Featured The Mighty T140v

Probably the best Triumph there ever was or ever will be - the mighty V

"The Triumph Bonneville has traditionally been held responsible for everything from keeping Harleys out of winner's circles to keeping small town daughters locked up." Road test report from 1978 - just as the T140E was being born with the first of the Shermanland environmentalist's boot up the jacksie of the motorcycling world. And on it continues.....even the V twins are gone now, karma maybe.

But, before all is lost, there is still a choice, just.....



Some are still causing issues though, as if it's not tough enough.....

 

There are plenty still about and, in comparison, are still relatively cheap. These bikes are now coming up to their 50th birthday and available in all conditions - from complete rust buckets to trailer queens.

They were the hooligan's choice in the late 70s, you could only get insurance for a Harley over the age of 21 around my old stomping ground, but for a Bonny insurance was about a fiver a month. If you had any.

Of course, maintenance only occurred when something broke. Normally carried out with some pliers and a hammer using old bits and bobs from other bikes sat around in the clubhouse. Mick Hemmings and his spares shop was only required very rarely (although he was always helpful with advice through the fog of fags in his workshop) cough, cough.

There was a good night ahead if I had a full tank of petrol and a fiver. Nothing like a twin giving it some through the night. Ahem. So, I still like them and buy them when I can.

So, I bought this last year. Photographed today as I was taking it out for a shake down round the block to Bonville Road. It is very pretty....albeit with all the standard stuff still attached



Note the indicators (cor) note the sandwich rack on the back (cor) western handlebars to replace those God awful semi ape things (cor) standard headlight, clocks, mud guards, massive back light (more cors). Etc.

 

I promised I wasn't going to say anything. I was just going to sort a few little bits and bobs. I was gonna leave it positive earth, I was honestly going to poodle around on what feels like a bedstead.
Then the bloody Poo Bears get all cocky....

 

I suppose it could be this. Good grief.



I've a mind to phone the dealers and tell them. Or maybe not, they lied to me before about the V5 and other stuff when I phoned them over the course of the first few months of ownership.

This is not the first dealership that I've bought from who have in house 'experts' on vintage bikes. I've had much better dealings with independent little guys who, at least, are honest about what they are selling.

Looks like another rebuild.

Be aware, money is king with these tossers. Dealerships may talk the talk but I haven't found any that can walk yet.

 

So, eventually got onto this to have a look. Might as well have a look at the clutch as well as I need Charles Atlas's left arm to pull the bloody thing even after routing the cable correctly.



Note the clutch springs wound out as much as possible and the alternator wires without any rubber cover. No wonder there was a bit of a dribble.



Clutch plates absolutely solid. Came out in two lumps. The springs were different lengths. It's a wonder the clutch actually worked at all.



Renewed the clutch plates (new Norman Hyde 7 plate) and cleaned everything else up. Put on a nice new ally pressure plate, adjuster and springs. Fitted a new Amal type ally clutch lever. Adjusted springs for lift by eye while kicking the engine over with plugs out. Much lighter pull now and frees up straight away.



Cleaned off the gasket (I'll only stick the new gasket to the cover so I don't have to spend hours trying to clean the crankcase while laying on the floor) and will sort the new rubber boot etc for the alternator wiring in the morrow.

 

I'll sort it. Eventually. I hope. And if not then, well, it'll keep me off the streets while I shuffle it around the garage
Maybe I'll buy, inherit or build a peach one day. I'll go out for rides on that one.

 

This what the rebuilder/dealer left it as



Took off the side panel to discover a few hanging wires. Obviously a new loom...the dust is from my garage, the cutting/grinding etc covers everything. I should use the old sheets that the Admin Staff gives me but I forget



Originally the White/Green and Green/White would be connected to the alternator but as there's a new rectifier/regulator there's no need for these. And the Brown/Blue wires would originally been for battery ignition circuit? Nope, no idea. Also, it's been wired as Positive Earth. No idea why that is either, might be an old boy that works for the shop that's used to them like that so that's how he wires them.

 

Had to re-upload this bit....cocked it right up the first time



Had to cut the existing connections from alternator to rectifier 'cause the bullet connectors wouldn't pass through the hole they were so big. Put new ones on and fitted a rubber boot to keep the oil inside the primary rather than the technique of allowing it cool the engine from outside.



Had a drop of petrol left so ran it up just to check - yep all ok. Oil seems to be staying inside for the time being. Had a general look around and....



For Fuckety Fucky Fuck sake......good job there's nuts hanging around.

 

Replaced nut with one from stash, so that's ok then. Lots of oil hanging around due to the massive flood out of the primary so had a bit of a wipe up and noticed that the points cover looked to have oil where it shouldn't have oil. Like, coming out of it.
So, took the Pazon ignition out, after setting timing at 38 degrees at crank, and had a peek.



Yep, weeping a bit so simple job to do. But thought I'd just pop off the bullet connectors. Nope.



All soldered up onto a household twin cable. Oh deary me, chocolate blocks anybody? So left the timing cover hanging there while I removed the oil seal and replaced with one from the stash. The existing one was hard as a rock (so that's not been replaced then in the supposed re-build by the dealer). Ok, onwards and sideways, buttoned up making a note that this is climbing the re-build queue. Started up easily, had to cure a carb leak first and.......what the.....



Pffft. I thought it was the brake stay at first as it looks the same but no, it's off of the main stand.



What's the crack with that delivery oil hose? Why's it kinked? It's too bloody long, that's why. Try the nut on the other side of the main stand and...



Right, you! That's bloody it! Just gone to the top of the queue. You were correct @Sandi T it's gonna be another rebuild.
I can't trust it now. It'll never go fishing with me until I know it's ok. (Also I hate fishing so I never go either.)