So You Want To Own A Classic Motorcycle?

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 พ.ย. 2024

ความคิดเห็น • 320

  • @donaldolin7219
    @donaldolin7219 ปีที่แล้ว +20

    If you can’t work on it yourself. Don’t bother buying one.

    • @carlnapp4412
      @carlnapp4412 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Only too true!

  • @BigAl53750
    @BigAl53750 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    As someone who has been riding for half a century, I just don’t understand what is so hard about learning how to work on Motorbikes. Unless you’re talking about the Japanese ones that is. I had no trouble learning everything I needed to know about the Triumphs I owned and rode from the early 70’s until I bought my first Harley in 2007. It was an 883 Sporster that is very similar in characteristics to the Bonnies and Tigers of the 1960’s and 70’s. I was going to buy a new Bonnie, but the price of this Sporty was $7,000, compared to the onroad price of the Bonnie at $15,000, so it was a very easy decision. I have ridden that Sporty all over Eastern Australia (which is a BLOODY BIG area!) and had no troubles at all with it. I did do an upgrade to 1275cc, which basically doubled the horsepower and torque, for a very good price. The engine is as simple to work on as the Triumphs and Nortons of my youth and that was one of the reasons I bought it. I have no use at all for any bike that I can’t work on and service myself, as the price of getting any workshop to do anything is ludicrously expensive. Besides, being over 20 years old, no bike shop will touch it. Basic Bike shops charge over $120/hr in labour, so I dread to think what the specialty shops would be charging.
    The other reason I believe we should at least learn about the mechanics of bikes, is that if you don’t, you’re basically at the mercy of EVERYONE who sees you coming. I have once or twice had people who were reputed to be experts, tell me the most ridiculous bollocks about bikes that I know well and I avoided their ‘expert advice’ like the plague thereafter, but if I hadn’t learned what I did when I was a young rider, I would’ve been sunk by people like the ones you encountered.
    The best way to get educated, is to join a club which has a number of OLD guys in it and listen to them. Ask questions. Not being afraid to admit how much you don’t know and asking advice is a sure way to get many such people to share their knowledge with you. The club setting means that you will have a group of people around to steer you clear of the wannabes and towards the genuine article. If you’re intent on keeping a classic machine, then this is an absolute MUST. There are old riders and mecahnics around who have a wealth of knowledge, and clubs are the best way to find them. Many of those types of people may not have a business as such, but love working on bikes and may be interested in doing that for a better price than a specialist shop.
    You can also learn a lot from online forums, which is how I researched for my Sportster upgrade. I spent two years just looking at all the information on the many different people who supply kits and so forth. I read through hundreds of reviews and comments on forums to learn who was really the best. Same can be done for your bike, even if you aren’t mechanically adept.
    Hope you get to spend some time riding, rather than waiting for work to be done. That’s a real PITA.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Thank you, that’s all great advice. I do know a number of great old guys who have owned and worked on these sorts of bikes for decades and they’ve been extremely helpful. But none are nearby and until recently I’ve never lived in a property with a garage. Here in the UK, if you live in cities, like I do, garages are as rare as hens’ teeth. Mostly you have to get lucky and find one to rent, and typically it won’t have power and light. I would have loved to have got stuck in and done everything myself but, apart from making sure the bikes are preserved during the long, damp winters, the thought of fettling in a cold, dark garage for eight months of the year has been a deterrent. I know, I should have moved to a sunnier country by now! Anyway, thanks for your kind thoughts, much appreciated.

    • @redtobertshateshandles
      @redtobertshateshandles 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Sportster is awesome. Small tank though. And they vibrate a bit.

    • @splodge57
      @splodge57 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Ain't it terrible that we're not all like Big Al.😂

  • @rickconstant6106
    @rickconstant6106 ปีที่แล้ว +22

    As stated here, classic bikes are only practical for people capable of doing their own work. I have two, a 1978 Triumph T140V which I have owned for 30 years, and a 1980 Suzuki GS550, which I bought a couple of years ago to use as an all-weather, everyday bike to preserve the Triumph. I was lucky to find the Triumph when it was really low mileage, and had never been interfered with. The GS 550 is a different story, but it is sound enough to be reliable.
    I am a mechanic by trade (car), so I have always done all the work on my bikes myself, except for one occasion, about 20 years ago, where I was injured, and the Triumph damaged, in an accident, and unable to repair it myself, so it had to go a dealer, for insurance repairs. They were a well-known specialist in old and new Triumphs, so should have known what they were doing.
    What a shower of shit they were. When I collected it, just about fit to ride again, I had difficulty starting it, so the boss tried, and eventually it ran, but pretty rough. By this time, I just wanted to get it home and sort it myself, so I set off on the 30 mile ride through South London. It was a challenging journey, the throttle response was terrible, and there was far too much slack in the cable, but I persisted and made it back to my workshop.
    When I checked it over myself, I found that
    1) They had used the wrong throttle cable, and no amount of adjustment would make it right.
    2) They had set the ignition timing wrong, so that it was around 20 degrees over advanced (it was a wonder it started at all)
    3) The front wheel rim was running about 4mm out of true
    4) They had fitted a cheap, pattern indicator which didn't match the other 3 originals.
    When I phoned to tell them about it, they offered no apology, just said bring it back and we'll put it right. Needless to say, I did not want them to touch it again, and got them to send me the correct parts and fitted them myself.
    This was supposed to be a specialist, and yet they obviously employed poorly trained monkeys with no clue about the most common classic bike you will find.
    Incidentally, I had an 850 Commando, brand new, in 1974, and it was a lovely bike to ride, but needed a lot of work to keep it reliable and I was only 19, so it got neglected and I gave up on it after 2 years and sold it. When it came to buying another bike some years later, they were too expensive, so I went for the Triumph as a more practical choice.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Yep, that all sounds familiar. Glad you can work on your machines yourself, though. I wish I could!

    • @JoshuaRoberts-kq9cs
      @JoshuaRoberts-kq9cs ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Feel your pain and frustration mate.As my dad use to say Spend peanuts and you'll get monkeys.Says alot about their employer.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      @@JoshuaRoberts-kq9cs If only it was peanuts I'd been spending! 🤣

    • @carlnapp4412
      @carlnapp4412 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      I had similar experiences when I ordered parts for my Velo in the UK 30 years ago. It felt as if they said to the tea lady: "It's for a blasted Jerry, take anything out of the dust bin and ship it."
      That has changed, nowadays the parts I buy in Britain for my Bonneville and my Velo are most satisfying.

    • @carlnapp4412
      @carlnapp4412 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@3Phils
      Are you folks talking about the same UK I was always dreaming of?

  • @terrylast7034
    @terrylast7034 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I've had my '59 T-bird thirty years. It was a bitza with no matching numbers, actually no frame number. The front end I bought off the UK army brand new. the correct year motor assembled from parts. The head recycled for lead free fuel. A racing tuner balanced the crank for a top speed of 80MPH ( I can ride a youngish 125cc if I want to go fast) and it idles like a Swiss watch.. One piece crank, 8:1 hepolite pistons, std cams, wide timing gears, late model oil pump and a magneto. Three phase "police" alternator. Monoblock carbie from spares. Crash bars front and rear and US high bars. Twin leading front brake (poss the best ever drum brake ever made) with lated revised linkage. Regular use for the first ten years (that was the 1951 engine) and starts second kick from cold. It's not original, it's original condition and it's mine and to hell with what anyone thinks. It pulls a crowd hence the crome molly chain and the Jackson four lever pad lock. Tip never buy and old bike and disassemble it. Keep it together and running. Refurbishj/replace as parts become available. So what if it takes ten years to stop blowing smoke. Oh one last point: ignore oil leaks. Only worry if the oil stops leaking. Cheers T

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      I enjoyed reading that. Thank you. Sounds like you’ve got a great machine there. I remember when bikes first started coming from the factory with front discs, which were useless, particularly in the wet. Everyone asked why they weren’t fitting twin leading shoe drum brakes, which were the pinnacle of drum brake design. I guess the CB750 started the disc brake trend. I wish my Trident idled like a Swiss watch!

  • @freyatilly
    @freyatilly 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Lovely photo of Margate Meltdown

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thank you! That was all the way back in 2014. Doesn’t time fly when you’re having two-wheeled fun?!

