Stupid Question: Difference between Wideline and Slimline
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Re: Stupid Question: Difference between Wideline and Slimlin
All the heavyweight twins from 1960 are slimlines.
If you look at the seat rails about where your knees are,
the rails narrow in there. Thats a slimline.
The widelines have straight frame rails there.
Knees splayed out wide....
All the heavyweight twins from 1960 are slimlines.
If you look at the seat rails about where your knees are,
the rails narrow in there. Thats a slimline.
The widelines have straight frame rails there.
Knees splayed out wide....
ashman
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Re: Stupid Question: Difference between Wideline and Slimlin
Where the back of the tank sit on the frame the slimline is bent in and the wideline is a lot wider if that makes sence, but being a 66 Atlas it will be a Slimline
this is a pic of my Slimline, see the top rails are tucked in it was one of the first Slimlines 1960 Mamxman
I don't know if you can tell from this pic but as you can see the top rail on my Wideline is wider and not tucked in as much, the Wideline were made before the 60s and the Slimlines were made from 1960 abouts.
Hope this helps.
Ashley
Where the back of the tank sit on the frame the slimline is bent in and the wideline is a lot wider if that makes sence, but being a 66 Atlas it will be a Slimline
this is a pic of my Slimline, see the top rails are tucked in it was one of the first Slimlines 1960 Mamxman
I don't know if you can tell from this pic but as you can see the top rail on my Wideline is wider and not tucked in as much, the Wideline were made before the 60s and the Slimlines were made from 1960 abouts.
Hope this helps.
Ashley
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Re: Stupid Question: Difference between Wideline and Slimlin
olChris
I think there are a lot of people who don't know the difference and build Tritons using slimline frames. The first Tritons were built using Manx (wideline) frames in the fifties, mainly because you couldn't buy a manx motor to replace the one that was blown up. These days you will see Tritons built using slimline frames and unit construction motors. They are not what they were, there is no authenticity about them.
However a slimline frame Triton with a pre-unit motor will perform as well as one with a wideline frame, with a unit construction motor you cannot get the weight distribution good enough not to adversely affect the handling. - Depends on how fast you want to ride it.
olChris
I think there are a lot of people who don't know the difference and build Tritons using slimline frames. The first Tritons were built using Manx (wideline) frames in the fifties, mainly because you couldn't buy a manx motor to replace the one that was blown up. These days you will see Tritons built using slimline frames and unit construction motors. They are not what they were, there is no authenticity about them.
However a slimline frame Triton with a pre-unit motor will perform as well as one with a wideline frame, with a unit construction motor you cannot get the weight distribution good enough not to adversely affect the handling. - Depends on how fast you want to ride it.
Fast Eddie
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Re: Stupid Question: Difference between Wideline and Slimlin
How can a 'special' be not authentic !?!
Ad that old story about unit Tritons not handling is just not true. A gentleman by the name of Nigel Hall-Smith races a unit Triumph motor bored and stroked and fitted with a Nourish top end and he regularly blitz's the field here in the UK. Last i heard it was well over 1000cc and well over 100bhp... So when you say "depends how fast you want to go" I'd say, ask Nigel!
The unit motor IS less ideal for the big featherbed frame in principle, I do agree, but it can be made to work, the compromise being a less than ideal chain run. And that is easily 'managed' with a top quality chain and perhaps a skid plate fitted here n there.
acotrel said:
How can a 'special' be not authentic !?!
Ad that old story about unit Tritons not handling is just not true. A gentleman by the name of Nigel Hall-Smith races a unit Triumph motor bored and stroked and fitted with a Nourish top end and he regularly blitz's the field here in the UK. Last i heard it was well over 1000cc and well over 100bhp... So when you say "depends how fast you want to go" I'd say, ask Nigel!
The unit motor IS less ideal for the big featherbed frame in principle, I do agree, but it can be made to work, the compromise being a less than ideal chain run. And that is easily 'managed' with a top quality chain and perhaps a skid plate fitted here n there.
grandpaul
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Re: Stupid Question: Difference between Wideline and Slimlin
All I can say is my unit/slimline handles as well as ANY of my other classic Bonnevilles & Commandos, and has a bit more top end due to big-bore kit, higher gearing and other goodies.
As far as looks, well that's subjective, now isn't it?
All I can say is my unit/slimline handles as well as ANY of my other classic Bonnevilles & Commandos, and has a bit more top end due to big-bore kit, higher gearing and other goodies.
As far as looks, well that's subjective, now isn't it?
Fast Eddie
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Re: Stupid Question: Difference between Wideline and Slimlin
Well, if we're showing off pictures...
Well, if we're showing off pictures...
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Re: Stupid Question: Difference between Wideline and Slimlin
There is nothing in the 'spare' speedo/tacho hole. !
Although this is definitely mere nit-picking...
Aco's experience with Tritons seems a little limited ?,
there are more slimlines built these days ?
Also, it was taking the manx motors out for F500 that gave all those spare chassis to begin with ?
grandpaul said:
There is nothing in the 'spare' speedo/tacho hole. !
Although this is definitely mere nit-picking...
Aco's experience with Tritons seems a little limited ?,
there are more slimlines built these days ?
Also, it was taking the manx motors out for F500 that gave all those spare chassis to begin with ?
Fast Eddie
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Re: Stupid Question: Difference between Wideline and Slimlin
Well spotted sir, and please forgive my tardiness with the preparation. The fact is, that at 150mph on the North Circular, just past the Ace cafe, with my chin on the tank, it was a tad difficult to see where I was going cos the clocks were in my line of site.
Well what would you do? I couldn't possibly back off and throw the race, but I couldn't bloody well see either!
