Triumph Sprint 900

[Dazzled]

This is my 1994 Triumph Sprint 900. I was forced to take a 12 year break from riding due to being misdiagnosed with a debilitating illness by a trainee idiot posing as a doctor. Even when I was ill and there looked like no chance of me ever being able to ride again I couldn't bring myself to sell my bike. Now I've recovered and am back in work I've decided that it's time to attempt to wake her from her hibernation.

http://http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z461/Dazzled68/Triumph%20Sprint%20Resto%201/100_4567.jpg

The bike has been standing for a long time and not always in ideal conditions so there are a number of things to address. The picture shows a seat that I just picked up from Ebay to replace the original one that was pretty rotten. Also on my list are new tyres, c+s kit, fork seals/rebuild, brake system rebuild, full engine service and sort out the sticky fuel tap and totally solid throttle cable. This, by the way, is the item in the bag on the tool box (£35 ). I've also got a new (second hand) r/h handlebar to replace the slightly bent one that was caused by an altercation with a diesel coated roundabout approach back in 1999. The other concern I've got is that the exhaust might just crumble from the inside when I get it started. Getting it started, of course is something that will detrmine the course of events in this little restoration project and, as soon as M&P of Swansea finally pull their fingers out and deliver me that battery I ordered EIGHT DAYS AGO , I'll be focussing on getting the correct Brrm Brrm sounds to come from the engine.

If all goes to plan (some chance ) I should get my Triumph roadworthy sometime in July.

Just in time for monsoon season

[Dazzled]

Some of the things to "take a look at"

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z461/Dazzled68/Triumph%20Sprint%20Resto%201/100_4574.jpg

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z461/Dazzled68/Triumph%20Sprint%20Resto%201/100_4568.jpg

There are a few corrosion issue, particularly around the engine and on tops of the fork stanchions. On the bright side, those aftermarket horns are a tad louder than the reject moped horn that Triumph fitted as standard

Also the belly pan brackets will be coming off. The belly pan that was on it when I bought it actually melted and caught fire Think I'll try to avoid that this time round.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z461/Dazzled68/Triumph%20Sprint%20Resto%201/100_4575.jpg

The old seat wasn't in the best of shape.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z461/Dazzled68/Triumph%20Sprint%20Resto%201/100_4577.jpg

But the replacement looks much nicer

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z461/Dazzled68/Triumph%20Sprint%20Resto%201/100_4571.jpg

And this is the bent/scraped bar that's set for replacement.

Still waiting for the battery and the acid, which has been sent separately and was, according to the Email I received, only despatched yesterday.

At least I've got an accessory shop I know to avoid in the future.

[Throttled]

Build threads, we love them. Lots of pictures as well! Subscribed.

That is going to look so good when you are finished.

[Dazzled]

Not forgotten about, just snowed under with work and studying. The Sprint build is going to turn into an overwinter tear down and rebuild. After all this time the old girl deserves it. I've spent the last four days completely resorting my workshop to make it more useable and less like the shameful pigsty that was evident in the photos. As an engineer I should have known better than to let my own 'shop get into that state. Trouble is, the family attitude to anything that isn't wanted in the house is "dump it in the garage/workshop". Happily, after four visits to the tip and 20+ full bin bags, I'm getting there!!

In the meantime I've got my eye out for a mid range runaround. Maybe a 600 Bandit or a Honda Hornet.

[Dazzled]

Work has been slow (read "non-existant") on the Triumph until recently. This is down to a number of factors including my wife being ill, a big study load and the rather nippy weather making the workshop not the most comfortable or welcoming part of the property. I have, however, rediscovered the joy of a good "potter" despite the cold (hooray for thermals ) and have made some more progress.

I decided that, in order to give the bike the best chance of starting, a stripdown and clean of the carbs would be in order. Triumph triple carbs aren't the easiest to remove, requiring the removal of the tank, seat, tailpiece and sidepanels. You're also supposed to take the fairing off according to Mr Haynes but I managed to wiggle them out with the plastic in place.

First bits to come off after plastic removal are the auxilliary air chambers-one either side.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z461/Dazzled68/Triumph%20Sprint%20Resto%201/100_5968_zpse8b59f39.jpg

This allows the airbox to be moved back. A spray of WD40 on the clips seemed like a prudent idea.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z461/Dazzled68/Triumph%20Sprint%20Resto%201/100_5965_zps280ad8af.jpg

And it looked like spidey was going to have to find a new home!

