Project Bike: 2002 Triumph Bonneville - SOLD

Summer 2017

I first saw this 2002 Triumph Bonneville T-100 sitting in the driveway of a house down the street from me during the summer of 2017. It had a “For Sale” sign on its windshield. I stopped, wrote down the phone number, and gave them a call. Eventually, I was able to meet the owner’s son and take it for a short spin.

It had a number of issues including:

• A broken mirror
• Bent right front brake lever
• Scratches on the right side
• A dent in the tank
• Bent rear brake lever
• Bent right foot peg bracket
• Misaligned headlight brackets
• Idled really rough and didn’t have the responsiveness and power that it should have had
• The chain was filthy and caked with grime
• Tires were low and not in good condition
• Chrome rims were showing spots of rust

This Bonneville had 2,400 original miles on it and had the unusual SkyBlue/Warm Silver paint scheme. I made a realistic cash offer based on all the work and parts necessary to get it back in condition. They gave me a counteroffer that was still too high. The owner had an overinflated idea of its worth in this condition. I gave them a slightly higher final bid and told them if they ever changed their mind to give me a call.

AUG 13, 2018

I finally heard from the owner in early August that he had obtained the clear title in his name. We set a date and time for the transaction. I drove down from Wisconsin to Illinois in the morning of August 13, 2018, completed the deal and loaded it up in my Chevy “Triumph Hauler” by 11:15 AM. The battery was dead, so the owner had to help me push it up the ramps into my pickup bed… which was a little scary! Thankfully, no mishaps occurred!

After meeting my brother Barry and my buddy Lee for lunch in a nearby Italian Deli, I headed back to my garage/shop in Wisconsin. I had everything safely unloaded and on my shop motorcycle table lift by 3:30 PM.

AUG 18-19, 2018

This weekend I made some significant progress.

• Disassembled the carbs, discovered one was completely gummed with by old gas/ethanol
• Cleaned all jets, passageways, hoses, needles, etc.
• Reassembled and cleaned outsides of carbs, cables, brackets.
• Installed carb assembly back on the engine intake manifolds, and reconnected throttle cables
• Installed de-baffled and modified airbox
• Remounted all electrical and brake component to airbox
• Installed new battery
• Cleaned chain, frame, engine… everything!
• Degreased and cleaned front and rear tires, wheels and hubs
• Degreased front sprocket cover and chain guard
• Removed front fender, tire/wheel, brake, headlight ears (one was bent badly), ignition switch, plastic fork protectors
• Installed bar end mirrors
• Removed rear taillight and signal assembly from rear fender
• Installed air injection system plug bolts on engine head
• Cleaned and re-gapped spark plugs
• Reinstalled gas tank, fuel line
• Started it up to test carbs – it runs well!

Final shot of the weekend of work.

AUG 20, 2018

Today I completed these additional tasks:

• Ordered more parts for the project, received new Avon tires.
• Removed side reflector adhesive from rear fender using acetone (nasty stuff!)
• Cleaned out gas inlet port of flaking and wrinkled paint – contemplated options for the dent repair
• Removed and cleaned gas petcock valve of crusty and gummed up deposits
• Temporarily installed Predator silencers to judge exhaust note
• Installed front turn signal bracket behind finned regulator/rectifier (https://newbonneville.com/shop/front-turn-signal-relo-kit/)

AUG 22, 2018

Additional tasks completed:

• Assessed front speedo bracket and ordered new tachometer
• Quick fit new retro-style front turn signals
• Quick fit new retro-style taillight and turn signal assembly
• I confess I had a couple helpers today (grandsons)!

SEP-OCT, 2018 UPDATE

I was able to sort out the carburetors after a thorough cleaning. With the airbox de-baffled and the inlet snorkel opened up and running a pair of Norman Hyde Toga exhausts from NewBonneville, I ended up increasing the main jets from stock 110’s, to 135’s. and increasing the pilot jets from the stock 40 to size 42, leaving the needles untouched. The idle mix screws are set at 2.5 turns out. This has produced a strong torque pull in every gear up through the acceleration process, and can easily bring the bike to 80+ MPH in an acceptable time frame. I get 45+ MPG.

I also received a new custom instrument bracket from Bonneville Brackets that ties the OEM speedometer and aftermarket 1.9″ tach together in a very pleasing way (See before and after photos in the gallery).

I swapped out the shift and rear brake levers with ones that I had previously drilled out, tying them visually together with the design of the new Sharky headlight brackets. I plan to do the same with the chain guard.

After riding the 2002 Bonneville for about 900 miles since I purchased it, I find the stock handlebars and controls set up to be acceptably comfortable and visually appealing.

SPRING 2020

I have listed the 2002 Bonneville on Craigslist in Madison, WI and posted it online in Facebook Marketplace. I am hoping to sell the bike this summer. I can deliver the bike to locations in the Madison-Milwaukee-Chicago-Rockford areas.