Lurking Lurking... Triumph Owner Joins the Circus

[Mister Mellow]

Welcome to my intro thread! My neighbor sold his '77 XS650 to me for $300 (pictures below), so I've been looking through this forum for ideas. This seems like a very nice forum with friendly, knowledgeable people, and I've learned a lot just from lurking.

My daily rider is a 2003 Bonneville T100, which I rode around the U.S. in 2008. I've always loved British stuff, having owned a 1972 Daytona 500, a 1959 MGA, and a 1983 Jaguar XJ6. All except my Bonneville have been love-hate vehicles, but I'm still a sucker for British. To be honest, I hated to see Japanese bikes eclipsing the Brits in the early '70s, but I certainly understood why. I actually despised most Japanese bikes, but I was young and irrational. Oddly enough, the only bike that caught my eye in the '70s was the XS650. Maybe because it was "Triumph-iike," but I did like they way it looked and sounded.

Anyway, here's what I just picked up from my neighbor. It's a '77 XS650D, completely stock, and in a state of re-assembly. He was the 2nd owner, and rode it while in college. After graduating in 2007, he decided to clean up the bike, so he stripped and primed the tank, bought new shocks, cables, chain & sprockets, and tires. A new job and new home brought the project to a halt. I've seen the bike sitting in his garage, covered, for the last five years, but never bothered to ask him about it until recently. He's getting married, so was in the mood to let it go. With only 27,000 miles on it, I thought $300 was a fairly good deal. I don't know what I'm going to do to it, but I don't plan to restore it. Likely just some cosmetic changes. I could put it back together, paint it and sell it, but I'm intrigued by what I've seen here, so I'll come up with something tasteful (which means burning that seat!).

Here's my British stuff. The Jag is beautiful but troublesome, so I'm probably going to sell it. The bike is a keeper, though. If I can get some house projects done in time, I'll probably take another cross-country tour. The Yamaha project isn't going to happen soon, but if I don't go crazy on it, it shouldn't be a major project.

 

[h3llb3nt1]

Nice bike. I dig the brit shit too. 06 Bonnie T100

 

[h3llb3nt1]

Oh yeah if anything change that ugly ass seat. Comfy as it may be

 

[jayel]

lucky fellow, the 77D is considered to be the best of the Standards (well sorted engine/carbs/frame/suspension) without all the safety add-ons of the late models only downside is it's still points iggy but still works well if properly set-up/maintained

 

[weekendrider]

jeezzzzzzzz you bought $300 in parts(chain, sprockets and cables) and got a free bike.
Sometimes I wish I had neighbors.

Good on ya Mister Mellow and welcome to the boards.

 

[lakeview]

Welcome as well. My first bike in 1969 was a 68 Bonneville and here in Ontario the Japanese 4 cylinders were only a curiosity until late that fall. By the next spring, all of us Brit bike guys were eclipsed by the rising sun.

 

[Mister Mellow]

Second post, I'm a veteran member!

Thanks for the warm welcomes. The seller fully acknowledged that he was basically giving the bike away, but he was very easy going about it, and suggested things I could do to flip it for a nice profit (not what I plan to do). I've been there, where I just wanted to make room and let something go for the cost of the newest parts.

I did a few sketches, using the profile of an older Corbn Smuggler seat, minus the cowl, and a cowl inspired by the one that Rude put on his (copper colored) build. The thing is, I don't care for most tracker bolt-ons, and not at all a fan of the traditional notched look of cafe seats. Something with a comfortable (but not fat) seat, and a graceful cowl, is what I have in mind. I'm not a fan of rear fender removal either, but a couple of the rough sketches I've done look better without a fender. I didn't plan to cut on the bike, but I think the rear loop will have to come off to allow for a lower profile. We'll see.

 

[5twins]

You can have it looking much like your Triumph with just a few changes. Get a stock seat, you might like it. Here's my '78 when I first got it running. Basically stock with a different exhaust and bars .....

