Rickman Triumph

Dellis

Dellis

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I have a Rickman Triumph Metisse the road race version which is road registered and needs some t.l.c. I’m only the fourth owner and I’ve known the bike since I was a schoolboy when it lived just up the road from my childhood home then a pal of mine bought it in 1984 restored it and it was back on the road in ‘91 it was then in regular use until around 2005 and has done little since then. I bought it from my pal in 2015 and it’s sat in the corner of my workshop since then, I didn’t really want the bike but was persuaded… Anyway I have very little interest in it, no idea why, but it just doesn’t do anything for me. When it came it has a stalled tank with a tank cover which I sold and am now in the process of ordering a new tank from Rickman. I plan to get it back together set it up and sell it. The question is what colour should I order the tank and seat unit in? There’s no point in me choosing a colour as I’m not going to be the owner so what do we think would be best to go for with a view to saleability? Or just sell it as is and let the new owner choose their own?

Dave
 
Last edited:
Dellis said:
I have a Rickman Triumph Metisse the road race version which is road registered and needs some t.l.c. I’m only the fourth owner and I’ve known the bike since I was a schoolboy when it lived just up the road from my childhood home then a pal of mine bought it in 1984 restored it and it was back on the road in ‘91 it was then in regular use until around 2005 and has done little since then. I bought it from my pal in 2015 and it’s sat in the corner of my workshop since then, I didn’t really want the bike but was persuaded… Anyway I have very little interest in it, no idea why, but it just doesn’t do anything for me. When it came it has a stalled tank with a tank cover which I sold and am now in the process of ordering a new tank from Rickman. I plan to get it back together set it up and sell it. The question is what colour should I order the tank and seat unit in? There’s no point in me choosing a colour as I’m not going to be the owner so what do we think would be best to go for with a view to saleability? Or just sell it as is and let the new owner choose their own?

Dave
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Sell it as is Dave. Dusty barn finds often go for nearly as much, sometimes more than, restored bikes !

Unless you enjoy the work and the process? If you do, then do it. If you don’t, then sell it.

Only IMHO of course.

BTW… any pics ??
 
Fast Eddie said:
Sell it as is Dave. Dusty barn finds often go for nearly as much, sometimes more than, restored bikes !

Unless you enjoy the work and the process? If you do, then do it. If you don’t, then sell it.

Only IMHO of course.

BTW… any pics ??
Click to expand...
I’ll take some pics, at the moment the forks are out and it’s filthy as it’s been stored covered in oil to protect the surfaces.

Dave
 
Here you go, it’s a hotted up 650 with a five speed box, Lockheed brakes, Ceriani 41 mm forks. Went well and handled well. I do enjoy the process if I’m interested, I’ll probably get it rolling and run up then let it go.

Rickman Triumph
 
They are a nice bike if you are the correct size. They are light. Very good bike for those of us who are aging.
Change to a smaller master otherwise the brake is seriously wooden.
 
Onder said:
They are a nice bike if you are the correct size. They are light. Very good bike for those of us who are aging.
Change to a smaller master otherwise the brake is seriously wooden.
Click to expand...
Has a Brembo master cylinder which replaced the original to sort the wooden brakes which it did and I sold it to him.

Dave
 
Well, I’m pleased I have uncovered the Rickman and put it on the bench, it’s been covered up for a few years and I’ve had no inclination whatsoever to get on and sort it out. Period cool or not I hate the colour of that frame and having it in plain sight has encouraged me to get on and do something with it so it’s coming apart for the frame to be done. I’m going to built it to my taste and I’ll probably end up keeping it. I know it’s a 180 degree about turn on my earlier thoughts but I really think it’s the frame colour that has put me off for so long, it was a great bike to ride and it will be again but the beige just has to go. I did have thoughts about nickel plating it but it never has been and I won’t be going down that route. Don’t expect things to happen quickly but they will and it will see the light of day again.

Dave
 
Dellis said:
Well, I’m pleased I have uncovered the Rickman and put it on the bench, it’s been covered up for a few years and I’ve had no inclination whatsoever to get on and sort it out. Period cool or not I hate the colour of that frame and having it in plain sight has encouraged me to get on and do something with it so it’s coming apart for the frame to be done. I’m going to built it to my taste and I’ll probably end up keeping it. I know it’s a 180 degree about turn on my earlier thoughts but I really think it’s the frame colour that has put me off for so long, it was a great bike to ride and it will be again but the beige just has to go. I did have thoughts about nickel plating it but it never has been and I won’t be going down that route. Don’t expect things to happen quickly but they will and it will see the light of day again.

Dave
Click to expand...
Why not indeed? You’ll have a nice fun bike after a bit of elbow grease !

Plating that frame would be a horrid and very costly job.

But do remember it’s OIF… so extreme care is required to avoid polluting the frame internals and thus oil system.

So… what colour is the frame gonna be? If it were me, I’d go silver… with the bodywork either shocking red or a gentlemanly very dark blue…
 
Off to Stroud on Saturday to have a chat with Adrian of Rickman motorcycles. I’m primarily going to have a look at the options for seats and tanks and then I’ll decide on colour. I may go for an ally tank with orange mudguard and seat unit, not decided on the frame yet but maybe dark silver/gunmetal… Yes I need to be very careful to cap every opening before it get anywhere neat a blaster and I need to check the integrity of my sealing when it comes back too.

I can’t really pull it apart until I have a tank and seat unit just in case I need any brackets moving. Would be a bit of a bugger if I’d had it powder coated and realised I needed a bracket brazing on but there’s no rush.

Dave
 
Dellis said:
Off to Stroud on Saturday to have a chat with Adrian of Rickman motorcycles. I’m primarily going to have a look at the options for seats and tanks and then I’ll decide on colour. I may go for an ally tank with orange mudguard and seat unit, not decided on the frame yet but maybe dark silver/gunmetal… Yes I need to be very careful to cap every opening before it get anywhere neat a blaster and I need to check the integrity of my sealing when it comes back too.

I can’t really pull it apart until I have a tank and seat unit just in case I need any brackets moving. Would be a bit of a bugger if I’d had it powder coated and realised I needed a bracket brazing on but there’s no rush.

Dave
Click to expand...
I had a Dresda frame done in gunmetal years ago, it never looked right to me cos it looked almost black, but not quite.

But you’re talking orange mudguards… so obviously taste ain’t your thing !!
 
Dellis said:
Off to Stroud on Saturday to have a chat with Adrian of Rickman motorcycles. I’m primarily going to have a look at the options for seats and tanks and then I’ll decide on colour. I may go for an ally tank with orange mudguard and seat unit, not decided on the frame yet but maybe dark silver/gunmetal… Yes I need to be very careful to cap every opening before it get anywhere neat a blaster and I need to check the integrity of my sealing when it comes back too.

I can’t really pull it apart until I have a tank and seat unit just in case I need any brackets moving. Would be a bit of a bugger if I’d had it powder coated and realised I needed a bracket brazing on but there’s no rush.

Dave
Click to expand...
I think gunmetal grey would be great
Maybe have a poll on here to see what the collective says
Then totally ignore it and do it the colour you fancy 👍👍👍👍👍
 

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