Counterculture Cycles is a community where we embrace everything two wheels. Come join us as you learn everything that goes along with working on vintage motorcycles. Also come along as we go on rides and see events across the country. if you love vintage bikes and the events or just motorcycling in general then this is where you want to be.
Hi Mate, I’m a bit behind here, about two years by the look of it!! 🤔 and have only just seen your post, I am finally just starting a 76/77 Bonnie rebuild, and I noticed you had the Front Calliper on the RH side, is that a US thing? I’m in Aust and ours are on the LH side behind the Slider. Just noticed and interested!! Also wondering about whether or not to retain positive earth or convert it to negative earth? as I said, just starting the rebuild, wheels are done, and engine is next to come out of the frame, frame and small bits bits then to be painted and bike rewired, chrome to be tidied up and it goes on!! I like your simple explanation of an often daunting task!
I'm not a fan of the 6 bolt rocker box covers on these later T140's. My 64 TR6 is so much easier to deal with if I need to get to the valves... it's got the 2 round covers that screw off on each rocker box. Did you ever get the bike painted? The Triumph episodes end and we don't see the finished product.
I thought those red clutch plates were a no-no for a wet clutch bike? Did you end up re-using those? I just picked up a 78 in a partial trade and was looking for new plates, that's how I know the funky reddish ones aren't good for wet clutches. I ended up going with the 7 plate conversion, because this thing had the stiffest clutch lever ever. Now it's better.
My question is: Are the new wiring harnesses better than the original? I rewired my 1973 Tiger in 1984 & made my own wiring harness by duplicating the original harness. I used different colors of 16 Gauge wire & also different colors of tape to color code. I had to reuse the handle bar switches & soldered in place. I got wire sheaving for the handle bars etc. Eventually, I added a Podtronics unit for the rectifier/diode. I think the original harnesses did not have good insulation & wires shorted out & had to be taped up etc. The slip on electrical connectors had soft rubber boots that allowed the metal inside the connectors to break from vibration. I replaced the condenser wires so they only screw on with a nut. Tape everything to protect wires from wearing through due to vibration. Ground everything good. Added ground wires to the metal.sockets inside turn signals. I was talking to a Harley guy at a car show that I had my bike at a few years ago - his first bike was a Triumph & he had wiring problems & would install a new Lucas harness & Eventually have the same problems. You might want to some how protect the body of the ignition coils - they are held at the top & due to vibration can rub through & short out especially when idling & vibration is high. I used rubber hose line to run spark plug wires through to protect & insulate.
I found the new wiring to be great quality, especially when the old one was brittle and worn out. The coils have rubber isolators stock. I put new ones in, can't remember which store I got em from but the are cheap.
Also, the fork caps is a common problem caused by the Triumph manual showing the incorrect torque value causing too tight and splitting the cast caps. Even if they are broken in two, they will still safely retain the axle . Using the billet caps is fine and they look better too.
1. There is no “c clip” on the T140 forks holding the seal in. 2. The seals taken out are “Leak Proof” brand seals that use the washer to retain the seal. The rubber seal isn’t driven in. It floats . Somebody felt the punch marks were a good idea but not needed . 3. Some 78’s came with the newer style head and Mk2 carbs, most came with splayed head and Concentric carbs. I’ve seen a ‘78 also with the Lucas Rita factory elec ignition as well. (Negative ground)
Great video series, thanks for making this! A couple of questions if you don't mind (I'm just starting work on a bonneville myself) - for the triple trees and black brackets, what paint did you use? Were any of your bolts rusted or anything (I'm wondering how to clean up some older looking ones I have and whether I'm better to replace them)? And did you get all your chrome parts looking that good just with polish? I'm just starting to try to figure out how to clean up some visually old looking parts and hoping to reuse as much as possible. Thanks again!
So as far as tripple tree stuff I'm gonna assume u mean the tripples and if it didn't get powder coating on small stuff I just used a gloss black enamel bolts are cheap I used alot of stainless and alot of the chrome.is cheap too
I know you posted these a while ago, but I can't thank you enough for posting them! I just picked up a 76 Bonneville 750 T140 barn find. It was put away, set up for storage, by the former owner who was a Triumph mechanic. I have all the paperwork from the rebuild 800 miles ago. He sadly passed away 10 years ago and it sat in his barn. Two years ago, his wife had someone push it under her deck where it sat under a plastic tarp. 🙄Your videos are going to be a huge help to me at bring her back to life! Thanks again! J.W.
Another upgrade; Next time you have the float bowl/bottom of the carb off, observe how the threaded boss where the drain plug goes, can prevent you from draining water and contaminated fuel out. Take a 3/32” drill and … up about 2 threads from the bottom … drill on an angle through that threaded boss into the lowest part of the float bowl. Now, pulling the plugs allows ALL of the fuel to drain out, even from that recess that was blocked by the interior threaded boss. Much easier starting and better idle.
thank you my brother over the ocean for posting this video im just a one man band trying to get my bike finish your video showed me exactly what i needed to know it was like you where there in spirit john in the uk
Strangely enough, my T140V has a slightly later engine/frame number than this T140E, though with the same date code (May 78). Mine is a UK model, and I suspect they were using up the V spec parts on those and prioritising the new E spec for the US versions.
Just the video I was looking for, same bike, same project! The old melted, shorted harness is still in place, so I took pictures. I will start at the headlight shell like you did, then stuff the rest of it through the frame and proceed from there. I have Pazon ignition, but I'll figure it out, thanks again!
Thanks man yeah I've got mine all done now definitely replace the glass fuse holder with a modern fuse holder and hate to say it but you might be replacing some wire ends I did. I got the tri spark ignition.