I've refined it a little more over the years (better mufflers, shocks) but the overall look hasn't changed much. I like mildly modded stock. I don't change anything I can't change back and I don't hack any parts off. You have one of the most desirable Standards made. If you want to get your jollies with the Sawzall, buy a Special. Hacking them to shit is only an improvement, lol.

 

[tonyc]

I have the Brit look myself only chnge to the engine is VM34's and Uni filters and re-sculpured seat.

 

[Mister Mellow]

Wow, they really do clean up well without the need for much more than elbow grease. I'll reconsider whether the loop has to come off or not. My thought was that, if done cleanly, it could be welded back on. From a purist's standpoint, I suppose that's an undesirable option. As far as anywhere else on the bike, the mods I'm thinking of will be reversible, as any removed parts will be stored and go with the bike if sold.

My preference is a solo seat, but there is a bench-seat profile that I like (A Triumph Thruxton seat). Bench seats have always looked a little, well, benchy to me, but I did this swap on my Bonneville and I like the look. Here's a profile of the two seats (the top one is the Thruxton seat), and how the new seat looks installed (compare with Bonnie pick above. The wind screen is gone - it broke in half on the freeway).

 

[ReycleBill]

One bike I always wanted and never owned is a Bonnie.

 

[xjwmx]

You're destined to be legend here. A lot of these guys wish their xs was a triumph. Must be frustrating!

 

[Mister Mellow]

Who knows, I might want to make my Bonneville more Yamaha-like. I'll have a Bonnemaha and a Yamaville.

I am partial to standard upright twins. Resemblance to the Bonneville aside, the Yamaha is a good looking engine, and I think the two bikes will get along in my garage just fine.

 

[xjwmx]

classi^

If you want to get your jollies with the Sawzall, buy a Special. Hacking them to shit is only an improvement, lol.

And there's a lot of this kind of stupid shit "lol". Because the specials look less classically british, although they have none of the weird look of the brit bikes contemporary to them. Now, the old triumphs look frail to me, but I have seen them sawed into very attractive choppers. I have seen a new triumph that was old enough to be just slightly ratted which counteracted a certain anal look they come out of the factory in thailand with.

 

[steve96mc]

Just picked up a 1963 Triumph 500. Been in the back storage shed of a body shop. It had been abandonded in the early 70's on their property. No one came to reclaim it so it just sat. Shop owner recently filed for a title and got one. I snatched it right up. Both tires were flat but took air and have stayed full since. Very complete but has no spark, Did bikes of this era usually not use a battery, it dosen't even have a place to mount one. Should be a fun project, I am thinking a Bonneville salt flat racer.

 

[scabber]

Welcome. Every Circus has a Lion. Triumph lost out to Yamaha because the Triumphs spent more time in the shop than on the road. I looked a the Bonneville at dealer that sold Triumphs for years before he started selling Yamaha. He said the 650 Yamaha was a better bike. He should know he had a shop full of broken down Triumphs. The Jap bikes are more bang for the buck. Yamaha is still winning races. I would say the 650 Yamaha was a step up not a step down. Nice bike 5twins. Brit cars don't impress me The TR6 were rust Buckets.

 

[tonyc]

I had a 67 Bonnie in 1970. Yes it did leak some oil but I kept up on the Lucas components,usually bullet connectors, and rode this bike all over CA and NV without one incident. Well i did loose a new stainless front fender but it was my falt for not tighten and lock-tite the bolts.

 

[Mister Mellow]

Scabber, I don't disagree with any of that, except maybe the lion part - I'm more of an elephant poop scooper.

I hope I didn't inadvertently add fuel to any existing debates as to what's better than what. Personal preferences and enthusiasm for makes, styles, years, etc. need not be defended in my book. On another forum I belong to, the occasional dust is kicked up over Harleys, scooters, mods, WD-40 and whatever, but reason prevails. I would imagine that similar debates happen here, too, but I'm not the type to start or participate in that stuff.

Ok, back to my Yamahumph project!

 

[scabber]

You have a great bike and the price was good. Post pictures as the build progresses.