Cried laughing- “Monica wants nothing to do with it, and won’t come down to help” Very sensible on her part 👍 Excellent job, smashing video. Looks great 👌
How refreshing to see someone who actually keeps his bike and isn't afraid to work on it, despite not being the most mechanically inclined. Unlike every other channel where every video starts with something like "I bought a new (whatever)". Keep up the good work. Cheers!
I'm the same way, Freddie. I once thought, "I'm gonna change my tires... 2 hours should be enough time." 2 days later I finally got the job finish. I spent the good part of a weekend changing two 20 year old tires. First I couldn't get the tires off the rims no matter what I tried... then getting the new ones on was tricky.. then the valve stem from the tube didn't want to go in the rim hole until I got a special tool on amazon. I didn't work non stop on it all weekend, I took breaks to watch tire changing videos and eat...but it took 5 times longer than I though.
I love the way Freddie says hello to passers by. It shows he's a polite chap. He could easily ignore them and carry on filming, but he doesn't. Another vert watchable video.
I am a bit worried about this Peter- what with neglecting to buy Monika a new jacket and now putting on a far less comfortable seat. I think I may be extremely selfish. I will update on Monika’s pillion comfort😆
@@FreddieDobbs actually I would be concerned too…I as well updated my seat for a better looking one, though less comfortable, and my wife threatened me with not biking anymore together so I had to go back to the previous one! 😂
Looks the business Freddie! Love the changes it makes it look like a different bike. I love the honesty in your videos with losing parts! That's the real world and so much more fun to watch than a perfectly polished video without parts being forgotten or lost 😅 keep up the great work!
You have two shocks: preload the right one to the max and the left to the minimum. This will release the left and you'll be able to take it out without any effort whatsoever.
I am an idiot, I put a rack on the back of my bike and took off the shocks on my bike and the bike hit the floor. "One side at a time " I was yelling at my phone while I was watching the video. I didn't follow that method. Next door neighbor had to come out and help, I lifted, he put on the shock. It was on my last attempt of lifting the bike up, when he finally got it on. Great job! I could imagine you had 12 box's in a corner waiting on this day to come to install. Congratulations. Done!
Love the fact that you’re improving your older ride - unlike every other creator who works with a brand new, pristine, bike. And, you’re working with ONE machine - much more realistic and down to earth. 🏍
Wonderful, very entertaining and great music too. It's painful watching you sometimes Freddie battle with your bike, but so refreshingly honest it's great viewing, thank you
This is the advantage of owning a Standard Motorcycle, Cafe racer, scrambler and etc. You're always welcome to do the maintenance yourself, and also the parts are so easy to install due to less fairings, exposed engine/carb/aircleaner for easy access. It's also fun to do. I owned Yamaha YTX125(custom into Cafe racer, Philippines exclusive commuter bike) and it is so easy to maintain. Parts are always available and you can almost do the maintenance yourself. For the past 3 years with an odo of 100,000km I never had any problem on the Bike even when Long ride, Winter ride and slightly offroad ride.. I really love bikes that can take me to anywhere and the Yamaha YTX 125 is the best first bike for me
Freddie you are a breath of fresh air and I really enjoy and appreciate all of your videos. I love Monica's comments and you too could do a great comedy show! Especially love your ability to laugh at yourself and admit to your shortcomings 🤣...keep it up and thank you for all your efforts. You are a remarkably natural presenter and it is great that you have the lovely Monica to keep you grounded 🤣👍 . Love the quality of your videos and the audio selections that fit them so well 😀
A much cleaner look. For your next addition? A set of oxford hot grips. Transform winter riding again. Every northern European bike should have them as standard. Safe,happy travels 👍
@Freddie Dobbs never mind Oxford heated grips where you have to have a big ugly box on the handlebars look at the Daytona ones where the button is built into the grip ! And put a twin exhaust back on ! 👍🏻
Think the new seat will be ok for short journeys but I suspect two up and very soon there will be a quiet word and the old one will back on. I'm also thinking you'll miss the rear rack for two reasons A, the storage space and B, it gives support and a sense of security for Monika Freddie and the art of motorcycle maintenance videos are always a joy. Barcelona done next stop Madeira 🙂
Great stuff as usual Freddy,Helmet Locks were fitted as standard to most Japanese and many other makes throughout the 70/80s,dont know why they stopped,such a good thing.
Freddie, I just enjoy how funny and witty you are. As a Yank-Frenchie I always love the britt's accent and the `'lovely`' words used in the UK.`Thanks for the ever amazing journeys you put us on. My next ride will be definitely in England,Whales and Scotland this summer Cheers mate
That’s very kind of you to say so, thank you Chris🙂 Oh you’ll love a UK road trip! I also must do Scotland this summer because I’ve somehow never been🤯 Sending all my best to you sir🙂
When you said 45 minutes l giggled and thought good luck with that, I'm the same when I go to do stuff. The tan seat looks fantastic 👌 Your responsible for my new interest in modern classics and I'm now watching everything to do with the Royal enfield twin. A tan jacket and boots will go with that seat.
And on another note, I know the guy who originally invented the seat and side panel screws. That was back in the day when we both belonged to the Triumph New Bonneville Forum (on Yahoo I think) I had a pre-fire T100 then. He started a company called Jenks bolts to market them and back then were probably a lot cheaper than what Motone sell them for now. He sold the rights to the bolts some time ago, but if you ever come across him, he's a nice guy and a very knowledgeable engineer.
Having washed your films which I do really enjoy, this video showing the helmet lock after market is a great buy, I had if on some of my old bikes RD200DX, but I now have a Triumph Tiger 1050 and it is lacking a helmet lock so i shall be getting one of those.
