I purchased a new 1979 T140 and my bike had a carburetor mounted choke assembly, accessible from left side. You pressed down a single lever until it clicked. Once bike was started, you flipped the lever back to level position. My bike was a US model. The only failure I had was the Luca Rita electronic ignition. It left me one night although I was able to source a used one at local dealer for 1/2 price. I had Fox shocks on my mine with the 70-100lbs rear spring installed, rode and handled very well. I ran the original K81-T100 tires f&r and liked them. I used progressive front fork springs along with a Progressive o-ring replacement, which was basically a fiber, square faced ring that slid easier than the o-ring. The combo with different oil really made a difference in front end suppleness. Good luck w/ your bike, mine was one of the top (3) bikes I've owned, once sorted.
I bought a brand new T140E in 1981, same colour scheme as yours, black and candy apple red, it was also a USA export model. The Bonneville replaced my 1977 TR7RV 'Tiger', I kept the Bonneville for thirteen months and I traded it in against a 1977 registered T160V 'Trident' with a Norman Hyde 871cc big bore kit. Those three machines were fairly reliable for everyday use, great to own and ride. Good luck with your Bonneville.
Gorgeous bike. I had friends with Triumphs back in the 70s and one day a buddy was having trouble getting his Bonneville started. I ride up on my Honda four and say, "I'll give it a go..." And he replied dourly after my first few futile kicks, "It's not a Honda."
I do like what you've done with your wiring and main fuse block. I've just bought a 79 T140E. I don't know how many owners it's gone through. The wiring on the bike just looks a mess right now. Our Canadian economy is so bad right now it's made for a good buyer's market. I've bought a couple of older cars and the one had a mouse nest in the main relay box. What a nightmare it was. All's good purrs like a kitten now. I'm a retired x tradesman so I have the time. With the help of some mates and a few beers, we got the bike indoors. Thank you for the video. I'll save it for my files to review now and then. I've given myself a year and a pension budget. You've helped me make up my mind I'll start with wiring. While slowly amassing parts I want and need. Cheers mate ride safe.
The wiring on my T140E was also a bit of a mess. So I just went through everything and put it all back to OE almost wire by wire. Message me on my Facebook and I'll send you what I've got on file.. Just look my full name "Derick Relph" up on Facebook..
There are a couple of modifications I would recommend, having done them to my 78 T140V, which I've had for 31 years. The first is to replace the original 5/8" bore front master cylinder with a 13mm bore version. It fits in as a direct replacement, with all the same fittings, but gives a much better feel to the front brake, and 50% more leverage, effectively. No dearer than the standard size, and fairly widely available. The other is a permanent solution to the exhaust downpipe leaks. I had the exhaust ports machined to take the screw-in stubs, so that i could fit the clamp-over type downpipes. It gives a solid mounting, and no more exhaust gas leaks.
1979 me and my high school buds used to hang out at the local shop. He had a triumph with a pink tank (champagne?). Prob anniversary edition. One fin on the head was broken. Thing sat there for months waiting for parts.
If you use semi synthetic oil but have not replaced the sludge trap and flushed all the oil ways you are asking for trouble, the synthetic oil uses a detergent which carries the dirt around with it and breaks down the existing sludge, so if any chunks of that sludge break away from the sludge trap it will be carried down and block the oil way to the big ends and you'll know about that when it happens. Nice bike though, what we the jets and slide # used in the carbs?
Yeah I get what you are saying about using modern semi or fully synthetic oils having the ability to loosen and keep in suspension the crud which used to build up in the engine and sludge trap. It is a risk using such modern detergent oils especially not knowing the service history of the bike etc. In my case I have had the clutch cover off and the rocker covers, also examined the oil tank and the gauze oil filter. All these areas were extremely clean with no signs of any solidified oil crud at all. So after fitting the external oil filter I have started to use Westway oil Semi Synthetic 20W50, which has an API SJ. The oil did get discoloured very quickly at first and I changed it after 300 miles, then 500 miles twice before returning to the standard 1000mile oil change intervals. I find I need to change the clutch oil more frequently. Although the clutch oil is topped up automatically by the engine oil, I find it gets very black and contaminated so I change it every 200 miles or so.