  • @highdownmartin
    @highdownmartin ปีที่แล้ว +15

    Like old landrovers you have to be able to listen and learn. My six fifty triumph taught me how to do most jobs on a bike and ive done everything except an engine rebuild on my land rovers. Turning riders into mechanics since 1930. And ive got all the spanners I'll ever need

    • @56Model30
      @56Model30 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Excellent point. My first classic, a 1972 Commando bought in 1980 provided me a great deal of ‘experience’. Luckily, my dad (RIP) was an excellent engineer and I learnt quickly. Owning a classic requires know-how and an ability to learn otherwise you need deep pockets!

    • @highdownmartin
      @highdownmartin ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@56Model30 not just the deep pockets. It’s having the confidence and knowledge that you can change a cable, trace an ignition failure and maybe bypass the ignition switch with the tape and wires in your pocket. Adjust a tappet that has maybe slacked off and is clacking a lot Drop off a float bowl and blow out a jet to get you going properly again. Because even your excellent super cheap classic mechanic isn’t going to be riding back with from the pub on a Thursday evening. Having the ears and the arse to diagnose a small fault before it becomes a big deal is vital to my enjoyment of riding or driving something old.

    • @JoshuaRoberts-kq9cs
      @JoshuaRoberts-kq9cs ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I bought a 1976 model Bonneville for 1200dollars Rebuilt the motor new wiring harness and new stator and 15yrs later with absolutely no issues sold it for 8500 dollars If you do it right from the get go you will have a beautiful reliable classic I know from experience.

  • @drgeoffangel5422
    @drgeoffangel5422 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    I have been there, seen it and got the tea shirt. Years ago after being without a motor bike for a few years , I bought a BSA Barracuda 250CC single, it was a non- runner and I thought I'd do it up , so over two winters I stripped it down to the frame , everything re-chromed re-wired but I entrusted the engine to a motor bike repair shop, to "sort out" it had new electronic ignition, "new" carburettor and the shop got it running , sort of ! then they tell me that the fibreglass tank was leaking, why because the additives in modern fuels melted the seams of the tank! So finally I got the bike back , like you I had paid more than double the initial price, and it would reliably break down on every single ride, without fail. I used to " joke" that I might turn up, because I only had a 50/ 50 chance of it not breaking down. The engine would just stop , conk out, then 20minutes of kicking it over , trying everything until it decided it wanted to go home! It looked beautiful , as proper bikes should look, but I could not live with it, and sold it to buy a modern bike. So yes , get a vintage motor bike if you are a mechanic and have all the tools( a garage) and you know what you are doing, if you don't know how to keep them running, avoid them at all costs, and with me, it was at all costs!

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +4

      There must be so many folk out there with similar tales of woe, which is why I wanted to have a stab at opening a few eyes! Yes, classic machines are beautiful, but if you’re going to own one and, like me, are not mechanically minded you need to be careful.

    • @frankmarkovcijr5459
      @frankmarkovcijr5459 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      British motorcycles are reliable and dependable transportation if they are maintained properly. I have had my Triumph Tr-6 with a hard tail and magneto for 40 years.

  • @DeereX748
    @DeereX748 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    God, if I'd only known back then how desirable certain classic bikes would be today, I'd have kept every bike I ever owned. Two 1972 Triumph Daytona 500's, a 1975 Kawasaki S3 400, a 1974 Kawasaki Z-1B 900 and a 1985 Kawasaki GPz900R (Ninja). I'd give my left nut to have any one of them back.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      Ha! I think we all wish that. I certainly regret trading in my two Honda 400/4s which used to get me everywhere come rain or shine, and sometimes even snow. £7500 plus for a good one these days. Thanks for the comment!

    • @mattdonna9677
      @mattdonna9677 ปีที่แล้ว

      It won't happen, as there is no demand for left nuts.🙄

  • @wheelssleaford268
    @wheelssleaford268 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    I’m sure we all recognise your pain, BUT, let’s for one minute consider an alternative scenario .
    Say, you spent fifteen grand on a brand new shining 1250GS and were then told by the dealer from the swivel chair in his luxury smoked glass sales penthouse that to tour the world (read Sainsbury’s car parks), you wouldn’t look the part without “hard luggage”, spot lights affixed to your crash bars and the obligatory light grey textile jump suit all the others wear to say “look at me I once had money but I’ve spent it”(another three grand gone).
    Off you set and like Boreman and McGregor you pose your way down to the Alps cruising effortlessly at 80mph on the autobahn (just like the family of four going on holiday in their Vauxhall Corsa). Wet and Wind beaten you bravely but miraculously ascend the Gotthard Pass on your leviathan that would pull you vertically in top gear if needed only to feel cheated as the crowds pour over a guy whose reached the summit on a 40 year old Honda 90. Dejected you realise your globetrotter is not pulling the interest you expected (apart of course from those pesky kids laughing from the back window of the Corsa because it’s raining and they are dry and you are wet).
    Fear not you return to your dealer and he has the solution to your woes! You NEEDED the 1300 GS! the 1250 is so”yesterday “
    Suddenly that 1971 Bonneville looks a good investment 😊

    • @davidbrayshaw3529
      @davidbrayshaw3529 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      A wonderful and true observation, eloquently written.

    • @Free_Ranger_CT110
      @Free_Ranger_CT110 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      I am that Honda C90 (CT110) rider... They really do pay 2k+ for their jackets, it's mind boggling.

  • @SherKhan-b1kes
    @SherKhan-b1kes ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Still have my 72 Bsa 650 I bought as a teenager in 76. Original except for the electronic ignition and reliable. Also ride a Vfr750f for long distance cos me export beeza only holds 2gallons.
    Owning and riding any classic is easier when you’ve completed a maintenance course and have become fit in spannering.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      Good idea to go on a maintenance course. I suppose it’s never too late? And fantastic you’ve kept your Beezer going since 1976!

    • @SherKhan-b1kes
      @SherKhan-b1kes ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@3Phils
      ….and you get to meet new faces! When people get together there’s a possibility of helping each other which saves ££‘s

  • @davidturner8279
    @davidturner8279 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Great video, can't wait for the next one already!

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Thanks Dave!

  • @Shibby13499431
    @Shibby13499431 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Agree with those that say if you can’t do the work yourself, classics aren’t for you. You can learn, but if not willing, don’t bother. From my off-road racing and riding, I was used to working on my bike nearly as much as I rode it. My box of parts built 54’ pan-shovel custom is no different. I am also currently working on a full tear down and customizing a 69’ Trophy basket case. You have to start somewhere with picking up tools but again, if not wanting or willing, go modern. Riding a vintage bike isn’t for others. It’s for you.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      All good points, and well made.

  • @TheNobbynoonar
    @TheNobbynoonar ปีที่แล้ว +2

    One man’s two wheeled bent and rusty scrap is another man’s ‘classic’. There are genuine sellers out there who are knowledgeable and honest about the machines they are selling. Unfortunately, in my experience, they’re too few and far between. Importing containers full of an unknown quantity then spending 30 minutes going over them with a jet wash and a bit of polish then doubling or tripling the price seems to be the norm nowadays. Nothing to do with an appreciation of old machines. All to do with emptying as much cash from your wallet as possible.

  • @RichardParsons65
    @RichardParsons65 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    Very funny! You killed a few dreams in that eight minutes. 😂

  • @dralexmclean
    @dralexmclean ปีที่แล้ว +2

    So True, I've been screwing around with vintage (japanese and one BMW) bikes for decades. IT is remarkably easy to delude oneself isn't it! Brilliant video and so so true!

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      It is! Thanks for the nice comment!

  • @johnbedsole6090
    @johnbedsole6090 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    ❤sorry for all the trouble mate I rescued my 1966 T20 mountain cub after a shoddy restoration and the local triumphs dealer completely shoddy repairs I bought it and a year later I got back in spec and saved it myself the bike runs like a dream and handles like a swan .I am building a 1970 T120 myself and it will b as good as it ever will be I am sorry for your experience mate and wish you the best
    Keep your face into the wind and your eyes on the horizon thank foryour videos l am a veteran automotive mechanic with 50 years experience and have devoted my retirement to getting these great machines out on the road
    I am so glad I have been able to make my dreams come true

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Great comment - safe riding!

