Restoring & Modifying 1971 OIF TR120

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(y) Correct.


Correct ... :cool:

Oh, great - thank you for reassuring me.

It's going to be quite close, as you can see, but at least now I'm confident enough to order the caliper and axle for the truly accurate mock-up.

I may just use the Sporty axle for the mock-up, as it's 3/4" portion might be long enough and I don't want to scratch a new $50 chrome steel axle and spoil a return if I've mucked up the preliminary measurements. But if that doesn't work, Home Depot has 3/4" all thread for $10, and that could easily be cleaned up and returned without damage for a refund.

Anyway, the new slider clamps are en route, so I'll go ahead and order a caliper, and will post when I've got accurate figures and photos of the mock-up. I believe that I'll do that on the bike rather than having to clamp the triple clamps to the bench...
 
Wheels and tires:

As I may have mentioned, the stock rims are pitted, so I'm going with Boranni WM4 shouldered aluminum 40-hole rims. Front: 19” x 2.5”; rear 18” x 2.5”. I'll probably polish the outer edges but am not sure about doing the lacing surfaces. Any opinions, pros & cons?

Buchannan will provide stainless spoke kits to accommodate the OEM conical drum brake aft, and the Sporty hub up front--assuming my mock-up indicates that the Wilwood caliper will work with my adapter design for that hub and the Performance Machine 11.5" disc.

As for tires, I'm leaning toward Bridgestone Battlax BT46s, which I can get for $255--but have a couple of questions because while free shipping is common, every vendor wants to charge restocking and/or shipping for a return that's not their fault. (My existing new Dunlop K70s are for sale cheap, BTW.)

Front - This tire conversion chart indicates that a 100/90 front will be at most 3.50" wide, and the OEM Dunlop K70 I have fitted is 3.40" mounted and inflated. I can just get my fingers between the fender stays and the sidewall--so I'm feeling fairly confident that the BT46 in 100/90-19 will be fine.

That said, anyone with experience fitting a 100/90 front with a stock OIF fender have difficulty?


Rear
- The same chart indicates that a 110/90 rear will be at most 4.75" wide. The existing OEM Dunlop is 4.20" mounted and inflated. There would appear to be ample clearance to the swing arms for another 1/4"~1/3" on either side. However, the chain guard clearance is going to be very close.

Anyone have experience fitting a tire size to an OIF bike? I guess that I could create a relief in the inside surface of the new chrome chain guard--which is identical to the OEM freshly painted guard I took off (and which I'll sell cheap), but would prefer not to do that.
 
rims
Front: 19” x 2.5”
Fwiw, that would be wide even on a triple. Standard Triumph WM2 (1.85) front was always too narrow according to the tyre makers; WM3/2.15 would be better/best?

That is a "section width" for "converting" between different sections; ime, "section widths" relate to real life overall widths like a politician relates to a homeless person. :sneaky: E.g. the Avon Roadrider size chart shows a 100/90x19 mounted on a 2.50 rim is 4.3" wide overall - ime, all 'modern design' tyres like the Roadrider (and Battleax?) are wider overall than 'old design' tyres with the same section width; as an example, compare the overall width of a 3.25 Roadrider with the overall width of a 3.25 K70 according to Dunlop (scroll down to "Spec Chart") ...

the OEM Dunlop K70 I have fitted is 3.40" mounted and inflated. I can just get my fingers between the fender stays and the sidewall
Ime, a 4.10 TT100 on a WM3 rim will only just fit between conical hub fork legs.

Rear
the chain guard clearance is going to be very close.
After I converted my T160's rear wheel to 18" and fitted a wider tyre, the widest part of the new tyre rubbed on the chainguard. :( I took off the guard and the tyre was clear of the chain. The rotating tyre had rubbed a mark on the guard, I just cut a triangular section from the guard around the mark with tin snips and refitted the guard. Fixed. :)
 
Fwiw, that would be wide even on a triple. Standard Triumph WM2 (1.85) front was always too narrow according to the tyre makers; WM3/2.15 would be better/best?


