"Three-Ring Circus" at the Flying Z Ranch

grandpaul

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There's just too much to re-enter all the different threads about my ongoing "triple play".

I'll start with this- my faithful, but tired (25K miles) 2000 Triumph Legend 900 TT triple that I got in trade for a hot-rod '78 Bonneville, way back in 2003. I added a Shoei quarter fairing with the hand protection "wings" a la Philippine cop bike. My older brother dumped it on the right side, my ex-son-in-law dumped it on the left side, and I slid it down the salt at Bonneville when a brainless twit pulled out into pit lane from between two trucks without looking both ways. I only wash it every third year, and I never detail the nooks & crannies, so it was decidedly filthy. (note muffler rash, fairing rash is harder to see)

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Just over a year ago I broke the tail light loading the bike into a trailer with 2 others, so I found a guy parting out my bike's near twin, and bought the very low miles tail light. He mentioned he'd sell the rest of the rolling bike (sans meters, gas tank, seat, bars & controls, front disc, mufflers, monoshock, carbs and tail light, for $200. Well, you can guess what happened next. Soon it would be referred to as the "ThunderLegend"...

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I started planning the parts swap when it hit me - all I needed was a few more parts and I'd have a SECOND Legend! Lo and behold, there was a parts Thunderbird (similar triple base) only 2 hours away! It had a rough tank & seat, plus a shock, footpegs, and other goodies. The BEST part was, the guy was willing to trade for my spare Kawasaki ZRX1200 engine and an old Yoshimura Honda 900 pipe! (I threw in an old KZ1000 header, too).

Voila - "Donor 2" (or, T-Bird)

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(with lots of other parts in too many photos)

So, I ordered all the missing pieces, then got to thinking "Hmmmmm.... I really only need an engine, a set of carbs, and a "few" other things, and I can have a THIRD triple! Oh, Heaven help me...

BAZINGA!

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So, here's where you who are still interested can jump ship and follow the "Three-Ring Circus" to it's conclusions, on TriumphRat.Net: Triple Triple Thread
 
Make it FOUR rings!

In looking for a useable set of modern Triumph triple (CV) carbs, a guy on Britbike.Com offered me his '97 Thunderbird FREE!

No way will I pull the carbs off this bike except to clean them before i start it for the first time in a few years since it's been sat.

How cool is THAT?!?

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Several updates, mostly that the '00 Legend is back together and running, took it for a quick test spin and got some glamor shots...

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Still have to clean the carbs and finish the airbox, then re-install the fairing after i do a bit of touchup paint...

Once again the entire detailed saga is on TriumphRat.Net
 
Make it FOUR rings!

In looking for a useable set of modern Triumph triple (CV) carbs, a guy on Britbike.Com offered me his '97 Thunderbird FREE!

No way will I pull the carbs off this bike except to clean them before i start it for the first time in a few years since it's been sat.

How cool is THAT?!?

View attachment 118210
Lucky find and yes it's Cool when you are addicted to wrenching.
Free is the right price. Lot of spares
 
Fairing is back on, with LOUSY touchup paint. It will get a total re-paint maybe soon...

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Still need to finish the airbox fix and clean the carbs. I don't know why I've put it off, I could be riding in fairly decent weather!
 
List of all the parts replaced with nicer/newer stuff on the Legend, now that it's wrapped up--

CHROME FRAME CAPS
FORKS, YOKES & TRIM
F.WHEEL & DISC
F.AXLE CAP
SWINGARM
R.WHEEL & DISC
SIDECOVERS
F.FENDER
R.FENDER & MUD FLAP
L. FOOTPEG
SHIFTER
R.BRAKE RESERVOIR
R.M/C CHROME TRIM COVER
RADIATOR CHROME TRIM
COOLANT TANK & CAP
CHAINGUARD
BATTERY BOX DOOR
MISC. HARDWARE
HEADLIGHT
TURN SIGNALS
LEFT LEVER CLUSTER
RIGHT LEVER CLUSTER
HEADERS, MUFFLERS & TRIM

Almost $2,000 worth of parts, at a net cost of just under $400

Never mind the labor cost I avoided, by spending 22-1/2 hours doing it myself, plus maybe 3 trips to the ranch to sort thru and gather the parts back to my garage!

All told, I'm satisfied with the results. Nice weather is just around the corner, and it'll get plenty of miles on it once again!
 
Presently engaged in "waking up" my FREE '97 "BlackBird" 900 triple.

-Modified airbox to more easily remove and service carbs, remove 6# of unnecessary plastic, and aid airflow.

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-Removed carbs for thorough cleaning ("frozen" solid with thick sludge, presently sitting in Berryman's Chem-Dip)

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-Replaced retrofitted classic (long) sidestand with OEM piece, wrestled with spring, won the battle.

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-Installed new battery and tested electrics (all good)

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Sure is a nice bike...

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Got a lot more done on the "ThunderLegend", including temporarily swapping front wheels so I can send the alloy one to Buchanan's to re-lace onto a dual disc hub. Meanwhile it kinda looks WORSE because of the various bodywork colors. It'll be maroon fenders & sidecovers with maroon & white tank (eventually).

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Hopefully it'll be running by this weekend!
 
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