Triton project started, 800 Hinckley Triton riding impressions

I finally dug out the 67 Norton atlas slimline frame I’ve been using as a model for my frames. I’m planning on powering it with a late alternator Triumph 650 preunit motor I’ve got on the shelf. At this point I’m going to use the Norton primary drive and cover. I’ve got the Thunderbird primary and gearbox still, but I’ve got no problems with the Norton boxes. I might change my mind if the Triumph box is a slickshift model. All of it needs to come apart for inspection before I decide anything. Adapting the alternator mounts to this setup will be interesting………….

 

The 800 Hinckley triton is a GAS to ride! I’ve got a few hundred miles on it now. It is SO SMOOTH! I can’t believe how well that counterbalanced twin works. Decent power, great shifting. Most amazingly of all are the carbs! Maybe I’ve just been riding old junk for too long, but wow! That’s the tightest running bike I’ve ever had, especially for a twin! I thought at first it had the 90 degree offset crank, but now that the varnish has blown out of the carbs, I don’t think it does. The bike still needs a little fiddling. Front pads, rear tire and a Manx shifter. I’m also planning on using this bike as a test bed for my first alloy tanks.

 

As for you lot, go dust off your bike and ride it! It misses you!

69 Triumph Bonneville and a great Painter! Joe Luedtke

Pretty in stainless! New paint, new exhaust, new headlight shell, new seat and the motor is new from top to bottom! I went with olympic flame and silver with the half scallop. There are way too many t120′s with hifi scarlet or astra red out there. Numbers match too! I hope to have it done and running next week.

 

I found a fantastic local PPG certified painter! His name is Joe Luedtke and his number is 303-960-6991. He did the paint for the 69 Bonny and has done great work for Unit B as well. Give him a call! He’s been doing auto work as a pro for years and now he’s opening his own shop. He’ll do sportbikes or whatever you need. His prices are very reasonable too!

Progress……

I’m finally getting something usable out of the tank press! I need an offset anvil wheel for the english wheel so I can roll the welds flat. If anyone has one they don’t need contact me.

 

I’m finishing up a really nice 69 Bonny. New engine, paint exhaust, seat. It’ll have stainless fenders, grey top seat and olympic flame paint. For those that remember it’ll be very similar to the one I built in Charleston just before I left. I’m trying out a new painter. If everything goes well I’ll post a huge review.

 

The Hinckley Triton has been on the back shelf, but just needs the controls sorted. Then it’ll all come apart for finish welding and paint. I’m planning on using the first tank I finish on this bike.

 

I’m not running during speed week this year, but I’m going anyway to help out some friends. Give me a call if you’re going!

 

Also, I had a bunch of tank badge / biz card / logo stickers made! Email me with your address if you want one!

 

 

More 800 Triton pix, hydro forming mold progress

The head bearings are in, the front end is on and I chopped 3 1/8 inches out of the swingarm. The wheelbase will come in at around 58 inches. Still much to do, but overall I’m pretty happy with the proportions. This should handle much better than the Bonny America donor and even better than a Thruxton. More aggressive rake and trail as well as much reduced weight should make this a blast to ride! The next shots in this gallery should have the new swingarm plates. I redesigned them with a double curve to add a little "Rex" aesthetics.

 

The mold is done for the hydroformer. Note to self: It’s easier to wipe up wet cement than chip out the hardened stuff! On the bright side my forearms now look like Popeyes! All I need now is the pump and the backing plates. Time to go shopping!

800 Triton and hydroforming progress

Work progresses on the 800 Triumph Triton featherbed. The swingarm that comes with a Bonneville America is worthy of hillclimber duty! That thing is seriously long! That’s ok, the motor will move forward in the frame an inch and I’m taking 3 inches out of the swingarm forward section. With any luck the wheelbase will be about 56 inches. That engine looks great in that frame, doesn’t it!? I’m really looking forward to sorting the rear subframe and seeing how it looks with the seat. Believe it or not, the axle diameters on the donor

Triumph are exactly the same as a 77 XS650 Yammy! I’m looking forward to a donor Thruxton so I can use those wheels and front end next time. Does anyone have any laying around?

 

The mold will be cast for the Manx hydroforming mold tomorrow. I made the box earlier in the week. Now I get to play with cement. If no one hears from me tomorrow night, bring beer and a jackhammer!