In reply to your question about my carbs jets and slide # I use: Amal Mk2 2930 L & R 30mm Bore 124/026 #25 Pilot Jet Air screw 1½ turns out 376/100 200 main Jet 124/026 #35 Choke Jet 2928/122 .105 Needle Jet (Brass) 2928/060 #3 Slide (New replacement Amal latest design which differs from the original) 2928/030 2C3 Needle (set to the top needle grove because the new slides created a too rich mixture) 2622/13535 Air Jet 3.5 (between velocity stack and carb body) 622/069 OE white none adjustable float Handlebar mounted fuel enrichment lever (cable operated choke) The exhaust down pipes are unbalanced and the end pipes are after mart pea shooters. I have tried this setup but with using the middle grove of the needle and 2 turns out of the Air screw but the bike ran a bit rich and would be a little hard to start after a good run if left for about half an hour or so. The engine not wanting to start with choke on but not wanting to start without choke. This setup would eventually cause the plugs to soot up and then a miss fire would occur.
@@relph3 Thanks for all the info, the reason you don't find much dirt in the filters etc is because it all builds up in the sludge trap, have a look at this video and see the amount of hard crud that your semi synthetic oil will be breaking up and feeding to your big ends - th-cam.com/video/1LDi3d9VVyY/w-d-xo.html
Yes,, That's me. was it you who was at the "Gawsworth Jesters" do at the Harrington Arms, Bosley yesterday evening, asking about the centre dial I have fitted to my bike?
Check out the original Smiths instruments on my T140. 7k miles on the clock plus 50 years of same owner, and both Speed and RPM work perfectly, including the little light bulbs inside. th-cam.com/video/ip6rU0z54YU/w-d-xo.html
I purchased a new 1979 T140 and my bike had a carburetor mounted choke assembly, accessible from left side. You pressed down a single lever until it clicked. Once bike was started, you flipped the lever back to level position. My bike was a US model. The only failure I had was the Luca Rita electronic ignition. It left me one night although I was able to source a used one at local dealer for 1/2 price. I had Fox shocks on my mine with the 70-100lbs rear spring installed, rode and handled very well. I ran the original K81-T100 tires f&r and liked them. I used progressive front fork springs along with a Progressive o-ring replacement, which was basically a fiber, square faced ring that slid easier than the o-ring. The combo with different oil really made a difference in front end suppleness. Good luck w/ your bike, mine was one of the top (3) bikes I've owned, once sorted.
I bought a brand new T140E in 1981, same colour scheme as yours, black and candy apple red, it was also a USA export model. The Bonneville replaced my 1977 TR7RV 'Tiger', I kept the Bonneville for thirteen months and I traded it in against a 1977 registered T160V 'Trident' with a Norman Hyde 871cc big bore kit. Those three machines were fairly reliable for everyday use, great to own and ride. Good luck with your Bonneville.
Gorgeous bike. I had friends with Triumphs back in the 70s and one day a buddy was having trouble getting his Bonneville started. I ride up on my Honda four and say, "I'll give it a go..." And he replied dourly after my first few futile kicks, "It's not a Honda."
I do like what you've done with your wiring and main fuse block. I've just bought a 79 T140E. I don't know how many owners it's gone through. The wiring on the bike just looks a mess right now. Our Canadian economy is so bad right now it's made for a good buyer's market. I've bought a couple of older cars and the one had a mouse nest in the main relay box. What a nightmare it was. All's good purrs like a kitten now. I'm a retired x tradesman so I have the time. With the help of some mates and a few beers, we got the bike indoors. Thank you for the video. I'll save it for my files to review now and then. I've given myself a year and a pension budget. You've helped me make up my mind I'll start with wiring. While slowly amassing parts I want and need. Cheers mate ride safe.
The wiring on my T140E was also a bit of a mess. So I just went through everything and put it all back to OE almost wire by wire. Message me on my Facebook and I'll send you what I've got on file.. Just look my full name "Derick Relph" up on Facebook..
@@relph3 Thank you Derick I will. So many butt connectors and push-in connectors and wires that just end.
Lad in our town had the same bike,to my miind the best looking production bike made,love to hear it
What a stunning bike. A credit to you.Great machine. Thank you.
There are a couple of modifications I would recommend, having done them to my 78 T140V, which I've had for 31 years.
