Rob North road/race T150 sort out

Working through the North as the salt on the coast isn't kind. Exhaust off for a rub down & overspray with rattle can heat paint. Got to query why someone builds wheels up with stainless spokes & then uses chrome nipples. Lots of grungy bits lol it will keep me busy for a while.

Lot of work disguised as subtle changes and the new paint.

Longer swing arm? What is the hose sticking out of the tail connected to?

I've already made a new mounting plate for the rear mastercylinder & purchased new pegs from P & M. Along with a second hand set of gearchange & brake pedals from Vince Newman to convert my bike back to right hand gearchange. It had preciously had a conversion done to left hand gearchange by P & M with the frame having crossover mounts brazed on the frame.
Just found a stamp on the frame saying LW123. I was led to believe it was a Miles frame. Have to have a chat with Les.

Hi Schwaney
I'm just stripping & cleaning up the bike. Gearchange & brake swap were the big changes on this bike ie bracket, hoses etc. But if I'm going to use it more often I needed to get this sorted. Lots of detail stuff is a bit rough or not well done. Swinging arm is an oval Rob North one. My BSA North has a box section arm. Paint work on the tank & seat etc are quite serviceable although the seat mounting holes have broken & the seats been raised & has some terrible brackets bodged on. Can't see how I can improve this & buying a new seat & getting it painted is a definate no! lol.
Petrol tank breather I'm going to remake so that it fits the pipe better. I have another pair of shocks earmarked for another project but the Hagons have had very little use. No idea how to improve the early forks but that's the only area where the bike is lacking. Chatters a fair bit but so far! Unsettling but not scary.
Hose is a breather from the oil catch tank.

Chris said:

Hi Schwaney
I'm just stripping & cleaning up the bike. Gearchange & brake swap were the big changes on this bike ie bracket, hoses etc. But if I'm going to use it more often I needed to get this sorted. Lots of detail stuff is a bit rough or not well done. Swinging arm is an oval Rob North one. My BSA North has a box section arm. Paint work on the tank & seat etc are quite serviceable although the seat mounting holes have broken & the seats been raised & has some terrible brackets bodged on. Can't see how I can improve this & buying a new seat & getting it painted is a definate no! lol.
Petrol tank breather I'm going to remake so that it fits the pipe better. I have another pair of shocks earmarked for another project but the Hagons have had very little use. No idea how to improve the early forks but that's the only area where the bike is lacking. Chatters a fair bit but so far! Unsettling but not scary.
Hose is a breather from the oil catch tank.

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I think I was confused and this was the Green one painted Blue. Oops

Schwany said:

I think I was confused and this was the Green one painted Blue. Oops

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It’s easy to get confused by Chris’ bikes… I’m pretty sure it’s the reason he paints ‘em different colours… to stop HIM getting confused !

True Mate True

Chris said:

Working through the North as the salt on the coast isn't kind. Exhaust off for a rub down & overspray with rattle can heat paint. Got to query why someone builds wheels up with stainless spokes & then uses chrome nipples. Lots of grungy bits lol it will keep me busy for a while.View attachment 122091

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That is a very nice motorcycle, however the motor appears to be too far back. If the weight is not well forward the bike can feel light in the front, and can force the rider to accelerate later in corners.

acotrel said:

That is a very nice motorcycle, however the motor appears to be too far back. If the weight is not well forward the bike can feel light in the front, and can force the rider to accelerate later in corners.

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Yeah, Rob North, what did he know about frame building!! Chris would be better off sticking the engine in a 1950s Triumph frame, & whilst at it fitting a sprung hub.

I rode a stock Trident many years ago, it was the easiest bike to stand up on its rear wheel, that I ever rode. If the bike is light in the front, you will not ride it fast around bends. The feel of it will deter you, and you will probably not know why you are slow. Because something has a name, that does not mean it is good. No Triton ever handles as good as a Manx - have look at where the motor is - it is impossible to get a Triumph engine far enough forward in the frame. When the weight is back, it is more difficult to accelerate while on a lean.

acotrel said:

I rode a stock Trident many years ago, it was the easiest bike to stand up on its rear wheel, that I ever rode. If the bike is light in the front, you will not ride it fast around bends. The feel of it will deter you, and you will probably not know why you are slow. Because something has a name, that does not mean it is good. No Triton ever handles as good as a Manx - have look at where the motor is - it is impossible to get a Triumph engine far enough forward in the frame. When the weight is back, it is more difficult to accelerate while on a lean.

