Post by: Laverda Dave on July 09, 2022, 10:37:55 AM
It has sat outside for 18 years whilst I enjoyed all things Honda, Laverda and Morini :o.
It was a state to be honest, smoking, difficult to ride, the exhausts would wobble and attempt to fall off during every journey, it would not idle and stopping was really hit and miss, thankfully mostly a miss! The bike was a nightmare and was everything I thought a British bike would be. The garage roof caving in and putting a huge crease and dent in the alloy tank was the last straw and it went outside under a tarp.
Fast forward 15 years and I decided to strip it and rebuild it to the way I wanted it to be so lots of redesigning and reverse engineering, months in the workshop fabricating (everyone should invest in a lathe), an engine rebuild (thank you to Miles at Morgo for all the advice) and three years later it is nearly finished. I have the wiring still to do but I have called in Ferret to make a new loom with Japanese connectors as I want the bike to be reliable and I cannot stand the huge British style bullet connectors, they always seem to pull out and corrode badly.
Hopefully the bike will be on the road by end of August once Ferret has worked his magic and I have finished the odds and sods including making a new set of lock stops.
Post by: Nurse Julie on July 09, 2022, 10:46:50 AM
Post by: MCTID on July 09, 2022, 10:56:26 AM
I love the Tank........there's something about blo*dy big ally Tanks and the Triton (and Norton or Triumph) decals to give the impression of speed and grace !
Looks like a Degens Swing Arm so the bend swinging should be rather tasty !
Anyway....thanks for sharing....hope you enjoy riding it - before your back, wrists and elbows give up the ghost ! LOL. Well done fella, it's a credit to you.
Post by: Rozabikes Tim on July 09, 2022, 11:59:46 AM
Post by: Spitfire on July 09, 2022, 12:39:18 PM
Cheers
Dennis
Post by: Bryanj on July 09, 2022, 02:01:35 PM
Post by: Oddjob on July 09, 2022, 02:26:13 PM
Post by: Johnny4428 on July 09, 2022, 02:58:01 PM
Post by: Matt_Harrington on July 09, 2022, 04:31:52 PM
Post by: smoothoperator on July 09, 2022, 05:07:32 PM
Post by: Sesman on July 09, 2022, 06:04:12 PM
Post by: philward on July 09, 2022, 10:59:49 PM
Post by: andy120t on July 10, 2022, 07:49:33 AM
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on July 10, 2022, 12:50:03 PM
Love the Made in England written on the frame tube.
Post by: taysidedragon on July 10, 2022, 12:52:33 PM
Post by: JamesH on July 10, 2022, 10:56:48 PM
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Post by: Laverda Dave on July 11, 2022, 12:03:35 PM
To answer a few questions, the motor began life as a TR6P (as in Police). Dave Degans aka Dresda converted the head to twin carbs and fitted 750 polished alloy conrods along with a direct rocker feed from the crank. I removed the rocker feed on the advice of several well respected triumph engine builders and reinstated it on the return side.
When I fitted the new Morgo barrel I found it was 8mm too high! This is where all the reverse engineering began, I took the barrel to Miles at Morgo and he machined the top fin off, re-cut the top groove and bored the barrel to match the modified pistons, all for £10 whilst I waited (and I've never drunk so much tea!).
Terry at Stotfold Engineering in Biggleswade machined the front wheel hub (with the tire still fitted) on his giant lathe as it was oval, he also turned the brake linings to suit the hub. Ferret is going to make the wiring loom, he is very well known in the bike mags, I would make it myself but a pro crimper to make the English bullet connectors is a lot of money for a one-off project and to be honest I want the bike to be reliable, something it wasn't 20 years ago!
One thing I do remember about riding the bike 20 years ago was walking like John Wayne after a 50 mile ride, the wideline frame is very wide at the saddle!
I have enjoyed this build, it has been a nice change to buy sheets of ali and steel and undertake some fabrication work and to slowly see the bike evolve from the image in my head to the real thing on the bench.
Post by: Laverdaroo on July 12, 2022, 10:32:46 PM
I'm amazed you managed to pin Ferreyt down, he's proper in demand. I think I speakfor all on here but as soon as it fires, can we have a clip of it running please?...............Thanks and dribbles in advance.
8)
Post by: K2-K6 on July 13, 2022, 01:03:05 PM
As noted above, it'll be good to see and hear it run.
Nigel.
Post by: Seamus on July 16, 2022, 08:27:58 AM
Be good to hear it running