I really enjoyed this video, I just got my 1978 Triumph and have been riding it a few days, and it makes my heart pump to hear another start up and run just as mine does. Hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine! Thanks for showing it.
I really love this era of Bonnie. It's really great to get one going again. I enjoyed this bike very much, but I always like getting the next one, so this one went to a new home where I know it is being loved!
In the 1970s my father ran a motorbike garage and was a Triumph and Norton agent (in Cornwall), while I was running a lorry on long distance. I used to regularly collect new Triumph T140Vs from the worker's cooperative Triumph factory in Meriden and bring them home for my father. This bike in this film has a Cornish registration number, so there's a high probability that I collected it direct from the Triumph factory, and my father sold the bike when it was new.
@@SPANNERRASH Was there a name on the number plate, or a blue sticker with 'Brookside Garage', or 'Thomas's Brookside garage'? Funnily enough someone got in touch with me recently, who'd just re-purchased a Bonneville (Executive) that he'd bought new from my father in 1981. Although he reckons he too old to ride it now, so he'll just keep polishing instead! The Meriden factory was fantastic. When they were building the Silver Jubilee models, I regularly used to go and watch the old boys painting all the lines on by hand. My father sold loads of those. Tony Benn helped set up the Triumph worker's cooperative at Meriden - and Maggie Thatcher closed it all down! It was a sad day the last time I went there.
@@TomRelubbus It was indeed a sad day when it closed the workers coperative was a good idea but lacked investment for new machine tools which were showing wear, I bought a new T140 Bonnie in November 1978, it went back to Meriden for new block and pistons I also had a man from Lucas out as it was cutting out he knew what was wrong before I explained the problem , Triumph had failed to put waterproof joins on the wires on the electronic ignition, such a let down, then the recommended champion N8 (I think) spark plugs failed regularly, when I collected the bike from the factory a man called Jim Winston had put 2 lodge spark plugs in and to this day she hasn't missed a beat, she's Great.
I laughed too hard @ 2:28 when you revved and parts started falling off! Haha. Looks like one of my projects! Thanks for posting and enjoy your Triumph! 👍👊
Tawny brown and gold bought the same bike from greys at stokes croft bristol in 1979 the last 4 left from the Meriden factory, best motorcycle l ever had .
Terrific. I have the same bike, same colour, in the original condition at the start of this video. To see your bike later in all its glory made me very envious. I can only dream of such a transformation. Stay safe.
She went on to a new home in the end, although after this first start I did quite a bit of work on the bike. Ended up being a really good one from a mechanical perspective. Left the new owner to fettle the cosmetics.
Hi Steven, it wasn't running right at all, it was it's first start in decades! It turned out to run lovely when I'd finished though, wish I'd have made a video series on this one.
@@SPANNERRASH made the comment without realizing the very end. Its just sooo bad to rev an engine like that after all the time and not making sure its all in working order. That's the same bike at the end? Beautiful... and sounds great at that point. The guy.... has that triumph grin. Lol
@@stevendaniels8652 It does seem a bit brutal in hindsight, but we did clean out the oil and replace it with new + filter and check the bike could be turned by hand first. I didn't just roll out of a barn and start kicking it. It is the same bike at the end with me riding off into the sunset, ended up being a lovely T140. Thinking about picking another up in the near future. We'll see about that.. :)
I really enjoyed this video, I just got my 1978 Triumph and have been riding it a few days, and it makes my heart pump to hear another start up and run just as mine does. Hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine! Thanks for showing it.
I really love this era of Bonnie. It's really great to get one going again. I enjoyed this bike very much, but I always like getting the next one, so this one went to a new home where I know it is being loved!
In the 1970s my father ran a motorbike garage and was a Triumph and Norton agent (in Cornwall), while I was running a lorry on long distance.
I used to regularly collect new Triumph T140Vs from the worker's cooperative Triumph factory in Meriden and bring them home for my father.
