I have the T150v and have been riding it since 2004. I read an interesting story explaining the Triumph mishap of stamping too many parts in Autumn of 1974 and that's why you and I have (had) the T150v from 1975 instead of Triumph changing the Trident to only T160 in'75. Triumph didn't bother issuing a manual for the 1975 they just told guys to use the 74. I get a lot of arguments from guys who insist my T150 is a 74. Nice video!
I remember Fabulous Sam Rosenberg in New Jersey closing these Tridents out for a great price. The yellow and cream paint scheme was more attractive than the red. He also had a new BSA B50 on the floor (badged as a Triumph then) for the sum of 600$, an incredibly cheap price even in 1976 dollars. He was closing all the Triumph stuff out. I wish I'd been in the position to have taken those bikes off his hands.
Bought that exact model in the late 70's...same color scheme. Fun bike and fairly stable at higher speeds. Believe I paid around $1500 because it was a close out and they just wanted to move them.
@@Spartansrule118 Early on it was but ran into electrical issues later on that were a headache...good bike overall...ended up selling it to a guy that restored British motorcycles.
The single plate dry clutch is of "Borg and Beck" manufacture, it's exactly the same as the one used on the Austin Mini car. If you own a Trident and need to get a clutch plate, buy a Mini one as they're a lot cheaper than buying from a classic Triumph dealer. You can improve the brakes performance by having the chrome skimmed off the discs as the bare cast iron is pervious and soaks up the rain water. Ok your discs will go rusty overnight, but as soon as you use them again the rust comes clean off and you'll have brakes that work.
First off David some clutch platest ie mini have spring washers between the friction plates and will rob you of precious.•025" lift 'some plates are without these washers. Competition plates and cooper S spring's also fit. You may find that the spine boss is riveted thru and not on. To remove chrome plating from discs go to your local plating shop and they'll take it off' no shabby machining'they were originally designed with 3-4 thou run out to return the pads 'When removing from the hub mark it's position with centre punch or you will create a different wear pattern = pulsing 'good luck '45years and still learning
@@mmark8394 Thanks for your reply M Mark, I traded my T160V in against a brand new Triumph TSX in 1983, that was a bad move as the TSX was the most unreliable motorcycle that I've ever owned. Meriden's quality control must have been non existent in their final months.
I just wonder if having some holes drilled in the brake disk some of the issues around stopping in the wet could be alleviated. Yes, it wouldn't be standard, but stopping is kind of important .
Pesenter says engines builtat BSA Small Heath and bike built at TriumphsMeriden factory. That is Wrong. No Tridents were built at Triumph Meriden after 1973 from March 1974 all T150Vs and T160s were all completely built at BSAs Small Heath factory until production ended in early 1976 Roy Allen
Good point, Roy. What chaotic days those were with the lock out at Meriden, and souring industrial relations between management and unions. I was still only a teenager then but wonder how the workers viewed it all. Given the dire financial state of Triumph back then it feels amazing that so many T160s were actually built. No doubt Les Williams had much to do with that feat.