69 Bonny, 800 Featherbed Guzzi 100 convert and some strangeness!

I picked up some interesting stuff the other day. A 69 Triumph Bonneville and a 78 Guzzi convert  The Bonny is a really complete numbers matching bike that I’m hoping to restore and take to the Vegas auction next year. The Guzzi runs well and I can’t wait to play with the 2 speed Auto trans! I’m thinking of adopting it as the summer shop truck. It looks enough like a cop bike that people should give me a break in traffic. Either that or they’ll shoot me!

 

The longline featherbed frame is going well for the 800 Triumph. The red tank in the background will look great on it along with a short seat that has triton on the back. It’ll have a long wheelbase but should still handle better than stock!

 

Just for fun, here’s a few shots of 441 BSA chopper I picked up at the swap meet and a pic I found on craigslist of a tree eating an xs650 Special!

61 Royal Enfield Crusader 250 800 Triumph Triton kits!, hydroforming tanks

The big news is that I finally found a newer 800 Triumph Hinckley twin to design and make kit bikes from! At last you can have hard core cafe Manx styling with modern brakes and reliability! Stay tuned for more info. This donor bike is an "America" so it’ll have different wheels and suspension, but the kits will be designed for Thruxtons, T100′s and Bonnevilles. The idea will be to take your existing bike and swap the frame / bodywork using the stock wheels and suspension. Upgrades will also be available. These kits will GREATLY sharpen up the handling of your bike too. The stock setup has extreme amounts of trail, rake and wheelbase. If you ever wondered why your bike corners like an old BMW airhead, THAT’S WHY!!!!!!!!! This is really a win /win situation. Prices and availability will be announced as the kit design is finalized.

 

The design for the hydroforming press is coming together nicely too. Alloy tanks and seats are to follow at VERY competitive prices! I can’t wait to have my own OEM tanks made to my specs and standards. First up is a Manx style sprint tank with a Monza cap. Next is the 5 gallon version or "camel" style.

 

The newest bike in the gallery is a 61 Royal Enfield 250 Crusader! This is getting cooler by the day! I had the seat recovered locally using a they grey top style. I’ve always been partial to that. The tank is a brand new Bullet deluxe. The bike runs great, I just need a  charging module and to sort the wiring. Can’t wait to show this one off!

68 BSA 441 flat track special, Enfield 250 , the next few Rockers

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! -From everyone at Manx Motorcycles! Thanks for your support!

 

I knew I’d eventually find a host for that bodywork! That tank and seat has been hanging around the shop for about 5 years now. It’s new and never had gas in it, so I coated it with Caswell’s fiberglass tank coat to protect the tank and the engine. That body work is a genuine Johnson Motors factory race part, the same folks that imported Triumph and BSA. A rare chunk of epoxy to be sure! I’ve only seen one other and it was shagged. The bike is a very straight 68 441 square barrel victor special. It starts easily and runs great! This was a fun project. I can’t wait to show it off!

 

I also picked up a 61 Royal Enfield crusader 250 trials. It was really rough but fairly complete. It has a very unusual D shaped chronometric gauge by Smiths. I got the bike running and it seems pretty solid. I’m thinking a little rocker bike with clubmans and a grey top seat. Stay tuned for pix!

 

I need to quit playing around with barn bikes and get busy bending up frames! I’ve got a Triumph 74 tr5t motor, a 71 650 tiger motor, a 60 650 preunit Triumph motor and possibly and Enfield twin motor to build bikes around!

NSU update

As you can see from the pix it’s currently wearing the correct stamped steel front end. I had to machine some bushings for the links and some bar mount spacers, but everything looks ok. The steering head bearings need attention, but the NSU guru Peter in Germany sells them. Speaking of Peter, he was kind enough to authenticate the engine and frame. The frame is indeed a 35 with a 1942 251 OSL motor in it! That pretty much gaurantees it was a military bike. There was only 1 customer in those days for replacement motors! That and the hose job grey paint.

 

Here’s the best part! I just rode it!

30′s NSU 250?

 Here’s something different. A very complete NSU 250(?) from the late 30′s or 40′s. The tele front end says post war, but all the pix I’ve seen of these had a stamped girder front end. That would be late 30′s. Fortunately I have my choice as a bunch of extra girder parts came with it. It turns over and seems to shift ok. The story that came with the bike has it coming over from the Ukraine at some point. It’s never had a chrome tank so I’m wondering if it was a military bike? The whole thing seems to have spent it’s life intact. I’ll be looking it over carefully for any clues. In the meanwhile any NSU experts are welcome to chime in! Send me an email! I’ll post the motor and frame #’s if needed.