That is a "section width" for "converting" between different sections; ime, "section widths" relate to real life overall widths like a politician relates to a homeless person. :sneaky: E.g. the Avon Roadrider size chart shows a 100/90x19 mounted on a 2.50 rim is 4.3" wide overall - ime, all 'modern design' tyres like the Roadrider (and Battleax?) are wider overall than 'old design' tyres with the same section width; as an example, compare the overall width of a 3.25 Roadrider with the overall width of a 3.25 K70 according to Dunlop (scroll down to "Spec Chart") ...


Ime, a 4.10 TT100 on a WM3 rim will only just fit between conical hub fork legs.


After I converted my T160's rear wheel to 18" and fitted a wider tyre, the widest part of the new tyre rubbed on the chainguard. :( I took off the guard and the tyre was clear of the chain. The rotating tyre had rubbed a mark on the guard, I just cut a triangular section from the guard around the mark with tin snips and refitted the guard. Fixed. :)

This is very helpful information - thank you.

Front: The Battlax does come in a 3.25-19 (but not the roughly comparable 90/90-19), which Bridgestone lists as 3.25" wide; Avon lists its Roadrider 3.25-19 at 3.9". Clearly, either would fit given my measurements of the Dunlop K70 mounted and inflated, and fender stay clearance. Avon recommends a 2.15 rim for a 3.25-19 tire--and the Borranis come in a WM3/2.15. Not coincidentally, this matches your recommendation.

The WM4/2.50 Borrani I had originally selected for both wheels is at the outer limit of recommended size for the 3.25-19 tire and would allow me to mount a wider front tire in the future, but then I'd likely have to ditch my freshly painted stock front fender. I'll mull this over, but frankly I think the handling will be very nice with stock sizes and upgraded rubber--and I like the idea of keeping the sheet metal stock.

Aesthetically, I don't want a radical departure from the lovely lines of a vintage Bonneville; I just want to improve the somewhat ungainly looks of the OIF's first year model--and increase performance a bit in the bargain. (When the engine wears out, she may get a 750 kit, mild cam, and additional tooth on the front sprocket.)


Rear: The Battlax also comes in a 4.00-18, which Bridgestone lists as 4.00" wide; Avon lists its Roadrider 4.00-18 at 4.6" wide. As I noted, the K70 is 4.2" mounted and inflated. Avon recommends an MT2.50 rim for a 4.00-18 tire--and of course the Borranis come in the WM4/2.50 discussed originally.


So: these choices would give me stock-sized tires, but with superior compound and tread design for spirited handling, and fitted to rims of the appropriate size--in the case of the front, arguably the size Triumph should have fitted at the factory. I suppose the profile might be slightly different from the K70s, but probably not as different as the other tires I was looking at--so another benefit might be more accurate speedo and odometer readouts compared to the alternate choices (I have to add 12% to the readouts on my '51 FL due to the much taller front sprocket and modern Michelin rear rubber).

Delivered with tubes and rim strips for $306 on Scamazon. Not too bad.

Now, all I've got to do is confirm the 'proof of concept' before ordering rims and spokes. The caliper has shipped, so I should be able to do mock-up next week and make a prototype adapter in hard maple to carry next door to the machine shop. As I've said, the main thing from a production standpoint is whether the adapter can be machined in a single setup--from one side--or two. But for a one-off piece, it doesn't really matter.
 
Couple of things I should have put in my previous post:-

. When I reduced the T160's rear rim from 19" to 18", I stayed with the the WM3 width but later increased it to WM4/2.50.

leaning toward Bridgestone Battlax BT46
. I have used Avons for years as they were both good tyres and made in the UK, even when Avon became part of Cooper Tire. However, since Cooper Tire became part of Goodyear, Avon production has been moved out of the UK and the old Avon site has either closed already or will do before the end of this year. :( I had been intending to try Continental ClassicAttack radials, more likely now.

. Although Continental do not recommend the 100/90x19 front and 110/90x18 rear ClassicAttacks for standard Triumph WM2 front and WM3 rear rims, friend of mine fitted them anyway to his 71 T120R a few months ago (he could afford to sell them used if they had not worked); he loves them, says they are a big improvement over both Roadrider and TT100.
 