Hi Freddie, they used to have a similar helmet lock on bikes in the 80's but people just used to cut the strap and pinch your lid, happened to me and lost my lovely black bell helmet with black visor. Love the channel, keep up the good work 👍
I love watching other guys work on their bikes. 😄 Full credit mate!! That helmet lock is a wee cracker and I love the seat. I hope Monika will love it also!!
“45 minutes.” The second you said that I knew that was a gross underestimate. 😅 The fact that you don’t really know what you’re doing, but go at it anyway is great. It shows how easy it is to work on these types of bikes. I do the same on my V7ii even going so far as to adjust the valves last year (which went horribly wrong when I snapped a bolt putting the heads back on). Love the vids, love your delivery!
Wow- valve clearances is something I’m petrified to try, so respect for giving it a go! And spot on- these kinds of bikes are so easy to mess around with🙂
@@FreddieDobbs Not gonna lie, I was terrified as well, but all vids showed it to be "easy"-but when that bolt snapped-All the juice went out of me it, I believe "crushed" is an appropriate word. But a friend of mine had an "easy-out" and after an hour we got the bolt out. At the end of the day I learned a lot now know NOT to over torque the valve bolts!
Freddie, been using the Motone helmet lock for a couple of years now, it’s excellent (it’s Motone…) but make sure you keep the lock well oiled. Had a couple of occasions when it struggled to open and lost a bit of confidence in it… Love the seat change, how about a tail tidy…?!
Thanks Rich, appreciate the heads up on the lock🙂👌🏻 Re a tail tidy- I would consider it but I like the water spray up protection of the standard mudguard and a tail tidy doesn’t suit a rear rack quite as well (assuming I put the rear rack back on in the future)🙂
Any bike with storage will be used more than one without. The ability to run errands without strapping things to your body is key. Even the little trunk on my old Vespa works wonderfully.
Ohh Freddie! Never lose your special box! The Bonnie is definitely a classic! The quad lock mount is quality product. Looking forward to getting mine in Aluminium.✅
Well, I suppose that's one way to do it. I mounted the factory kit centrestand on my T100 for that sort of thing, as well as pulling wheels to mount new tires and such. Motone makes so much good stuff, hard to resist buying more, I've around ten or twelve different brass and billet bits now.
Looking good, those Hepco and Becker c-bow systems are great, I’ve got them on all three of my bikes so you can just swap the bags round, great for commuting.
The screws work well and I've used them on three modern classics and my only caution is to make sure they are really tight and periodically check them. I think I lost two over the years. I knew you were going to be fine on the shock I changed my shocks in my T100 a few years ago, I had to use some grease to get the new shocks on because the rubber was so tight. I'll be curious of how Monica will adapt to the board seat.😄
Thank you for this- I’ll remember to keep checking the screws (I think I must’ve lost 10 seat screws over the last three years🤯 I was very lucky that the shock slipped on so easily, because I did not account for it being too tight to actually fit back into the mount. A very good point re the bench seat- I’m wondering this too😳
This is why I prefer cruisers and classic styled bikes - infinitely customisable. Just a quick thought on the AWOL lift…. A car jack is fine for lifting one wheel off the ground. Also a heavy block of wood or breeze block covered in a blanket and slid under a safe underside point is an emergency lift I’ve used in past. Safe riding 👍
Its good to see you getting very comfortable doing stuff yourself. You'll soon be an expert at all things Triumph! I've just gotten back into motorcycling after a long break and in some ways it is disappointing to see features that were standard on my 1978 RD400 Yamaha are now "add-ons". On my RD400 the seat was hinged and had a lock that allowed you to open it and access everything underneath very easily. The seat lock had a helmet lock also pretty much exactly the same as the one you are adding (just turn the key the other direction to unlock it). Good to have a couple of seats that you can swap depending on the distances you are riding and how much gear you are carrying. For those of us who regularly wrench our own bikes and cars . . . .every 45 minute job is one broken bolt away from being a 3 day ordeal . . . .been there a few times 😂. Cheers
Yes! 1 bolt you can't undo is the subject of en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_and_the_Art_of_Motorcycle_Maintenance. Essentially at that point the bolt is worth the entire value of the bike, if you can't ride without fixing it. There's a lot of other good stuff in the book, it is about Zen not a Haynes manual!
Back inbthe 80s all bikes had an helmet lock just like yours. Latervon bikes used a kind of underseat lock that you clipped the strap to then close the seat
This is very interesting because my ‘93 Suzuki RF600 was the only bike that had a helmet lock and my year 2000 onwards bikes didn’t. I’ve now realised how useful helmet locks are
@@FreddieDobbs they are but with the price of some helmets (my bnw gs carbon goes for £550) i make do either carrying it arround or put topbox on the bike
Just what I thought. If the helmet was stolen by cutting the strap it would be fairly useless for the thief to use, the biggest annoyance would be not being able to ride my bike if that did happen. I also used to use a padlock and chain to thread through my full face helmet and sleeve of my jacket, to lock it all onto my bike.
Great new look for the bike, amazing what you can do with just a few bits. Those helmet locks used to be standard on most bikes, that's progress for you. I think we've all been there wanting to get on and do something and not having the right tools, it's amazing what we can do when we have to. All good experience and does give you a good feeling when it all goes well.
All my bikes in the 80s had helmet locks, I forgot how good they are. Looks like I'll be getting one for my XR. Cheers for another great video. Mike and Lynda Cheshire.
The problem was the theif would just cut the helmet strap. Bikes then had a simple helmet hook under the seat making it more difficult to get at the strap.