  • @paulhanlon5112
    @paulhanlon5112 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Can agree, I've basically had had British Bikes since 1984 mostly Meriden Triumphs and 1 commando, basically had to survive on my wits with mechanical work which was Testing to say the least (no you tube vids) but I can safely say today I'm very competent with these old runners, but there were countless hours of trials and tribulations and annoying any person that could lend their intellectual property towards me, 64 now and still enjoying it so I'll keep buzzin around on em,,,77 T140,,,78 T140

  • @richardcrighton8079
    @richardcrighton8079 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    sadly, you are correct. i bought a brand new RE 350 classic, ran it in myself, i do all the maintenance etc. and i'm keeping it forever. no weird history going on. if it's broken, i broke it. plus, i love it to death.

  • @daveco1270
    @daveco1270 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    I understand the frustration with vintage bikes, but it sounds like you've had some bad luck. : ) I've had pretty good experiences with my vintage bikes. I've got a 1975 Honda CB750 I picked up on Ebay a few years ago for 2 grand that hasn't missed a beat. It's never left me stranded or had any major work done to it. Two years ago I picked up a 1964 Triumph TR6 that's been great. I had one break-down on that bike when I first bought it, but it was an easy repair and it's been solid ever since. Starts first kick. You definitely have to be willing to learn to do the maintenance and diagnose problems that might come up, but I find that part rewarding. I"ve got a friend who works on old bikes professionally and when I see someone bring their vintage bike to him for an oil change or a new clutch cable I quietly judge that person. You gotta learn the basics..

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      100%. For me it’s been a mix of bad luck and being a dimwit when it comes to anything mechanical… well, to be fair, I can handle brakes, lights, batteries and all the peripheral stuff, it’s just the guts of the engine, including carbs, that give me a migraine! Also I’d add that until very recently I haven’t really had a proper shed to work on them in. I’m now determined to do better! 😊

  • @Bowl_of_roses
    @Bowl_of_roses ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Love the dry humour - keep going!

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      Thank you!

  • @buddhastaxi666
    @buddhastaxi666 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    2016 Triumph Thruxton, just rode it 800 kms in very hot conditions at highway speeds, with no mechanical breakdown. Looks like a classic, is an icon and lots of old guys stare, point, wave and ask you how old is the Triumph.
    Its true the older bikes are simple enough to restore. I can do medium level mechanical work.
    However I resist buying a classic 650 and spend the down time riding a 1200.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      I agree, the post 2010 Triumphs are much superior to the 2002 Bonnie I owned. Sounds like you’re having a blast! Thanks for taking the time to comment - and safe riding! 🏍️🏍️🏍️

  • @loneRider3910
    @loneRider3910 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Funniest vlog I’ve seen in ages!! I also owned a vintage lemon. A Ducati Desmo 250cc 1973 model. A great looking cafe racer (silver metal flake paint work), but totally unreliable. The big end went, electrics failed whilst riding and foot peg rotated in unison with the gear stick. Goodbye Italy, hello Japan (my new, loyal friend).

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      Glad you enjoyed it, and that the humour chimed in with your own experience. It’s been a relief to discover through this video that I’m not the only one - perhaps we should all band together and start The Vintage Lemon Owners’ Club!

  • @MrBradfordchild
    @MrBradfordchild ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Very amusing, and I really did laugh out loud when you said you sold the Hinkley triumph and bought an Enfield! You truly are special!!

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      Yeah, you never stop learning, as they say!

  • @BikesDrones
    @BikesDrones 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I feel your pain. After watching your classic car ownership experience and now your classic bike experience, I just hope your shiny new electric car doesn't burn down a concrete carpark at Luton Airport. "In circumstances restored can mean ......." had me crying with laughter Phil, that didn't stop until "I may sound jaded, I am jaded". Thankyou so much for sharing your experiences in such a funny, slightly bitter and twisted way. Priceless story teller.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      You may think I'm bitter and twisted. I AM bitter and twisted! Btw, I've had the EV for four years now, and it's never burnt anything down and always starts. The only vehicles I've ever owned that have burst into flames ran on petrol. Just sayin'! ;)

    • @BikesDrones
      @BikesDrones 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@3Phils Sounds perfect for your needs. So glad you have a dream machine that's a pleasure to own.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @BikesDrones Well, something’s got to go right! 🤣

  • @bigcity2085
    @bigcity2085 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    A. You have to know how to buy an old bike. B. See A. ...C. I bought a '68 Bonneville in the early 80's from Maury Gauger in Richmond ,Ill. You either know of him or you don't. That thing was first kick in Chicago, and first kick at 5000 ft. in Colorado. The young fool(me ) sold it,way back then. Now, 40 years later I just snagged a 1983 Honda cx 650 custom. My first electric start ! Her motor's a tank. Was mostly garage kept. Putting some new parts on her ,fer sure, but the bike is a dream. It's possible , I've owned the two best 650 twins ever built. And P.S. - back in the day of my Triumph, my buddies all had Kawwie LTD 900's or thousands.I'd get to ride 'em. Big Heavy Led Sleds. I'd get back on my 380 lb. Bonneville, high bars, four inches over on the forks,nimble and torquey, and baby, I was home. And the rice folks totally respected the Bonnie. She was one of a kind. Will miss her forever.

  • @meathead365
    @meathead365 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    I've got a 1980 xt500, spent heaps on it, doesn't run right, looks good but goes and stops poorly
    But I'm in way too deep to give up

    • @stephensheridan6332
      @stephensheridan6332 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I’m the same with my 1995 XT660, it’s incredibly unreliable and tatty, but I don’t want to let it go because it’s huge fun to ride, but I don’t trust it enough to go very far on it.

    • @redtobertshateshandles
      @redtobertshateshandles 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      What problems do you have?? XT500's are pretty old nowadays?

  • @mangoMango-ck3et
    @mangoMango-ck3et ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Great Video,,,loved everything you said,,,so true,Classic motorcycles,..unless you're a Allen Millyard or a Burt Munro,,,its an endless money pit for sure,had two Trident T150s,,I'm not a mechanic's rearend,,,love them,but cost gaazillions,..many thousands of us cannot explain why we love old classic motorcycles,,,maybe a youth yurning thing...a genetic flaw..!

  • @jayneteale9782
    @jayneteale9782 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Just renovated a t140 4 major oil leaks ,head seized to cylinder,charging system broke,clutch plates seized ,carbs rebuilt and don’t mention the electrics good job I work on them myself and enjoy it if you have no mechanical skills leave well alone😂

    • @davidbrayshaw3529
      @davidbrayshaw3529 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      There are three things that I don't possess a great deal of, and only two of those I lament. Patience, time and Whitworth spanners.

  • @Cobra427Veight
    @Cobra427Veight ปีที่แล้ว +6

    This was awesome, so funny (sorry) I was always into off road Hondas, now a lot later in life I bought my first road bike a 1949 matchless g80 500 rigid, it's got alot of issues to , wrong piston ½ to short ring gaps all 3mm , and many more issues, must have been a cousin of your bodger mechanic , 🤣 , also bought a 750 Norton and Triumph T160 , luckily I'm mechanical so I have to sort out my own issues. Really enjoyed the vid 🤣 .

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Glad you enjoyed it, it was meant to be amusing! Hopefully I didn’t sound too cross, I actually adored all of those bikes but as I said in the vid, I’m not sure the pleasure outweighed the expense and trouble. 🤣 Anyway, it’s always nice to know it’s not just me. Thanks for watching and commenting. 😊

  • @Wink_Dinkerson
    @Wink_Dinkerson ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Got old bike? - best to know how to fix it.

  • @ralphrotten6912
    @ralphrotten6912 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Great! Can agree with most comments here. Started with a 1960 Bonnie back in the day, never looked back. Finally surrendered and bought a 2023 T120. Now i get to ride instead of wrench, but what a journey over the many years. The colorful folks I've met while chasing parts, knowledge etc. The new bike hasn't been the same experience. Yes it runs great, has some link to the past in feel and style, but where is the personality and long walks home pushing the bike? Truthfully, what a step up. But what i do see is the younger set can't even change their own oil, and don't want to know how. Shame they're missing out on a lot of satisfaction and experiences. All enjoy and ride safe...

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Great comment - thanks! Apart from my Trident, I’ve got a couple of modern bikes as back-up, but you’ve hit the nail on the head, where’s the secret sauce, the ‘personality’? Nonetheless, whatever you ride, two wheels are the most fun in my opinion, so the important thing is to get out there and enjoy the road. Safe riding!