Couple of things I should have put in my previous post:-

. When I reduced the T160's rear rim from 19" to 18", I stayed with the the WM3 width but later increased it to WM4/2.50.


. I have used Avons for years as they were both good tyres and made in the UK, even when Avon became part of Cooper Tire. However, since Cooper Tire became part of Goodyear, Avon production has been moved out of the UK and the old Avon site has either closed already or will do before the end of this year. :( I had been intending to try Continental ClassicAttack radials, more likely now.

. Although Continental do not recommend the 100/90x19 front and 110/90x18 rear ClassicAttacks for standard Triumph WM2 front and WM3 rear rims, friend of mine fitted them anyway to his 71 T120R a few months ago (he could afford to sell them used if they had not worked); he loves them, says they are a big improvement over both Roadrider and TT100.

Thanks for this.

The Conti ClassicAttack was the other tire I was seriously considering.

I guess I'm confused, though. I had thought you were suggesting that these sizes--the same I was originally considering--would not fit my OEM fender and chain guard. Did your friend have the OEM fender and chain guard?
 
I'm confused
Regret I am as confused as you are. :( I know a 4.10x19 TT100 on a WM2 rim will only just fit between conical fork legs as that is what 71, 72 and early 73 triples had originally. Otoh, if have understood him correctly, this guy says he has fitted a 100/90 ClassicAttack into the standard front end of his 71 T120R ... As I posted earlier, section widths relate to overall widths like a politician relates to the homeless ...

I have not actually seen the bike and tyres so I do not know if he has done something non-standard that he has not mentioned; unfortunately, he is away and incommunicado at present so I cannot check with him; given what you posted about restocking fees, I did not want to mislead you by posting that a 100/90 ClassicAttack would definitely fit in conical hub forks.
 
Regret I am as confused as you are. :( I know a 4.10x19 TT100 on a WM2 rim will only just fit between conical fork legs as that is what 71, 72 and early 73 triples had originally. Otoh, if have understood him correctly, this guy says he has fitted a 100/90 ClassicAttack into the standard front end of his 71 T120R ... As I posted earlier, section widths relate to overall widths like a politician relates to the homeless ...

I have not actually seen the bike and tyres so I do not know if he has done something non-standard that he has not mentioned; unfortunately, he is away and incommunicado at present so I cannot check with him; given what you posted about restocking fees, I did not want to mislead you by posting that a 100/90 ClassicAttack would definitely fit in conical hub forks.

After going over these posts, the tire charts, and the sizes in the respective tires, I note that at the rear the widths of a 4.00-18 and a 110/90-18 (my original choice) are identical in the RoadRider profile--which is far closer to the Battlax than the Dunlop K70, I'm sure. Up front, the difference between the 100/90-19 and the 3.25-19 is .40". I do not think I'll feel the loss of .40" anywhere short of a track, where this bike will never find itself. I just want a more confidence-inspiring cornering experience than with the K70s, and I'll sure net that.

So, I think I'll be very happy with the wheel and tire choices in the above 9:00 a.m. post:
Front: Boranni WM3 2.15" rim, Bridgestone Battlax 3.25-19 tire
Rear: Boranni WM4 2.50" rim, Bridgestone Battlax 4.00-18 tire

Thanks again for the thoughtful input.
 
Apologies for any confusion caused.

rear the widths of a 4.00-18 and a 110/90-18 (my original choice) are identical in the RoadRider profile
(y)

front, the difference between the 100/90-19 and the 3.25-19 is .40". I do not think I'll feel the loss of .40" anywhere short of a track
The problem here is the clearance between the sliders, fender mounts, etc.

Back story - The first triples were 69, were originally specified with the same front end as the Triumph twins, including the same rim and tyre, the TT100 was originally intended only as a rear tyre. However, early production racing and post-launch testing both revealed they handled better with a TT100 on the front as well, this became standard production fitment sometime during that year. The only problem was, while the TT100 could rotate between the 69/70 fork legs, to remove or fit the wheel, either the tyre had to be deflated or the fender and its mountings had to be removed ...