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Tell the world that you know nothing, without using the words

As Matchless said .. yeah, Rob North knew nothing about frame building. Thousands of racers would disagree with you... you know, people who race on track, not on youtube

just to get up everyones nose ? , the big open flowing bends , are what does it . Straight tubes with tight ones areout , Mate . In my book .


Also , youd notice on the ' collectors ' , theyre all ' custom ' as in individual . The Angle / length . So longer are near six inch . Wots Beta .
Cunning sods used a ' V ' thing from the headers inner join , about three / four inches long
BUT that curve'd be the HEADER PIPE diameter , inner half , all together , so the flows cleaner .
Youll have no trouble geting the rotation in sequence with three cylinders . But r.h. or l.h. on a FOUR you puttem rotational
in firing order , to enhance swirl !

seeing someone mentioned the word ' exhaust ' , Use a beer jug to match VOLUME of all pipes . or a burette or something .
Triumph Twin Pipes are dead on a jug . Four were within a quater inch . Side Measured . But matched is matched ! Mate .

Cant have anything slowing it down . so 32 carbs'd be better


These stop the ram flow gong up the float . Down & Lean . Pressurised . W.F.O. top wack . Held .

Old Magazine I ave as gotta ad for the MAGNESIUM AMALS , if youd like some . Maybe a bit late .

AND

All triumph Seats sit , the pan on the frame rails . Not perched over it . ( like these modern things )
more secure , less remote , lower . And things like that . a bit choppped out of a aeroplane would make a seat base .
Check First , or there could be trouble . Proper Metals better strength to weight . old wrecks abound . A C scrap yard .
the original f glass suppliers still extant . which is just as well . they did Mclarens & suchlike , also . So you can get a real one .
Short or long circuit , types . & screens / fairings .

13th picture down , is Doug Heles , seeing the seats put onn how I like it !

Wondering how many have their 30's bored to 32 , now .

There is on-board video on Youtube of a Trident racing. It makes a nice noise, but seems to be wallowing in corners. If you have ever really raced a shit-heap which does not handle, you would know what I mean. I know where a bike has to be on the track, when it is coming out of corners. I raced my 500cc Triton against my mate's 650 Triton in many races. He often beat me. One day I lowered the gearing and made field of superbikes look stupid. Doing that is dangerous - three guys passed me near the end of the longest straight and I entered the corner behind them about 20 mph faster. My mate was nowhere - he never noticed that the motor in his featherbed frame was about an inch further back. I actually once rode his bike. It was nice and neutral, but I could not do anything with it in corners. If the weight is that little bit too far back, you are buggered. Have a look at where the motor is in this - I could not get it any further forward :

Wow a Rob North wallowing in corners?
If you've ever ridden a shit heap!
Nicely inferring that North's handle like a shit heap!
You do live in a little fairy world Al.
Devoid of reality.
I have told you before but I will say it again. Have a look over the last 20 years of classic bike racing, try the CRMC. Look at the results! Look at the lap records, look at the race times. See which bikes win the races, which bikes fill the places. I can tell you but you really should look for yourself & maybe you will educate yourself, as nobody wins races on a bike that doesn't handle well. Winners always sort the handling out & Richard Peckett was a class rider & along with Dave, its the like of me that benefits from their skill.

I was there over 40 years ago and not many Rob North triple replicas and originals were actually ridden fast enough to compete against Commando powered bikes (mine included when it ran properly and before I started loosing interest in classic racing - racing against 70’s and early 80’s jap 4cyl. up to 750cc bikes was much more fun).

Classic racing has skewed how the actual period was. The number of Seeley Commandos as well as North's. Honda K4s! for me the appearance of Yamaha FZ600 in my races finished it for me.
Without Steve Maney & Dave Watson running Gary Thwaites Commandos haven't been near the front in a long time. Al's drivel is getting to me & I need to step back & ignore it but I dislike spouted rubbish being read & taken as gospel by new enthusiast's.
North's handle! They are truly sorted bikes & have been the weapon of choice.
Now days its big Ducatis & ZXR Kawazakis but then to me that's not classic racing at all.