Just picked this up.

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I just acquired up this nice 1960 T120 Bonneville today. I will pick it up next week. Very excited!!!! I wasn't even looking for a new bike but happened to come across it at a local classic car/bike dealer. I've always wanted a pre-unit Triumph 650. This example is an older restoration. Ridden only once and has 4 miles on the motor since the rebuild. Going to need some TLC, but I'm ready to dig in!
 

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Only thing missing is a glass of fresh milk to really savor the flavor of that tasty morsel. Great score.
 
If youre wanting to match the vehical behind , in the picture , a few tweaks are required ! .

Two Way Damped REAR SHOCKS will stop your fillings falling out , and the rear descending on irregulaities in the pavement , at speed .

Theres two heads for these . A later slightly thicker chamber one , avoids the seat to stud head cracks .
Splay port head was first fitted to the 57 T 100 R . dirt tracker , and was a option in 58 for the T 110 .

750 Valves and mild tuliping thru the curve to the seat , and 1 5/32 Amal on the 1 1/8 intakes improve the breathing.
in Combo with the Cut Back 56 pipes , 2 1/2 at head to the Boyer Length , with the Wassel Megas will have it
coming on the pipes past 7000 rpm & running past 8000 . :eek:

Tripe about poor handling is largely hogwash . Paint Between engine / gearbox plate faces etc a issue .
Metal to metal 7 the bolts up ' securely ' the frightfully modern geometry steers well. With a firm hand .
Matches a hideous Z1 at least . On pavement. And will leave them at the line on dirt roads. Never to be
seen agian. Untill a wrecker hauls them out of the ditch . 100 mph hand off - on gravel roads. No Problem.
even with the sh*t shocks .

Extremely particular ignition timing is neccesary . 3/8 B.T.D.C. - 38 Deg. Would pink just at mid range,
if not watched . 98 octane 70s pump gas . 110 in third on stock gearing. Tho 105 was less unreasonable .
But who wants to be reasonable . :p

9.5:1 Hepolites gave 9:75 with the oversized valves out on unsuncken stock seats . Head was actually
done in N Z by Hooker , the last before he went to the U S to incorporate the ' Round ' valves seats used in His N A S C A R
engines .
Three angle - radiused - flat / coned at contact point. Stock cams ( tho this is a 61 - as in this here pitcher )

So, there you go . Now you Know . Dont leat the side down . Chin up. Press on rewardless .
Ball Race crank bearings and the 67 type ' Thruxton ' type pear cheeked crank . ( original was shot )
Was past 18 owners and 100.000 mile before the build . Most Still basical sound. Tho all the consumables were .

Just picked this up.


And no, some dead sh*t put the flat on the pipe prior to it going on the machine . Left pipe'd touch - under the clutch,
so needed riding around . The dual rate Shocks'd help obliviate that issue . Dunno if youre lower fork legs match / 1 " longer than unit , so more travel . Bars are Westerns ' pulled back . Chin on rear of tank and 5'*" the elbows lock on the knees , to hold the plot on the road . Full Wellie' it'd load up , but clear at 90 mph. in third . 270 main jets .
Thus the front was light it if didnt watch it , through the other side of the Auckland Bridge .
Cork Clutckplates gave superb feed back . Theyve got good weight distribution .

So Get To It. NO letting the side down . Goin chew up Hondas , kwikersakis and yamahahahas ,
Gently off the line it'd pass RD 350s buy 60 mph & the souped up Saint theyed been racing .
14.5 quater at 90 when totallty clapped out . Riding for the next owner ..
1 intacct ring , clutch shot , no power . Wouldnt even lift the front end .
However. . .
Rebuit it 60 over & unit primary .
Switching from throttle off to throttle on at 60 mph lane splitting, he ran it thru to 90 on the rear wheel .
So it was back to its old habits . :cool:
Last I heard some turkey had coverd it in mud and cooked and blown it,
seen for sale 4 or 5 years back on NZ trade me , as a project .
Likely theyd wrecked the best head on the planet . No Class some pr*cks .