  • @robertdevries-j5d
    @robertdevries-j5d ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Very enjoyable and true, but I still cannot help myself with a trail of truimphs, BSAs over the years and now and Ariel sq4. Just start buying BSW spanners from the swap meets and have a go. You will have hours of mental health in the shed with the radio on.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      Until recently I hadn’t ever had a shed with power and light, which made the thought of sitting there for eight months improving my mental health in the dark with only a battery lantern for company rather a bleak prospect! By the way, I always wanted an Ariel Square 4! 👍

  • @seoras83
    @seoras83 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    So true. Classics are for summer sundays and long winters spent in your shed tinkering with your bits. You can dream of a recaptured youth on the bike you always wanted but couldnt afford and Kim Basinger is waiting for you to take her for a ride. The reality is that she's 70 now and will need help to get on and off. You only got to the road end before youre hip started playing up and just went home...

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      🤣 And I know what you mean about the hip thing.

    • @rickconstant6106
      @rickconstant6106 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@3PhilsThat's one of the things you have to accept when you get to a certain age - something will usually hurt when you're riding, it's just a matter of balancing the enjoyment against the pain and coming up with a positive result.

  • @tshadow6
    @tshadow6 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    When bitten by the “project bike” bug, decide how you want to spend your money. Either budget thousands for tools, parts and mechanics labor or spend the same amount on a bike in decent, running condition.

  • @Free_Ranger_CT110
    @Free_Ranger_CT110 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Owned a 1975 T140V decades ago. Enjoyed riding it but slowing to a junction & changing down, the gearbox mainshaft sheared in half & locked the rear wheel. My brother had a Commando & trying to start it one day with the end result being the fire brigade turning up to extinguish the bike...

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Thanks for the comment. We probably all take a risk riding these classic bikes, although you would hope if your machine is maintained by a qualified mechanic you could feel a bit more secure. Trouble is, in the UK at least, such qualifications are few and far between. Even if you’re completely familiar with your classic machine and know its history, and that it’s been well maintained, it is, when all is said and done, a piece of 50-ish year old technology which, let’s be honest, may not have been the best even when it left the factory!

    • @Free_Ranger_CT110
      @Free_Ranger_CT110 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@3Phils my Bonnie was dodgy enough at 5 yrs old, at fifty yrs old Hmmmm,

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      🤣

  • @johnb5352
    @johnb5352 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    If you aren’t mechanically minded ,& have to pay someone else to fix your classic or any type of machine.Then unfortunately yes this is the type of experience you will have.
    If you can do it yourself you’ll still have lots of grief,but will avoid being f#cked about by dealers & save yourself a lot of money.

  • @PatrickWhitaker-ls2cs
    @PatrickWhitaker-ls2cs ปีที่แล้ว +6

    I'm the exception that proves the rule -possibly, my passion has been Italian classics and I can honestly say I've had 4 seventies Italian bikes and they've all been 100% reliable and only required routine maintenance such as oil, plugs and air filters etc. A Morini 350 I rode from West Wales to the toe of Italy and back, a 750 guzzi I toured around Europe a Ducati also and a Laverda mirage, all covered 4-5000 miles per year and I commuted them and rode in winter. Conversly I had a brand new T140 that broke down 2nd day of ownership and a 1200 bandit that was an absolute pile of crap.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +4

      I’ve known folk with 70s Italian classics and they’ve all had great things to say about them! Perhaps that’s where I went wrong, I persevered with British bikes! 🤣

    • @markfranks1329
      @markfranks1329 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Excellent video. Highly informative, amusing and entertaining.
      I've been there and got numerous tee-shirts to prove it. All part of the learning curve.
      Very well done. Keep them coming.👍

    • @markfranks1329
      @markfranks1329 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Oh dear. I'm no Suzuki fan boy but I've owned many over the last 45 odd years or so and none of them have ever let me down. They've all been extremely reliable.
      Looks like you had a lemon.🍋🍋 😖.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      @markfranks1329 One lemon I could handle, but five? 🤣

    • @PatrickWhitaker-ls2cs
      @PatrickWhitaker-ls2cs ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @markfranks1329 I had a lovely suzuki Gt 550 back when they were new, no bother at all, pxd it for a kettle with only 800 miles on the clock and that was an unreliable pile of crap, had two Harleys, put 72k miles on a 1200 sportster with zero issues and over 50k miles on a lowrider sport, also no issues.

  • @ChrisMason-q4w
    @ChrisMason-q4w ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I have a 2018 Triumph street cup,many older gentlemen stop and admire it then they love to drop....but it isnt a real Triumph is it,into the conversation.I smile at them and then say....maybe it isnt but i want to ride it...not repair it.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      Hehe! When I had my Hinckley Bonneville, quite a few older gents mistook it for a ‘real Triumph’. Back then, a ‘real Triumph’ would have left it standing. I’m told they’ve much improved over the last twenty years, once they started upping the engine size. Hmm. *thinks*

  • @dereklatham6800
    @dereklatham6800 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    i own a t160 like yours, they are great, mines yellow and white, paid £2500 for it 10 years ago, and it always starts even after the winter lay up. you are very funny i love your channel, old brit bikes are the best,

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Great to hear from a fellow Trident owner! Once you’ve heard that sound you never want to hear anything else! Thank you for the nice words about the channel. 😊

  • @stevenwatsham5973
    @stevenwatsham5973 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I have a G80 Matchless from 1952 and luckily I am also an Engineer!..
    I certainly agree with what you say as there are some very characters out there..
    But I disagree with one thing... Girls seem to like these old bikes?.. Either that or they think that you may have some money?!..

  • @carlnapp4412
    @carlnapp4412 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    1:31 Of course it's worth it! Especially if one has reached the age when one can be sat on the bench by the stove, closing the eyes and start watching a film. I like to sit in the workshop watching the bike that is just on the lfting ramp. And I'm happy to know that she ready to start when ever I want to go for a spin.
    Back in april I had a nasty workplace accident, shattering my right knee. I'm still walking on crutches and I don't know if I ever can kick-start my bikes again. Sometimes I'm frightened to lose the race against time.
    The other day a mate and I talked about taking our classic lorries to England to participate in the Transpennine Run. Of course it's worth it, telling at home about the driving on the wrong side of the road in a classic lorry. Of course it's worth it to show the young people the bikes and cars from the time when we were entirely young, not only in the head. Keep it up! The rest does not lie with us.
    If I may suggest, you ought to buy a Z1000 A1 or A2 it's the better bike in every angle or better still a Z650 B or C. She has a smashing engine, a stable frame, a very good handling and more than enough power. Timing the coil ignition or synchronising the carbureters is child's play. Where Honda and the other Japanese used 5 or 6mm bolts, Kawa used to use 8mm. A German Z650 would be recommendable because they came with double disks in front. If you buy one I would come to the UK showing you how to adjust the valve clearance, changing the breakers and cond., synchronising the carbs...
    Take care!

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      I couldn’t agree more! It’s clearly worth it to keep these fine old machines alive and people who, like you, make all the effort to do that should be applauded. We talk a lot about how there are fewer and fewer folk who are prepared to cherish these vehicles, but if you compare it to, say, heritage railways, where we’re often talking about engineering that’s 100+ years old, there’s still a huge demand, driven by nostalgia. Not only that, but there are plenty of young people who are interested and get involved. I’d love to see your classic lorries! Best of luck with the knee and I hope you’re able to kickstart the bikes again soon. Thanks for the comment. 😊

    • @carlnapp4412
      @carlnapp4412 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@3Phils
      Cheers!

  • @onyertod
    @onyertod ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Best laugh I have had in years. . Thank you. I am lucky enough to live where you can ride all year and being an old fart, speed isn’t top of my wish list. I do like the old school look so my needs are met with a trouble free 10 year old Kawasaki W800. Cheers from Queensland, Australia.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Our pleasure! And so pleased you got the sense of humour - other folk who have commented seem less developed in that regard. 🤣

  • @user-us1hx2cx3j
    @user-us1hx2cx3j ปีที่แล้ว +2

    The truth will free you! Praise the Lord! - at last someone telling it like it REALLY is!