There seemed few other options (I admit that with a roundabout approaching I may have rushed my thinking here) but there seemed little else for it other than to reach up, pull the clock from the pod, and toss it over my shoulder. I could then peer through the opening, win the race, and get back to the Ace before be-bop-alulla finished on the juke box.
Or... I'd had to remove and return a faulty tacho...!
Rohan said:
Well spotted sir, and please forgive my tardiness with the preparation. The fact is, that at 150mph on the North Circular, just past the Ace cafe, with my chin on the tank, it was a tad difficult to see where I was going cos the clocks were in my line of site.
Well what would you do? I couldn't possibly back off and throw the race, but I couldn't bloody well see either!
There seemed few other options (I admit that with a roundabout approaching I may have rushed my thinking here) but there seemed little else for it other than to reach up, pull the clock from the pod, and toss it over my shoulder. I could then peer through the opening, win the race, and get back to the Ace before be-bop-alulla finished on the juke box.
Or... I'd had to remove and return a faulty tacho...!
worntorn
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Re: Stupid Question: Difference between Wideline and Slimlin
Re Slimline, Wideline, authenticity of sorts only belonging to wide line etc,
Norton considered the Slimline an improvement and development of the Wideline f bed, that is why it showed up AFTER the wideline. Some owners of Widelines complained about the riding position with the full width top tubes, Norton responded by pulling them in to create a motorcycle that had a nice narrow waist and a place to tuck in the knees.
Having ridden both a wideline 99 and a slimline 650SS, I prefer the Slim to the Wide.
Glen
Re Slimline, Wideline, authenticity of sorts only belonging to wide line etc,
Norton considered the Slimline an improvement and development of the Wideline f bed, that is why it showed up AFTER the wideline. Some owners of Widelines complained about the riding position with the full width top tubes, Norton responded by pulling them in to create a motorcycle that had a nice narrow waist and a place to tuck in the knees.
Having ridden both a wideline 99 and a slimline 650SS, I prefer the Slim to the Wide.
Glen
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Re: Stupid Question: Difference between Wideline and Slimlin
This gem is currently on fleabay
Makes you wonder why Tritons ever became popular anyway...
BTW, description says they are Commando forks.
If you can't see the whole bike, right click and either save image, or view image.
This gem is currently on fleabay
Makes you wonder why Tritons ever became popular anyway...
BTW, description says they are Commando forks.
If you can't see the whole bike, right click and either save image, or view image.
Fast Eddie
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Re: Stupid Question: Difference between Wideline and Slimlin
Agreed, I've ridden both, raced both actually and could not detect any difference in handling. On a race bike, ridden in a 'modern' style (ie hanging off) I found the corners of a wideline race tank left me with bruised inner thighs!
I've seen slimlines with the rear loops chopped off and Manx style rear end grafted on, that makes a neat looking frame (Degens used to do this).
worntorn said:
Agreed, I've ridden both, raced both actually and could not detect any difference in handling. On a race bike, ridden in a 'modern' style (ie hanging off) I found the corners of a wideline race tank left me with bruised inner thighs!
I've seen slimlines with the rear loops chopped off and Manx style rear end grafted on, that makes a neat looking frame (Degens used to do this).
lcrken
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Re: Stupid Question: Difference between Wideline and Slimlin
I once owned a '59 Manx 500 (basket case) that Reg Pridmore had modified to take a Kawasaki 2-stroke triple. Among the mods, he had cut off the rear tubes and replaced them with a much narrower pair, like the slimline, only more so, and fitted a skinny seat from a Kawasaki road racer. At the time, I was really offended by the desecration, but now I understand why he did it. The wideline frame can get uncomfortable pretty fast for some folks. Wish I had taken pictures at the time, but that was before digital cameras, and I didn't think to record much for posterity. Using similar reasoning, I'm switching from the wideline frame I've been using, to a slimline for future Bonneville efforts, because I think it will let me tuck my legs in a little closer for better aerodynamics.
Lest the purist get all excited, please note that I did eventually manage to restore the Manx frame to original, with some help from Rob North on the difficult bits, recovered the original engine, and eventually sold the whole package to one of the listers here who actually finished putting it all back together.
Ken
I once owned a '59 Manx 500 (basket case) that Reg Pridmore had modified to take a Kawasaki 2-stroke triple. Among the mods, he had cut off the rear tubes and replaced them with a much narrower pair, like the slimline, only more so, and fitted a skinny seat from a Kawasaki road racer. At the time, I was really offended by the desecration, but now I understand why he did it. The wideline frame can get uncomfortable pretty fast for some folks. Wish I had taken pictures at the time, but that was before digital cameras, and I didn't think to record much for posterity. Using similar reasoning, I'm switching from the wideline frame I've been using, to a slimline for future Bonneville efforts, because I think it will let me tuck my legs in a little closer for better aerodynamics.
Lest the purist get all excited, please note that I did eventually manage to restore the Manx frame to original, with some help from Rob North on the difficult bits, recovered the original engine, and eventually sold the whole package to one of the listers here who actually finished putting it all back together.
Ken
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Re: Stupid Question: Difference between Wideline and Slimlin
Jist out of sheer curiousity - and for the record - did it handle or steer any different with the slimmer rear seat/shock tubes ??
We thought not - all the sheer hysteria out there about a seating position.
But we may be jumping the gun here.
Some 650ss and Atlas cycles have done some fast lappery over the years it must be said though.
And they all be slimlines....
lcrken said:
Jist out of sheer curiousity - and for the record - did it handle or steer any different with the slimmer rear seat/shock tubes ??
We thought not - all the sheer hysteria out there about a seating position.
But we may be jumping the gun here.
Some 650ss and Atlas cycles have done some fast lappery over the years it must be said though.
And they all be slimlines....