T160 first ride

[Flatspot]

Today I was advised of the registration number that has been issued by the DVLA, it’s only taken them 11 weeks or so , and I got a mate at work to make me a number plate. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find a suitable rh mirror with 8mm thread for now, and I found out that I couldn’t fit a bar-end mirror off the Commando - Triumph seem to use a smaller diameter handlebar and it won’t fit.

this afternoon I quickly got togged up for a brief ride out, just to see what it’s like. Not impressed for now, it’s nowt like the Commando which is smooth as silk, but anyway…..

I took it about 10 miles to warm up fully and then stopped to check it over, no oil leaks I’m pleased to say (well apart from the base of the lh fork leg that I’m not going to look at yet) and then decided it is bloody heavy to lift onto the stand - I seem to recall complaining about this before

so, a couple of quick pics to show life outside of a garage, for the first time in many, many years, and then a need to get home

a. The brakes are shite, yes I knew they were going to be, but they are particularly bad. Not impressed. If and when I get home and recover from my bypass surgery next week I’ll be looking to upgrade front and back.

b. There is a horrible flatspot (no, not me! ) just over tickover to 2500 rpm, which of course makes it horrible to ride smoothly. So, another plan is that I will replace the internals to the carbs, jets, needles, float valves etc. another time.

 

[baz]

Today I was advised of the registration number that has been issued by the DVLA, it’s only taken them 11 weeks or so , and I got a mate at work to make me a number plate. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find a suitable rh mirror with 8mm thread for now, and I found out that I couldn’t fit a bar-end mirror off the Commando - Triumph seem to use a smaller diameter handlebar and it won’t fit.

this afternoon I quickly got togged up for a brief ride out, just to see what it’s like. Not impressed for now, it’s nowt like the Commando which is smooth as silk, but anyway…..

I took it about 10 miles to warm up fully and then stopped to check it over, no oil leaks I’m pleased to say (well apart from the base of the lh fork leg that I’m not going to look at yet) and then decided it is bloody heavy to lift onto the stand - I seem to recall complaining about this before

so, a couple of quick pics to show life outside of a garage, for the first time in many, many years, and then a need to get home

a. The brakes are shite, yes I knew they were going to be, but they are particularly bad. Not impressed. If and when I get home and recover from my bypass surgery next week I’ll be looking to upgrade front and back.

b. There is a horrible flatspot (no, not me! ) just over tickover to 2500 rpm, which of course makes it horrible to ride smoothly. So, another plan is that I will replace the internals to the carbs, jets, needles, float valves etc. another time. View attachment 94624View attachment 94625

Looks great
A trident is nothing like a commando
The best way I found in the end to get rid of the flatspots and all the other carburettor issues was to fit three 28mm mikunis
Best thing I ever did
It pulls from nothing to my self imposed 7500 rpm (I know it'll rev higher but with 46year old con rods ?)
The mikunis also improved the mid range and mpg
Only thing they didn't do was make the bike lighter!!
I have twin semi floating 300 mm discs up front with AP racing calipers , even with this setup it's ok but nothing startling

 

[Flatspot]

I’ll be looking for brake recommendations later this year - unless I’ve sold it in the mean time. A chap down the road I’ve known for 50 years has already asked if he can buy it, i told him a ballpark price and he agreed.

 

[L.A.B.]

Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find a suitable rh mirror with 8mm thread for now, and I found out that I couldn’t fit a bar-end mirror off the Commando - Triumph seem to use a smaller diameter handlebar and it won’t fit.

Should be 7/8" O/D the same as the Commando.

 

[Flatspot]

outside - yes. But inside it’s not the same and so the internal spreading bit of the bar-end mirror won’t go in.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Neil Beadling 850 kit.

You’ll never look back !!

 

[Fast Eddie]

I put a Hyde large floating disc and a 4 pot Brembo gold line caliper on my T140 and I reckon it’s better than the usual twin disc set up I’ve done before.

Bit of a faff, but well worth it.