I made similar changes to my Bonnie that you have...love the quick release thumb screws..the helmet lock is outstanding..I also installed a K&N washable air cleaner..I have to wash and oil it each year..but havent had to buy one since 2014..lol...cant wait to see what Monika has to say about the seat change..LOL..excellent video..cant wait for the next..
I’ve done the rear shock dance once too, installing pannier rails. Unnerving doing it for the first time. Luckily got it back on as well! Nice work. BTW, I recall on older bikes from the 80s/90s a helmet lock usually came built in. I discovered on my street twin that there’s a small hook on the rear frame underneath the seat where a helmet D ring can be hooked onto. Does mean removing the seat every time to get the helmet on and off. But it exists! I wonder if your older bonnie has the same little hook under the seat.😊
Even if it’s not mine, the more I see this channel the more I get Fond of that bonneville, maybe its because I have a street Twin and I’m a bit biased😅 But I really love that machine, looks very dependable and a do it all bike with lots of stories and adventures to tell if it was able to speak.
I wish you luck Freddie, not sure Monika with be that enthusiastic !.My Norman Hyde converted T100, came with both seats, the K & Q fitted and the standard as spare.I know the K & Q is not that attractive , but it wins hands down on comfort for longer journeys, especially for the pillion and is now back on !.Thanks for the Quad lock mod. information , will definitely be getting one.
Thornton Hundred Motorcycles offer some handlebar clamp mounts with built-in Quad lock... It is right in the middle of the handle bar but I dont know if a big mobile might be obstructing the view on your speedometer..
Freddie you need to get a centre stand kit! I have only owned a few bikes without one and they were a complete pain. At the last minute when ordering my new T100 865 the salesman suggested the kit as an option. I grumbled at the stinginess of Triumph and the additional cost but worth every penny.
I completely agree David. It annoys me when bikes don’t come with centre stands as standard. I was up at 8am this morning searching for centre stands for the Bonneville for the exact reason you mentioned🙂
Freddie, your assembly of electronics rivals the Starship Enterprise! Another TH-cam motorcycle creator pointed out: the draw on a small motorcycle battery, from accessories, can be excessive. And could cause all kinds of electronic mischief (?starting problems). Just a thought...you probably know
This is a very important point and I cannot argue with it. I’m not a fan of too many add on electronics, but I class a phone charger as essential for my needs. Thanks James🙂
I did the exact opposite today. I took most of everything off my BMW K100 including my rack And seat to a thinner one and today I put everything back on. I will be going camping soon over a distance So I need what I need on the bike to make the trip easier and more pleasant. I love Triumph as a scrambler as I do the BMW but.... Your Triumph as you had it is much more lovely than the flat seat and the rack is nice on the bike. But luckily ypu need to do horrible things to make a triumph look bad. Lol
The older I get, the more time is spent wandering aimlessly around looking for misplaced bits/tools that were in my hand only moments before. Damn it!!!!!
You are not alone in the underestimation of working on a bike. I will be interested to see what you think of the lower seat. Being short myself, I have ridden bikes with lowered seats, which although better for flat-footing can throw the geometry out. Certainly looks good.
A stealth lock for your helmet that you can’t see when it’s on the bike!!!!! Reminds me when I went into Blacks for some camouflage trousers- couldn’t find them anywhere in the shop!!!!!!!
look great Freddie , love the seat. i got some muc off mechanics gloves - they are close fitting don't rip and beat the marigolds (which i always used to break and then get moaned at about haha)
Time for Chrome wheels and spokes come Spring ?....Classic ! Freddie.....Freddie....you need chrome wheels and spokes..maybe even fatter tires front and rear...
@@FreddieDobbs Nice sound from exhaust is a good thing....and the Triumph sound is the best...my old 77 came with center stand...and when my muffler rusted out I just cut it off..hahahah ..that baby was loud but sounded great..saved a baby deers life one time I think I wrote about that here...I was on a dirt road came around a corner Coyote had baby deer in it's mouth...dropped it because of surprise and loud pipes... it walked over to me as I shut down the Bonnie..I picked him up as I sat on my Triumph...pulled a tick off it's forehead...he was bleeping for mom and pop they showed up thru the brush...I sat him down he looked back up at me with a smile on his face saying thanks then ran over to Mom and Pop 30 feet away they looked him over not a cut or drop of blood anywhere and then they all disappeared back into the brush and creek area...was a cool experience...Loud Pipes save lives !...maybe go with the old time ..Snuff or Nots .. we used back in the day... www.tinshackrestoration.com/2014/05/24/snuff-or-not/
Great video and you may soon have few changes more you could make, but I can't help but think, back to twin pipes would finish the look completely.....
I have the same setup for my Quadlock mount on my Moto Guzzi, the twist I've implemented is that the USB adapter AND my battery tender lead share the same connection to the battery. As I never use both at the same time, this works perfectly. I have both connectors zip-tied next to each other on the frame rails, so it's just a moment to switch over.
going forward, most cars have some form of scissor jack you could use to lift your bike enough to get work done. if you have some inexpensive ratchet straps, you could secure the front or rear of motorcycle to a wheel or bumper of your car. notice how tow vehicles secure straps through openings of car rims.
