Hinckley Triton

Fast Eddie · Jul 21, 2014

I've built a few Tritons, some of them pretty good and quite trick too. I thought it was all behind me as building a good NRE based 900cc 8 valve based bike from scratch is just so damned expensive. And having had such bikes, a 650 twin doesn't really appeal that much.

But the more I think about it the more I like the idea of a Hinckley Bonnie based Triton. There are plenty of go faster goodies for these now days too.

I've seen pics of Madass's bike, and very nice it is too. But I'd want to build something that looked as much like a Manx as possible, wide line frame etc.

Had anyone on here done this? Any pics? Any advice re what to do with the rear wheel-swinging arm-final drive spindle arrangements to get good geometry? Etc?

madass140 · Jul 29, 2014

Fast Eddie · Jul 30, 2014

Thanks Madass, a few questions if I may:

This is your Slimline frame I presume?

What did you do about the basic measurements, meaning the frame cradle looks shorter than a Norton, did you lengthen the swinging arm to restore the wheel base?

War rake angle did you use?

Can you get the cam cover off with the engine in situ?

Did you mount the swing arm pivot to the gusset plates as per Norton, or to the engine as per Triumph?

What did it ride like?

Do you know anyone who makes a comparable frame as a Wideline?

madass140 · Jul 30, 2014

yes its my frame, built for this engine, it retains all the Slimline dimensions, the swingarm is off the engine , but it appears not to be. A section of the frame about the size of an Atlas tank is removeable to allow cam cover, heas etc removal, obviously some would think this would weaken the frame structure but the way it was done ensures this is not the case, solid steel lugs plug welded into the 4 joints sectioned and bolted together with 2 x 10mm a total of 8 hitensile bolts, similar to what the Japanese do to some of their frames for ease of engine removal.
A lot of work but worth it , at least for a one off, If any other similar frames are available then I cant see how they could retain the same frame dimensions and still be able to get the top end off,

Fast Eddie · Jul 30, 2014

madass140 said:
yes its my frame, built for this engine, it retains all the Slimline dimensions, the swingarm is off the engine , but it appears not to be. A section of the frame about the size of an Atlas tank is removeable to allow cam cover, heas etc removal, obviously some would think this would weaken the frame structure but the way it was done ensures this is not the case, solid steel lugs plug welded into the 4 joints sectioned and bolted together with 2 x 10mm a total of 8 hitensile bolts, similar to what the Japanese do to some of their frames for ease of engine removal.
A lot of work but worth it , at least for a one off, If any other similar frames are available then I cant see how they could retain the same frame dimensions and still be able to get the top end off,

Sounds good.

I don't think the bolt up frame is any issue at all. Lots of bolt up frames over the years. In fact the Hinckley Bonnie has bolt in sections.

Are you going to make any commercially? And if so, any widelines??

madass140 · Jul 30, 2014

my frame making days are done, I used to build Slimlines because there were many building Widelines coz they were much easier to build.

Johnnymac · Jul 31, 2014

Unity Equipe sells slimline frames that will accommodate the Hinkley Triumph motor.

Fast Eddie · Jul 31, 2014

Johnnymac said:
Unity Equipe sells slimline frames that will accommodate the Hinkley Triumph motor.

I've seen them Johnny, trouble is A) I want a wideline and more importantly B) I can't make out what they've done, but the frame loop looks very short. There's a funny bend in the front down tube. I'm dubious that after making so many fundamental changes to the featherbed design, will it still handle? If it were Harris, or Spondon, or Dresda that had done it I'd be confident, but Unity aren't experienced frame designers.

grandpaul · Jul 31, 2014

When all is said and done, part of the 'legendary' handling of the featherbed frames was the "package deal" with roadholder forks and (girling?) rear shocks.

If you're not running those, then the comparison to the original setup would take some doing to prove it's worth. Still, many of us don't care and do what we want with 'em anyway. Never mind the never-ending disagreement regarding widelines being 'better' than slimlines.

Fast Eddie · Aug 1, 2014

grandpaul said:
When all is said and done, part of the 'legendary' handling of the featherbed frames was the "package deal" with roadholder forks and (girling?) rear shocks.

