Dismal quality.... EVERYWHERE! Hinckley Triumph

"My view is far more cynical in that it’s basic human selfishness and short sightedness that’s at the root…"

And possibly shitty old brake fluid.
Should be changed yearly but not many of us do this.

Got two of mine changed today.
I won't say how old the fluid was!

Glen

worntorn said:

"My view is far more cynical in that it’s basic human selfishness and short sightedness that’s at the root…"

And possibly shitty old brake fluid.
Should be changed yearly but not many of us do this.

Got two of mine changed today.
I won't say how old the fluid was!

Glen

Click to expand...

The poorly machined surface finish was there before the part was plated. So, we can't, in this particular case, blame the IPA swillin', chicken wing scarfin' lazy bum who rides herd over this garage full of rollin stock.

My parents generation pinched every penny because they had to as kids and it never left them. They taught me to pinch every penny because 'you never know'. Now we pinch pennies because we are trying to 'get a good deal'.
Well now you pay made in UK prices for stuff made in Less Fortunate countries.
FE is right about buying the good stuff because it is cheaper...that is after buying the Other Stuff and finding out it doesn't serve.
How many times has that bitten?

In general the standard vehicles built today put those of yesteryear to shame in every way. I have a cheap Mazda 3 with 315,000 kms, zero mechanical work done other than consumables and it drives as new, everything works, even the AC. And the cheap little thing has the same acceleration 0-60 or 1/4" mile as a Boss 302 Mustang from the 60s. That and 40 mpg on a trip. You are also a lot safer in the newer vehicle . Get in a crash in that old Mustang and the grim reaper is right there, no air bags, only lap belts and so on.
I bought a replacement car not long ago and it is even safer with all the newest crash avoidance stuff and more airbags. All of this is good because it is even faster, turbocharged and a performance match for a 60s big block muscle car such as the tri- power 435 hp 427 Corvette. And , slightly better fuel economy on this one, 42 mpg vs 40 on the older one ( or 9 for the Corvette!)
I expect it will be as reliable as the last Mazda, the 2007 model I am still trying to drive into the ground, but it just won't quit!


Ironically, if there are some exceptions to that statement that today's vehicles are better, they are mostly in the higher cost vehicles such as many of the German brands. Those have all had big reliability issues over the last decade or so. Who would have expected Germany to start producing bad vehicles at high prices?
So the pay more get more rule is turned on its head there.

It also fails to work with certain expensive motorcycles.
I have a Triumph that I use for long-distance touring. It has been nearly flawless so far, but it isnt an expensive brand, should I expect a lot of trouble from it?
Should I have gone the extra dollar for the 961 Norton?

Glen

Another example of higher price not working well as a proxy for higher quality:

My modern Bonneville had one of its instrument pods/cups broken off. Triumph dealership wanted about $150 just for the plastic cup. Went on line and researched alternatives, finding lots of owners using off the shelf stainless Stanley brand thermos cups and a little fettling with a dremel as excellent substitutes. I found a box of these at a local camping supply store, each one costing me about $ 0.25. These look better and are much stronger than stock. Perfect fit.

I bought a $180 UK made ( maybe!) Sprag and it lasted 15 minutes before shattering.
Replaced it with a $17 Chinese sprag about 5 years ago, the Chinese one is still working fine.
I bought a $180 and $240 US made MC batteries, both advertised to have a 10 year life. Both dead and gone in less than 12 months, warranty basically non existent when requested.
Replaced the $240 battery with the cheapest nastiest Chinese battery available, I think it was $22 shipped. Got 5 trouble free years out of it and it didn't try to set the bike on fire like the $240 battery did.
Sometimes you just get hosed and buy expensive stuff that is glorified junk.
I seem to have a way of finding it anyway

The car I drive is some sort of sports model Mazda 6. It isc excellent. It has a 6 speed close box, but if you try to drive it any where using all 6 gears, you would probably lose you licence. I once drove it from Queenstown to Strahan in Tasmania. I went up and down between second and top about 6 times. I lost count and muffed one corner slightly. They need a gear indicator on the dashboard.
But there is one thing I would say - I have not seen any mechanical product which was fully designed in China. I don't think they are capable of designing much. Even the Japanese got together with Mondoal when they were designing Hondas.
In Australia we used to be capable of designing and building a half-decent car from start to finish.
Where I worked, we had the complete British trade's hierarchy. from bottom to top.
The Japanese seem to be completely different. Their controls are internalised.
I don't know what the Chinese do, but they have a lot of fatal accidents.

They dont make them like they used to .







Kernacturely , wiff therr Kwakersaki W Bevel twin , Knorton could do a Modern retro Manx Equatably . If they enclosed the valve springs . And Primary .
Think a 74 T120V with Fuel Injectors & multi program ignition ( Fast, Faster , & Fastest . ) would about DO one of these modern dungers .



Pity about the mufflers . Of course , youd have it so the rear ends unsrewed . Then when they fell off , you could say they fell off . !
Of course , by then they didnt leak oil . So you might have problems with rusting . Like these modern things .

one expects modern vehicals to be drool . Designed by bimbos on computers . Of course , theyre ' exciteing ', if youre feeble minded .