  • @robertorr5222
    @robertorr5222 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Great video 👍 takes me back my last bike few years ago was a venture into 'classic' they say never meet your hero 65 years old I hunted down the poster bike of my youth XS1100 one owner live it pampered life in a house as part of a collection, result looked great wiring unfortunately was so dried out and brittle it kept breaking down every time I tried to go out on it, friends stopped answering the phone as they new what was in store if I was part of the run! Great days not quite 😊

  • @melvynrogers3149
    @melvynrogers3149 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    Absolutely brilliant ..and yes if you dont have the mechanical skills..its very hard work finding a mechanic that knows his stuff...also pattern parts avoid at all costs ...99% of them are crap.

  • @kerryburns6041
    @kerryburns6041 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    As well as mechanical ability and patience, all the peripherals need to be sorted. A warm workshop with music, a comfortable chair and a kettle.
    A useful item was a stainless steel sink on a frame with castors, with a washing up bowl beneath the plughole.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Ha! You’ve hit the nail on the head there! Being a city dweller for forty years I’ve only had a rented garage without heat or light, until relatively recently. Not very welcoming for winter fettling. If I’d had everything you describe there, I’d have been proficient enough by now to strip my bikes down and do it all myself. Oh well, I can only dream!

  • @SuccessShared
    @SuccessShared ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Bloody marvellous and so true! I remember when Harley's were squeezed into a small bike shop at 3 Cross near Ringwood, Hants, run by a bunch of total tosspots. They 'serviced' my Honda CB200 which promptly holed a piston on the dual carriageway to Bournemouth! There are so many similar stories. I then owned a KH250 triple and my mate had a lovely Norton Commando (70's) but it was always breaking down or wouldn't start. He traded it for an RD250 - much better. I could go on!! Btw, I just bought a 1976 Gold Wing GL1000!

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Thanks for the kind comments. It’s so reassuring to know that it’s not just me! You should be alright with the Wing, those things are good for 200,000 miles I’ve heard!

    • @SuccessShared
      @SuccessShared ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@3Phils Luckily so have I! I checked, double-checked, and triple-checked the bike's background before buying so hopefully I'll be riding more than maintaining. However, I know what I'm like.... It has to be right!

  • @jiyushugi1085
    @jiyushugi1085 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    This!! If you can't work on them yourself, buy a modern bike, tart it up a bit with a cafe seat and paint and enjoy trouble-free riding. And forget about taking it to the local classic-bike 'expert'. Most of them are incompetent. Either learn to work on them yourself or just admire them from afar.
    My first job in bike shop involved picking up the crated Nortons from the Long Beach docks, assembling and servicing them and wiping of the cosmoline.. The boss also let me ride them - what a thrill for a 16-year-old. Been messing with and commuting on my old Brit-bikes (and Ducati singles) ever since.
    I bought all my classics in non-running condition for cheap and fixed 'em myself.

  • @rsc68er
    @rsc68er 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I totally agree with you 90%, I have one of those retro Triumphs and I find it goes quite well. I bought the fuel injection model 2012 actually had it remapped and opened up the pipes and airfilter and mate it flies. Anyway had a good laugh because I know exactly what you are talking about, we all want a classic but you need to be a trained professional to keep it on the road mostly. Cheers mate and ride safely old mate

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thanks for the comment! I’ve been tempted by the newer Hinkley Triumphs, they look good, they’re reliable, and they have much more grunt than the rather sad 2002 Bonnie I owned, which barely made progress against a modest headwind. Safe riding!

  • @bluddyrowdy8757
    @bluddyrowdy8757 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I campaigned 2 x Bonnevilles ( a 74 & 78 ) for more than 12 years. F-en funny as 1 was left hand gear change, t'other was righthand gear-change = I learnt to kick down on both foot-levers in emergency situations, as I never knew which one I was riding at the Time heheheh... I worked out that I spent average approx 500 hours, and $5000 each Year, keeping them on the bluddy Road but
    ( party on the weekend ? - no way I got bikes to fix )
    In 2002 I bought a Harley. Both Bonnies have been in my Lounge room, ever since..........
    Spot-On and cheers your summation Matey !!

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Glad you enjoyed it! I’ve also contemplated using my old bikes as purely interior decoration, but I’m not sure the Missus would be too happy. And I’ve experienced similar gear shift confusion, my Norton was a right foot shift but my back-up bike was Japanese with a left footer… with predictably hilarious consequences!

  • @JR-bj3uf
    @JR-bj3uf ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I have a very nice 1974 Norton Commando and I have an equally nice, but cosmetically challenged 1966 Triumph T100. people young and old come up to me all the time to look over the Triumph. I had a lady yell through an open car window "nice bike" as she drove past No one even looks twice at the Norton.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      When I owned the Commando, in the 1990s, folk would definitely come up to me and comment. I also had a woman shout ‘nice bike’ out of a car window last year, on my Trident. She was 80 if she was a day. Perhaps your older bike looks more like the ‘hipster’ cafe racers that seem to attract the younger generation? But to be honest, I just love being on two wheels whatever machine I’m on. Thanks for the thoughtful comment and I hope you enjoyed the video.

    • @JR-bj3uf
      @JR-bj3uf ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@3Phils same with me. I have owned and ridden 4 Commandos. My last was a 750 I rode from the late 200s to around 2016. I always got compliments and the occasional "I used t have one of those." Maybe the old guys are dying off. Young guys seem to like the Triumph.

  • @jamesrindley6215
    @jamesrindley6215 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Your narrative style is very amusing. Owning a classic requires either being rich like Jay Leno, or having a workshop full of whitworth spanners and sprocket pullers and feeling happy to spend several evenings a week messing about with it. The fixing is part of the joy for many owners. If you need to pay someone else to do it then it's going to be pricy and probably frustrating.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Thank you for the kind comment. 😊 I often wish I’d developed the necessary mechanical skills but having been an urban dweller for the past 40 years, living in flats in Victorian conversions without garages or sheds, I’ve never had a proper space with heat and light to work on anything (until recently, that is - and I now have several sets of Whitworths!). So I’ve had to go down the Jay Leno route, without the benefit of Jay Leno’s millions, which probably explains why I’ve never been able to afford a property with a garage or shed with heat and light, because of all the dosh that’s gone on paying others to tend to the motorbikes! 🤣

    • @jamesrindley6215
      @jamesrindley6215 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      @@3Phils It's good that you've finally got yourself a workshop. Some say that the skills for working on bikes are quickly learned - I think it depends a lot on the person because it requires a knack for visualizing how things fit together in 3D and an eye for when things aren't right. On older things there are often corroded and seized parts as well as decades of previous botched attempts at repair. It's probably best to start by doing routine maintenance on a bike that's already in reasonably good shape. That can already save you a lot of money.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Yes, it’s a big step forward having my own space with light and power. Until my early 20s I lived with my parents, kept my bikes in their garage, and tinkered away to my heart’s content, although I never acquired the skill levels required to, say, rebuild an engine. But now everything is coming together in the new place, and there’s nothing more satisfying than being able to tinker with the Trident when it’s reluctant to start. I just wish the UK summer would start!

  • @stephenbaron5681
    @stephenbaron5681 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I agree with most of what you said, I have always rebuilt and maintained my toys. At the rallies it is the old guy judging your work but on my first ride of my newly restored 73 850 Commando a young 20ish woman stopped me and gushed all over my bike, unfortunately she paid no attention to the old guy riding said bike.

  • @markhenry192
    @markhenry192 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    A sad tale indeed. The moral of the story is to buy a new, modern motorcycle I guess. Great vid.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Thank you!

  • @Focusembedded
    @Focusembedded ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I ride a '72 Norton Combat Commando (set up as a cafe racer). Yes, it's been upgraded to fix all the problems with Combat Commandos. I also did what any sane person would do and completely rewired it with modern electrics on a negative ground. Throw in a better clutch and a belt for the primary drive -- plus aftermarket brakes -- and it's a delightful ride. It's also very cheap to operate, since I do all work myself. And it's tough enough that when I was hit by a truck more than a year ago, I took more scratches and dents tham the bike did.
    Some youngsters here in the US have no idea what it is. Some take one look, though, and the coolness factor of retro gets to them.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      They are indeed fine machines if they're set up right. It was my greatest regret, having to sell mine. They're such a cool looking bike. As the top guy from the original Norton Racing Team said to me once: 'It's the only bike that looks like it's doing the ton just sitting on the centre stand!' Sounds like you've got a good one there - and enjoying it! I'm jealous now!