If you're not running those, then the comparison to the original setup would take some doing to prove it's worth. Still, many of us don't care and do what we want with 'em anyway. Never mind the never-ending disagreement regarding widelines being 'better' than slimlines.

I'm firmly in the camp that says there's no handling difference between wide / slim lines. My only reason for preferring wideline in this instance is for the 'Manx look'.

I take your point ref forks etc, but its not really my point, my concern is with things like wheel base, rake angle, weight distribution and the all important rear wheel-swinging arm- final drive sprocket spindles alignment and relationship.

Changing any of the above on purpose, for a specific gain, is fine so long as the frame constructor knows their stuff.

But changing it by accident / without realising will create a chassis of unknown quantity and that's what I wish to avoid.

I designed my own featherbed lookalike once for racing. I put the swinging arm spindle in the wrong place and suffered 2 seasons of rear wheel patter as a result before I worked out why!

Chris · Aug 14, 2014

Hi Nige

There was a lad on e bay who made widelines for Hinkleys & Harleys. He was very cheap & used good materials.
Haven't seen an add recently. The old boy who builds frames & sells them at Kempton Park made them for a larger company (cough) who sold them for more than 3 times the price

All widelines.

Chris

Fast Eddie · Aug 14, 2014

Chris said:
Hi Nige

There was a lad on e bay who made widelines for Hinkleys & Harleys. He was very cheap & used good materials.
Haven't seen an add recently. The old boy who builds frames & sells them at Kempton Park made them for a larger company (cough) who sold them for more than 3 times the price All widelines.

Chris

Thanks Chris, does matey still turn up at Kempton with Hinckley featherbeds ?

Lanks · Nov 1, 2014

Interesting little read.
I'll have to look into the Hinckleys further.

cjandme · Nov 20, 2014

Framecrafters make custom featherbed frames, but are state side, so not sure if any help to you

Chris · Jan 9, 2015

Hi

Harley wideline
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Manx-norton-f ... 1e978893fe

Think this is the guy doing Hinkley widelines

Chris

Corona850 · Mar 6, 2015

So, I started watching the episode of Naked Speed (successor to that Cafe Racer program) the other night, and they were building a Hinckley Triton

Broken link removed

Now, I couldn't hang in there to watch to whole show because they are such a bunch of poseurs (IMHO). Brian Fuller does my head in, I'm afraid.

The original, way-back-when Tritons came into being because there was a bunch of Norton chasis without engines (engines having been robbed for car racing) and a bunch of Triumph engines from wrecked bikes because Triumphs had dodgey handling at that time. Bodge to two parts together and end up with a pretty decent bike for not too much money. OK, that makes sense.

But now, to take a good, modern bike (Hinckley Triumph) and take only the engine (what happens to the other 80% -- scrap it??), to put it into an old, inferior (

) frame, for a stupid amount of money, is just daft!

Flame away ....

bonny650 · Jun 29, 2016

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but i have a slimline featherbed rolling chassis with no engine. I was going to build a triton with the usual meridan triumph twin engine. But the cost of building or buying a classic engine is a lot more than buying a modern Hinckley bonneville engine , with its fuel injection, electric start, and reliability.

My question is does the hinckley bonny engine fit the old frames ?

Thanks

madass140 · Jun 29, 2016

No, it does not. I built a Slimline frame specifically for the NEW engine, I think there are one or two companies supplying them.
they wouldnt be building them if it was an easy fit.

msh5337 · Sep 13, 2016

So I'm sure you guys have probably seen this before, but I just came across the 'Featherbed 865’ Triton: http://www.bikeexif.com/triumph-triton. That has to be one of the sexiest bikes I've ever seen. If I were to ever put in the effort to build a Triton like this I don't think I'd be happy with a reproduction frame. I would want the real deal. This guy was obviously able to make it work, but how difficult do you think it was? The article says it took him a year and a half to build. That sounds a bit extreme to me.

madass140 · Sep 13, 2016

this was my version in my frame

Hinckley Triton

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