- Joined
- Mar 7, 2020
- Messages
- 3,156
Purists look away now!
TRIUMPH!!!!!!!??? What you bought a Triumph with 9996 miles..Still see the Norton in background ,so your safe!
Yes, I am installing indicators as I think UK traffic now demands as much notice as possible to be given to all the other attentive souls on the road....I don't even see the pics on my computer but my phone shows three idiot lights on the headlamp shell instead of one and blinker lights that I don't think were ever installed on a P11. Correct me if I'm wrong. That's the purist in me that I saw at a glance.
Nice to see 9996 miles on it.
Staying alive to ENJOY a vintage bike counts for a lot.Yes, I am installing indicators as I think UK traffic now demands as much notice as possible to be given to all the other attentive souls on the road....
(It's an age thing )
Electronic clocks! Now there's posh!!Two men, similar idea
This is how my P11 looks.
(for the purists: all original parts are still there and waiting for the next keeper of this bike)
We gave you independence AND Prince Harry..... yet still you want more!!!Sorry. Should have given better pics for us colonists!
Candescent bulbs and esp. candescent indicator bulbs will have a short life on a P11!TRIUMPH!!!!!!!
It's a P11, man
At least with the separate idiot lights, changing to LED is less hassleCandescent bulbs and esp. candescent indicator bulbs will have a short life on a P11!
- Knut
An update, just in case anyone's suffering from terminal boredom or insomnia!
Brief recap... Bike was originally bought by me in '88 as a rolling restoration from Randy Baxter.
Pre internet fun sourcing parts (many SAEs sent, phone calls made, parts returned!), big thanks to Paul Morin of Hycam for moral and technical support
Ran fine for twelve years then life got in the way and I waved it goodbye. Fast forward ten years and I can look for another 'Brit', but alas all searches for the P11 drew a blank so we 'went Commando'. Very nice in it's own way, chapter closed....
Fast forward another twelve years and I'm searching online for a pick up truck when a Matchless P11 hoves into view, cursory glance reveals 'I know that number'... Yep 'my' P11, rebadged, bodged and bewildered, and up for auction.
Of course, 'man's gotta do' etc. so it came home, where it belongs (throw up now if you like!).
Resigned to do a 'few' jobs and spend a 'few' quid sorting it out (laugh hysterically now... if you like!).
Photo below shows some bits replaced through wish or necessity. Side stand was a 'pattern' and never 'sat' right, new lug from AN and leg from BSAnut (US) was welded and filed so it all sits flat, stable and square.
Couldn't live with the Indian H4 'casserole dish' light unit, luckily I still had the PBF Lucas unit from the Commando that I upgraded, so that's in there now. Alas this showed up the tired battered and bruised shell, no longer circular, it needed a plank of wood between the fork legs to crow it where I could get the rim on.... not good! AN seem the only place for black, ammeter holed shells, fortunately an ebay seller had a new one at two thirds the price Indicators I've covered above, but the wiring in general was awful. Ignition key had been relocated (fitted to frame tube with a jubilee clip!), so that went back to it's rightful though inaccessible place between the coils, but a kill switch has been wired in as per advice from Mr Boyer.
The rest of the wiring has been tidied up, LEDs fitted in pilot/rear/brake and speedo/tacho, two months ago I didn't own a crimping tool, now I have three!
Fuel taps and pipes were of dubious size and origin, so replaced both. The 'old' taps sold on ebay making a sixty pence profit, so I slept well that night...
'Plastic' non return valve in the oil feed was junked, an AN sump/drain plug fitted 'just in case', though a hole in the sump plate needs sorting to access that..
The O/E 'pattern' air filter now sits round a CNW 'slim' filter, why?? Why not!!
Oh... and it runs!! All the carb internals didn't match 'original' spec, nor the plug grades. Both needles were far from straight due to wear perhaps, but when running oil return was good and no smoking either..
Not sure why the first run of the clutch cable was taped in with the wiring loom, but ALL cables had been bound tightly with no thought for smoothness of operation.
Prop stand job meant primary drive dismantling, couldn't remove the clutch centre adjuster, later to discover RGM radial needle conversion fitted. I was happy with OE set up, so will revert to that.
So... that's eight months on, Why so long?? a) I'm not in a hurry b) other hobbies are available (I've bought two new guitars in that time as well) c) It's summer, so gardening, cycling and other 'outdoor' activities that don't need a plastic hat and protective clothing are enjoyed. d) As a recent retiree, the Great British Taxpayer can be a bit slow with my wages, but in gaining a budget, I've lost a timetable, and time IS important now...
Hopefully it should all be sorted in a week or two, not concours but presentable, useable and reliable. After the Commando it's been great reacquainting myself with this bike, it's almost primitive compared to the Mk3, but that's just part of it's charm...
And thanks to FE for endorsing the 'bumpstop'..... an invaluable purchase
Flatter than a hedgehog asleep on the M1 on pancake day, dreaming of limbo dancing!You need to put a photo up of the bike as it stands or we won't believe you
I have yet to refit the primary drive..... But hopefully I've at least got everything here now to screw it all back together and complete the job.Bumpstop??
Once you get out on a long ride with that primitive thing you might be thinking about getting a bumpstop inside your helmet.
Full side profile pic of the bike request. I'm sure it looks good but would like to see it anyway.
He has been missedWhere did you end up with this P11 project?
You have not been on this site since July 6th 2023.
Sure hope you didn't find out how weak that SLS 7"x1" front brake is the hard way?
No response via PM either.He has been missed