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z461/Dazzled68/Triumph%20Sprint%20Resto%201/100_5966_zps1ecf74fe.jpg

These steps didn't, however, ensure easy removal and both outer clips were siezed solid. A bit of persuasion got them loose enough to wrangle the box off the carbs but the clips will need replacing. I didn't have any such problems with the intake rubbers and their clips eased off with no trouble.

With the carbs now loose I disconnected the choke cable but not before I'd had to drill out one of the screws holding the left hand switch gear together. Such is the joy of resurrecting a bike . After this, the cable came away easily. The throttle cable was another matter. I don't know who designed the throttle adjuster assembly or what idiot decided that hiding it between carbs 1 and 2 would be a good idea but I'd certainly like to meet them and express my views on the subject-forcibly, possibly with a large wrench! You can only get at this to remove the cable with the carbs hanging out of one side of the bike. So it was time to start tugging at the carbs with crossed fingers.

The manual did say that the rubbers would ease off the engine side but they seemed reluctant to move. However, the carbs slipped off their ends of the rubbers easily and with a little patient wiggling I eased them over to one side. Now the simple job of detatching the throttle cable, or so I thought.

Despite undoing the adjuster and the locknut that I had finally gained access to, i couldn't figure out how the cable ferrule disconnected from the quadrant. I couldn't see a cutaway anywhere. After 10 minutes of head scratching I reached a decision and cut the cable. The old one was seized solid and I've already got a new one so it wasn't worth wasting time over it.

So now there's a gap.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z461/Dazzled68/Triumph%20Sprint%20Resto%201/100_5974_zpsd82ff30f.jpg

And on my workbench.....

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z461/Dazzled68/Triumph%20Sprint%20Resto%201/100_5972_zps70fa72e1.jpg

3 little Mikunis waiting for an overhaul.

Time for a warm up and a spot of lunch I think

[mattycoops43]

I particularly like the chain routing!

[Tango]

Hey Dazzled.....keep the pics and the progress coming......be nice to see the old girl back on the road again in all her glory......

[Dazzled]

The chain has now been successfully evicted and is sitting in the scrap pile together with the belly pan brackets . I managed to get into the workshop for another hour last night and popped the right hand crank cover off to give the engine a turn over with a spanner. It rolled over sweet as a nut, the first time the pistons have moved since May 2000 .

[Dazzled]

While I was waiting for some carb cleaner to arrive I decided that the alternator could do with some attention as it was in what could best be described as a "right old state" and, while I had the carbs off, it's fairly easy to get to (ish).

First the top bolts and earth lead came off. Great so far.

Then the plug came apart with absolutely no hassle in the "guess which bit to squeeze" department. Cool.

Now it was time for bolt no.3, the one at the bottom. Problem was, where the hell was it?

Eventually, after removing the cooling pipe guard and unbolting the clutch slave cylinder to shift it out of the way, I managed to glimpse the offending bolt by the light of a particularly bright head torch. Following extensive probing with several extension-mounted sockets I managed to gain some purchase and the bolt was out .

And then there was another gap...

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z461/Dazzled68/Triumph%20Sprint%20Resto%201/100_5977_zps9fa6ac5a.jpg

Leaving me more space to get in and clean. Just as well really, looking at the state of things back there. Actually, almost everything is blocked up ready for a good clean. Just got to find something to plug the hole left by the alternator and I'm good to go.

Speaking of the alternator, I decided that it would be easier to sort out if I took it apart, or as near apart as I can get it without desoldering the rectifier diodes. Unfortunately this limited things to a removal of the end cap and brushes. Even this wasn't straightfoward and I had to remove two screws by drilling their heads off. After this I gave it a blow through and over using a blow gun on my compressor. It looks like this now...

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z461/Dazzled68/Triumph%20Sprint%20Resto%201/100_5980_zps937eb0af.jpg

Yes, I know.....where's the paint gone?

It blew off when I was cleaning it. Still, I'm sure a nice shiny new coat of paint would have been necessary anyway.

And as for the holes, I removed the remainder of the screws with a stud extractor and re-tapped them.

Now I need to find some new screws. Time for a rummage, I think.

[Fozzie]

Thats one sexy machine waiting for you at the end of this project!

Any progress is good progress so keep it up.

And again good choice of brand. Triumphs are quite a job to work on as I found with a TT600