Bonneville looks great Freddie. Have always liked the Motone brown seat , it really streamlines the bike. Good job. Regarding the helmet lock, I am old school and IMO all bikes should have a centre stand if you do your own maintenance. Any work on the rear end, ie. shocks, chain, wheel removal etc becomes much easier. I don’t mind living with the extra weight. Cheers, Dan. 👍🏍🇨🇦
Freddie is always dressed classy even when working on the bike! Mate, sincerely, you really dress so in style, which is quite unusual in the UK I’m afraid! 😀
Great stuff 👏, good to see you fettling the bike in your own inimitable way!!. Bikes looking great...but I'm not sure Monika will enjoy the new seating arrangements! Cheers Steve
l have been using Quadlock for a few years now...l concur, its the best system currently available..l don't know if you are aware thats its possible to attach it using a 1'' ball mount giving even more adjustability...I'm a great believer in light is best, the thought of dragging a bike about that weighs in at 240+ kilos fills me with horror. Equally, those Bikes that are so tall one needs a step ladder.!!...( quite often age related)... Lastly, when having a bad day fitting of fixing something to the bike...use bad language...go indoors for a cup of tea, return renewed... Save riding Freddie...
I’ve never considered the ball adapter joint for the Bonneville- I’ll see if it’s workable on the Bonneville👌🏻 Agreed re stopping for a tea break to regain the level headed decision making- I should try this more often!😆
Great video, really enjoyed it, and very informative too. Your time estimates and mine work very similarly! And your job went very similarly to how my jobs go! Great that you're a TH-camr who doesn't make life look far easier than it really is. Now you *have* to get Monika that jacket, it's the only way she'll accept the seat change. Just do it!
Really glad you enjoyed it, Alan🙂 I do agree- I’ll do some jacket shopping with Monika this week, but I wonder how long she’ll be happy with the bench seat😆
Great video as usual, just GYI CNC aluminum, CNC means computer numerical controlled, ie machined using a programmable milling machine. Keep matching the videos.. Chris
Great work Freddie you never know before you try it well done im looking for a helmet lock for my speedmaster 2012 cant wait for riding in spring here in Sweden its snow and cold think you have it better in London
Another great video Freddie, well done. I am not sure removing the comfy king and queen seat and rear rack is the right thing to do as you will miss them when you go touring. The bolts for the side boxes and the helmet lock look top draw and I think it would be a good idea to get another for the other side. All in all the Bonneville is still looking a tidy bit of kit.
Cried laughing- “Monica wants nothing to do with it, and won’t come down to help” Very sensible on her part 👍 Excellent job, smashing video. Looks great 👌
Sounds like my wife . . . .she's not at all mechanically inclined but she will come and hold things if asked nicely.
How refreshing to see someone who actually keeps his bike and isn't afraid to work on it, despite not being the most mechanically inclined. Unlike every other channel where every video starts with something like "I bought a new (whatever)".
Keep up the good work. Cheers!
I'm the same way, Freddie. I once thought, "I'm gonna change my tires... 2 hours should be enough time." 2 days later I finally got the job finish. I spent the good part of a weekend changing two 20 year old tires. First I couldn't get the tires off the rims no matter what I tried... then getting the new ones on was tricky.. then the valve stem from the tube didn't want to go in the rim hole until I got a special tool on amazon. I didn't work non stop on it all weekend, I took breaks to watch tire changing videos and eat...but it took 5 times longer than I though.
I love the way Freddie says hello to passers by. It shows he's a polite chap. He could easily ignore them and carry on filming, but he doesn't. Another vert watchable video.
Good to see you're keeping the Bonneville, and not chopping it in for an "adventure" bike. Really enjoying the trips around Suffolk. My home county.
Love the changes to the Bonneville. Looks the bee's knees!! Hope Monica finds the seat comfortable for coffee journeys!! 😂 Thanks Freddie 👍
I am a bit worried about this Peter- what with neglecting to buy Monika a new jacket and now putting on a far less comfortable seat. I think I may be extremely selfish. I will update on Monika’s pillion comfort😆
@@FreddieDobbs 🤣😂👍Good luck with that one!!
@@FreddieDobbs actually I would be concerned too…I as well updated my seat for a better looking one, though less comfortable, and my wife threatened me with not biking anymore together so I had to go back to the previous one! 😂
I can relate to Freddie trying to do projects especially misplacing parts.
@@FreddieDobbs It could be worse, you could have traded it in for a Bobber 😂
Looks the business Freddie! Love the changes it makes it look like a different bike. I love the honesty in your videos with losing parts! That's the real world and so much more fun to watch than a perfectly polished video without parts being forgotten or lost 😅 keep up the great work!
I'm glad you're changing the seat to add contrast as well as removing those rear racks. Definitely a better look. Cheers!
Thanks very much, I really LOVE the stripped back look!
@@FreddieDobbs ...so do I Freddie. Thank you for the continued great content.
You have two shocks: preload the right one to the max and the left to the minimum. This will release the left and you'll be able to take it out without any effort whatsoever.
I did not this, thank you so much🙌🏻🙌🏻
I am an idiot, I put a rack on the back of my bike and took off the shocks on my bike and the bike hit the floor. "One side at a time " I was yelling at my phone while I was watching the video. I didn't follow that method. Next door neighbor had to come out and help, I lifted, he put on the shock. It was on my last attempt of lifting the bike up, when he finally got it on. Great job! I could imagine you had 12 box's in a corner waiting on this day to come to install. Congratulations. Done!
