Thinking Of Buying At T140v Or E

Welcome @Tomsdad
The power output on the T140V and the T140E are much the same - both reported at 54 horses.
The main differences in the changes from V to E were indeed to meet the emmission requirements of California.
The changes to the E model are the cylinder head is parallel ported to accomodate the twin Mk2 Amal carbs and there is extra venting in the front rocker cover.

Personally I don't like the look of the parallel carbs (I'm rebuilding a T140E at the moment and have swapped the head for an older V splayed head) and the Mk2 Amals have a reputation to be difficult to keep tuned (I can't comment on the carbs as I've binned the mk2s on this build).
The rear brake calliper is over the disc on an E to make bleeding easier (although I've never had a problem with the lower slung callipers on a V)
One good change was the welded on footpeg nut on the left side - which makes footpeg taking off on the primary side a lot easier (pretty easy to weld it on if you have a V model though).
I think there's a bit of a change in the primary chain tensioner but I haven't got to that bit yet.

I would much rather a T140V for the looks as I like the splayed carbs once the airbox is binned. But nothing in it with the power (you aint gonna beat any of the new bikes) but they are certainly strong enough to pull the front wheel up at the lights and chuck around the corners in a very hooligan manner.

Both are easy to work on, with spares relatively cheap and available.

Go buy it

 

Can't really say from the picture but it looks ok to me.

I'm assuming from look of it that that's a Russell James' bike. I've spoken to people who have had bikes from him and they have nothing but praise for his bikes and his customer care.
I also believe he will buy the bike back at any time in the future.

 

Which is when I saw this bike advertised. Thought it looked really pretty. It’s in Devon which is only 90 minutes from me.
I have no knowledge of these bikes. But I like to keep things as original as possible. Any thoughts on originality from the pic?

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To me that picture looks like it's a lovely bike. If it's the right price for the right condition then I can't see a problem.
I love the US style track and higher bars and think they are far prettier than the breadbin tanks.

I get asked a lot about originality for the older Triumphs (1902-1936), and the reality is that practically every bike has had modifications at some time, and some of the "bodges" have helped the bike survive during the periods of little value.
Personally I think it's It's worth knowing what's original or not, however it's more about the journey and story of the bike, rather than something that needs changing because it "isn't correct".

 

It looks a fairly original US styled bike but the devil is in the detail and it would be a miracle if every part was original after 40-50 years and many owners. One thing to be aware of is the smaller capacity of the teardrop tank as opposed to the bread bin style.

I bought my 73 Tiger 750 from Russell James, he was easy to deal with and because I was so far away he walked round the bike answering my long list of questions as he went. Once I got the bike I found a few issues but it wouldn't have been possible to see them without a stripdown so no fault on Russell James part, just one of the perils of buying a 50 year old bike. My advice would be do the 90 mile journey and see it in the flesh if possible.

Now I have fettled my bike it is a pleasure to ride. On these bikes there are a few changes which can be made to make them more useable. In my case I fitted a 3 phase alternator, a 7 plate clutch and a Tri-Spark ignition. This gives better electrics, a lighter clutch and easier starting with no kickback. Most parts are fairly easy to find and relatively cheap

BTW Russell James transporter was very good and even arranged to pick up and deliver a Street Triple I had sold.

 

Yep, just finished doing the primary chain adjuster. The E model (may be on the D as well but haven't had one of those) has a bolt that pushes on the tie rod rather than pulling on it to make it arc up to tighten the primary chain
Here's the normal earlier up to '77 V tie rod parts catalogue



And here's the later '80 E tie rod parts



Note also that the E model tie rod is shown the wrong way round. The thicker section is pushed on by the adjuster bolt.
It's a proper arse to fit as there's hardly any room to do anything up. I think the later '80s bikes reverted to the older system.

@Tomsdad did you buy it?

 

It's one of Russell James machines, it is a fairly rare colour and under 7K (money that is)

 

Try giving them a ring and take it from there, good luck.

 

Take your time and the right one will come along

 

I had a 78 T140v from new. Those springs on the side panels are a pain,m very awkward and yep they tend to scratch easily. Good luck with your search.

