Featured What you been doing with your TRIUMPH today??

Soooo glad you got out on Annie, DD! That's awesome! Makes my six and a half months seem like nuthin'. Sounds like Annie felt great. I'll bet she was glad to get out and stretch her "legs". How did YOU feel!!??

Also, it's very cool that the lady who complimented Annie could recognize the engine note. My kinda woman!

 

If you're interested we are currently trying to arrange a Northamptonshire meet up: https://www.thetriumphforum.com/threads/northamptonshire-the-intelligent-ride.25549/

Would be good to meet you, if you can make it

 

Well, Duck, having a transition face shield and prescription glasses might be redundant. But that depends on how sun protection you like when it's sunny. Using a transition shield would also mean you wouldn't have to wear your prescription sunglasses when you ride...unless you prefer them that is. Say you were riding someplace where you would be indoors for breakfast or lunch or something, you wouldn't need to have two sets of glasses, you could just wear your regular glasses. I typically wear my contact lenses when I ride and for most of the years I've been riding I always wore sunglasses. I am finding that I really like being able to wear my helmet with the transition shield and not wear sunglasses at all. I do keep a pair in my saddle bag or backpack to put on if we sit outside for coffee or a bite to eat.

 

One more thing I forgot to mention, Duck. I have a Shuberth helmet with a drop down sun visor. It works OK but I'm not keen on looking through yet one more layer of plastic. And I find reaching up and fumbling around a bit to engage the mechanism to drop it down and raise it up a bit futzy. For me the transition shield is just more streamlined and simple.

 

https://www.triumphtwinpower.com/ttp-safe-start.php

Today I completed the fitment of the TTP safe start to my bike basically for peace of mind, I had the kit for a few months and decided it was time to get it done, also gave it an oil and filter change and then also fitted the Stahlbus oil drain system for the Triumph as it's better for me to drain oil and not have to keep undoing the drain bolt [I am a heavy handed sod] and risk damaging the threads, I have been using them for the last 20 years on various bikes and they work for me.

http://www.stahlbus.com/products/en/oil-drain-valve/

 

That sounds like me... I too had the TTP Safe Start for months before finally fitting it, and like you just for peace of mind

Those oil drain valves look like good bits of kit.

 

Hmmm, you might consider getting a new pair of normal glasses then, Duck? Just a thought.....

 

Tried fitting new rear sprocket and chain today, sprocket went fine but chain matched my worst fears. As I've never done a rivet chain before I rewatched the official DID video and one of someone doing it for the first time with a cheap copy of the DID tool (I bought similar from Sqaredeals). Seemed straight forward enough but decided to grind off head of old chain rivet to make sure.

First problem was when coming to break the old chain and the pin which is meant to push it out wobbled from side to side as I screwed it in, seams it's bent or doesn't sit square in screw part. I thought a broken tool pin isn't the end of the world, could always take hacksaw to get old chain off, so pressed ahead anyway and it actually managed to push pin out.

Next came pushing on the side plate and the tool didn't seem to push it on totally parallel, so had to fineness that, seems mostly correct now.

Finally, the failure part, splaying the rivet head. The tool is meant make that foolproof, screwing in the rivet head until end is flush with side plate. But as I ended up putting more and more force into the screws and getting a half meter wrench to get more purchase I realised something must be badly wrong, no way it should take this much force. So it seems the DID tool copy I bought has the wrong profile for revetting the DID I bought.

The official DID tool is 120 quid but not in stock anywhere anyway, so I've been on Amazon an ordered the same tool used in a Delboy's Garage video where he does a chain on a Triumph.

Fortunately, when buying chain I also bought a spare link, so if necessary I can remove failed rivet attempt and start afresh. I've also ordered some callipers so I can reassure myself any rivet heads are splayed enough and safe.

Currently I have a link which is seams OK, so hopefully with new tool tomorrow I can splay head correctly.

 

Monkey metal tools

 

I’ve just changed the chain on my bike and the Delboys Garage video was very useful especially how to check you have splayed the rivet head properly, I was surprised at how much force I had to use to do that!!
I also used the chain splitter and riveter set he recommended and it did the job beautifully for about £35

 

No box, just a heat sealed polythene bag. It came with photocopied instructions which I've been searching for in case I'd done something wrong, but though I got them out this morning intending to read I seam to have mislaid them. (I've search three times)

 

Thanks for the reassurance I'm getting it for £28 quid from Amazon

I just rewatched that video and it could be that today's attempt with the crap DID tool copy did flare the rivet, if it's only requires a 'few thousandths of an inch'.

 

Worth just checking when the new tool arrives and that the riveting tool sits nicely in the flared rivet, then you know its good to go mate
Good luck and let us know how you get on

 

This is Sealey's own video:

 

Looks like the same tool that's arriving tomorrow, hopefully mine's OK.

Really wished I'd got a professional to do it, but when I mentioned about getting the chain and sprockets replaced at the same time as my 20k service, the Triumph dealer didn't seem to enthusiastic, so I didn't push the matter as I was just grateful that I could them to do the big service involving valve clearances and cam timings.

 

As the guys have already mentioned inspect it and take it easy and all should go well, sealey are a decent company, keep us all informed as you go mate

 

Its for the early Bonneville derived engines in, Bonneville, America, Speedmaster ect prevention from engine damage to crankcase on startup

 

Duck, that's a very fair--and serious--question. I've ridden at night with my Transition face shields (Bell and Shoei) multiple times with no issues whatsoever. And I've only ridden with them at night within the city so lots of lights coming at us. The visors don't go dark so fast that oncoming headlights are of concern. I don't know how it would work if you were, say, on the Strip in Las Vegas with tons of lights (both vehicles and signs) all the time, but I suspect even that would be ok from my experience. The first time I rode with my Bell with Transition shield, Mr. Sandi and I rode up to a restaurant about 20 miles to our north. We left home in broad daylight and under a super intense desert sun. After dinner leaving the restaurant it was totally dark and I remember pulling into the garage and realizing that I didn't even think about my face shield. It was if I was riding with a clear shield, which at that point, it was.

One of the things I learned through some research is that it is highly recommended to store a helmet with a Transition shield in a dark place i.e., in a cabinet or in a helmet bag or, preferably, both. You basically want the shield to not "transition" more often than is needed. I keep my Bell and Shoei helmets with Transition shields in a cabinet indoors.

Here's a good article about "photochromic" face shields. Good luck with your decision!

https://billyscrashhelmets.com/about-photochromic-shields/

 

I don't know if you'd be able to see signs such as these with a transition face shield, Duck, since I avert my eyes when faced with neon such as this.

 

I found the instructions that came with the tool. It's a wonky poor quality photocopy with 'Tsubaki' at the top. Googling that name seems to indicate they are a big chain manufacturer but no sign they actually make a copy of the DID KM500 tool. And I bet if they did it wouldn't come in a polythene bag with dodgy photocopied instructions with slightly dodgy English translation. The instructions say the tool is for an ∝, CK or CX chain (difficult to say) Squaredeals describes it as 'All sizes DID-SSS-Tsubaki'.

Instructions do say the riveter head should touch the side-plate so tried again today putting enough force in to bend the tool sides so it popped apart, no sign of rivet head actually splaying in any way there's still about a half mm between riveter and side plate. The caliper that just got delivered says head is about 5.6mm across, and main rivet width is exactly 5.5mm. Needless to say, I'm planning on removing the link and redoing with a different tool.