Love the fact that you’re improving your older ride - unlike every other creator who works with a brand new, pristine, bike. And, you’re working with ONE machine - much more realistic and down to earth. 🏍
That means a lot, thank you🙂
Wonderful, very entertaining and great music too. It's painful watching you sometimes Freddie battle with your bike, but so refreshingly honest it's great viewing, thank you
This is the advantage of owning a Standard Motorcycle, Cafe racer, scrambler and etc. You're always welcome to do the maintenance yourself, and also the parts are so easy to install due to less fairings, exposed engine/carb/aircleaner for easy access. It's also fun to do. I owned Yamaha YTX125(custom into Cafe racer, Philippines exclusive commuter bike) and it is so easy to maintain. Parts are always available and you can almost do the maintenance yourself. For the past 3 years with an odo of 100,000km I never had any problem on the Bike even when Long ride, Winter ride and slightly offroad ride.. I really love bikes that can take me to anywhere and the Yamaha YTX 125 is the best first bike for me
100km on a 125cc- SUPERB!! And I agree; this is a huge reason why I love very simple naked bikes🖤🏍
Only channel I uptick before even watching...whole family love it!
Thank you so much🙌🏻🙌🏻
Good job, Freddie, and a very nice result. Glad to see I'm not the only one that totally underestimates the time needed to complete a job on the bike.
Bonneville looks great. Some years ago, I used a rope looped around the rafter in the garage when putting the engine back in on my old XLV750
I love this- use whatever you have!😀
Freddie you are a breath of fresh air and I really enjoy and appreciate all of your videos. I love Monica's comments and you too could do a great comedy show! Especially love your ability to laugh at yourself and admit to your shortcomings 🤣...keep it up and thank you for all your efforts. You are a remarkably natural presenter and it is great that you have the lovely Monica to keep you grounded 🤣👍 . Love the quality of your videos and the audio selections that fit them so well 😀
Hugely appreciate it, thank you🙂🙌🏻
Love the quad lock…never leave home without it.
A much cleaner look.
For your next addition? A set of oxford hot grips. Transform winter riding again. Every northern European bike should have them as standard.
Safe,happy travels 👍
I do agree- every time I try a bike with heated grips, I’m totally sold on them!
@Freddie Dobbs never mind Oxford heated grips where you have to have a big ugly box on the handlebars look at the Daytona ones where the button is built into the grip ! And put a twin exhaust back on ! 👍🏻
Think the new seat will be ok for short journeys but I suspect two up and very soon there will be a quiet word and the old one will back on.
I'm also thinking you'll miss the rear rack for two reasons
A, the storage space and
B, it gives support and a sense of security for Monika
Freddie and the art of motorcycle maintenance videos are always a joy.
Barcelona done next stop Madeira 🙂
I already have a feeling you may be right on both the seat and rear rack, Richard!😆 Enjoy Madeira (I’ve never been but would love to go)🛳
I caught the Pirsig reference there, wll done!
Great stuff as usual Freddy,Helmet Locks were fitted as standard to most Japanese and many other makes throughout the 70/80s,dont know why they stopped,such a good thing.
Freddie, I just enjoy how funny and witty you are. As a Yank-Frenchie I always love the britt's accent and the `'lovely`' words used in the UK.`Thanks for the ever amazing journeys you put us on.
My next ride will be definitely in England,Whales and Scotland this summer
Cheers mate
That’s very kind of you to say so, thank you Chris🙂
Oh you’ll love a UK road trip! I also must do Scotland this summer because I’ve somehow never been🤯
Sending all my best to you sir🙂
🐳
Is your name Noah
My favourite Bonneville is the SE. I like the simplicity and the 17" wheels.
When you said 45 minutes l giggled and thought good luck with that, I'm the same when I go to do stuff.
The tan seat looks fantastic 👌
Your responsible for my new interest in modern classics and I'm now watching everything to do with the Royal enfield twin.
A tan jacket and boots will go with that seat.
Thanks Michael!🙌🏻
A great bike to look at; the Royal Enfield twins are the essence of simplistic cool🖤🏍
Awesome video and awesome content can’t wait for the next video Thank’s Freddie and Monika
The simplified Bonneville looks so good. The new (old) side panels add to the look also.
And on another note, I know the guy who originally invented the seat and side panel screws. That was back in the day when we both belonged to the Triumph New Bonneville Forum (on Yahoo I think) I had a pre-fire T100 then. He started a company called Jenks bolts to market them and back then were probably a lot cheaper than what Motone sell them for now. He sold the rights to the bolts some time ago, but if you ever come across him, he's a nice guy and a very knowledgeable engineer.
The seat really transforms the bike. Looks much better IMO.
Having washed your films which I do really enjoy, this video showing the helmet lock after market is a great buy, I had if on some of my old bikes RD200DX, but I now have a Triumph Tiger 1050 and it is lacking a helmet lock so i shall be getting one of those.
Greetings from down under. Your much anticipated episodes never dissapoint, always interesting. Thankyou.
Thank you Keith, all my best to you sir!🇦🇺
Bike looks spot on now Freddie, could've probably rented a spring compressor for the shocks.
Hi Freddie, they used to have a similar helmet lock on bikes in the 80's but people just used to cut the strap and pinch your lid, happened to me and lost my lovely black bell helmet with black visor.
Love the channel, keep up the good work 👍
I love watching other guys work on their bikes. 😄 Full credit mate!! That helmet lock is a wee cracker and I love the seat. I hope Monika will love it also!!
The new seat looks amazing 🎉
“45 minutes.” The second you said that I knew that was a gross underestimate. 😅
The fact that you don’t really know what you’re doing, but go at it anyway is great. It shows how easy it is to work on these types of bikes. I do the same on my V7ii even going so far as to adjust the valves last year (which went horribly wrong when I snapped a bolt putting the heads back on).
Love the vids, love your delivery!
Wow- valve clearances is something I’m petrified to try, so respect for giving it a go!
And spot on- these kinds of bikes are so easy to mess around with🙂
@@FreddieDobbs Not gonna lie, I was terrified as well, but all vids showed it to be "easy"-but when that bolt snapped-All the juice went out of me it, I believe "crushed" is an appropriate word. But a friend of mine had an "easy-out" and after an hour we got the bolt out. At the end of the day I learned a lot now know NOT to over torque the valve bolts!