OPast 80 the Front Brake wasnt a lot of use . Id set it up carefully and use the straight pull cable backplate .
or lever at least . Its a drop in , so Originality is less a priority than someones grill through your teeth .

PLUS . A 25 tooth engine spocket was listed as an option . Wick should see it to / past 140 . in that spec .
 
P.S.

You need the Float Bowl on the right hand carb sticking OUT . If you want to bruise the inside of your knee on it , starting .

And Put BOTH Fuel Taps ON ,

Running Hard , at the Strip , or W.F.O. or the second piston down the fuel line will evaporate the crown .

Theres old Johnso Motors tooning bullitens about .
Their JoMoCo Valves were 1 7/16 & 1 5/8 inch. For the 500 !

Their W & S Valve Springs ARE the ' Norvil ' springs used by JPS in the 70s , youd probly hit 900 with them .
This might not be in its best intrests .

Should cut under 13 at around 105 tweaked up .Make sure the swing arm bush is A1 super plus ,
and keep all the bolts pulled down even and firm .

Take it to 1000 miles before the throttle gets on the stop . and 2.00 before its held there .

Retourgue & Tappets at 50 and 100 or 150 miles. then 500 .
Keep pulling the barrel nuts in .
FINGER TIPS on the Spanners .
Not a Gorilla Grip .

feeler just free at 4 thou on the Exhausts & just dragging at 2 on the inlets .

Incidently the T 100 R ( cams ) gave a redline at 8000 . Clearance 10 thou. all.
Stock the powerbands to narrow untill the pipes were cut back. 27 1/2 valve face to end .
Co-Incidently a Std Beer Jug Full to the level.
Used on a 2 litrecortina ( pinto ) Engine , gave anther few thousand rpm . Just like the Triumph !
Tho the Baffled :rolleyes: megas go incandescant internally and pull it up past that . With appropiate acoustics .

Better fitta headlamp cam , and some decent tyres .

The Pommy Spec was 19 inch rear , I ran . tho mine was a T120 ' R ' wich is U S ' Road ' Spec .Prefer the 4.25 18 rear , on a WM3 .
Where the 55 / 57 T 100 ' R ' is " RACE " , the history / development is interwoven .
Was using 800o on the Short Circuit at Pukekohe on the 100R at the inaugaral meeting.
Inadvertantly .
Years later found this was authorised .
That ran 7600 & more left , in top , on the Grand Prix Circuit . Giving 130 unstreamlined .

Getting right down & tucked in is important . Seeing your going to Bonneville .
;)
The Bars Pictured give the low drag tucked in Snow Ski Top Speed minimal frontal area , seated.
With full bar leverage for stability .

L S R they ran 80 % Nitro and the One Piece Crank . :)

Theres a Picture of ' Morris ( Morrie ) Lowe & presumably the T100R Engine
in ' The Bonne Book ' 1970s published History of the Triumph Bonneville .

But as Henry Ford states , History is Bunk . Tho holding the L S R for 15 years ISNT .
 
I love the looks of the old pre-units just something about them, anyway nice fine and enjoy it when you get it home.

Ashley
 
Yes Indeed . Lucky Man . Flash number plate too , even .

Had the K 70s on it , were generally brilliant . TT 100s after that , goog for the twisties but knife edge ish on rolled seal .

Assume the mufflers are ' straight thry ' glasspack . A broom handle will check that . Were longer pommy spec ones too .
The Original exhaust supplier to Triumph is still in buisness.

I ran ' no idle ' as in the throttle slides would close fully . Adjust wrist for idle . Not cables . Set even both slides at top of bore .
Usually Second then first COLD . to avoid embarassing noises .
Gear Box Adjust . The Rear Chain'll pull it back .
Set Primary . Clamp Cross Bolts Tight .
Then set rear nuts on dual adjusters firm against cross bar ,
then front nuts . Fully Clamp cross bolts .

A lot of ' long distance ' Triumph Oil Tanks had a dded resivoir on the rear to increase capacity . Id definately do it to a spare oil tank .
A cheap dented one you could knock the dent out while half the backs off , and hot tank so no debri prescent .

