 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Motorcycle Club Manx Triton
|
 |
Tony Millhouse has been feeding you guys’ information about the slowest growing Triton on earth – mine – for some time now. It’s still not finished – and may never be at the rate things are moving – but just to assure you that progress is being made (even if it is hard to measure) I have enclosed a pictorial view of that progress.
Cheers,
Mark Stranger
BeforeTon-Up Mark purchased a complete assembled Triton that required a tidy-up and running in. It was the usual story: “rebuilt motor by some expert on the mainland” that was proven to be crap. The bike consisted of a Norton Slimline frame, Manx tank, Triumph T6 pre-unit motor and gear box. It was reported that the bike was originally raced over 20 years ago in local competition.
After a lot of work tidying the bike up and getting the motor to run, a short trip of about 10km was all it was capable of before coming to a sudden halt. It was at this stage that Mark decided to do a total strip down and rebuild.
Magazines and books were sourced to give Mark an idea of what he wanted the Triton to look like and what parts were available. Dave Degans and Unity Equip in the UK were contacted and have provided to be very friendly and helpful.
So what stage is the project at? The frame is up the road at AKR engineering, a local firm that is only involved in motorbike repairs. A Suzuki RGV USD front end is being mated to the Norton frame. A front wheel hub is being modified to take twin discs fitted to spoke wheels - at this stage Mark is not certain if alloy rims will be fitted. The rear brake is a Triumph/BSA conical hub c1970.
A new alloy Manx tank has been sourced from the UK together with a beautiful central oil tank and seat unit. Tingate clip-ons have been made to fit the RGV front end. A fully adjustable alloy rear brake lever from Barley Corn in the UK is ready for setting up and fitting together with a rear-set gear lever from Unity. Swept back pipes and Dunstal replica pipe are ready to fit once the motor has been assembled.
Parts for the motor include an 800cc Routt kit from the USA, and 750 Bonnie head, rods and crank. A belt drive unit which will need some sorting out to run with the original T6 alternator set up. The job of motor assembly will be left to one of two Triumph experts here in Tas.
From the bits that I have seen lurking in Mark's shed this Triton is not only going to look good, it will be fast. As those of you that have built bikes will know, there is still a long way to go before the roar of the Triton will be heard on the open roads. [And what great roads they are! Ed.]
