Barn Find Triumph Cleaning

Not really a barn find but I recently picked up a Triumph TR25 Blazer that has been in a shop for a few decades. Less than 500 miles from new. It certainly doesn’t need restoration but I’d like some advice on how to cleaning it without destroying the original finish. i could also use some advice on getting it running after so many decades of inactivity.

Please excuse the 'rivet counting', but wasn't the 'TR' prefix for the earlier 'non oil in frame' models?
I believe the OIF 250s were offered as either the T25SS Blazer, or T25T Trail Blazer.

Not a machine to go racing on, though (Ex B44 owner)

EstuaryBoy said:

Please excuse the 'rivet counting', but wasn't the 'TR' prefix for the earlier 'non oil in frame' models?
I believe the OIF 250s were offered as either the T25SS Blazer, or T25T Trail Blazer.

Not a machine to go racing on, though (Ex B44 owner)

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You are correct - it’s a T25SS. Apparently not a great bike to actually go anywhere!

The B44 was my introduction to 'classic' biking, and did me proud! Loved the simplicity of just the one lung, and spares (though hardly needed) were cheap as chips at the time. I didn't split the bottom end, but learnt the ropes regarding gearbox rebuilds and head reconditioning with it.
Rode it daily (nightly!) to work and back in all weathers, including some of our worse winters, and it never let me down.
Enough torque to climb trees, but too short of puff on the long hauls.....
When I sold it the guy asked if his mate could test ride it, said mate reckoned it was sharper off the mark than the T140 they came on.

Yorkie said:

You are correct - it’s a T25SS. Apparently not a great bike to actually go anywhere!

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I had the identical BSA b25Sss
The biggest issue with these was the 17 year old riders
I was erm 17 when I had mine
I learnt a few things
You need to change the oil now and then
Also you need to change the filter now and then
The cam followers don't like 10.000 rpm
The exhaust valve dosent like 10.000rpm either
You should not race against a Honda 400 4
You can race very successfully against rd 250s and gt250s on twisty up hill roads but you need to junk that losenge silencer and fit an MX one
I'd imagine the fleetstar with the low compression piston was a lot more reliable but where's the fun in that!!
Best quote I ever saw about these little bikes was "people wouldn't believe it was only a 250 until they saw the piston" "in the road"

My first real road bike was a Triumph T25. I loved that bike and it hated me. It didn't have enough power to get out of its own smoke. It had a total loss electrical system. I didn't have enough smarts or enough money to fix it. I would ride it until it started to sputter and then high tail it home. I usually pushed it the last two blocks. Good times!

One piece of advice I will give (and this is related to baz's comment that "the cam followers don't like 10.000"). A single, since it fires every other stroke, is deceptive in how fast it sounds like it is turning. If you are used to the sound of twins or multies a single will not give the the mechanical noise indicating dangerous revs. From personal experience I know that they will float a valve or drop one if over revved.

Back when I was starting off, Tiger Cub, C15 and such like, I’d have loved to have had one of those.

actually, I think I’d like one even now.

Big_Jim59 said:

My first real road bike was a Triumph T25. I loved that bike and it hated me. It didn't have enough power to get out of its own smoke. It had a total loss electrical system. I didn't have enough smarts or enough money to fix it. I would ride it until it started to sputter and then high tail it home. I usually pushed it the last two blocks. Good times!

One piece of advice I will give (and this is related to baz's comment that "the cam followers don't like 10.000"). A single, since it fires every other stroke, is deceptive in how fast it sounds like it is turning. If you are used to the sound of twins or multies a single will not give the the mechanical noise indicating dangerous revs. From personal experience I know that they will float a valve or drop one if over revved.

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They were a bit too highly tuned for their own good
I would over rev mine and the exhaust valve would kiss the piston just enough to lose compression
If you cut the redundant decompression lug off the exhaust rocker arm it can help stop that at extreme revs
I also broke several cam followers and second and third gear
Once I cracked a piston
Can't remember all the incedents that happened
Then 30 years later I bought a trailblazer
I totally rebuilt it, did all the upgrades ,fitted a Yamaha piston and liner, welded the combustion chamber and gave it my best attempt at a full squish head
I raised the compression to 11 -1 and really got it moving and reliable
Something I just could not achieve when I was 17
It was also very quiet mechanically with the valve clearance set to zero and quietening rubbers fitted to the cooling fins
283cc fast reliable trailblazer

Maybe a squirt of diesel down the plug hole, if been sitting so long don't kick it over till you get the rings lubed the diesel won't hurt it to give the rings a bit of lube and fresh oil under the rockers as well new oil, fresh fuel, pull the carb apart and fresh fuel lines be a start as well the wiring and ignition system.

Ashley

ashman said:

Maybe a squirt of diesel down the plug hole, if been sitting so long don't kick it over till you get the rings lubed the diesel won't hurt it to give the rings a bit of lube and fresh oil under the rockers as well new oil, fresh fuel, pull the carb apart and fresh fuel lines be a start as well the wiring and ignition system.

Ashley

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That's not fair Ash - you're actually answering the OP's question!
Just go with the flow...

baz said:

Something I just could not achieve when I was 17

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Exactly!

My job at the bike shop came about because of the T25. I happened into the shop, looking at bikes, as you do, and asked the guy in charge of the shop why my old bike didn't charge. I didn't understand the charging system. He walked me into the back parts room and pulled all the pieces to a Triumph charging system and explained their workings. I had a Honda and knew how it charged so I was able to ask some intelligent questions. He asked me where I was working and I told him I was a small engine mechanic for a place called Malibu Grand Prix. We used Sachs Wankles in the cars. He asked me if I wanted a job and I said "let me go quit and I'll be back with my tools."

I miss that old guy. (but I am older now than he was then.)

Flush the forks .

KERO used to loosen gook & 'oil 'surrfaces , by pro's .
Rims / Nipples , Hubs etc .

Likely need the brake drum faces ( and Shoes ) cleaning .

ARMOUR ALL , saw a tidy ( new ) triumph he used it on The CHROME & PIPES , after its bath time .

Used pledge or something on the paint . But the A. All FEEDS the plastic & Nylon , as its supposed to have a moisture content .

Id be particularly carefull to clean out the oil tank / resivoir . And check for rotten rubber lines .

The littlke TR 25 W's go like stink , 90 downhill . So be carefull who you lend it to .
our BSA man in the BSA page says the B50 donk just about drops in . ( Rear Mounts Reqd .) But the 25 is adequate . For Town .
and off road .


Thats BETTER ! .

BSA riders used them competitively in the A.M.A. 250 races . ( as its a B25 engine ) .

technical vaugely relevant blather , http://www.gpvictor.com/the-works-bikes.html