71/72/early 73 triples also have the same forks as OIF 650's and, as I say, while a 4.10 TT100 fits between the sliders, fender mountings, etc., there is little spare space between rotating and non- parts. :(

Aside, given no major component is interchangeable between conical and pre- forks, one wonders why Umberslade Hall did not make the conical fork legs' centres 7" or 7-1/4", ending the tyre clearance problem ...?
 
Apologies for any confusion caused.


(y)


The problem here is the clearance between the sliders, fender mounts, etc.

Back story - The first triples were 69, were originally specified with the same front end as the Triumph twins, including the same rim and tyre, the TT100 was originally intended only as a rear tyre. However, early production racing and post-launch testing both revealed they handled better with a TT100 on the front as well, this became standard production fitment sometime during that year. The only problem was, while the TT100 could rotate between the 69/70 fork legs, to remove or fit the wheel, either the tyre had to be deflated or the fender and its mountings had to be removed ...

71/72/early 73 triples also have the same forks as OIF 650's and, as I say, while a 4.10 TT100 fits between the sliders, fender mountings, etc., there is little spare space between rotating and non- parts. :(

Aside, given no major component is interchangeable between conical and pre- forks, one wonders why Umberslade Hall did not make the conical fork legs' centres 7" or 7-1/4", ending the tyre clearance problem ...?

Very interesting history on my new bike - thanks yet again.

As with the Spridgets I worked on for years and sell parts for through my side business (now my only business, as I'm retiring), one does indeed wonder why the Brits didn't do this. As someone who designs and sells bespoke parts, one possibility is simply that they didn't want to redo their manufacturing process re: the triple clamps, but at the volume they sell--and especially with the competition they were then facing from Japan--that was near-sighted... kind of like not fitting a front disc brake in '71.

Ah, well. I do think I'll be perfectly content with the 3.25 - 4.00 combo, and the track and touring reviews I've read of the Battlax are invariably excellent. I think she'll be a very nimble and pleasurable ride with this wheel and tire combo. I've ordered the rubber, and once the mock-up is verified will order the rims and spokes--and a set of new bearings for the Sporty hub and another for the headset, which is notchy.
 
Tires: Got the Battlax tires in 4.00-18 and 3.29-19 delivered. Nice-looking tires, and even a blind man could tell they're going to stick far better than the new K70s (up for sale to whoever wants them cheap).

First blush suggests no issues fitting them front or rear--with possible exception of slight relief necessary at inboard edge of chain guard @ rear. Here are the actual measurements, with the beads spaced roughly as they would be on the new rims; they'll swell slightly when inflated but not much, as the tread appears to be wider than the carcass on this design. The difference up front is 1/4-1/3", and I've got a finger width on either side, so I think that's going to be fine.

Rudy will notice that the actual width of the rear tire is much closer to what Avon calls out for their 400-18 Road Ryder than what Bridgestone does...


Brakes: Caliper gets here Tuesday, headset bearings via the free slow-boat from TBS, so should have initial mock-up done and, if successful, the prototype caliper adapter machined before end of the month. Then, I'll order the Boranni rims, polish the hubs, lace up the wheels, and plumb the hydraulics.

On the latter front: could not locate the ideal master re: bore size/ratio for the 4-pot Wilwood caliper per the chart (attached here for convenience). However, did find a 14mm bore version whose aesthetics seem from the pictures too look reasonably close to the lines of the OEM levers. When I do the math on my '51 FL's DIY front brake system, this setup shouldn't be that far off--the main variable I haven't figured out how to move into the equation being the leverage difference: this bike is an 11" rotor with a 19" wheel, whereas the '51 FL is an 11" rotor on a 21" wheel--and a 5/8" master with slightly larger pistons (4 of them on the OEM Harley caliper, like the Wilwood).

What I'm anticipating is that the brake lever may be a bit more touchy and less 'elastic,' if you will, so modulation would actually be better done with two fingers rather than three or four to avoid locking up prematurely. But the bike is a good 100 lbs lighter than the '51 FL, which I routinely stop with two fingers. So, who knows? I might get lucky and have a familiar-feeling lever.