Love the slick seat!
A good decision, the seat looks really nice and stylish.
Thanks🙌🏻🙌🏻
Definitely looks better now!
Freddie, been using the Motone helmet lock for a couple of years now, it’s excellent (it’s Motone…) but make sure you keep the lock well oiled. Had a couple of occasions when it struggled to open and lost a bit of confidence in it… Love the seat change, how about a tail tidy…?!
Thanks Rich, appreciate the heads up on the lock🙂👌🏻 Re a tail tidy- I would consider it but I like the water spray up protection of the standard mudguard and a tail tidy doesn’t suit a rear rack quite as well (assuming I put the rear rack back on in the future)🙂
Love these maintenance/custom episodes.
The brass quick release bolts look good too on the Bonnie. Check they are tight often as they can come loose. 👍
I was very close to buying the brass ones. Thanks for the heads up- I’ll check before every ride🙂👌🏻
Any bike with storage will be used more than one without. The ability to run errands without strapping things to your body is key. Even the little trunk on my old Vespa works wonderfully.
Ohh Freddie! Never lose your special box! The Bonnie is definitely a classic! The quad lock mount is quality product. Looking forward to getting mine in Aluminium.✅
It was finally found after a desperate panic off camera😆 The aluminium Quad Lock mount adds a really nice extra feeling of quality🙂👌🏻
@@FreddieDobbs What is your socket and spanner kit in the Grey Case....looks quite useful ?
Your videos always put a smile on my face...🙂
Ahah! I've got it! Freddie doing mechanical work is Frank Spencer. Enthusiastically exasperatedly adorable.
Well, I suppose that's one way to do it. I mounted the factory kit centrestand on my T100 for that sort of thing, as well as pulling wheels to mount new tires and such. Motone makes so much good stuff, hard to resist buying more, I've around ten or twelve different brass and billet bits now.
Looking good, those Hepco and Becker c-bow systems are great, I’ve got them on all three of my bikes so you can just swap the bags round, great for commuting.
They’ve transformed my riding experience- they’re superb!
The screws work well and I've used them on three modern classics and my only caution is to make sure they are really tight and periodically check them. I think I lost two over the years.
I knew you were going to be fine on the shock I changed my shocks in my T100 a few years ago, I had to use some grease to get the new shocks on because the rubber was so tight.
I'll be curious of how Monica will adapt to the board seat.😄
Thank you for this- I’ll remember to keep checking the screws (I think I must’ve lost 10 seat screws over the last three years🤯
I was very lucky that the shock slipped on so easily, because I did not account for it being too tight to actually fit back into the mount.
A very good point re the bench seat- I’m wondering this too😳
Brown seats are always practical for a bike….especially after the rear end steps out on a gravel laden bend 😉
🤣
This is why I prefer cruisers and classic styled bikes - infinitely customisable. Just a quick thought on the AWOL lift…. A car jack is fine for lifting one wheel off the ground. Also a heavy block of wood or breeze block covered in a blanket and slid under a safe underside point is an emergency lift I’ve used in past. Safe riding 👍
Completely agree re classics and cruiser👌🏻👌🏻 Car Jack is a great idea- I will remember this next time🙂
That seat looks fantastic, man. Another great video. Cheers from NYC USA.
Its good to see you getting very comfortable doing stuff yourself. You'll soon be an expert at all things Triumph! I've just gotten back into motorcycling after a long break and in some ways it is disappointing to see features that were standard on my 1978 RD400 Yamaha are now "add-ons". On my RD400 the seat was hinged and had a lock that allowed you to open it and access everything underneath very easily. The seat lock had a helmet lock also pretty much exactly the same as the one you are adding (just turn the key the other direction to unlock it). Good to have a couple of seats that you can swap depending on the distances you are riding and how much gear you are carrying. For those of us who regularly wrench our own bikes and cars . . . .every 45 minute job is one broken bolt away from being a 3 day ordeal . . . .been there a few times 😂. Cheers
This is a very good point- so many bits that used to be standard are now optional extras. I assumed this’d be a very quick job.. I was very wrong😆
Yes! 1 bolt you can't undo is the subject of en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_and_the_Art_of_Motorcycle_Maintenance. Essentially at that point the bolt is worth the entire value of the bike, if you can't ride without fixing it. There's a lot of other good stuff in the book, it is about Zen not a Haynes manual!
Back inbthe 80s all bikes had an helmet lock just like yours. Latervon bikes used a kind of underseat lock that you clipped the strap to then close the seat
You'd think it would be a no-brainer on a retro bike
@@berttrombetta4953 true but i prefer to put my helmet in my topbox as its worth £550
This is very interesting because my ‘93 Suzuki RF600 was the only bike that had a helmet lock and my year 2000 onwards bikes didn’t. I’ve now realised how useful helmet locks are
@@FreddieDobbs they are but with the price of some helmets (my bnw gs carbon goes for £550) i make do either carrying it arround or put topbox on the bike
Just what I thought. If the helmet was stolen by cutting the strap it would be fairly useless for the thief to use, the biggest annoyance would be not being able to ride my bike if that did happen. I also used to use a padlock and chain to thread through my full face helmet and sleeve of my jacket, to lock it all onto my bike.
