Timely Triumph T140 owner advice

October 2015

Bonneville | Restoration | Sludge trap | Rebuild
 

Generally, we don't share the emails we receive from Sump visitors (usually about their bikes). Such emails are usually private, and we want to respect that. But this email was a little different. It sounded like it deserved a few more ears than ours. And we've lately been getting a fair amount of mail asking for T140 advice. So if you ride a Triumph T140 or aspire to owning one, make of this what you will...

"Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen at Sump. Just thought I'd email you a pic of my completed T140 restoration. It took three years. In a nutshell:

1. It was a dog. The sludge trap was full (at just 31k miles), and there was more slap than piston in the bores. The clutch was shagged too.
2. The chrome was bad, and the wheels were rusted through.
3. The wiring was by DIY Dave.
4. The carbs (Amal) were chromed badly and had the same slap as the piston/bore.

All in all, a challenge. Anyway:

5. New English main bearings were fitted. Also, I bought a 7-plate lightweight clutch from L.P Williams.
6. New pistons, a new barrel, new valve guides, and new valves, etc, were also installed.
7. For the purists out there, a pair of new Wassell carburettors were fitted (they work very well if you ignore the tuning guide and just do it by ear!).
8. Stainless rims and spokes were fitted to the hubs. Continental Classic Attack tyres were fitted to the rims.
9. Norton Pea Shooter silencers were fitted.
10. This is best bit: Applebee Engineering balanced the crank. And what a difference!!
11. Finally, I fitted a Pazon Ignition

So it all saved an old dog from the knackers yard, and I thoroughly enjoyed doing it even though I spent far too much money. But now I have a lovely T140 to play with.

Tips

1. Wherever possible, reuse the old parts from your T140. Have them chromed, re-ground, repaired etc. New parts rarely fit and usually have to be adjusted to fit.

2. Avoid NGK spark plugs. They are good, but not for the Bonnie. Champion N5s are superb.
3. Seal the inside of the petrol tank first before paint (my fault entirely),
4. If you use radials tyres (the Contis are very good), raise the pressures to 30psi front and rear. Works for me.
5. Use LED bulbs (you can get front and rear bulbs for negative earth systems), and they are brighter and less prone to vibration damage.

That's it. Great web site — it did keep me going knowing that I was going end up loving this bike. FYI: My other bikes are a Yamaha MT01, and a Honda 954 Blade

Thanks again, Martin

Everyone got that?

— Dexxion