Replacing Brake Seals on Triumph T150V Lockheed Caliper.

She is heavy, and she ain't my brother...

Ye olde Tridents were heavy. There's no way to sugarcoat it, modern bikes are an absolute joy to move around compared to the bikes of the seventies and eighties. I really feel for the older riders having to sell their old 750's and 1000's due to weight, but completely understand why they have to do it.

But it's not just the struggle onto the centre-stand, or moving it out of the garage. You sort of rely, quite heavily (oof is that a pun?), on the brakes to haul all of that extra weight up. And a fixed, two-piston caliper, on a small solid disc, needs to be in pretty good condition to do the job. 

Well this bike is a 1974 model... and it is now 2022, and this is probably its first seal kit. It's done well! Not that it was leaking or anything. The pads weren't binding on the disc either, in fact, everything was pretty good. But the old seals were pulling the pistons back further than they ought to which, to the rider, means much more lever travel before retardation takes place.

Classic Brit Bike Road Test Fest!

Biketech7 - Back to the UK for a Roadtest of the Past.

What can I say about the latest road test? It's been a while, but this was pretty unique. To ride old faithful was gift enough after all this time. Sat for the last seven years with oil in its petrol tank (thanks dad), the '54 A10 astonished me. Still a first-kick starter, petrol tap on, a quick tickle and it was running. Effortless, except for the hefty heave on the kickstart, I couldn't have been happier. But to get out on the other two bikes too, outstanding!

Devauden.

Early evening in Tintern.

The next bike to get an airing was the '59 T110, pretty much an original bike, and another easy starter as long as you remembered the retard lever. I was rusty. I forgot. Still, the old Triumph is a true gentleman, or lady, and was perfect once up and running. Certainly more oomph from the Trumpet, and the front brake was a hell of a lot stronger, but annoying play in the head bearings became a pain when upping the pace. More on that later.