My new TSS

As a kid, my Father and Grandfather were responsible for making me a Brit Bike nut, and possibly because Meriden was the only factory still producing, I kinda developed into a Triumph nut.

I used to dream about leaving school, getting a job and getting a brand new Triumph. Then in ‘82, when I was still only 14, the TSS came out… THAT was what I was gonna get! But, of course, they went bust a year later, scuppering my plan! I did have one in the 90s for a while (great bike), but I’d missed my chance of ever buying a new one.

So, 44 years later my goal is finally met… a brand new (albeit 43 year old) Triumph TSS !! @speirmoor is largely to blame for putting me on to this (seriously, thanks dude).

It’s totally ex-factory, unused tool kit, unfilled battery, 1.7 miles on the clock, Meriden air in the tyres, etc. So now I gotta decide what to do regarding a 43 year late PDI / recommissioning job to get it on the road. I don’t want to over do it (I have been known to), but I still seem to have created quite a list of jobs (no surprise there then)!

Unlike my old one, I’ll treat this one more gently and keep the revs ‘down’ to 7k rpm ish I think.

RUN AWAY RUN AWAY !!

Matchless said:

RUN AWAY RUN AWAY !!

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Morning’ Pot.

From Kettle.

Firstly, congratulations on your new toy!!!!
The closest I have ever come to this is a T160 imported from the Other Side of the Pond, claimed to be in near mint condition, turned out to be not quite so, but still very low milage and untampered nuts and bolts. It's a wonderful feeling, playing with something that was last worked on in ´75 or so....

Fast Eddie said:

Morning’ Pot.

From Kettle.

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I'll be interested to know what it runs like with the Bings, as at present I can't get the Amals on mine quite right. Still not clean on the initial throttle opening, but better with 3.5 cutaway slides I've fitted. Funnily enough it's exactly the same problem I had with my 750 A65, which was only finally cured by fitting a new pair of Premiers.

Matchless said:

I'll be interested to know what it runs like with the Bings, as at present I can't get the Amals on mine quite right. Still not clean on the initial throttle opening, but better with 3.5 cutaway slides I've fitted. Funnily enough it's exactly the same problem I had with my 750 A65, which was only finally cured by fitting a new pair of Premiers.

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I’m not yet sure I’ll run the Bings. As I understand it these TMA bikes were set up lean for US regs and I know NOTHING about Bings. I do have a correct pair of new MK2 34’s though.

But having said that, I’m being told by some that run their TSS on Bings what a superior carb they are with better pick up etc.

As an aside, I’m not convinced they need 34s with the stock porting etc. The inlet stubs taper down to 30mm ID anyway. Back in the day Charlie’s of Bristol told me they fitted 28mm carbs to some and they ran really sweet. 28mm seems unnecessarily small to me but a pair of 30s might be worth trying.

Sam has a nearly new pair of 30mm MK1.5s lying around doing nowt BTW…!

Do you think your issue is weak or rich ?

SteveBorland said:

Firstly, congratulations on your new toy!!!!
The closest I have ever come to this is a T160 imported from the Other Side of the Pond, claimed to be in near mint condition, turned out to be not quite so, but still very low milage and untampered nuts and bolts. It's a wonderful feeling, playing with something that was last worked on in ´75 or so....

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You’re right there. Every nut and bolt I touch was last touched by the factory. It’s a nice feeling. Almost like an archaeologist !

All I can say is "I should have NEVER SOLD MINE!"

It ran perfectly and never had a single issue. My "problem" was, I couldn't keep 27 bikes in fair nick at the same time.

Enjoy it.

grandpaul said:

All I can say is "I should have NEVER SOLD MINE!"

It ran perfectly and never had a single issue. My "problem" was, I couldn't keep 27 bikes in fair nick at the same time.

Enjoy it.