 

100% original bikes in general are offered for silly money and can end up being "Garage Queens" as they are too expensive to risk riding in anything but perfect conditions. In my opinion it comes down to a balance between originality, looks and reliability/rideability with the balance skewed towards what is important to you. If you want to ride it regularly then you have to decide if you are happy to rely on original components such as wiring, ignition, clutch and charging system or settle for some modern upgrades which are generally not visible but can add to reliability and usability. Patina also seems to becoming more valued.

Parts are readily available so a fairly good bike could be transformed into a minter over time as long as you start with a sound base. There is a lot of satisfaction to be had going down that route and as a bonus you can still use it as you make incremental upgrades. An added advantage is that you are adding value if you buy the bike wisely and shop around for parts.

My advice would be to look at as many as possible and buy the best you can for your budget. I factor in the cost of required upgrades when deciding what I am willing to pay so it is good to have a rough idea of the cost of major parts, especially brightwork. I can spend ages looking for the right bike, I always view when possible and if not ask for loads of photos/videos and if possible speak on the phone to the owner. A good guide to condition can be photos of less visible areas which are often neglected when owners tidy up bikes to sell - really rusty fasteners and components in these areas are a big red flag to me.

A good starting point for reasonable bikes is Car and Classic which most dealers use as well as private sellers, here is the link to the motorcycle section on there: Motorbikes for Sale | Car and Classic

There is also a reasonably good Classic Motorbikes Facebook group which is a bit better than the general Facebook Marketplace scam show. The link is: Classic Motorbikes for sale in the UK | Facebook

I also find setting up a search with alerts on eBay is useful as you find out quickly about new bikes on the market. Care needs to be taken using eBay but I have never had an issue buying and selling bikes there, but then again I am extremely careful and cynical.

Gumtree and Autotrader have the occasional gem but come with the usual caveats of taking care to verify they sellers are pukka.

 

Price is always dependant on condition plus also what someone is willing to pay.
Having said that, it seems getting towards Trident money.
There's plenty on car and classics so have a look and see if there's anything comparable.

https://www.carandclassic.com/class...e=2&sort_1=latest&year_from=1970&year_to=1988

 

Thers is only one listed currently at that price. If it is that one then it is a stretch, based on the description, to say it has has every possible mod done. From what I can see the main mods are the Boyer ignition, Amal Premier, Billet spindle clamps, belt drive and solid state regulator. The rest seems to be replacement of old parts with new equivalents.

No mention is made of whether the alternator has been upgraded along with the regulator, has the clutch been upgraded?, were the fork springs upgraded to progressive ones?, were improved leak proof fork seals fitted?, has the lighting been upgraded? etc. etc.

I also noticed the cold start did not include freeing off the clutch before trying to start it. It's worth querying why.

On the tinware and frame, the use of non-standard paintwork won't help the value. There is no mention of the condition of the tin ware and the photos are too dark to see in much detail but the image from the rear suggests there may be at least surface corrosion on the front of the the swing arm and around the rear master cylinder, a clearer photo would help here. There may also be corrosion on the underside of the fenders.

Personally I would ask for clearer high quality images and the vendor's assessment of the condition of the painted and shiny bits including fenders and wheels.

 

Has the sludge trap been cleaned out and what work has been completed during the engine rebuild?

I haven't had one, not one, T140 that didn't need an engine rebuild. I've had bikes that have come with invoices from the previous owner showing £2500 rebuild costs and I've had my trousers pulled down by dealers who have lied to me about the bike being good to enjoy as everything has been done.

I now only buy bikes knowing I'm going to rebuild them myself. These machines are now getting on for 50 years old, they were owned by blokes who fixed them with a hammer and a pair of pliers. No maintenence, no oil changes and racing everywhere. They've all had several owners and who can say what they've done or where they've been.

A T140 that's had proper work done is worth £8500 all day long, assuming the labour had to be paid for as well as the parts.

I know because I pay for the spares and spend the time to do the work on all the T120s and T140s I've had. All the bikes I sell have a CD with hundreds of photos showing the work that has been done and a list of all the parts renewed. I've never made any money on a bike.

It's too hard to give you advice, maybe that bike is fine, it sounds fine. But it certainly hasn't had everything done.