The first is to replace the original 5/8" bore front master cylinder with a 13mm bore version. It fits in as a direct replacement, with all the same fittings, but gives a much better feel to the front brake, and 50% more leverage, effectively. No dearer than the standard size, and fairly widely available.
The other is a permanent solution to the exhaust downpipe leaks. I had the exhaust ports machined to take the screw-in stubs, so that i could fit the clamp-over type downpipes. It gives a solid mounting, and no more exhaust gas leaks.
1979 me and my high school buds used to hang out at the local shop. He had a triumph with a pink tank (champagne?). Prob anniversary edition. One fin on the head was broken. Thing sat there for months waiting for parts.
That's really good, mate. A real credit to you. Well done. Mind how ya go.
Did you paint the frame ? It looks very nice ! If you did what type of paint did you use? Beautiful bike. I have a 77
Super job, looks really good. Very useful mods without overcomplicating things. Now, when do I drop my TR7RV round for similar treatment?
I had a 1973 750 Tiger where are you?
If you use semi synthetic oil but have not replaced the sludge trap and flushed all the oil ways you are asking for trouble, the synthetic oil uses a detergent which carries the dirt around with it and breaks down the existing sludge, so if any chunks of that sludge break away from the sludge trap it will be carried down and block the oil way to the big ends and you'll know about that when it happens. Nice bike though, what we the jets and slide # used in the carbs?
Yeah I get what you are saying about using modern semi or fully synthetic oils having the ability to loosen and keep in suspension the crud which used to build up in the engine and sludge trap. It is a risk using such modern detergent oils especially not knowing the service history of the bike etc. In my case I have had the clutch cover off and the rocker covers, also examined the oil tank and the gauze oil filter. All these areas were extremely clean with no signs of any solidified oil crud at all. So after fitting the external oil filter I have started to use Westway oil Semi Synthetic 20W50, which has an API SJ. The oil did get discoloured very quickly at first and I changed it after 300 miles, then 500 miles twice before returning to the standard 1000mile oil change intervals. I find I need to change the clutch oil more frequently. Although the clutch oil is topped up automatically by the engine oil, I find it gets very black and contaminated so I change it every 200 miles or so.
In reply to your question about my carbs jets and slide # I use:
Amal Mk2 2930 L & R 30mm Bore
124/026 #25 Pilot Jet
Air screw 1½ turns out
376/100 200 main Jet
124/026 #35 Choke Jet
2928/122 .105 Needle Jet (Brass)
2928/060 #3 Slide (New replacement Amal latest design which differs from the original)
2928/030 2C3 Needle (set to the top needle grove because the new slides created a too rich mixture)
2622/13535 Air Jet 3.5 (between velocity stack and carb body)
622/069 OE white none adjustable float
Handlebar mounted fuel enrichment lever (cable operated choke)
The exhaust down pipes are unbalanced and the end pipes are after mart pea shooters.
I have tried this setup but with using the middle grove of the needle and 2 turns out of the Air screw but the bike ran a bit rich and would be a little hard to start after a good run if left for about half an hour or so. The engine not wanting to start with choke on but not wanting to start without choke. This setup would eventually cause the plugs to soot up and then a miss fire would occur.
@@relph3 Thanks for all the info, the reason you don't find much dirt in the filters etc is because it all builds up in the sludge trap, have a look at this video and see the amount of hard crud that your semi synthetic oil will be breaking up and feeding to your big ends - th-cam.com/video/1LDi3d9VVyY/w-d-xo.html
Good comment, on triumph trident it's essential to clear the crank oil ways, a 3hour job,
Are you the chap from Congleton way, if so met you at beartown dos , got the 78 twany brown
Yes,, That's me. was it you who was at the "Gawsworth Jesters" do at the Harrington Arms, Bosley yesterday evening, asking about the centre dial I have fitted to my bike?
Check out the original Smiths instruments on my T140. 7k miles on the clock plus 50 years of same owner, and both Speed and RPM work perfectly, including the little light bulbs inside. th-cam.com/video/ip6rU0z54YU/w-d-xo.html
she's sweet as m8
Norton exhausts belong on Nortons.
Are you talking about the end pipes or the down pipes. Neither are OE Triumph or Norton design.
The silencers of course.