If not, no biggie: I'll just machine a sleeve and new piston (assuming I like the aesthetics of the unit), and move the ratio into the 'ideal' zone per the chart and related article, linked earlier.
 

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think she'll be a very nimble and pleasurable ride with this wheel and tire combo.
(y)

hydraulics
could not locate the ideal master re: bore size/ratio for the 4-pot Wilwood caliper per the chart
However, did find a 14mm bore version
AP Lockheed supplied a 5/8" i.d. master cylinder to work the original steel single disc caliper that has two 1-5/8" o.d. pistons.

On my T160, that combination was underwhelming when using the engine's performance, :cool: more so when it was being used to move two people and sometimes enough luggage for European touring ... I fitted an additional front disc/caliper, the latter also having two pistons the same diameter, and a 0.7" i.d. master cylinder also supplied by Lockheed. The combination has proved excellent.

In relatively recent years, it has become fashionable on internet forums to disparage the Lockheed combinations and fit smaller i.d. master cylinders - the 5/8" i.d. cylinder with twin calipers, cylinders around 12 mm-1/2"-13 mm with a single caliper, to the extent that at least one wholesaler - Wassell 'Girling' (in the UK, Emgo in the US?) - commissions the manufacture of 13 mm. i.d. cylinders the same o.d. and mounting thread as Lockheed cylinders.

I have tried bikes with those non-Lockheed combinations; ime, they are uniformly awful ... (n)

It could be me - I owned a 79 Honda Dream from new, their front brake was infamous; in the UK, annual vehicle safety certification (the "MOT") starts at three years old, my bike's front brake failed that first certification :mad: because the lever could be squeezed to the throttle grip despite an overhaul ... The Honda master cylinder was 14 mm i.d. and ridiculously expensive, I fitted a Lockheed 5/8" i.d. master and a length of Goodridge hose, transformed the brake into something I was very happy with and continued to use for another six years. (y)

As with the Spridgets I worked on for years and sell parts for through my side business
one does indeed wonder why the Brits didn't do this. As someone who designs and sells bespoke parts, one possibility is simply that they didn't want to redo their manufacturing process re: the triple clamps
While I do not intend to hijack your thread in that direction, as an aside, the new OIF - developed at the same time as the conical hub forks - required new manufacturing processes. Similarly the conical hub aluminium alloy fork sliders and hub/drum - aiui, BSA Guns devised the sliders machining ... Otoh, the conical hub yokes were similar steel or aluminium alloy castings to the yokes for the previous forks, so there would have been little in their manufacturing to redo; just two years later, BSA/Triumph changed the yoke castings again to move the fork legs nearly an inch further apart to accommodate the disc brake.

Also, Umberslade Hall was specifically intended as a BSA Group r&d centre and its location was partly chosen so it was not particularly near either the Triumph works at Meriden or the BSA works at Small Heath (Birmingham) so "we have always done it that way" influence from either works was reduced to a minimum. Sadly however, that also worked against BSA/Triumph, in that most of the development team certainly at Meriden - including talented chief engineer Doug Hele - refused to move to Umberslade Hall; probably one reason why no one checked the Triumph 650 engine could be fitted in the new OIF on the production line, leading to a lengthy delay while cylinder head, rocker boxes and mountings were redesigned, just when Meriden should have been assembling 650 twins to be shipped to the US ready for the 1971 selling season. This alone was one of the major reasons for the BSA Group's subsequent financial collapse. :(

kind of like not fitting a front disc brake in '71.
With hindsight, undoubtedly BSA/Triumph should have fitted front disc brakes certainly to the triples and probably the Bonneville and Lightning twins, the parts adapted for the disc brakes from 73 had been supplied by Lockheed in the early 1960s for tuned Cooper versions of the original Mini car.

However, it was not certain for several years after Honda had produced the CB750 with a front disc that they were really a good idea - stainless steel discs worked well enough when dry but were scary bad in the wet (the latter something of a problem e.g. in the UK :cool:) and, if you remember, e.g. the first versions of bikes like the Suzuki GT750 and GT550 triples had front 4ls drums ...
 
(y)


AP Lockheed supplied a 5/8" i.d. master cylinder to work the original steel single disc caliper that has two 1-5/8" o.d. pistons.