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And looking at the pics you posted before GP yours was running on the original Bings…

In all seriousness, where do you start on a bike like that? I would imagine all the brakes will need dismantling and checking - master cylinder & caliper seals and rubber hoses etc. Where were the pistons 'parked'? will the rings have rusted to the bores? a hone and new rings? and getting the bottom end / crankshaft/ big ends 'pre-lubricated'? and the cams and followers etc? I could imagine it will need a thorough strip down / rebuild. I'm sure you will make a thorough job of it, but I could imagine it will need a lot of work, almost a restoration, before it is run. Nice find though.

daveforty said:

In all seriousness, where do you start on a bike like that? I would imagine all the brakes will need dismantling and checking - master cylinder & caliper seals and rubber hoses etc. Where were the pistons 'parked'? will the rings have rusted to the bores? a hone and new rings? and getting the bottom end / crankshaft/ big ends 'pre-lubricated'? and the cams and followers etc? I could imagine it will need a thorough strip down / rebuild. I'm sure you will make a thorough job of it, but I could imagine it will need a lot of work, almost a restoration, before it is run. Nice find though.

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It’s a big list yes, but I don’t believe it needs all that. The bike has never been outside, not a spec of corrosion anywhere, so I’m very confident the core ie rings, bores, crank, will all be fine. I will stick a bore scope camera down the plug holes to be sure though.

Brake seals, possibly pistons and master cylinders, all hoses, tyres, fluids, will all need replacing. Clutch will need stripping to free and clean. A thorough check over things like tappets, torques, electrical connectors and routing, etc. And a very thorough pre oiling of the crank and cams etc before starting. That’s all for certain.

I’m also planning to fit a Tri Spark for its anti kick back protection of the e start and a Lithium battery for its ability to spin the e start faster.

Doesn’t sound much, but it’s quite a long list I’ve got written out. Hence I’m not rushing, plan is to be OTR next year.

Having said all that, I know what I’m like, so it’s anyone’s freakin’ guess where this ends up !!

Handle bars are an unexpected issue it seems.

I was intending to keep the stock U.K. spec bars, I had them on my Harris Bonnie years ago and thought they were fine.

But, in order for the e start button to not foul the tank, the bars a forced into a (for me) unnatural and un-Triumph like angle.

I wasn’t intending to go the usual western bar route on this.

Any sensible suggestions ?

Fast Eddie said:

And looking at the pics you posted before GP yours was running on the original Bings…

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yes, the bike was 99% original, just a set of aftermarket shorty megaphones...

Fast Eddie said:

As a kid, my Father and Grandfather were responsible for making me a Brit Bike nut, and possibly because Meriden was the only factory still producing, I kinda developed into a Triumph nut.

I used to dream about leaving school, getting a job and getting a brand new Triumph. Then in ‘82, when I was still only 14, the TSS came out… THAT was what I was gonna get! But, of course, they went bust a year later, scuppering my plan! I did have one in the 90s for a while (great bike), but I’d missed my chance of ever buying a new one.

So, 44 years later my goal is finally met… a brand new (albeit 43 year old) Triumph TSS !! @speirmoor is largely to blame for putting me on to this (seriously, thanks dude).

It’s totally ex-factory, unused tool kit, unfilled battery, 1.7 miles on the clock, Meriden air in the tyres, etc. So now I gotta decide what to do regarding a 43 year late PDI / recommissioning job to get it on the road. I don’t want to over do it (I have been known to), but I still seem to have created quite a list of jobs (no surprise there then)!

Unlike my old one, I’ll treat this one more gently and keep the revs ‘down’ to 7k rpm ish I think.

View attachment 125485View attachment 125486

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LOVELY LOVELY LOVELY!!

Lucky guy. Where was it living? Presumably a collector bought and stored it?

Is it registered...? Can you get an age-related plate? I presume it is for riding of course...?

Nosy b'stard questions- sorry!

Well done!
Andy

AndyDMC said:

LOVELY LOVELY LOVELY!!

Lucky guy. Where was it living? Presumably a collector bought and stored it?

Is it registered...? Can you get an age-related plate? I presume it is for riding of course...?

Nosy b'stard questions- sorry!

Well done!
Andy

Click to expand...

Lived in a dealers in USA as a display piece mostly, then bought not that long ago by a collector and stored. He was trying to sell it for a while, but caught out by the falling market he simply wanted too much. I got lucky and tapped him up at the right time!

Originally shipped to US as part of one of Meriden’s last batches, it’s one of 112 commonly known as the TMA spec bikes.

He titled it relatively recently when he realised it’d be easier to sell (almost impossible to export out of USA without apparently).

V5 applied for and will be age related plate, although made in Jan 83 it’s titled as 1984 so will prob be on an A plate.

Definitely gonna be riding it !!