This bike in this film has a Cornish registration number, so there's a high probability that I collected it direct from the Triumph factory, and my father sold the bike when it was new.
That's awesome, thanks for sharing Tommy! It would be incredible if it was, in fact, a bonnie that'd passed through your hands all these years later.
@@SPANNERRASH
Was there a name on the number plate, or a blue sticker with 'Brookside Garage', or 'Thomas's Brookside garage'?
Funnily enough someone got in touch with me recently, who'd just re-purchased a Bonneville (Executive) that he'd bought new from my father in 1981.
Although he reckons he too old to ride it now, so he'll just keep polishing instead!
The Meriden factory was fantastic.
When they were building the Silver Jubilee models, I regularly used to go and watch the old boys painting all the lines on by hand.
My father sold loads of those.
Tony Benn helped set up the Triumph worker's cooperative at Meriden - and Maggie Thatcher closed it all down!
It was a sad day the last time I went there.
@@TomRelubbus It was indeed a sad day when it closed the workers coperative was a good idea but lacked investment for new machine tools which were showing wear, I bought a new T140 Bonnie in November 1978, it went back to Meriden for new block and pistons I also had a man from Lucas out as it was cutting out he knew what was wrong before I explained the problem , Triumph had failed to put waterproof joins on the wires on the electronic ignition, such a let down, then the recommended champion N8 (I think) spark plugs failed regularly, when I collected the bike from the factory a man called Jim Winston had put 2 lodge spark plugs in and to this day she hasn't missed a beat, she's Great.
I laughed too hard @ 2:28 when you revved and parts started falling off! Haha. Looks like one of my projects! Thanks for posting and enjoy your Triumph! 👍👊
I laughed watching it back too. Even worse when its something I'm sure I tightened! :D Cheers
Love it..all smiles...loved mine
It really is a thrill getting an old bike running again like this, cheers Harvey. :)
Tawny brown and gold bought the same bike from greys at stokes croft bristol in 1979 the last 4 left from the Meriden factory, best motorcycle l ever had .
In US known as UPS color scheme
Congrats boys,you've got a nice runner.
Terrific. I have the same bike, same colour, in the original condition at the start of this video. To see your bike later in all its glory made me very envious. I can only dream of such a transformation. Stay safe.
Cheers Michael! You should crack out the spanners, you might be surprised at what you can do with your own.
say well done to you keep the old bikes going
Cheers mate, I do what I can :D
very good
I think that most of the time, it was a 375cc single.
Definitely, but she's a runner! ..kind of anyway
Is she still running?!
She went on to a new home in the end, although after this first start I did quite a bit of work on the bike.
Ended up being a really good one from a mechanical perspective. Left the new owner to fettle the cosmetics.
I'm going to take the gas tank off mine tomorrow! Save money and weight!
Haha, great minds think alike! ;)
I sold those new.
Put some frigging petrol in it
It would help! :D
Hi am a good
Thanks, I am really pleased with how it came out, well worth the effort.
That doesn't sound right. Is it running on one cylinder? Just abusing the hell out of it. What a shame.
Hi Steven, it wasn't running right at all, it was it's first start in decades!
It turned out to run lovely when I'd finished though, wish I'd have made a video series on this one.
@@SPANNERRASH made the comment without realizing the very end. Its just sooo bad to rev an engine like that after all the time and not making sure its all in working order. That's the same bike at the end? Beautiful... and sounds great at that point. The guy.... has that triumph grin. Lol
@@stevendaniels8652 It does seem a bit brutal in hindsight, but we did clean out the oil and replace it with new + filter and check the bike could be turned by hand first. I didn't just roll out of a barn and start kicking it.
It is the same bike at the end with me riding off into the sunset, ended up being a lovely T140. Thinking about picking another up in the near future. We'll see about that.. :)
@@SPANNERRASH try and find a pre-unit. My fad put one in a early 80's chopper he built...good luck with the future buy.
Try a gas tank lol
Hahaha, I like to live dangerously