 

[trident sam]

Neil Beadling 850 kit.

You’ll never look back !!

Neil Beadling 990 kit.
You'll never ever look back !!

 

[trident sam]

Today I was advised of the registration number that has been issued by the DVLA, it’s only taken them 11 weeks or so , and I got a mate at work to make me a number plate. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find a suitable rh mirror with 8mm thread for now, and I found out that I couldn’t fit a bar-end mirror off the Commando - Triumph seem to use a smaller diameter handlebar and it won’t fit.

this afternoon I quickly got togged up for a brief ride out, just to see what it’s like. Not impressed for now, it’s nowt like the Commando which is smooth as silk, but anyway…..

I took it about 10 miles to warm up fully and then stopped to check it over, no oil leaks I’m pleased to say (well apart from the base of the lh fork leg that I’m not going to look at yet) and then decided it is bloody heavy to lift onto the stand - I seem to recall complaining about this before

so, a couple of quick pics to show life outside of a garage, for the first time in many, many years, and then a need to get home

a. The brakes are shite, yes I knew they were going to be, but they are particularly bad. Not impressed. If and when I get home and recover from my bypass surgery next week I’ll be looking to upgrade front and back.

b. There is a horrible flatspot (no, not me! ) just over tickover to 2500 rpm, which of course makes it horrible to ride smoothly. So, another plan is that I will replace the internals to the carbs, jets, needles, float valves etc. another time. View attachment 94624View attachment 94625

There are many ways to improve the brakes, I have a Magura master cylinder 300mm front discs (same size as Hyde) and alloy genuine AP calipers (off a bike raced by Paul Smart). so they are pretty good, it's a lot of bike to stop. Some of the flat spot would probably go if you junk the black caps, I have Mikunis form a Hinckley 900, they work with my 990 motors very well. In the end it's all a learning curve and whether you are bothered enough, if you aren't then just sell it on, get a good one and they are great bikes, get a bad one and it's a money pit like no other.

 

[Flatspot]

Thanks for the replies. I suspect my riding time on this will be very limited to be fair. The Commando is such a great machine and so easy to ride, I may either just park it up as an ornament or trade it on. I wanted it because I wanted it, an itch to scratch, who knows what I’ll want to do in a few months time. But if it all goes tits-up next week at least my family have a fully assembled running machine to sell off

 

[Onder]

I finally got the Beadling 850 on and sorted. Nice. Of course it isnt the answer, it needs to be stroked as well! Next winter.
Brake wise it is a very heavy bike so it does need help. 13mm master first step. You ride the big roads well then follow the previous advise. I find the Amals to be good enough but get new ally ones don't waste time and money rebuilding the old.

 

[Craig]

Just exactly how heavy are these bikes fueled up ready to ride …. Online wet weights , I see 503lbs for ‘75 trident and 485lbs for ‘75 Commando …. Not sure on either number …

 

[L.A.B.]

Online wet weights , I see 503lbs for ‘75 trident

That's the dry weight.

Just exactly how heavy are these bikes fueled up ready to ride ….

T160 it is so damn heavy

I thought I’d finished working on the Trident and got it off the ramp, and what a struggle that was, it only wanted to slide across the surface. Finally I managed it and wheeled it outside so I could start it up and actually listen to it running properly. Fine, I got the Commando out, and that...

www.accessnorton.com

 

[trident sam]

1000 cc Hyde kit, you'll never see back through the smoke.

