It's past time to start XS2 Resurrection

I would have to put the XS in the van to get there and ride it around up there. That’s allowed isn’t it?
I heard a rumor it was allowed if you turned your underwear around backwards the first day.:redface:
Gary or someone else could probably tell you better about that.
All I’m saying is Its nice to have company.
Friend of mine is going to ride along with me.
 
Looks like I’m coming. Just booked a room at the San Ram. Iron Horse was full. All I gotta do is make sure the XS is running and ready in 3 weeks. No problem right? If not... Can I bring a Honda? Just kidding. I’m looking forward to this. Everyone tells me “ Gator! You gotta get out more.” Perfect opportunity. Hope to find you guys there. I’ll be the long red haired hippie type.:laughing:
 
No problems to truck the bikes there and ride with the over-the-hill gang. Lakeview and I are doing exactly that just as we did last year.

Pete
 
So Greg,
Are you going to fit a handlebar mount windshield for your trip? They sure help reduce fatigue.
 
Got the old girl cleaned up from the ride to the VYR. While cleaning it I keep noticing the imperfections in the chrome. Hmmm. I've got other rims so I got the best ones and cleaned them up, also started to clean up a front spool, rear drum and brake plate. Rims are better than my originals, but not perfect. I stopped by Quality Plating and talked to the owner Gary. I've known him for 40+ years. Never have had anything re-chromed before. Damn chrome's not cheap.

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My headlite bucket also bothers me. The top is very sun faded. The headlite bucket on my parts bike had been painted black. I knew the original paint was under there. I got the black off. Not perfect but better than my original.
upload_2019-10-27_10-1-13.png

Where am I going with this?
I was heading down a rabbit hole I don't want to go down right now. I realized mission creep was setting in. When I retired my goals were to get the BMr running again. Got that done. Second was to get the XS2 running. NOT a restoration but a resurrection. I wanted to keep as many of the original parts on it as I could. I'm not completely done with that yet. I still need to put the original motor back in and get it running correctly. Third was to resurrect the Hurricane.
I don't plan on putting the original engine back in the XS2 until late winter or early spring. I may load the old girl up in my truck and head for warmer weather for a week or so this winter. Nothing definite yet. Don't want to take an unproven engine if I do go somewhere.
So for now the XS2 is in a holding pattern. What to do, what to do. What else start on the Triumph. My trip to the chrome shop wasn't a waste of time. A lot of the chrome on the Triumph will need redone.
upload_2019-10-27_10-17-49.png

upload_2019-10-27_10-27-56.png

Down the road I'm sure I'll get the chrome redone on the XS2 and make other parts of her prettier.
 
Oh baby oh baby! :geek: I almost don’t know where to start! I have been thinking about that Hurricane ever since you brought it up the other day. I was going to PM you about it, but since you’ve brought it up again , off the top of your head, what do you think the Triumph will need to be road worthy? I am not only a huge fan of the Hurricane , but in Tridents in general. I think it was their best motor from that era, and if they had only developed that a little sooner they might have fared better against their Japanese competition. PLEASE do your build thread on this forum, I’m sure the guys would be interested. Couple questions, is that a fiberglass gas tank or does the bodywork cover a metal tank? Do you know how many were made and what # your bike is?

By the way, it’s nice to see you still fixing up your XS2, my bike is pretty, but I’ve said all along , what I was really after was for it to be a nice original bike like yours. I wouldn’t mind re lacing some new spokes into my wheels, the chrome is still good, but the spokes are weathered.
 
I think I will start a build thread in the Clubhouse. Wouldn't want a casual guest to get the wrong idea about the forum. I know some of the members here either have or have had Triumphs. I will have a question or two.
 
Thriumph Hurricane, Now that is certainly an interesting project to watch. Sounds very fun. No wonder you fired off pics of those Borrani wheels the other day.
Seeing your XS wheel hubs all bare and clean brings up another wheel idea. Have you considered lacing up Aluminum High Shoulder XS rims on your XS2 ?
 
Have you considered lacing up Aluminum High Shoulder XS rims on your XS2 ?
It has crossed my mind. Not for my original bike but for another titled frame XS2 I have. That's for another day far far down the road (I think/hope).
 
I think I will start a build thread in the Clubhouse.
Yes please. :)
Sometime this winter I'm gonna start a DT-250 Cafe project. Gonna use the Clubhouse for that.
Like Bob, I've always loved the British triples. I'll definitely follow your build.
 
Got the old girl cleaned up from the ride to the VYR. While cleaning it I keep noticing the imperfections in the chrome. Hmmm. I've got other rims so I got the best ones and cleaned them up, also started to clean up a front spool, rear drum and brake plate. Rims are better than my originals, but not perfect. I stopped by Quality Plating and talked to the owner Gary. I've known him for 40+ years. Never have had anything re-chromed before. Damn chrome's not cheap.

View attachment 152770
My headlite bucket also bothers me. The top is very sun faded. The headlite bucket on my parts bike had been painted black. I knew the original paint was under there. I got the black off. Not perfect but better than my original.
View attachment 152771
Where am I going with this?
I was heading down a rabbit hole I don't want to go down right now. I realized mission creep was setting in. When I retired my goals were to get the BMr running again. Got that done. Second was to get the XS2 running. NOT a restoration but a resurrection. I wanted to keep as many of the original parts on it as I could. I'm not completely done with that yet. I still need to put the original motor back in and get it running correctly. Third was to resurrect the Hurricane.
I don't plan on putting the original engine back in the XS2 until late winter or early spring. I may load the old girl up in my truck and head for warmer weather for a week or so this winter. Nothing definite yet. Don't want to take an unproven engine if I do go somewhere.
So for now the XS2 is in a holding pattern. What to do, what to do. What else start on the Triumph. My trip to the chrome shop wasn't a waste of time. A lot of the chrome on the Triumph will need redone.
View attachment 152772
View attachment 152773
Down the road I'm sure I'll get the chrome redone on the XS2 and make other parts of her prettier.


You lucky bastard.....................is that a Hurricane???

GeeDub
 
Wow that brings back memories, back in the 70's a fellow my dad worked with had a Hurricane and once a year I was privileged enough to be able to tune and freshen it up for the coming season.
What an impressive bike, the exhaust note was incredible.
Syncing the carbs was a bitch, I drilled and tapped the manifolds for the same sized screws that Honda 4's used for gauges and that made it much easier.
The weak point with them was the dry clutch activation, rather than a push rod to separate the plate they used a pull rod and whether due to poor metal choice, abuse or the related bearing failure they would stretch and pull apart.
What a rush to ride when they were running right.
 

WOW - whadda sex machine....

My Dad’s younger brother (10 years older than me) always had bike magazines around in the 1960s-70s and I was always so fascinated by the big British triples. I just couldn’t get enough of the Tridents and Rockets. Then he traded in his 1966 Triumph 500 Tiger in on a brand new 1971 Kawasaki H1 500 - which he still owns and rides every summer. It is totally original with about 19-20,000 miles on it - and it has never been apart.

He’s been told that it is likely the only one in Canada that has never been put through a fence.
 
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