DRESDA

Just imported a Dresda to the States, and will be asking many questions in this forum in the coming weeks...

I am unable to load images in this forum for some reason, so here are the links:

Being a Dresda machine, you shouldn't need much with that bike. There may be some things that only Dresda can answer unless you have a detailed build inventory specifying all the specific non-oem parts, along with all appropriate tolerances, adjustments, etc.

Of course, we here on forums can offer GENERAL help with items that can be readily identified so as to ensure proper specific responses.

grandpaul said:

Being a Dresda machine, you shouldn't need much with that bike. There may be some things that only Dresda can answer unless you have a detailed build inventory specifying all the specific non-oem parts, along with all appropriate tolerances, adjustments, etc.

Of course, we here on forums can offer GENERAL help with items that can be readily identified so as to ensure proper specific responses.

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Thanks, I reached out to Dresda for some replacement parts so hopefully they can supply them quickly...

Dave built this bike personally in 2000, and it needs a bit of recommissioning given that it was run just a few brief times....

Lovely looking bike, congratulations.

If it hasn’t been run much and was built 25 years ago, it is likely to have never had ethanol fuel in the tank. Which is great news.

The tank is fibreglass, and not particularly thick, I would therefore highly recommend getting it treated internally with an ethanol proof tank liner product.

If you run ethanol fuel in an old glass tank like that, it will dissolve the resin and that dissolved resin will gum up carb internals and cause all sorts of headaches.

I would have seen your bike being built, Dave used to sponsor me and I spent an unhealthy amount of my time back then at his factory building and maintaining the race bikes. Great times !

I know the current tanks are treated to withstand ethanol, and I reached out to Dresda yesterday asking if they thought the tanks from 2000 were lined, but based on your reply they were not.

A mechanic is picking the bike up next week, maybe I could ask him to line it....

Amazing that you were sponsored by Dave, and saw my actual bike being made! What a small world.

_V_ said:

I know the current tanks are treated to withstand ethanol, and I reached out to Dresda yesterday asking if they thought the tanks from 2000 were lined, but based on your reply they were not.

A mechanic is picking the bike up next week, maybe I could ask them to line it....

Amazing that you were sponsored by Dave, and saw my actual bike being made! What a small world.

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I can’t see anything ‘wrong’ in coating a tank that theoretically doesn’t need it. Whereas not coating one that does need it = disaster.

So, basically, I’d just coat it and be safe.

Either that or get an alloy tank for it !

One more detail, Dresda mounted the silencers onto the rear alloy plate using Commando style rubber bobbins. Your brace on the downpipes ensures they’re secure at the head, the bobbins then allow for expansion / contraction and help absorb vibration. It was a method Dave learnt from endurance racing. Someone has replaced the bobbins with solid spacers on your bike.

Fast Eddie said:

I can’t see anything ‘wrong’ in coating a tank that theoretically doesn’t need it. Whereas not coating one that does need it = disaster.

So, basically, I’d just coat it and be safe.

Either that or get an alloy tank for it !

One more detail, Dresda mounted the silencers onto the rear alloy plate using Commando style rubber bobbins. Your brace on the downpipes ensures they’re secure at the head, the bobbins then allow for expansion / contraction and help absorb vibration. It was a method Dave learnt from endurance racing. Someone has replaced the bobbins with solid spacers on your bike.

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Thanks for that. I just sent an email to Dresda to see if they can supply those parts....

_V_ said:

I know the current tanks are treated to withstand ethanol, and I reached out to Dresda yesterday asking if they thought the tanks from 2000 were lined, but based on your reply they were not.

A mechanic is picking the bike up next week, maybe I could ask him to line it....

Amazing that you were sponsored by Dave, and saw my actual bike being made! What a small world.

Click to expand...

WHATEVER you do, DO NOT use "Kreem" tank liner.

How that cr@p is still on the market, I sure don't know.

"You have been warned"

_V_ said:

I know the current tanks are treated to withstand ethanol, and I reached out to Dresda yesterday asking if they thought the tanks from 2000 were lined, but based on your reply they were not.

A mechanic is picking the bike up next week, maybe I could ask him to line it....

Amazing that you were sponsored by Dave, and saw my actual bike being made! What a small world.

Click to expand...

Congrats on your beautiful purchase. I can thoroughly recommend Flowliner tank liner if your mechanic is not sure about sealers. https://cwylde.co.uk/product/flowli...t-for-all-metal-fibreglass-and-plastic-tanks/

Due to it’s nature they cannot ship outside the UK, so have it Done before your bike starts it’s journey.

Looking forward to more pics when you get it.

cliffa said:

Congrats on your beautiful purchase. I can thoroughly recommend Flowliner tank liner if your mechanic is not sure about sealers. https://cwylde.co.uk/product/flowli...t-for-all-metal-fibreglass-and-plastic-tanks/

Due to it’s nature they cannot ship outside the UK, so have it Done before your bike starts it’s journey.

Looking forward to more pics when you get it.

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I am in the USA.

Anyone know what the best product is that's easy to source here?

Thanks in advance.

_V_ said:

I am in the USA.

Anyone know what the best product is that's easy to source here?

Thanks in advance.

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Ah, apologies, I thought the bike is still in the U.K.

The most popular part of this site (by far) is the Norton Commando Forum. Go there and post your question about the best tank lining product in the US, I’m sure you’ll get a lot of very qualified answers.