The brakes on that one in the test don't work because they are chromed. Originally (74 T150 on) they weren't chromed, just bare cast iron, and the brakes were excellent. There is not much info about the chromed discs, but you can learn a bit from the parts lists. I have all the Triumph bike parts lists, and there is little mention of chrome disc part numbers. What they DO mention is under brake pads. The standard brake pads have a note that says "Warning!! NOT to be used with chrome discs". So they mention chrome discs, but don't list them. They also don't mention any other pads. So don't mention "pads for chrome discs" and don't list chrome discs???? It was my understanding that the chrome discs were "only for show" when the bikes sat in dealers for ages, given the ludicrously thin coating that wore off after a very short time. MOST of the Brit bikes with chromed discs that have done any miles that you see have unevenly worn chrome, ie, half there/half not. They raced these bikes with cast iron faces/brakes were GREAT with that, WHY would anyone want them chromed, so that they then don't work as well??? It makes no sense. Why else would they have chrome on them, (apart from jjst for show) when EVERY Euro bike with great brakes had bare cast iron? Ducati, (I had a 75 900SS, cast iron discs = brilliant) Laverda, Moto Guzzi, every Brit bike = cast iron. The Japanese spent a fortune on every type of brake pad because they insisted on having everything BUT cast iron, and half the early Japanese discs were shocking in the wet by comparison. Looked nice and shiny though........ I bought my 74 T150V in 93. It had/has a 1,000cc Hyde kit and twin front discs, and the brakes are excellent. When I first got it, it had one "too far skimmed" disc (thin, under spec) , and one "patchy chrome" one. You could feel it "grab/let go" as it contacted chrome/cast iron. So I bought a new disc to replace the thin one, and had the "barely there" of what chrome was left skimmed off the other one. Brakes were then perfect. If your priority is a shiny front disc, keep the chrome ones. If your priority is actually stopping - get rid of it = use a bare cast iron one. It is as simple as that. My Trident sat for about 10 years, and is just finishing a major rebuild (95% complete) , and will soon be back on the road. My BSA A10 (62) has to be ridden carefully in modern traffic, as the "4 wheel disc brake new car brigade" love pulling out in front of you and jamming on the anchors, and the BSA's front drum................. you need to be careful. Wheras the twin discs on the Trident can stop in almost any modern traffic situation. They can be very frustrating bikes, but when they are running right, they are GREAT, I will keep mine forever.
I have the T150v and have been riding it since 2004. I read an interesting story explaining the Triumph mishap of stamping too many parts in Autumn of 1974 and that's why you and I have (had) the T150v from 1975 instead of Triumph changing the Trident to only T160 in'75. Triumph didn't bother issuing a manual for the 1975 they just told guys to use the 74. I get a lot of arguments from guys who insist my T150 is a 74.
Nice video!
Best looking of all the triples
I remember Fabulous Sam Rosenberg in New Jersey closing these Tridents out for a great price. The yellow and cream paint scheme was more attractive than the red. He also had a new BSA B50 on the floor (badged as a Triumph then) for the sum of 600$, an incredibly cheap price even in 1976 dollars. He was closing all the Triumph stuff out.
I wish I'd been in the position to have taken those bikes off his hands.
Miss rhe sound of the beast! Regards from Germany!
I remember seeing these races in the Castrol 6 hour at Amaroo Park along with Laverda 1000s and Ducati 900SS.
Bought that exact model in the late 70's...same color scheme. Fun bike and fairly stable at higher speeds. Believe I paid around $1500 because it was a close out and they just wanted to move them.
were they reliable?
@@Spartansrule118 Early on it was but ran into electrical issues later on that were a headache...good bike overall...ended up selling it to a guy that restored British motorcycles.
The single plate dry clutch is of "Borg and Beck" manufacture, it's exactly the same as the one used on the Austin Mini car. If you own a Trident and need to get a clutch plate, buy a Mini one as they're a lot cheaper than buying from a classic Triumph dealer. You can improve the brakes performance by having the chrome skimmed off the discs as the bare cast iron is pervious and soaks up the rain water. Ok your discs will go rusty overnight, but as soon as you use them again the rust comes clean off and you'll have brakes that work.
First off David some clutch platest ie mini have spring washers between the friction plates and will rob you of precious.•025" lift 'some plates are without these washers. Competition plates and cooper S spring's also fit. You may find that the spine boss is riveted thru and not on.
To remove chrome plating from discs go to your local plating shop and they'll take it off' no shabby machining'they were originally designed with 3-4 thou run out to return the pads 'When removing from the hub mark it's position with centre punch or you will create a different wear pattern = pulsing 'good luck '45years and still learning
@@mmark8394 Thanks for your reply M Mark, I traded my T160V in against a brand new Triumph TSX in 1983, that was a bad move as the TSX was the most unreliable motorcycle that I've ever owned. Meriden's quality control must have been non existent in their final months.
Needs those horrid US market exhausts throwing in the scrap you cant beat the Rocket 3 Raygun Exhausts
Absolutely beautiful
Be nice to hear the bike instead of all that yabbing....
