What to look out for...
Owners and mechanics highlight the weak spots
1 ENGINE AND GEARBOX
If looked after properly this is a tough engine. But like all earlier Triumphs it’s finnicky about oil levels and it needs to be warmed up properly before giving it any serious welly. Thrash it from cold and you’ll burn a LOT of oil, to the point where breakers are full of older Triumphs that have seized or have damaged crank journals due to oil starvation. The gearbox is famous for being a bit stiff, clunky and slow to change. It can also be hard to find neutral when hot - though that’s often a symptom of a dragging clutch rather than an actual gearbox fault.
2 CLOCKS
“Up to 2012 they’ve all got the same problem,” says Sandy from specialist breakers Triumph-ant Motorcycles. “The clocks can fill with water and fail - good clock pods are like gold dust. They are the same clocks as you’ll find on the Tiger 1050 and unfortunately have the same problems.” If your clocks are OK, try and keep them that way by avoiding jet washing anywhere near them. Some owners recommend sealing up any obvious holes and joins in the clock pods with either silicon sealant or silicon grease.
3 STARTER CLUTCH
Always the Achilles heel of these engines. It doesn’t help that the standard battery is a bit marginal even when new. But Sandy from Triumph-ant puts it down to poor maintenance and penny-pinching owners: “They won’t spend 30 quid on a new battery, so they try to start the bike with a weak battery, the starter clutch kicks back, and bang - that’s going to cost you six-hundred quid.” Even a used sprag clutch kit will cost around £300, but that’s not the worst of it: “When they slip, something’s got to give, and that’s often the idler gear - it chips the teeth off it. And they’re 1500 quid new .... ”
You can upgrade the older Speed Triples with the starter clutch from the 1050R - it’s much better, but you’ll struggle to find one used. It’s much better to keep your battery attached to a decent smart charger, and replace it at the first sign of weakness.
4 ELECTRICS
The alternator is pretty lowpowered for the job, so if you start adding extra load (heated grips, high-powered headlights, etc) you risk overloading it. It doesn’t help that the standard regulator/rectifier on earlier
bikes is pretty basic and unreliable as well. Fortunately you can easily fit a later Shindengen Sh-series unit using an accessory lead from Triumph (part number T2500676). Take the opportunity to check, clean and protect all the main earth points and loom connectors as well. You also need to check the loom where it goes round the headstock - it’s not uncommon for it to chafe through the insulation and short out. Failure of the Triumph-approved alarm system (if fitted) is common and will disable the bike. Savvy owners carry the blanking plug from the loom so they can unplug the alarm and get it running again.
5 CHAIN ADJUSTMENT
That single-sided swingarm may look lovely, but it brings problems. The chain adjuster eccentric can seize if neglected - and you would be wise to invest in a proper C-spanner rather than relying on the toolkit item. More seriously, the rear wheel bearings need regular grease and you can be looking at a costly and potentially dangerous failure if they’re neglected. The rear hub nut is a particularly uncommon 46mm size - canny riders carry a suitable socket with them on touring trips just in case of punctures.
6 PLASTIC FUEL TANK
The plastic tank on 2006-2008 models doesn’t like the ethanol in modern unleaded, especially at current concentrations of up to 10 per cent in E10 supermarket fuel. The plastic swells, to the point that the tank physically won’t fit. Avoid supermarket fuels where possible and avoid 95/E10 completely. Most premium-branded 98 fuels contain little or no ethanol, so cause no problem.
7 MODIFYING
Few owners go mad with modifications - heated grips, a mudguard extender and rear hugger, satnav mounts and upgraded headlight bulbs are enough for most. Suspension upgrades are popular (Nitron and Maxton shocks seem to be favourites). Oh, and louder cans. Triumph’s official Arrow pipes are by far the most common, not least because it’s easy for a dealer to install the suitable re-map into the ECU (you can also do it yourself with TUNEECU software and the appropriate cable). There’s an option for a low-level silencer version, too - it changes the look, but also makes using throwover luggage a lot easier and safer. A pillion grab rail is a wise addition if you plan on carrying a passenger at all.
8 FINISH
Though most owners seem happy to put in the effort of cleaning and protecting paintwork and engine cases on a regular basis, if you neglect this you’ll soon have peeling paint and corroding cases. Also, add a mudguard extender and hugger to stop road crud getting to vulnerable surfaces.
“Earlier regulator/ rectififiers are pretty basic and unreliable”