Looking into buying a '71 TR6A, but I'm more familiar with the Bonnie. I've only been able to find information on a TR6R and TR6C, but it seems like they're essentially the same as a Bonnie but with one carb. Can anyone make the comparison? Keeping the normal maintenance and upkeep in mind, is this model worthy of a purchase?
The single carb TR6's are an overall happier bike than the Bonnie's. Power-wise, only a PERFECTLY set up Bonnie will walk away from the TR6. They are fun bikes. If the single Amal is worn out you can either re-sleeve it to keep orginality or replace with a single Mikuni VM. I have a re-sleeved Amal and it has been good for 15 years.
You just sold me, considering the bike is in decent shape when I go to check it out. But what is the TR line? --Trophy? Tiger? Or something else in itself?
Also, do all the old Triumphs generally have brake controls on the left, shifting on the right? I've just started noticing this with the ones I'm looking at..
I dont recall ever seeing a TR6A. Straight TR6 and TR6C's and R's but never an A. Arent TR's all trophys or Tigers and single carb bikes?
The TR6A was a pre-unit bike. From the mid-sixties, there were 6Ts, TR6R, TR6SR and TR6C. By the time your bike came along there were just the TR6R and TR6C. Aside from the high pipes on the TR6C, they were the same motorcycle. One of the fastest Triumph twins I've ever ridden was a '71 TR6R.
That was the first Oil in Frame bike. Take a good look at where the center stand mounts to the frame. They had a problem with people putting the bike on the center stand and kick starting it. Triumph didn't consider that kind of abuse. So the center stand mount tears out and caused the oil to leak in front of the rear tire. Yours is probably welded. But look for any oil weeping down there. Other thing were the front brakes, 68-70 had really great brakes, so they come up with the new design that had actuating levers that were a little short. So you lost leverage and had to white knuckle the brake lever. You must be tall, those had about a 34" seat height, next years frame pulled that down, along with a seat with less foam. Otherwise, they were about as good as the previous generation, most of the whining was about the new styling.
Somebody will probably shoot me for this, but... If well sorted the post-70 bikes did just about everything better than previous years. All of them were right hand shift until 1976. You will get used to it.
I bought a '67 TR6r in 1979. The front end had been bent to the frame by running it into an imovable object. I replaced the forks with RedWing aftermarket parts that were sprung for a 250 two strokes weight. The shocks were replaced with some gas charged remote reservoir Konis that were intended for a 250 Puch motocrosser.Preston Petty fenders ,a peanut tank and a seat from an XR 100 Honda and I was ready for the woods. Well not really. I did ride it quite a bit but, it was too much weight too little everything else. I did by some folding pegs from a TR6c they were the final part I got before buying a Can-Am Sonic, and learning to ride without sheer terror.
The 71 TR6 were all single carb variants of the basic twin model that year. Overall, regardless of some of the bullshït that flies around about the wet frame bikes, they are decent bikes. The front brake gets a lot of complaints. Most are not set up properly. Some have incorrect brake shoes installed. Set up correctly with the right lining, you can bottom the forks and nearly slide the tire on a twin in a panic stop. Wet frame singles do stoppies :eek1 If you buy the bike, I can send you a procedure to set up the brake. The frame oil leaks were usually on abused bikes and seemingly more common on early production bikes. If you spank one hard today (read race it), you should brace the frame. IME, most of the frame issues were from loose engine mount hardware. The frame will normally crack where the swing arm pivot meets the backbone. Kickstarting on the centerstand collapsed the centerstand and its stops. Seat height isn't the issue as much as width of the front of the seat. The actual seat height was 1" more than a 1970 BSA twin. But the front of the seat got WIDER. Spreads your legs way apart when stopped. There are some seat variations that have narrower fronts that make a BIG difference. Forks can be a little rough in action. Depends on the internal finish of the fork tube and replace the o-ring on the damper tube for a delrin ring (you have to make it yourself). Makes a huge difference. If the inside of the fork tube looks like a beaver gnawed the final finish a brake hone does wonders. Wiring at the steering head can be problematic. For whatever reason, there is a large bunch of connectors at the steering head connecting to the headlight harness. The connectors get corroded, you go crazy finding the problem. If it was my bike, it would just get rewired. You can also make the electrical system simpler. A Podtronics unit to control the charging system and an oil filter are 2 worthwhile upgrades.
Rich B, pm sent. If I may, I'll take you up on that offer on how to set up the front break. I call mine "anti lock" I bought a 71 TR6C last spring. It had been run through the mill, but all of the pieces were there. I am very happy with it. I haven't had any trouble finding parts. And they have always been reasonably priced. There is a really good BritBike forum that I'll post a link for. Just don't make the mistake of stating that the gear shift is on the "wrong" side. Fair warning; if you don't like tinkering (fetting) with bikes, you won't like it.
What? sez: "Just don't make the mistake of stating that the gear shift is on the "wrong" side." No, the shifter is on the correct side, thanks to guvment mandate, everything since the early 70's has had the shifter on the wrong side..... And before the right side/left side debate starts, I ride with the shifter on either side. I prefer the shifter to be on the right side. Feels more natural. Oh, and that shift pattern thing....up for first is way better, IMO, than the universal down for first.....
I have a 69 TR6 and love it. RichB is right on the money about the oil in frame models. 1 thing I would add is that in the early oif models there were some quality issues. The frames often weren't cleaned properly during production and scale from the internal oil tank would lead to premature engine failure. Thats not an issue with any of the remaining bikes but it did lead to the (poor) reputation the bikes gained. Buy it, sort it, and ride it. You won't regret it, they are a joy to ride.