Morning Freddie. Can't beat a bit of variation. Nice Welsh products !🏴
I like to think so too- it’s incredibly fun messing around with bikes🙂 Motone gear is top top level🏴👌🏻
Great new look for the bike, amazing what you can do with just a few bits. Those helmet locks used to be standard on most bikes, that's progress for you. I think we've all been there wanting to get on and do something and not having the right tools, it's amazing what we can do when we have to. All good experience and does give you a good feeling when it all goes well.
yeah in mine its standard
I really think a centre stand should be standard. It’s such a pain without one😡
@@FreddieDobbsI agree, it's one thing I really want on the Guzzi V7. I suppose it makes the bike lighter for the spec sheet though 🤔
All my bikes in the 80s had helmet locks, I forgot how good they are. Looks like I'll be getting one for my XR. Cheers for another great video. Mike and Lynda Cheshire.
The problem was the theif would just cut the helmet strap. Bikes then had a simple helmet hook under the seat making it more difficult to get at the strap.
My ‘93 Suzuki RF600 was the only bike that had a helmet lock. It feels great to have one on my bike again🙂👌🏻
Bike looks ace Freddie 👍 I’d be thinking about a tail tidy and some little led indicators next.
Thanks Chris!🙂
Oh that looks brilliant that seat 👌
Good work Freddie it looks good and worth the day put into the transformation. 😀👏🏻👏🏻
I made similar changes to my Bonnie that you have...love the quick release thumb screws..the helmet lock is outstanding..I also installed a K&N washable air cleaner..I have to wash and oil it each year..but havent had to buy one since 2014..lol...cant wait to see what Monika has to say about the seat change..LOL..excellent video..cant wait for the next..
I think I should also clean my reusable air filter!😳
Love the look of new items.
I’ve done the rear shock dance once too, installing pannier rails. Unnerving doing it for the first time. Luckily got it back on as well! Nice work. BTW, I recall on older bikes from the 80s/90s a helmet lock usually came built in. I discovered on my street twin that there’s a small hook on the rear frame underneath the seat where a helmet D ring can be hooked onto. Does mean removing the seat every time to get the helmet on and off. But it exists! I wonder if your older bonnie has the same little hook under the seat.😊
I don’t see Sizzap box wired in… Good time to steal a bonneville 🤣🤣🤣
We’ll spotted!😆
Morning Freddie looking forward to watching 👍
Good morning John, have a great day!🙂
Even if it’s not mine, the more I see this channel the more I get Fond of that bonneville, maybe its because I have a street Twin and I’m a bit biased😅 But I really love that machine, looks very dependable and a do it all bike with lots of stories and adventures to tell if it was able to speak.
I wish you luck Freddie, not sure Monika with be that enthusiastic !.My Norman Hyde converted T100, came with both seats, the K & Q fitted and the standard as spare.I know the K & Q is not that attractive , but it wins hands down on comfort for longer journeys, especially for the pillion and is now back on !.Thanks for the Quad lock mod. information , will definitely be getting one.
I think I may well be following you in putting the K&Q seat on after Monika rides on this skinny seat😆
Glad I'm not the only one who vastly underestimates how long it'll take to modify my Triumph
Thornton Hundred Motorcycles offer some handlebar clamp mounts with built-in Quad lock... It is right in the middle of the handle bar but I dont know if a big mobile might be obstructing the view on your speedometer..
Happy new year Freddie and Monica. She’s a smart cookie
Happy New Year!🙂
Freddie you need to get a centre stand kit! I have only owned a few bikes without one and they were a complete pain. At the last minute when ordering my new T100 865 the salesman suggested the kit as an option. I grumbled at the stinginess of Triumph and the additional cost but worth every penny.
I completely agree David. It annoys me when bikes don’t come with centre stands as standard. I was up at 8am this morning searching for centre stands for the Bonneville for the exact reason you mentioned🙂
Freddie, your assembly of electronics rivals the Starship Enterprise! Another TH-cam motorcycle creator pointed out: the draw on a small motorcycle battery, from accessories, can be excessive. And could cause all kinds of electronic mischief (?starting problems). Just a thought...you probably know
This is a very important point and I cannot argue with it. I’m not a fan of too many add on electronics, but I class a phone charger as essential for my needs. Thanks James🙂
I did the exact opposite today. I took most of everything off my BMW K100 including my rack
And seat to a thinner one and today I put everything back on. I will be going camping soon over a distance
So I need what I need on the bike to make the trip easier and more pleasant. I love Triumph as a scrambler as I do the BMW but.... Your Triumph as you had it is much more lovely than the flat seat and the rack is nice on the bike.
But luckily ypu need to do horrible things to make a triumph look bad. Lol
That looks like a new bike. Woof
The older I get, the more time is spent wandering aimlessly around looking for misplaced bits/tools that were in my hand only moments before. Damn it!!!!!
You are not alone in the underestimation of working on a bike. I will be interested to see what you think of the lower seat. Being short myself, I have ridden bikes with lowered seats, which although better for flat-footing can throw the geometry out. Certainly looks good.
Thanks Richard🙂 I’m already starting to wonder if I’ll miss the rear rack and seat comfort.
A stealth lock for your helmet that you can’t see when it’s on the bike!!!!!
Reminds me when I went into Blacks for some camouflage trousers- couldn’t find them anywhere in the shop!!!!!!!
Motone does make some quality products as my bank account has found out! Enjoyed the vid!
look great Freddie , love the seat. i got some muc off mechanics gloves - they are close fitting don't rip and beat the marigolds (which i always used to break and then get moaned at about haha)
Great video as per usual Freddie. Santa gave me a quad lock with a charger for Christmas. Roll on the summer!