Before I got the Neil Beadling kits I had two Hyde 1000s and have to say neither of them smoked although they did use a fair amount of oil. I was always worrying that a liner would drop (although it never happened) Neil's kits are a world apart but have to say there's still many Hyde kits still around. A feller I knew installed a Hyde kit and it did smoke, ...... Norman advised him to reverse the oil lines around and this actually worked. The worst I saw was at Beezumph where a liner dropped in a Hyde 1000 and locked up the motor in a Rob North. Put the rider in hospital

 

[baz]

I'd go for a beading 850 kit if my t160 needed a rebore but whilst it's running so well I leave it alone
I was surprised what a difference mikunis made , especially to the midrange
I do not like them being on a cable splitter I'd like an LP Williams gantry conversion but apart from that I'd never go back to amals

 

[Alan L]

Hi,
Your bike looks superb
Although somewhat ‘cobbled together’ and in some ways rather like a prototype the T160 has all the improvements that Trident should of had in 1968.
I have owned a T160 since 1977. I also have owned a Commando and T140V for ever.
They all have their good and bad points but one thing I can assure you, nothing but nothing can match the exhilaration of opening up a well tuned trident on a fast sweeping road. The T160 handles superbly, ahead of a Commando and not quite as flickable as a Bonnie.
I have had a ‘home grown’ 830cc kit in mine for ages and provides more oomph at lower revs than the standard 750.
It has a 3 into 1 megaphone and Spitfire grind cams, otherwise it is fairly standard. Correctly tuned Amals are fine but they are heavy on fuel. If your brakes are performing poorly then there is a problem with them. A Trident has excellent brakes for it’s vintage and should be able to lock the wheels or at least have the front wheel howling in protest.
It can still give a very good account of itself
If yours is not putting a smile on your face then it just isn’t set up correctly.
You would be doing yourself a disservice by not sorting it out and experiencing what it is capable of.
Alan

 

[Flatspot]

Well it is still sat in the garage untouched, and likely to remain so for quite a while. Recovery from major heart surgery is taking a lot longer than I expected - 67 days and counting.

I remain in two minds whether to just sell it and let someone else enjoy it, but as it’s not sat in the way in the garage it may as well sit there for now, and maybe dusted off regularly and see how I feel in 6 months or so.

 

[baz]

Well it is still sat in the garage untouched, and likely to remain so for quite a while. Recovery from major heart surgery is taking a lot longer than I expected - 67 days and counting.

I remain in two minds whether to just sell it and let someone else enjoy it, but as it’s not sat in the way in the garage it may as well sit there for now, and maybe dusted off regularly and see how I feel in 6 months or so.

No don't sell it
Not until you've had your fill at least

 

[Onder]

I have four bikes. Seems a good idea to sell at least one. Then I ride them and think why? As Jeff Beck has said that after all that work you sell and you are left just with a stack of notes. If you don't need the dosh why sell? Yesterday rode out on the Commando. Today on the Rickman. They both ran great and I had a fine time.

 

[Alan L]

The T160 is quite a heavy bike as has been discussed in other posts. As such it has a very different feel to other British bikes, very much at odds with the ‘stripped down‘ feel of a pre-electric start commando or Bonnie. It is a shame that the factory didn’t get around to increasing it’s cubic capacity to make up for it’s increasing weight and the extra horsepower of it’s Japanese opposition ( Z900).
The Trident wears much of it’s weight very low which gives it superb stability and at speed appears lighter than it actually is. It also makes it excellent on slippery dirt roads of which I am surrounded by. A T160 really becomes an extension of your body, far more than many better known bikes including various Italian thoroughbreds.
All this adds up to a very safe bike that really looks after it’s rider. As I bought mine as a ‘loose pisseled‘ youth who confused his riding abilities with his wildest dreams, I‘m convinced that a lesser bike would have killed me.
Although sharing so many parts and design similarities with British twins, Tridents have a very distinct feel. More than any other bike I’ve ridden, one can ‘feel’ it’s race heritage flowing through it’s veins. Although it sounds like a cliche the noise of a rapidly accelerating Trident is truly electrifying.
A well fettled Trident can still fight above it‘s weight and could be described as greater than the sum of it’s parts.
Arguably they were ill conceived using lots of old twin technology rather than an entirely new design and had faults that could have easily been fixed in the design stage however so many improvements are now available that they are far better now than when new in the showroom.
I hope readers of this forum will excuse the rather ’rose coloured glasses‘ description of these bikes but I truly believe they are really something special and need to be experienced to be understood.
ala