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BSA Norton Triumph and Ariel motorbikes & trikes

Donbogen said:
Been viewing this thread over WE
I learnt more about British bikes
then anywhere else
Thanks for all the input Folks
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glad to read that Don i was a bike geek when i lived in brum,we had a unit down tilton rd and we did all kids of mods to bikes from repairs to building them trikes etc half bike half reliant car combo with a ford diesel engine in it i loved it
 
Richard Dye said:
Some good points Mort; I have noticed the lack of changes or upgrades to British cars as well as motorcycles. Was this a cost problem or because the manufacturers didn’t think necessary? If it was the latter, I could see in the immediate post war years but ‘52 to ‘69 will ring the death knell every time.
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Richard,

In common with most of these industry things, there is never a one-size-fits-all answer. However, there are always a few common points: a lack of investment leading to a lack of development, and most certainly a business model based on its previous reputation, customer brand loyalty, and management pushing production, not quality.

I once looked at a Norton Commando, only just over a year old—a guy's pride and joy—that was making strange noises from the primary chain case. The alternator nut had come loose and the alternator had popped off its taper. Not hard to fix, but on a new bike, it should not have happened. While I had the primary chain case off, I noticed the crank had almost 1/8 inch end float. Not good for a new bike.

I then had a new Triumph Trident apart to find the sump and the sludge trap in the crank were full of swarf from the manufacturing process. My immediate thought was, what condition are the big end shells in? As expected, they were well-worn and scored. This was a new bike too and not cheap either.

Talking to some of the guys who worked there, they said it was all about pushing bikes through the production line with known faults. Management would say if they broke, it's ok as we can fix it under warranty. Well, not when you had just spent a relative fortune as a customer.

I also believe there was a change in the UK culture. Motorbikes once were an essential utility and a part of everyday family life. By the late 60s, cars had taken that crown, and bikes became a hobby for the enthusiast. However, in Japan, bikes were still an essential utility for people to get to work. Therefore, they had to be reliable.
 
Honda manufactured both a
175 cc (the Honda CB175) and a 750 cc (the Honda CB750) motorcycle. The user's query "k2 honda bike" likely refers to the Honda CB750 K2, a popular and iconic model from the early 1970

K6 Honda bike was a 1972-1973 model year Honda CB175, a popular standard motorcycle known for its 174cc, parallel-twin engine and sporty styling that mimicked larger bikes like the CB750. It featured a five-speed transmission, electric and kick starter, dual carburetors, and a top speed of over 80 mph. The "K6" designation refers to its specific model year and series
A
Honda K2 bike 175 cc generally refers to the 1971 or 1972 model year of the Honda CB175 standard motorcycle. Honda used "K" designations (K0, K1, K2, etc.) to denote different model years or significant updates for its bikes during that er
 
Last edited:
Morturn said:
Richard,

In common with most of these industry things, there is never a one-size-fits-all answer. However, there are always a few common points: a lack of investment leading to a lack of development, and most certainly a business model based on its previous reputation, customer brand loyalty, and management pushing production, not quality.

I once looked at a Norton Commando, only just over a year old—a guy's pride and joy—that was making strange noises from the primary chain case. The alternator nut had come loose and the alternator had popped off its taper. Not hard to fix, but on a new bike, it should not have happened. While I had the primary chain case off, I noticed the crank had almost 1/8 inch end float. Not good for a new bike.

I then had a new Triumph Trident apart to find the sump and the sludge trap in the crank were full of swarf from the manufacturing process. My immediate thought was, what condition are the big end shells in? As expected, they were well-worn and scored. This was a new bike too and not cheap either.

Talking to some of the guys who worked there, they said it was all about pushing bikes through the production line with known faults. Management would say if they broke, it's ok as we can fix it under warranty. Well, not when you had just spent a relative fortune as a customer.

I also believe there was a change in the UK culture. Motorbikes once were an essential utility and a part of everyday family life. By the late 60s, cars had taken that crown, and bikes became a hobby for the enthusiast. However, in Japan, bikes were still an essential utility for people to get to work. Therefore, they had to be reliable.
Click to expand...
my new BSA starfire blew up a month after i bought it. the trident got very hot on the centre pot and siezed both bikes were replaced no hastle.
 
Morturn said:
Richard,

In common with most of these industry things, there is never a one-size-fits-all answer. However, there are always a few common points: a lack of investment leading to a lack of development, and most certainly a business model based on its previous reputation, customer brand loyalty, and management pushing production, not quality.

I once looked at a Norton Commando, only just over a year old—a guy's pride and joy—that was making strange noises from the primary chain case. The alternator nut had come loose and the alternator had popped off its taper. Not hard to fix, but on a new bike, it should not have happened. While I had the primary chain case off, I noticed the crank had almost 1/8 inch end float. Not good for a new bike.

I then had a new Triumph Trident apart to find the sump and the sludge trap in the crank were full of swarf from the manufacturing process. My immediate thought was, what condition are the big end shells in? As expected, they were well-worn and scored. This was a new bike too and not cheap either.

Talking to some of the guys who worked there, they said it was all about pushing bikes through the production line with known faults. Management would say if they broke, it's ok as we can fix it under warranty. Well, not when you had just spent a relative fortune as a customer.

I also believe there was a change in the UK culture. Motorbikes once were an essential utility and a part of everyday family life. By the late 60s, cars had taken that crown, and bikes became a hobby for the enthusiast. However, in Japan, bikes were still an essential utility for people to get to work. Therefore, they had to be reliable.
Click to expand...
Many US companies in the late 70’s early 80’s adopted a version of the Toyota Production System, TPS. While bikes were still an essential part of everyday life, they were a revenue lifeline as were their cars. In the mid seventies I worked with Toyota (not for); understanding their system which was not just cars but the entire electrical system and engine support. Their goal was once it left their factory it worked and stayed shipped. Not saying they were/are perfect but most manufacturers have adopted that system in some form. Honda has its own system and if you are a supplier to Honda they will teach you if you don’t know it but you better follow it!
Such a shame that SO many wonderful marques have disappeared.
 
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