You’re all set for many adventures no, Graham!😀🤘🏼🏍
Good video Freddie, you could have used a car jack under the engine just to take some of the pressure of. It works well.👍
I can’t believe I didn’t think of this. I will remember for next time, thank you🙂🙌🏻
i will get the quad lock looks a must have bit of kit
It is superb🙂👌🏻
Hey Freddie! I did like you to change the silencers too of your Bonneville to the original dual silencers but maybe with shorter custom ones.
Totally agree- I really want to do this🙂
Enjoying the product reviews and figment.
Time for Chrome wheels and spokes come Spring ?....Classic ! Freddie.....Freddie....you need chrome wheels and spokes..maybe even fatter tires front and rear...
I do love the chrome wheels, but a decent sounding exhaust and centre stand must come next I think👌🏻
@@FreddieDobbs Nice sound from exhaust is a good thing....and the Triumph sound is the best...my old 77 came with center stand...and when my muffler rusted out I just cut it off..hahahah ..that baby was loud but sounded great..saved a baby deers life one time I think I wrote about that here...I was on a dirt road came around a corner Coyote had baby deer in it's mouth...dropped it because of surprise and loud pipes... it walked over to me as I shut down the Bonnie..I picked him up as I sat on my Triumph...pulled a tick off it's forehead...he was bleeping for mom and pop they showed up thru the brush...I sat him down he looked back up at me with a smile on his face saying thanks then ran over to Mom and Pop 30 feet away they looked him over not a cut or drop of blood anywhere and then they all disappeared back into the brush and creek area...was a cool experience...Loud Pipes save lives !...maybe go with the old time ..Snuff or Nots .. we used back in the day... www.tinshackrestoration.com/2014/05/24/snuff-or-not/
Morning Freddie loving the new mods 🏍️ 🛠️🔒
Thanks Malcolm! Have a great Sunday🙂
Great video and you may soon have few changes more you could make, but I can't help but think, back to twin pipes would finish the look completely.....
100% agree on the twin pipes!
I have the same setup for my Quadlock mount on my Moto Guzzi, the twist I've implemented is that the USB adapter AND my battery tender lead share the same connection to the battery. As I never use both at the same time, this works perfectly. I have both connectors zip-tied next to each other on the frame rails, so it's just a moment to switch over.
Can you tell me what mount accepts the quad lock USB cable? Is there a QL part number? Thanks
@@fungomotoco3403 They all do, it's a totally modular system.
going forward, most cars have some form of scissor jack you could use to lift your bike enough to get work done. if you have some inexpensive ratchet straps, you could secure the front or rear of motorcycle to a wheel or bumper of your car. notice how tow vehicles secure straps through openings of car rims.
Bonneville looks great Freddie. Have always liked the Motone brown seat , it really streamlines the bike. Good job. Regarding the helmet lock, I am old school and IMO all bikes should have a centre stand if you do your own maintenance. Any work on the rear end, ie. shocks, chain, wheel removal etc becomes much easier. I don’t mind living with the extra weight. Cheers, Dan. 👍🏍🇨🇦
I totally agree Dan- it really annoys me how a centre stand doesn’t come as standard! Thank you- sending all my best over in Canada🙂🇨🇦
Freddie is always dressed classy even when working on the bike! Mate, sincerely, you really dress so in style, which is quite unusual in the UK I’m afraid! 😀
That’s very kind of you to say so, thank you Santi 🙂
Great stuff 👏, good to see you fettling the bike in your own inimitable way!!. Bikes looking great...but I'm not sure Monika will enjoy the new seating arrangements! Cheers Steve
Thanks Stephen and it’s true- it’ll be the King and Queen seat for Monika from now on I think😆
l have been using Quadlock for a few years now...l concur, its the best system currently available..l don't know if you are aware thats its possible to attach it using a 1'' ball mount giving even more adjustability...I'm a great believer in light is best, the thought of dragging a bike about that weighs in at 240+ kilos fills me with horror. Equally, those Bikes that are so tall one needs a step ladder.!!...( quite often age related)... Lastly, when having a bad day fitting of fixing something to the bike...use bad language...go indoors for a cup of tea, return renewed... Save riding Freddie...
I’ve never considered the ball adapter joint for the Bonneville- I’ll see if it’s workable on the Bonneville👌🏻 Agreed re stopping for a tea break to regain the level headed decision making- I should try this more often!😆
Your bike now looks fantastic. You just need a standard side panel.
Thank you so much! I’m currently checking eBay daily for an original side panel
Great video, really enjoyed it, and very informative too. Your time estimates and mine work very similarly! And your job went very similarly to how my jobs go! Great that you're a TH-camr who doesn't make life look far easier than it really is. Now you *have* to get Monika that jacket, it's the only way she'll accept the seat change. Just do it!
Really glad you enjoyed it, Alan🙂 I do agree- I’ll do some jacket shopping with Monika this week, but I wonder how long she’ll be happy with the bench seat😆
Great video as usual, just GYI CNC aluminum, CNC means computer numerical controlled, ie machined using a programmable milling machine. Keep matching the videos..
Chris
Great work Freddie you never know before you try it well done im looking for a helmet lock for my speedmaster 2012 cant wait for riding in spring here in Sweden its snow and cold think you have it better in London
if those quick release screws are finger tight , they may come loose , so put a TINY bit of glue or loctite or thread tape on them ..
Helmet lock a revelation no they were fitted as standard in the 70s and early 80s but thanks for a good video I do enjoy your style
Another great video Freddie, well done. I am not sure removing the comfy king and queen seat and rear rack is the right thing to do as you will miss them when you go touring. The bolts for the side boxes and the helmet lock look top draw and I think it would be a good idea to get another for the other side. All in all the Bonneville is still looking a tidy bit of kit.
Freddie kept cool. Good man.