    • @pdm2201
      @pdm2201 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      I’ve had my 1973 Norton Commando for so long I know where a certain bolt goes just by looking at it. It helps a lot if the owner has some mechanical inclination and has the patience to read manuals. Between 55,000 to 60,000 were manufactured and spare parts are readily available. Also available are electric starters, modern electronic components, engine breathers, electronic ignition systems etc. The gloss black/ gold trim machine gets noticed wherever it goes.

    • @Focusembedded
      @Focusembedded 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@pdm2201 My '72 sports the same black and gold livery, and with 1" drop aftermarket handlebars, a Corbin "gunslinger" seat, rear-set footpegs (that got there by my waterjet cutting custom side plates from 6061-T6 plate stock and then black-anodizing the result), and a three-gauge setup (tach, speedo, and oil pressure) based on the "upside down" Smith's gauges from a late-40's Dominator; it's a real head-turner. A significant number of parts for the bike come out of the machine shop I have at home -- or off my 3D printer, in the case of fabricated bushings for gauge binnacles or a retaining latch for the aftermarket kickstarter. And a Norton purist would probably scream at all of it. But it makes for a seriously cool bike, and there's nothing I've done to it that looks out of place. If you didn't know the bikes, you wouldn't know this one was created in a garage with a milling machine, lathe, and two 3D printers in it.
      I have yet to attend a local bike night where it didn't draw a crowd.

  • @mrsh6672
    @mrsh6672 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Brilliant video, Michael particularly enjoyed it and a great old photo of the lads….don’t put too many people of buying old bikes until I’ve sold the Triumph Tiger!

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      Yes, I hope I haven’t put too many folk off too! 😱

  • @bakeredwards
    @bakeredwards ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I'm working on an old Bsa a65 at the moment, many years ago I'd had a few triumphs one bought in bits but I have to say this A65 has been fairly hard work just stripping it down, it's easy to see why the Japanese took over the motorcycle market. I am looking forward to not paying road tax though.

  • @keithpearson7539
    @keithpearson7539 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Back in the day, I seem to remember most British motorcycle engines being referred to as 20,000 mile motors. That was the absolute max you could expect from a new engine before serious problems beset it!

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Tbh I think 20,000 miles would be optimistic, given my experience!

  • @jamesbrown8908
    @jamesbrown8908 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Sympathy, but you really have to do it yourself. Hard to believe shops can fail to fix such simple machines

  • @chrisrutledge9330
    @chrisrutledge9330 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    So true. The new Triumph T100 has almost all the looks of the 1970s Bonneville - but with electric start, no Amal carburetors, no Lucas electrics, no oil leaks...and no endless tinkering with the timing case adjustments. And at a price new, adjusted for time and inflation, what the original ones cost. The most lasting legacy of those older bikes was the rider position and overall ergonomic proportions - that they got that brilliantly right.

  • @Trevor_Austin
    @Trevor_Austin ปีที่แล้ว +2

    You have summed up the support system behind classic motorcycles beautifully. It’s crap. Even worse is that these practitioners of tongue to window dysplasia are so stupid they are not even rich. Most don’t have a pot to piss in. What I certainly would not do though is walk away from them unless I have legally and financially destroyed their business if they screw me over - even if just for shit and giggles. The problem we have is that the typical knuckle-dragger involved in the motor trade (there are some superb exceptions) does so because they unemployable anywhere else. Fixing broken classics is certainly a viable proposition. They typically have loads of excess metal and are put together in such a way that you can take them apart with few special tools. The very best you can do is speak to the doddery old farts you bump into and ask them for advice as to where specialist jobs can be performed. If you have the parts you need, the basic spannering is not too complicated, provided you utter the appropriate incantations to the gods as you re-assemble your prized money pit. But I’m a heathen. I have gone for a modern classic. It weighs a ton but performs reasonably and looks good.
    My bike? A 2019 Triumph Bonneville T120.

  • @stephensheridan6332
    @stephensheridan6332 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Absolutely brilliant video, so hilarious, so true. I even have all these issues with my 1995 XT660 so it’s not just the real classics that can be troublesome money pits. I’m 61 and don’t have enough mechanical skills or money to keep old bikes going, but i keep buying them because I’m an idiot. I hope you are going to make lots more videos, I’ve subscribed to your truly excellent channel.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      Thank you! And yes, there’s definitely more to come!

  • @paulreed6089
    @paulreed6089 21 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

    Maybe if you tried an airhead bmw...ive owned many and made money with each machine. I do have the mechanical skills needed but these machines will stay running long after most. Nice video. Enjoyed it bery much.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  21 วันที่ผ่านมา

      Thank you! 😊 Folk have often mentioned BMW to me and I have definitely been tempted in the past.

  • @ricardguerin841
    @ricardguerin841 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    had a bonne t140 d you hit the nail on the head so funny

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      Thank you!

  • @goldilocks913
    @goldilocks913 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Wonderful humour and wisdom there, thank you!
    I remember a shop in Bradford trying to sell me a Triumph trident before they were popular and the mechanic, who was twice my weight,nearly passed away with a heart attack trying to kick it over!😂

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      🤣

  • @etechjd8260
    @etechjd8260 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Love your comment ...difference is that now I am over with this ......unless i deal with a very very cheap classic.If in the bin,no regrets

  • @BRUCE_SWAN_MOTORCYCLES
    @BRUCE_SWAN_MOTORCYCLES ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Interesting take on classic bikes. You really do need to commit to do what it takes to set them up right, to be safe, dependable, and wonderful to ride and experience. Last year I restored a 1978 Moto Guzzi 850 Lemans, and I just finished restoring a 1975 Norton 850 Commando MK3. Videos of some of my bikes are on my channel. So far, I've had good luck with them, my bikes look and run as good as new, but I can certainly see how things can go horribly wrong. Guess I like the pain given I'm looking for my next bike to restore... they are very addictive.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      I used to lust after the Le Mans back in the day! You’ve obviously got more patience and a better skillset than me. Still, we can all probably agree that these classic machines are worth the effort for the pleasure they bring. Thanks for watching and commenting - I’ll take a look at your channel. 😊

  • @davidcollings4750
    @davidcollings4750 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I feel your frustration and would say some degree of mechanical knowledge is a must if you don’t have a trusted mechanic and deep pockets, mind you my early mechanical knowledge did lead me to set fire to my lovely Vincent rapide in much the same fashion your commando went up. I can laugh about it now but can assure you I wasn’t running into the garage to get the hose 😂

  • @markgoulding2767
    @markgoulding2767 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Hi, meybe try a Yamaha XS650 1980 - 1983 mine has been on the road for 9 trouble free years, a solid 650cc parralell twin, new oil and plugs every summer and thats about all the maintenence it needs. love it. good luck.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  8 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thanks for the comment and I’m pleased to hear you’re having a good experience with your XS650. Finding something reliable that you can ride whenever you want, without having to worry too much about whether it’ll get you there, is to be celebrated. To be honest, I keep a twenty year old CB1300 in my shed alongside my Trident for just that reason. Happy riding! 😊

  • @andyinnes2178
    @andyinnes2178 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I love many of the old bikes and remember them well in their heyday, personally I would opt for a modern retro classic like an interceptor or a modern Bonnaville or even a Kawasaki W850, fuel injection, ABS and rides a hell of a lot better than the old buckets they were based on. But most of all…. Reliable.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Good point, and since I had my 2002 Bonnie and looked at buying a W650 (as it was then) they’ve undergone much needed power improvements. Well worth considering! I prefer a bit more oomph, though, so my modern retro ride is an Indian FTR 1200. Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🏍️🏍️🏍️

  • @marlecmarine5393
    @marlecmarine5393 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Hilarious video l really enjoyed it, l know exactly what you mean, l love the fact that you have learned absolutely nothing from the experience....🙂 Fortunately l brought my Norton Commando 850 Interstate almost new ex demo machine in 1973 from the Norton dealer Gus Khun where l worked for a few years. I still have it and to honest she really has been no trouble over the 68,000 miles. Done a few sensible mods like electronic ignition and belt drive primary conversion, done all the maintenance myself and never let idiots with spanners anywhere near her. I have a Royal Enfield Classic 500 and l love it, so simple to maintain and real pleasure to ride, but l have done a series of modes to improve he handling and performance.....I live in Ramsgate just in you break down near me and need advice.....🙂

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I know other folk who’ve owned their Triumphs and Nortons from new, and they report the same. I have nothing but admiration for them and you! I think if anyone is looking to buy an old classic, they’d do well to find one that has been in the same ownership for 50 years, and owned by someone who has carried put their own maintenance. When I say ‘Mr Bodger’ in the video, I’m talking about bikes that have been maintained by repair shops, not folk like yourself who have cherished their machines since new, or almost new. I should, in retrospect, have made that clear. Hats off to you, sir!