On my T160, that combination was underwhelming when using the engine's performance, :cool: more so when it was being used to move two people and sometimes enough luggage for European touring ... I fitted an additional front disc/caliper, the latter also having two pistons the same diameter, and a 0.7" i.d. master cylinder also supplied by Lockheed. The combination has proved excellent.

In relatively recent years, it has become fashionable on internet forums to disparage the Lockheed combinations and fit smaller i.d. master cylinders - the 5/8" i.d. cylinder with twin calipers, cylinders around 12 mm-1/2"-13 mm with a single caliper, to the extent that at least one wholesaler - Wassell 'Girling' (in the UK, Emgo in the US?) - commissions the manufacture of 13 mm. i.d. cylinders the same o.d. and mounting thread as Lockheed cylinders.

I have tried bikes with those non-Lockheed combinations; ime, they are uniformly awful ... (n)

It could be me - I owned a 79 Honda Dream from new, their front brake was infamous; in the UK, annual vehicle safety certification (the "MOT") starts at three years old, my bike's front brake failed that first certification :mad: because the lever could be squeezed to the throttle grip despite an overhaul ... The Honda master cylinder was 14 mm i.d. and ridiculously expensive, I fitted a Lockheed 5/8" i.d. master and a length of Goodridge hose, transformed the brake into something I was very happy with and continued to use for another six years. (y)


While I do not intend to hijack your thread in that direction, as an aside, the new OIF - developed at the same time as the conical hub forks - required new manufacturing processes. Similarly the conical hub aluminium alloy fork sliders and hub/drum - aiui, BSA Guns devised the sliders machining ... Otoh, the conical hub yokes were similar steel or aluminium alloy castings to the yokes for the previous forks, so there would have been little in their manufacturing to redo; just two years later, BSA/Triumph changed the yoke castings again to move the fork legs nearly an inch further apart to accommodate the disc brake.

Also, Umberslade Hall was specifically intended as a BSA Group r&d centre and its location was partly chosen so it was not particularly near either the Triumph works at Meriden or the BSA works at Small Heath (Birmingham) so "we have always done it that way" influence from either works was reduced to a minimum. Sadly however, that also worked against BSA/Triumph, in that most of the development team certainly at Meriden - including talented chief engineer Doug Hele - refused to move to Umberslade Hall; probably one reason why no one checked the Triumph 650 engine could be fitted in the new OIF on the production line, leading to a lengthy delay while cylinder head, rocker boxes and mountings were redesigned, just when Meriden should have been assembling 650 twins to be shipped to the US ready for the 1971 selling season. This alone was one of the major reasons for the BSA Group's subsequent financial collapse. :(


With hindsight, undoubtedly BSA/Triumph should have fitted front disc brakes certainly to the triples and probably the Bonneville and Lightning twins, the parts adapted for the disc brakes from 73 had been supplied by Lockheed in the early 1960s for tuned Cooper versions of the original Mini car.

However, it was not certain for several years after Honda had produced the CB750 with a front disc that they were really a good idea - stainless steel discs worked well enough when dry but were scary bad in the wet (the latter something of a problem e.g. in the UK :cool:) and, if you remember, e.g. the first versions of bikes like the Suzuki GT750 and GT550 triples had front 4ls drums ...

Fascinating history and info--and not a highjacking at all. To my mind (which is very likely a weird universe to itself), a forum like this one is a necessary substitute for a dream of mine--to buy a run-down gas station (like the one 1/2 mile from my tiny ranch at the base of the Sandias) and open Joel's Brits & Bikes, a place where people could ride over for coffee and muffins or tea and biscuits, discuss and work on their bikes (or bicycles: loads of people travel to my neck of the woods to pedal up the canyon), and enjoy the mountain air, bikes, and each other's company.

Getting back to the tech discussion and this build - indeed, what I think the author of the brief article and chart linked to above was getting at is the balance between what he terms 'feel' and stopping authority. The 'goldilocks zone' is somewhat subjective, but I think it's fair to say that if you're a racer or skilled canyon-carver, you need brakes that have a progressive pull--a bit wider of a spectrum, if you will, within which to modulate the brakes just shy of lockup, because (as you of course know) racers drive through corners with the throttle, drifting the back tire and pushing the front a bit, as well as with the brakes.

