It's a really good illustration of that old (post war) attitude towards foreign production. It was rife here in NZ as well. I was reading an old issue of 'Twin Eagle' from the mid 1990s a couple of weeks back and there was a guy writing, very proudly, about how nothing in his house was 'made in Japan'. Funny how something so specific to a particular point in time can have hung around so long. It reminded me a bit of Sid's posters for the Born Too Late chopper show, how they have 'No Jap shit' on them. But it's not like it used to be. It's a pastiche these days, because the strength and relevance of that original sentiment has faded away. Which brings me around to the new Triumphs from the Hinckley factory, with their Mikuni carbs and whatever else. It's strange, I think, that some people deny these as being 'genuine' or authentic or whatever. Again that's a nostalgic sentiment from another world that's been passed down to us from our grandfathers. It's not real anymore, and no one cares. It's just xenophobia and racism these days I think? It's what lead to Triumphs' demise in the first place.

'Mountain Thunder' street racing at Methven 2012

Street racing in Methven, the annual 'Mountain Thunder' event. Really great place to watch street racing, definitely prefer it to Greymouth although it's a smaller circuit and not as fast. Good to see Paddy's Indian racing after having had it in our first issue. A young chick called Scout was racing it and really thrashing it. Great to see! The last pre 63 race saw an awesome battle between old man Ormsby and the guy on the #18 Triumph (who's name I can remember but will track down and chuck in here). Dan Ormsby was kicking ass on #32 in the Formula Methven... family day out! Phil from Street and Sport was doing the commentating and called me over for an interview over the PA system. That was hoot, a bit of free publicity! Cheers Phil.

Triumph update (new tank)... 2

New petrol tank is now fitted, apart from a balance pipe I need to make up and a couple of sleeves for the front mounts. Also gotta extend some wiring on the loom. Had Marty paint the tank and side covers matte black after much procrastination about colours. I'd like to do the tank a kandy red in the future maybe, but doin it black for now. Will hand-paint logos on tank and side covers, but will wait til I get it running and know everythings ok. I'm a little worried about the flow rate from the tank. The old (original) one had a breather pipe and this one just breathes through the cap, old school style.

I really gotta get my head around the seat now. The mounts for the seat are doing my head in a bit. I've cut so much off the seat the base is really weak and I will end up crushing wires and the CDI unit if I don't get it sorted.

Every weekend since I've pulled this bike off the road has been amazing... hoping the weather holds for when she's back on the road!

Johnny Moore's CB50

In lieu of not having got much further with either of my bikes this weekend I thought I'd put this sucker up here. This is Johnny Moore's CB50. One of the coolest rides on the road in Chch right now. He took this bike on the HFoS launch run to Lyttelton, but these photos are from a trip to the speedway a bit before that. This bike actually featured in HFoS issue #1 but has been more modified by the time you see it here...

Ruin

http://vimeo.com/38591304

Triumph update (new tank)

Went to Marty's today to look at this tank. I took the tank to Marty when I realised that even with the lugs cut off the frame the tank still weren't gonna fit. I was deflated, thinking 'fuck it I'll sell this tank and look for something else, but James was here and he suggested taking it to Marty, a friend of his dad's. Marty's amazing. He's a panel-beater/painter by trade and keen motorcyclist to boot. He certainly knows what the hell he's doing. So far he's cut a large part of the tunnel out and welded a new shape back in, including a recessed bit for the fuel tap. I've been round to see him about a week ago, to sort of set the height and position, and then today was to look at the bracket he's made for the rear. The seat pan also connects to this bracket if possible.

I'm really happy with the way it's going, but I'm real keen to drop the dials/clocks now too. They stuck up too much before anyway, but with this new tank they look even more out of place. I'll wait and get the tank and seat sorted first though. The seat is the next thing I gotta deal to. I'd started shaping it before I got this tank, so I'd put it on hold until we get the tank mounted properly. The seat's been tough to figure out, I'm cutting up a pan from a Hinckley Bonneville (keeping my original Thruxton seat), but I've cut so much off it mounting has become a bit of a problem.

Anyway, shit I'm hanging out to have a rideable bike sometime again soon! It feels like it's been ages. It's been a month now I guess? Hopefully the seat doesn't take me too long to figure out? Wish I could ditch work for a week and just nail it.

Old Triumph logo

Funnily enough just after posting the Triumph logos here yesterday I looked over at Pipeburn here and saw this bike which actually uses the gold one with the lion. This is a pretty amazing build, using a Hinkely Bonneville engine. Built and designed by Pangea Speed here. This was the best picture of the tank with the logo on it... thing is this had made me think maybe a Triumph logo isn't the best idea. I mean Triumph didn't build this bike. Just the engine. I think the tank should ref the builder maybe? Not that I'm doing a rebuild!? Wishing I was the more I think about it. Strip the entire thing and start with the frame and stance of the thing. That would be great... you can see how things spiral out of control and people don't have bikes to ride anymore.

Old Triumph logos

Been looking at old Triumph logos with the idea of putting one on the new tank I'm putting onto the Thruxton. Thought I'd stash a bunch here. Still not sure what I'll do, kinda waiting to see the tank sitting properly on the bike, but I'm also thinking about putting my own design on the tank, ie. NOT a Triumph thing at all? Maybe an H.F.O.S thing? Really not sure...

Norton Update: clutch and crank...

James came round on Saturday and we had planned to get this primary side (fucked at both ends!) all sorted. Alas our plans were foiled... James made up a really nice little puller for my seal but had made it to the id of the rotor where it meets the crank and there's a shoulder/step on the shaft after that, so unfortunately it didn't fit (sorry James!). Anyway we did get my new bearing to drop into the cltuch basket nicely... however when we put the clutch centre into the bearing it's obvious that the clutch centre itself is a little too undersized, and as a result it's spinning in the bearing (rather than spinning the bearing!), AND there's still heaps of play in the whole piece when we put it on the mainshaft! Real fucker. James noticed that the splines on the mainshaft (or maybe on the clutch centre?) are worn too, so that's also contributing to this play. Argh. Next up we tried cold soldering some silver into the keyway on the crank... the thinking being that we could then file it down to fit the key. However the silver wouldn't stick. James was trying to 'cold weld' it and my guess is that the metal (the shaft) just wasn't getting hot enough? Also the flux seemed to be getting fried before the silver would melt. He's gonna check this out with his boss and see what's up this week. So yeah we kinda got nowhere! Really appreciate James coming round to lend a hand though, and I'm in no hurry with this bloody thing eh...

The Grand Chancellors play motorcycle rock'and'roll

@ The Darkroom, Chch, NZ.

Support gig for Thee Oh Sees @ The Arc Theatre, Whanganui, NZ.