It should be mandatory: all bike reviews and histories should have audio of the engine running.
He's an Aussie. Nice accent.
Very informative
I just wonder if having some holes drilled in the brake disk some of the issues around stopping in the wet could be alleviated. Yes, it wouldn't be standard, but stopping is kind of important .
I think you'll find it was the chrome plated discs and the pad material .
As said above, get rid of the chrome. Without the chrome, the brakes are great; so makes no sense having it.
gday mate,nice to know u aussies like a trumpet,we also taught u how to play cricket.
Cheers from Canada. Nice bike.
245kg and the brakes don't work. Go Triumph!
Pesenter says engines builtat BSA Small Heath and bike built at TriumphsMeriden factory. That is Wrong. No Tridents were built at Triumph Meriden after 1973 from March 1974 all T150Vs and T160s were all completely built at BSAs Small Heath factory until production ended in early 1976 Roy Allen
Good point, Roy. What chaotic days those were with the lock out at Meriden, and souring industrial relations between management and unions. I was still only a teenager then but wonder how the workers viewed it all. Given the dire financial state of Triumph back then it feels amazing that so many T160s were actually built. No doubt Les Williams had much to do with that feat.
good little review there mate thanks
Lovely looking
The brakes on that one in the test don't work because they are chromed. Originally (74 T150 on) they weren't chromed, just bare cast iron, and the brakes were excellent. There is not much info about the chromed discs, but you can learn a bit from the parts lists. I have all the Triumph bike parts lists, and there is little mention of chrome disc part numbers. What they DO mention is under brake pads. The standard brake pads have a note that says "Warning!! NOT to be used with chrome discs". So they mention chrome discs, but don't list them. They also don't mention any other pads. So don't mention "pads for chrome discs" and don't list chrome discs????
It was my understanding that the chrome discs were "only for show" when the bikes sat in dealers for ages, given the ludicrously thin coating that wore off after a very short time. MOST of the Brit bikes with chromed discs that have done any miles that you see have unevenly worn chrome, ie, half there/half not.
They raced these bikes with cast iron faces/brakes were GREAT with that, WHY would anyone want them chromed, so that they then don't work as well??? It makes no sense.
Why else would they have chrome on them, (apart from jjst for show) when EVERY Euro bike with great brakes had bare cast iron? Ducati, (I had a 75 900SS, cast iron discs = brilliant) Laverda, Moto Guzzi, every Brit bike = cast iron. The Japanese spent a fortune on every type of brake pad because they insisted on having everything BUT cast iron, and half the early Japanese discs were shocking in the wet by comparison. Looked nice and shiny though........
I bought my 74 T150V in 93. It had/has a 1,000cc Hyde kit and twin front discs, and the brakes are excellent. When I first got it, it had one "too far skimmed" disc (thin, under spec) , and one "patchy chrome" one. You could feel it "grab/let go" as it contacted chrome/cast iron. So I bought a new disc to replace the thin one, and had the "barely there" of what chrome was left skimmed off the other one. Brakes were then perfect.
If your priority is a shiny front disc, keep the chrome ones. If your priority is actually stopping - get rid of it = use a bare cast iron one. It is as simple as that.
My Trident sat for about 10 years, and is just finishing a major rebuild (95% complete) , and will soon be back on the road. My BSA A10 (62) has to be ridden carefully in modern traffic, as the "4 wheel disc brake new car brigade" love pulling out in front of you and jamming on the anchors, and the BSA's front drum................. you need to be careful.
Wheras the twin discs on the Trident can stop in almost any modern traffic situation.
They can be very frustrating bikes, but when they are running right, they are GREAT, I will keep mine forever.
FIT SOME EBC SINTERED PADS
Preferred suzuki 750 kettles as triples went
Paul Davies trident was faster and handled better
Kettles ok in a straight line Not bends tho...Cape town 75' ...
You seriously dubbed over your voice and there's no MOTORCYCLE SOUND?
ayup lad nowt so queer as trident.