After doing a bunch of composites work in the near and distant past, a liner is a Band-Aid on a structural condition. One imperfection or scratch in the liner eliminates the effectiveness, and long term adhesion of the liner to the tank is very much not guaranteed.

Just get a strong alloy tank built by a reputable builder and put all the nightmares behind you. It's cheaper than what an engine full of melted resin will cost, which is almost an inevitability. Do a search for all the fiberglass tank problems on this forum for an idea of what's to come...

Jealous of that bike! It's really built to ride!

Pics can be posted if you upgrade to VIP membership that pays for the tireless maintenance by the hosts. There's a lot of knowledgeable and interested folks on this forum, and being able to easily posts pics pays for itself for the help you'll avail yourself of. No ads for VIP either.

I agree with sorting an alloy tank. I had a Rickman dissolve it's tank & the resin made it all the way to the guides.
I leant a tank to Spike " ragged Edge racing" to copy & supply as a product. Lovely job, however a year later he had stopped making them. He had a customer tank fail, traced it to the nozzle on the customers funnel touching the bottom of the tank! & damaging the Caswell liner. Not something you would expect. Never really thought about lining a tank after that.

Can see theres Prog. rate Fr. ( fork ) springs . Were too on rear of 68 t120, maybe . Were on the ones I used ( on a Triton ) anyway .

NOW :

if it's only been run ' a few times ' . You Wanna be proper . ! After a few runs ( on da road ) Heat Cycle - is the thing . WE Re Tourque the ead , barrel , And Check Valve Clearances . !
and Run a Spanner over the rest . You Stand On It for the Engine Mounting Plate assembly ! . if theyre real bolts .

Let the Revs roam but dont use past 1/4 open , the first 500 . Then re do as preceeding ! . NO throttle on the stop till past 1.000 .

A magnet or two here & there , such as drain plugs And the underside of the sump plate . on of those piowerfull ones , will CATCH any ' bedding in ' debris .

If you want the best from it , Ya wont hold it on the stop till its past 2.000. youll ' Warm Up ' before getting agro / proceeding . Getting Out . The ideas the full volume of oils circulated
prior to getting under way . And Temperatures stabilised before putting it down the strip , Canyon , or bypass .

On the way in , back . Back off and cool off underway .. DONT shut it down from full wellie . Or the clicks clunks & bangs etc are the gaskets going & components warping .
A V 8 Aston was recond 15 minutes , each end . Of ' Operating Temperature ' excessive entusiasim was avoided . treat it the same .

ONCE youve figured / got it to hold / keep the Oil in the PRIMARY , youve got it sussed . We used to use ATF mainly . With the cover & inner lapped , it would hold level .
Under enthusiastic use .
The old cork clutch - was way more progressive than any other . But you LET THEM IN , as opposed to ' sliding em ' . DIP the clutch , o.k. , but after getting underway ,
If you declutch - in traffic , rolling . Let the thing in prior to getting on it , throttle wise . The can be overheated / scorched . like a Ferrari ! . Mate .

Theres some things , here .

You can find a period ' road test ' of the Barclona Winner . somewhere .

If YOU CAN AFFORD that . Buying & shipping it . Likely a ALLOY Dresda Replicer Tank , aint gunna bea problem ? Not the mitsubishi one .
Maybe modern C F or glass will handle modern gas .

AND you want dead exactitude on Ign. & Valve settings . Side to Side . Anyway . Matched . For smooth even Running .

Matt Spencer said:

Thread 'Triton T120R pre-unit engine'

Mar 23, 2024

This is in addition to the question I asked in the wrong forum, my apologies (it’s an age thing )

I have just purchased this Triton from the widow of the owner, Brian, she’s family to my wife so I intend to do the right thing with it and not sell it on, and want to bring it fully back to life. It’s going to need a lot more than a coat of polish.

The frame is 1960 - how do I identify slimline or wideline as they are just terms to me so far? It seems quite narrow to me astride it. The alloy fuel tank has seen a lot of dings over the years, I’m hoping there are specialists I can use...

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• Forum: Triton Motorcycles

Theres some things , here .

You can find a period ' road test ' of the Barclona Winner . somewhere .

If YOU CAN AFFORD that . Buying & shipping it . Likely a ALLOY Dresda Replicer Tank , aint gunna bea problem ? Not the mitsubishi one .
Maybe modern C F or glass will handle modern gas .

AND you want dead exactitude on Ign. & Valve settings . Side to Side . Anyway . Matched . For smooth even Running .

Click to expand...

another option: Tony Dunnell ( near Brighton, England) is making Manx replica fibreglass tanks, but in epoxy( ethanol-proof) resin, and they are quite a lot cheaper than a good alloy one, AND they are made carefully to be a better fit on the top rails than most other tanks.( still need anti- vibration foam though, to be very safe)

It'd give the opertunity to sit the real tank , if the finish / stickers are any good , on top of the bookshelf , and preserve its value , too .

you see a few C F tanks on newish whizz bangs , these days . Or are they now Whizz Pops ?

Lovely bike there, and the Triton's not bad either

Sorry, the '73 Ducati 750 Sport in the background caught my eye....

jan nelder said:

another option: Tony Dunnell ( near Brighton, England) is making Manx replica fibreglass tanks, but in epoxy( ethanol-proof) resin, and they are quite a lot cheaper than a good alloy one, AND they are made carefully to be a better fit on the top rails than most other tanks.( still need anti- vibration foam though, to be very safe)

Click to expand...

can't find info?