I used a pillow case stuffed with trools , stuffed down between seat post & rear guard . Safe there and never lost anything .
Mine was a bit of a mongrel , being rebuilt from a write off , I assume . In 1965 . I had it around 77/78 .
A right dog when I got it . Think it was 118.000 miles recorded .
Only unplanned stops after my rebuild were the 1948 ! mag drives fibre teeth stripping , and the 56 small bearing / shaft ,
mag pinion snapping . Awondered if the stripped pinion new years eve afternoon stopped a planned high speed endevour fortuitously .
The Other mother came past , rural . Tow behind trailer behind 51 Rover 75 11 miles home. Reasonably safe . She didnt hang around .

Had enough tools aboard FOR FULL OVERHAUL . No spare mag. parts tho .

Another watch it is there were genuine Triumph clutch mainshaft half moon keys .
Cleaning and lapping the taper stops the clutch center jumping ship . If its negleted there .

Im sure youll enjoy many miles on it . Still switch to ' Big Bad Bonne ' state of mind periodically.
Just picked up 5 T shirts with a 66 Bonne on at $ 3 apiece !

The ' Works ' oil tanks had a sort off add on thing inside at the front ?
a bit like this . Gave one gallon capacity for 3/4 Gal. Imperial = 5 Quarts U.S.
one quart air / breather space .

Vaugely like this .
Just picked this up.

Stock tank filled to level driven firmly can / does get oil seeping out the cap
which can & will get back on the rear tyre . Salubriously at times .
Same with the Oiler .
Better closed .
Bigger capacty'd get temperature down , etc etc etc .
Even if your not phyco on the throttle. All the time .

Pays to ' Pre flight ' the machine . as the obstroberosity is ifectious .
Tyres youve got there the best all rounders , good for unsealed roads and were Dirt Track Race Choice No 1 . Horrable Perrilis for soft tracks , but these
throttle steer apallingly on tarmac & if you put the brakes on in a bend
itll go sideways instead of forward .
Advange off TT 100s is you can ' Clamp On ' the Brakes Fully . Fully leant over .
If theres a pillon to keep the rear down .
A pillon eased the muscle strain on uneven chip seal ' highway ' roads .

The K 70s ride easier . So dont toss the tyres .
No Battery And H Lamp Direct to a replacement alternator
had ' searchlight beam ' past the Ton .
Would blow bulb overreving .
Wonder what a 130 / 90 wouldve been like in it , instead of the 55 / 60 . !

Dont get pedantic over ' stock spec ' . Ride It and Enjoy It . !
 
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Starting a Magneto Eqiped P U , ordinarilly dampen the carbs , if the weathers cool . Tickler . Maybe 1/2 ( 1 second )
takes 2 / 2 1/2 sec. to wet thumbs / finger . For full cold start .

Push both cylinders through , throttle closed . maybe three / four compressions , in cold wether .

Push against compression ,
Position Kickstart lever , ( It'll catch three compressions , full travel , just . )
Foot on lever against compression , leap skyward and straighten leg , so your WEIGH on a straight leg throws it over .
( the compression Not the motorcycle )

Panic restart in traffic , seated de - clucth , throw against compresion , posn lever -
( full travel at tops not necesarry )
Swing Throughj as you throw yourself up & fwd .

All pretty basic , and No trouble . IF the throttle is only just cracked off the stops , then wiggled to catch on the lower quater . Big Throttle settings may result in 20 blokes collapsed around the motorcycle in a half an hour . Like mine .
 
I just acquired up this nice 1960 T120 Bonneville today. I will pick it up next week. .... I've always wanted a pre-unit Triumph 650.
I feel your excitement - well done!
One question of clarification - I had always thought Triumph changed to unit construction in the mid fifties - so a 1960 pre-unit appears a bit odd to me - or am I wrong?
Cheers
Rob
 
Unit construction for the 650 engine was 1963. The 350/500 range was earlier.
 
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