Can you tell me specifically why you prefer the lowbrow ht and what other ones you've installed in comparison? I was trying to figure out which one I wanted to go with as well, as per the TC bros, Lowbrow, Voodoo & Prism. Thanks buddy.
Build quality reinforced axle plates fit and finish. I've used lowbrow I've used teds I've installed prism and throttle addiction and a few other less known
Your voice audio is extremely low ❗ hardly can hear you..... Had to connect to stereo & turn it to maximum volume to make out anything you said.... Then I almost had a HEART ATTACK when RU-vid played an add at the end❗ CAUSE THE VOLUME WAS ON MAXIMUM STILL ❗ Keep Living the F#@KING Dream ❗ Safe travels 🙏♥️🐾🐾 💪🇦🇺💪
Hello from Florida, I really enjoyed the content. I Look forward to more. This is the first of your videos I have watched.. You have earned a new subscriber
Hi nice job on the Bonnie so far, enjoying your vlogs. Im working on a t140v 1976, and just about to start installing a new Lucas loom part number 54962258 which apparently is the correct one for my year, however i have noticed in the headlamp part of the new loom i only have 2 connections to the 3 lights on the top of the shell the oil warning light and the high beam warning light, but nothing for the indicator warning light, was yours the same.
I am assuming u mean the three indicators on the top of the head light for hi beam oil and blinkers do you also have your hibeam switch on the head light if so then you should be fine
It's probably too late to help, but if you don't have connections to the indicator warning lamp, all you need to do is connect one terminal of the lamp to the left indicator circuit (green/red), and the other to the right indicator circuit (green/white).
I've had a 78 triumph for about three months, been a couple decades since I worked on a Triumph, and it was good to see you do the wiring harness. I've had a 64 Tiger, and this one, never had to chase the wiring, I'm getting ready to do it, probably. It was rewired not so long ago, but not completely replaced, lots of connectors and at least one electrical problem, quit running. Thanks, good show on where everything snakes.
Great videos. I just revived my '78 T140E this past winter - it had not been started/ridden since '85 and was all in boxes. Mine has almost exactly the same color tank. Is yours all original? Everything looks in really good shape where did you find it in that original condition!. Looks like you just need to knock the dust off and replace your rubbers and your good t go! Oh...unless you intended to...you front wheel is mounted backwards and your shocks are upside down. Great work and video...Thanks!
Wow . been riding for years . Overlooked when rebuilding forks the end caps never had an issue with them ... but ya never know. Will see if i can source a set of the billet type you have ... after all my bike was built in 1978 . Thank you for the invaluable info . Cheers .
Just discovered your channel. Like it. At 69 years old just found a real nice '73 Tiger 750. Wanted a nice Triumph since high school. If it was treated well, can you give me a rough idea of typical conditions at 18K miles?... Thx Pete
Well with out seeing the bike itself I would do the following change the oil the brake pads bleed the brakes change fork oil and check rocker clearance and most likely tune and clean carbs and put a modern ignition in it that covers the basics
yes sorry I wasn't very clear it's just my dad has had alot of old triumphs and the ignition key has always been on the left hand side light ear mount but maybe yours is different but don't get me wrong your doing a great job enjoy the vids
@@davidfowler384 I've got a 78 Bonnie, and the ignition is on the left. My 64 had the ignition in the side cover, a good friend had a 73, and it seems to me, his was on the left headlight ear as well. Been almost fifty years since I saw him last. Enjoying watching this one come together again.
That's correct, all the ones I've seen (including my 78 T140V) have had the ignition switch on the left, but what puzzles me is that this one has that type of switch at all. Every other T140E I have seen has the ignition switch mounted on the top yoke between the clocks as part of a panel housing the warning lights. Maybe this is one of the overlap models, where they were using a mixture of old (V) and new (E) spec parts. The front brake should definitely be on the left (see your own first video in this series, and your thumbnail).
Nice work, like many I have a certain amount of fear of the dark arts of bike wiring ;-) but the more I do, the more I see the logic. As for your tank, scallop or stripes… hard one, I have the scallops, it defines the shape and lines of the tank. I’m a fan of the stripe too but if you went that way go with the fat middle and two skinny either side. Color Choice, for me, I’d go deep candy apple red as main and a slightly off white for scallops or stripes, scallops pinstriped in gold of course! Will you match side panels to tank colour or go black?
Wiring isn't all that hard just go slow read the instructions and books and if you don't know just ask someone will know oh and don't let alllll the smoke out of your harness
@@counterculturecycles1860 Hi , it’s an early 1978 T140E and has some T140V cycle parts and seems to be between both parts books, which has been frustrating. Frame, wheels, cycle parts and engine and gearbox done. Next will be Ignition and carbs. So your T140 series has been helpful and inspirational.
@@steveharris3506 My 1978 UK model is all T140V, but I was interested to see that the one shown here has an earlier engine number (same date code but lower serial number). I suppose in the chaos that was the Meriden Cooperative at the time, they were prioritising the US market for the newer model, and using up the last of the T140V parts on the home market versions. Fortunately, I've never had to do a restoration, I bought it in 1993 with only 1300 miles on it and it's still mostly original, apart from a few upgrades, like Boyer ignition and 3-phase alternator.
Really enjoying this, it’s good for the soul! I have recently acquired a 76 Bonnie. It’s had some work done on it but still needs a few things doing. They’ll reveal themselves more the longer I have it, as is the way! Lookin forward to binge watching the rest of these!
I own a Rolls-Royce Spirit and when fitting the stay up floats its necessary to set the float height. I thought the Amals would be the same. Good luck.