  • @jeffgraham6387
    @jeffgraham6387 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    And as a 74 year old biker dare I say that many 'classic' bikes were a bit crap when new...time plays it's tricks on our memories and also add's a little more rose tinting to our glasses.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      You’re not wrong there! I remember my first brand new two-wheeler was one of those rubbish NVT mopeds - remember those? Within days the engine had packed up! I wrote a justifiably huffy letter to the CEO, Dennis Poore, who responded in terms of it was all my fault, nothing to see here, move along. No wonder they went down the khazi a year later! Thanks for taking the time to comment 😊

    • @Free_Ranger_CT110
      @Free_Ranger_CT110 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      I had an FS1/E DX new in '76 & loved it. But would I pay the price being asked for Fizzys nowadays? Not bloody likely!

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Ha! What would I have given for a Fizzy, rather than that crummy NVT moped! I agree, though, about having one now. Silly prices, and the number of fat, old blokes (like me) I see on them, barely making it up a hill! 🤣

    • @Free_Ranger_CT110
      @Free_Ranger_CT110 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@3Phils nostalgia isn't cheap...

  • @davemoyer505
    @davemoyer505 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    You, my friend, remind me of me! I love Triumphs. Classic, new- I don’t care! But I wish I had all the $ back I’ve spent on them over the last 45 years! Oh well, the things we do for love! Good video!👍🇺🇸❤️

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Glad you enjoyed the video. We’re probably not the only folk out there with these mixed feelings! But, let’s face it, falling in love with these machines is almost certainly less expensive than falling in love with a person and ending up getting a divorce! 🤣

    • @davemoyer505
      @davemoyer505 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@3Phils and THATS a fact, my good man!😂🇺🇸❤️

  • @greeneyemotorcycles.markgr3522
    @greeneyemotorcycles.markgr3522 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Classic bike ownership is all about your willingness to learn how to maintain your machine & not just pay for others to do it & hope for the best.... Less mechanical ability=deeper pockets required....

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Indeed. Which is what I say.

  • @philipdirden5670
    @philipdirden5670 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    How right you are!!! $150.00 basket case 1986 as of today (close to or more than) $10,000.00 and still investing LOL Can't help myself!!!

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      Ha! The way I look at it is that at least I can still spend entire days polishing and fettling what I’ve spent the money on. Unlike, say, if I’d spent it on booze or the horses!

  • @oldoldbikebiker
    @oldoldbikebiker ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Priceless! Wise words indeed. And - where can I get some of that 'running in oil' that you mention.......

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Ha! Thank you. And ‘running in oil’ is available on Amazon. Along with Wynn’s Start You Bastard.

  • @carlnapp4412
    @carlnapp4412 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I'm so happy to have watched this vid. I was about to get a Royal Enfield Café Racer.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      They look good in the photos, but I regretted buying one within two miles of owning it. A brand new machine that slides out from underneath you on the first corner, doing less than 20mph on a dry day, really shouldn’t be allowed on the road!

    • @carlnapp4412
      @carlnapp4412 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@3Phils
      How could that happen?
      Due to a momentary mental derangement I fitted my Kawa 650 - she had an impeccable road holding - with Pirellis. Afterwards I was freightened to ride the bike. Fast as a lightning I changed back to Metzeler and she smiled again. Those classical tyres are nowadays produced by Heidenau.
      By the way, may I ask you a favour? I have got a Venom and a MAC. Venom I can pronounce, but I don't know how to address the little one properly. Is it M-A-C or is it MAC like in MacGregor?
      Thanks!

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      I think it was a combination of me being incautious about scrubbing new tyres in and No-Name tyres made from recycled Tupperware. Those Macs are very rare beasts! Beautiful machines and a great story behind them. I believe it’s ‘Mac’ as in ‘MacGregor’.

    • @carlnapp4412
      @carlnapp4412 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@3Phils
      Ta!

  • @pujapete3665
    @pujapete3665 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    £8000 t160 dream bike turned into one year of not much time spent on road.luckiy got my money back.at least i did ride one.

  • @ManofMode
    @ManofMode ปีที่แล้ว +1

    😂😂😂 Yup, that just about sums it up. I have just bought the new Triumph Bonneville (2023) and I'm very pleased with it. Plenty of grunt and quite good looking. Everyone who has admired it so far has indeed been over 70. Tested the BSA Gold Star which was a very fun ride, but under powered for me and the build quality was pants. Didn't even bother trying out a Royal Enfield, cos they're just shite. Could you tell us your current steed of choice?

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      I’d agree with steering clear of the BSA and RE machines. You see videos raving about them, but I’m always suspicious. I think you’ve made a wise choice going with the Triumph. Since I owned my Hinkley Bonneville all those years ago, the power and performance has been greatly improved and they’re definitely a good looking, traditional bike - to the point where I’ve even considered buying one. Trouble is, I’ve been on a quest for speed for 45 years, so I’ve tended go gravitate more towards 100bhp plus bikes. Currently I’m running the 1975 Trident T160 as my classic, and my back-up has been a Honda CB1300 for some years now. Last year I went a bit / even more mad and, having considered the Bonnie, then a Kawasaki Z900RS, I opted for an Indian FTR 1200. My first American bike, well my second actually as the first FTR had to go back to the dealership! 🤣 If you search through the 3Phils channel you can see them in an earlier video I made. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to comment and safe riding! 🏍️🏍️🏍️

  • @daynasmum529
    @daynasmum529 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    oooh, suites you sir!

  • @mickymac6571
    @mickymac6571 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Get a bike and send it to Alan Millyard, the man's a mechanical genius,he could probably get your NVT moped running, ( I remember them,some rebadged Italian make in the late 70's,)

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Ha! Yes, that NVT moped was some kind of rebadged effort!

  • @CrustyWhiteBread
    @CrustyWhiteBread ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Loved the video mate.
    Cheers from Chicago
    Well earned Sub.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Thank you, it’s much appreciated. 😊

  • @MichaelCairns-fv2vi
    @MichaelCairns-fv2vi 22 วันที่ผ่านมา

    I currently mulling over a cheap T 140 ..on F B...its mostly there..motly as ...he says he can start it but gearbox probs make it unridable..did I mention its really cheap..no clocks or rear pipes..leaks oil so O know its got in it..oh and some wiring issues..but matching numbers..could really be worth twice the price when Ive sorted it and got the missing bits..Ive got enough money to pick it up now..before some else gets its..I jus have to be cool when I check it out ..might get him down a couple of hundred..

  • @spotty_cat26
    @spotty_cat26 ปีที่แล้ว

    So the moral of the first story is do some research before you put your bike into a workshop. And see how much you can do yourself. I've found that the more effort you put into finding out about your classic bike. Like joining forums, ask questions, buy manuals etc, then the more successful you'll be. Personally, I quite enjoy that side of it. Just found your channel Interesting so far. 👍

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      Thank you! Yes, that just about sums everything up. It wasn’t my intention to put anyone off buying a classic bike, just to point out that if you’ve got your heart set on one, make sure you have your eyes wide open and don’t make the mistakes I made. 😳

  • @roverchap
    @roverchap ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Your summary sits somewhere between realistic and pessimistic. In my experience the big issue with classic bikes is lack of use. Many are only ridden occasionally and often laid up for long periods, something which plays havoc with internal components, and also with fasteners. That will lead to running problems, failures, and then difficulty in dismantling for maintenance. All this despite an outwardly shiny and polished look. A classic CAN be a reliable machine with little more than routine maintenance, but must be used regularly in order to keep everything supple and in order, just like a human body! Don't buy garage queens, look for something which has been in regular use. Go to club meetings and ride outs, look for the bikes you see out and about and enquire whether any are for sale. Trawl social media pages for model-specific groups. Sooner or later something suitable will come up.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      Very sound advice! I made that mistake when I was a newbie with my first classic, the Commando. These days my Trident is cosseted in a dry, heated garage and attached to a trickle charger. I start and run it, until it’s properly warmed up, every few days throughout the winter season. If the weather isn’t too unpleasant it goes for a ride out. These bikes were made to be ridden regularly! The biggest issue I’ve found is the tendency for the ethanol in modern petrol to gum up the carbs, as it’s hydrophilic and bonds with any moisture, such as condensation in a cold garage. I only use petrol with the lowest ethanol content and make sure the tank is more or less full to the brim at all times throughout the winter so there’s very little air in there to host water vapour. Anyway, thanks for watching the video and taking the time to write such a considered comment.

