1979 Triumph Bonneville

T140CA19616

HISTORY: I bought this bike new in 1979 while working for a Triumph dealer in Germany. In 1980 I sold it to a friend and came back to Oklahoma on my new BMW R100RS. Two years later my friend shipped the Triumph to me, came to visit, and left me with a bill of sale and the motorcycle. I kept it in storage until 2009 when my son and I dusted it off and made it run. He rode it to college a short time until the compression problem surfaced. He's moved on to a BMW so this bike is finally for sale after almost thirty years of being mostly in my storeroom. THE FILE I have on the bike includes the original German title (Fahrzeugbrief). COMPRESSION PROBLEM: The dealer I worked for in Germany sold motorcycles to American soldiers. At one time we had a series of engine problems with the bikes, from low compression to seized engines. Our service manager traced the problem to the oil pumps which had oval-shaped seats in the body instead of nice round one which fit the spring-loaded ball bearings which prevent back-flow. We relayed the message to Meriden where officials traced the source to a bored employee who was not seating the balls properly. They had already decided to update the pump to a three-valve system, so most of the bikes were repaired using the new one. Somehow mine seems to have missed the recall, because the pump has two cylinders and oval-shaped seats. The winning bidder will need a new oil pump and probably rings to put the bike on the road. The original oil pump will be included but would need a rebuild if used. (Details upon request.) There is also an aftermarket rotary pump available now. It offers more oil pressure; some say too much. ODOMETER READING: Please note that this European bike has instruments which read in kilometers. eBay doesn't offer "kilometers" so the mileage listed is .62 of the number shown on the odometer. EXHAUST SYSTEM: We had a terrible time getting these bikes to run well with the original restrictive exhaust systems. We ordered sets from Alphabet's Headers, at the time a California company with a really good reputation for quality exhaust systems, and replaced the original ones. The pipes that were taken off were thrown into a dumpster. I'm sure that makes you restorers want to cry. It does me. THE FUEL TANK: This paint job was originally done by an artist in Germany while my friend had the bike in the early 1980s. By 2009, it was showing some age so I had it restored by a local Tulsa artist. He decided to add the feathers, thinking the design was Native American. Although the tank is beautiful and draws a lot of "Wow! That's pretty!" remarks, I can see some small errors up close. Most of the time the bike was ridden with the European tank, which I sold some months ago, so this one has seen limited use. There are two marks which seem to be in the clear coat. See Photo # 14. THE BRAKE LINES have been replaced with braided stainless steel parts approved for street use. ECONOMICS: I figure I could sell the bike in parts for about $3,000 or more, judging from what Triumph parts sell for on eBay. Since that's a lot of dismantling and shipping, I'm hoping instead to find an enthusiast who will make it run and love it. Minimum bid will be $995.00. If it doesn't sell, I'll go ahead and part it out. If there's something you need, let me know and I'll list it first. DOMESTIC SHIPPING: It's best if the winning bidder comes to Tulsa and picks up the bike. The next best way I've found is through a national air freight company who has their own crates for motorcycles. The cost, entirely the responsibility of the winning bidder, depends, of course, on where the bike is being shipped. It must be picked up at the air freight terminal. WORLD WIDE SHIPPING: Freight cost is entirely the responsibility of the winning bidder, who must also make all arrangements. I do happen to know a cheap but slow way to ship a motorcycle direct from Tulsa to Melbourne, Australia. Details upon request. PAYMENT: $100.00 is due when the auction closes, to be paid via PayPal. The balance to be paid within seven days in cash (or equivalent) before the bike is picked up or shipped. If you're picking up the bike in Tulsa, please bring cash. I'll be glad to answer any questions about the bike. On Oct-22-11 at 13:43:21 PDT, seller added the following information: COMPRESSION TEST: I did a compression test today (10/22/2011). I'm 5'3" tall and weigh 120 pounds; kicking a British bike has never been my long suit. The first test was done as the bike sat. I got 78 psi on the left cylinder and 60 on the right. Then I squirted WD-40 through the spark plug holes and kicked it again. I got 80 on the left and 65 on the right. I'll leave it up to the individual to decide what this means.On Oct-24-11 at 12:17:51 PDT, seller added the following information: SHIPPING: I checked with Forward Air about shipping from their Tulsa terminal to their terminal at LAX (Los Angeles). The cost would be about $725.21, including the use of their medium-sized crate. I would have to deliver the bike to the Tulsa terminal and the lucky winner would then pick it up at their terminal there. In order to get an exact quote, we would need to know which Forward Air terminal is closest to your city.On Oct-29-11 at 20:42:15 PDT, seller added the following information: CAUTION: A sharp-eyed eBayer pointed out to me that the headlight bracket is not original from Triumph. That's true. It is an after-market item which was used so that the bike could be ridden with clip-on handlebars. I no longer have the clip-ons. As I recall, I loaned them to a friend about twenty years ago. He never returned them. The handlebars on the bike now are stock Triumph. I used the S-type bars on another motorcycle.