Category: Classic Bikes

Bikes manufactured prior to 1989, such as Triumphs from the Meriden or Coventry eras

Triumph Bonneville 1969

Nick’s bike

I bought this bike in 2007. It had some work on it and looked in reasonable condition and ran, but it had the wrong shaped tank on it and had been poorly painted so the paint was starting to blister. I then started to discover a lot of problems and some time after I got it the engine seized. I bought a second hand tank and had it painted, together with the mudguards in the correct 1969 colours (olympic flame and silver). I rebuilt the engine myself(replacing the clutch and alternator, bearings, seals etc), using a combination of the official workshop manual and Hughie Hancox’s DVDs as a guide.

Triumph Tiger 90 – 1937

Entry in our 2020 Online Old Motorcycle Gathering.

From Malcolm

I purchased the Tiger 90 at a swap meet in El Camino, California in 1991 when I lived in Los Angeles. I stripped and rebuilt it soon thereafter and rode it in a number of local events. Though, as might be imagined, excursions on to LA freeways was no fun at all.

I repatriated the bike when I returned to the UK in 2001 and have ridden it on many outings with the Berkshire VMCC Section and on several holidays around the UK.