  • @squigmcguigan8965
    @squigmcguigan8965 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    If you thought the Hinckley Bonneville was numb.
    What on earth made you think the Royal Enfield would be any better.
    And if you think the Z900 smoked.
    The Trident will be worse. S case of
    " Yes Sir. They all do that"

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thanks for the comment. To be fair, the Enfield was only ever really going to be a stop gap, and is really only mentioned to give folk an idea of what it was like, and as a cautionary tale for anyone who gets dewy eyed about the prospect of owning one. The Z900 smoked from one cylinder, thanks to a botched rebore by a previous owner. The Trident, far from being worse, runs like clockwork, barely sips oil, and pulls like a train. But there’s a story behind that which one day will be told! Happy riding!

  • @wdhewson
    @wdhewson ปีที่แล้ว +2

    All Brit Bikes need to be owned by mechanics and machinists, and even then they're a trial of patience !!!

  • @largearthur1
    @largearthur1 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    If you get a vintage moto because you think it will turn heads or hordes of cute girls with throw their knickers at you I'm afraid you are horribly misled. Among other things I have a '74 850 Commando that has been built up to near perfection over many years and I can confirm that middle-aged men with bad beards are the only people who have the remotest chance of noticing such a beautiful old bike. You don't own a classic bike to get attention, you own one for the journey. Classic bikes are beautiful and infuriating and mysterious and when you get them sorted, absolutely magical. You have to be able to do almost all of your own work or be willing to learn, your old bike has a personality and you need to get to know it and figure out how to keep it happy. I enjoy time in the garage doing repairs and maintenance nearly as much as a lovely ride, it's all part of the journey. And those modern retro classics? That's a hard no for me.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Interesting comment there, thanks. I almost got tempted by the Z900RS a few years back but swerved at the last minute. I have similar feelings to you about modern retro classics, especially after my experiences with the Hinkley Bonneville and Enfield, and felt I wouldn’t be happy with anything other than the real deal. I kind of knew what I’d be getting into, having spent many years with a Commando. Fortunately I’m now living my best life with the T160 - and loving it! Not that it’s all been plain sailing. I’ll probably make a video about that at some point.

  • @MichaelCairns-fv2vi
    @MichaelCairns-fv2vi 22 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

    Sometimes I take expensive beer ,chocolates and money to test rides..I just want to ride the bike...but Im not a bad person..

  • @davidlax9454
    @davidlax9454 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    You need a good knowledgeable friend to choose your next bike ☺

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      Thankfully I have one! Although I’ll go more into that if and when I make a video about the Trident, which I skipped over in this video.

  • @gongagalunga
    @gongagalunga 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Hilarious. I'll stick with my memories of my Triumphs and Norton Commando FB, when they, and I were young.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Not a bad idea, tbh, it saves a lot of heartache - and dosh! Thanks for the comment.

  • @andrewwhitehead2353
    @andrewwhitehead2353 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Right I am off to buy a street triple 😊

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      Good on yer! 😊

  • @patrickdoake6022
    @patrickdoake6022 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Been there done that, still doing it 😂🤔😢latest cb 550 chop, mate doing it up (i hope) homda ntv 650 great bikes for daily hack. Good entertainment! Keep it up!

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      Thank you! 😊

  • @alecjefferson6993
    @alecjefferson6993 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Of course it’s worth it shining in the covers what’s wrong with that keeping looking nice and if you’ve done it up yourself you just tinkering with it a bit to keep in running order it’s great🏍️🎼⛽️⛽️🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿. New bikes running cost ££ services ££ can be £300 to £700 + etc.

  • @kdsowen2882
    @kdsowen2882 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Very-Funny (and often-True unfortunately ) I once-owned a very-low-miles T140 that was great (All my other-Triumphs were Dogs ) . My Norton-Atlas went-well (when it would Start ! ) for a couple-of-years until a 'big-end blew . My two-Ducati's (GT750 and 900-Darmah ) were great as-was my Laverda-Mirage . I now ride the-best Triumph that they 'Never-Built' , a Kawasaki W650 and it's brilliant (for that-style-of-bike & 360-degree-crank) . I also have a vintage Yamaha TR1-XV1000 that is remarkably-reliable , pleasantly-loud and goes-hard (gets bloody-heavier each-year though ) . Buy a W650 or a 'Classic' that's been owned and loved by a fanatic-owner (preferably a good-mechanic) and join a Club of 'Like-Minded' 'Old-Farts' who can help-you fix it... Dave nz

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      Sensible advice! I looked at the W650 when it first came out. A beautiful machine and arguably more authentic than the rubbish Hinckley Bonneville I had. It’s funny, but my T160 seems to get heavier every year too! 😂

    • @davidbrayshaw3529
      @davidbrayshaw3529 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Ha! My mechanic owns a W650. That says something, straight away. They are as rare as hen's teeth, in good original condition, in Australia. I ended up purchasing a 2015 W800 with only 1500kms on the clock. What a wonderful bike. Mind you, I got a bit worried when my mechanic told me that one of his long term clients owns one with 150,000 kms. on the clock. The mechanic said, "It sounds just the same as yours and has the same amount of power, still". I don't know if it's a good thing when a virtually brand new bike runs like a high miler!
      I also asked the mechanic if the Kawasaki has a two or three main bearings. His answer was "I wouldn't know, I've never taken anything more than the rocker cover off one"!
      Needless to say, he spoke very highly of the W series Kawasakis and described them as "the best kept secret in motorcycles".

  • @germcorp
    @germcorp หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Great video...and so true..

  • @guilhermetanure6204
    @guilhermetanure6204 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Kawasaki w800 no problem. End problems.

  • @philipbrackpool-bk1bm
    @philipbrackpool-bk1bm ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I’d love to own a classic bike but like a lot of people I’m priced out of the market by people like Henry Cole who throw shitloads of money at something then get someone else to rebuild it as a bleedin investment.

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      Quite! And as I pointed out in the video, these classic bikes don’t even make a particularly good investment despite what the likes of Cole and his crew will tell you, so it’s all a bit of a con. Prices have come down in the last year or so though, as folk generally have less disposable cash to spend, so you may get lucky if you keep your eye out.

  • @timboharty7325
    @timboharty7325 ปีที่แล้ว

    Great to see some video footage of the 2015 Ramsgate Sprint Revival

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      Yes, such a shame the local council did their best to ensure it never happened in that location again. 🙁 I have more footage of the 2015 event, I might put it on this channel at a future date.

    • @timboharty7325
      @timboharty7325 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@3Phils that’s great , I was the guy behind the event ,it took a ton of work to get to run the event and that weekend I was busy making it happen so didn’t get to enjoy it as I should have !

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @timboharty7325 Amazing! I’ve only got a few minutes of phone footage but I’ll definitely share it up on here soon. Thank you for all the effort you put into it, I really enjoyed the event and it was great to watch!

    • @timboharty7325
      @timboharty7325 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@3Phils Many thanks , we did organise a few other classic bike events , 2016 Ramsgate revUp, 2017 Bikes at the Bay ,Sandwich , and now the team that I recruited to help out are now running the Heritage sprint at Betteshanger Park near Deal , I’m no longer involved as I moved to live in southern Austria 3 years ago , I did manage to bring some of my classic bikes with me 😀

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Yes, I saw that it had moved to Betteshanger Park. Anyway, I hope you’re enjoying riding in Austria - I have visions of awesome twisty mountain roads now! 😊

  • @robh4671
    @robh4671 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I wouldn't touch a British bike with a ten foot barge pole, I'll stick to my ultra reliable japanese bike, 😊

    • @3Phils
      @3Phils  ปีที่แล้ว

      I don’t blame you. Since my early days of classic British bike ownership, I’ve always had an ultra reliable Japanese bike in my shed alongside my British bike. If you love getting out on two wheels, it’s the only way to guarantee a ride!