As I've said, I won't be racing this bike but certainly want its abilities to exceed my own by [x] margin, with [x] defined as sufficient to recover from some unforeseen variable--like the Mustangs, deer and coyotes ("Oh, my!") that I encounter regularly if infrequently coming through the S-curve up to mi ranchito.

Wilwood sells the calipers I've discussed as 'direct fit' replacements for the 4-pot Harley cast iron lumps, but they're not identical, as the pistons are slightly smaller. But what fun it'll be to dial this in!

As to sequence: while the headset is notchy and unsafe for the canyon's sweeping S-curve (over uneven pavement, too - I'm bouncing up and and down on my spring seat through that section on the hard-tail 'paint shaker'), the wheel bearings feel fine and the front drum does grab the wheel forcefully as-is (new cable fitted before I decided I wanted a disc and competent tires).

So, after completing the mock-up and machining the prototype caliper adapter, I may just R&R the headset, refit the OEM front sliders and wheel, get her running and oil-tight, and take her for a spin before the winter sets in. I'll be building the new front wheel from scratch anyhow, so this won't slow down progress on that front. And surely whoever buys the brand new K70s for 50% off won't begrudge me one or two brief outings down the canyon...
 
As so often happens, the discrete threads I've started on a handful of issues with this newly purchased bike have veered off into (entirely welcome) digressions on other items. So, I'm starting this thread as a catch-all for those interested in following what amounts to an 'axles-up' restoration and mild modification of an OIF 650 Bonneville--and offering help as things arise. (I will soon be importing the beginnings of a front brake discussion.)

I'll start off with a 'day of purchase' photo and where she is currently, then list what's been done to date and proceed from there.

The bike was purchased with all the bits there, new seat and tires, and 140 psi in both cylinders dry/cold but with an awful French Taxi Cab Green paint job, applied right over more than a dozen significant dents, including a pair on the creases that form the L/H knee indentation, and the rear fender was rippled below the taillight mounting holes.

Here's where I am thus far:
  • stripped sheet metal all the way down, removed dents, prepped pieces and had a friend mix up some 1966 GM Mist Blue Metallic, which has both metallic and pearl in it (see photos in and out of sunlight)
  • have begun making hand-formed aluminum side panels with polished-and-painted scheme
  • removed signals, ran control wires inside low-rise handlebar (UK spec?), added drop-in LED British Prefocus headlamp bulb, LED Norton-style taillamp (original horn works fine & is loud)
  • converted to negative earth 12v system & soon installing 3-phase alternator, rewired loom with Honda rectifier (Boyer Branden ignition was on bike)
  • sorted new Amals that came with bike, installed & sorted new cables
  • fitted Hagon rear shocks & chrome chainguard
Here is what I'll do and post on in coming weeks:
  • install 3-phase alternator & inspect primary, basket, and clutch
  • install 20T front sprocket, new chain & rear chain ring
  • pull, polish, and reseal primary, kicker, and timing covers (rebuild oil pump)
  • install dust boots over what PO told me are new fork oil seals (looks like it)
Then I'll test ride the bike and decide whether to convert to a DIY hybrid front disc setup I've sketched out. The bike will get Borrani aluminum rims regardless, as the OEM 52-year-old steel rims are losing their chrome. I will also decide whether the lower-style bars on the bike (maybe someone can tell me whether they're UK spec) will suit my 6'2" frame and mild forward tilt I'm looking for to duck the forceful high desert winds in New Mexico, or whether I want to fit the flat bar that I got cheap--but which looks quite nice (though that would mean drilling and rerouting the control wires inside, yet again).

Also, per another thread, once I've ridden her, will decide whether she'll get Dunstall replica mufflers. And away we go...
Those bars could be a UK spec - not sure. My UK bike had higher bars, but was a US spec bike!
 
Those bars could be a UK spec - not sure. My UK bike had higher bars, but was a US spec bike!

Ah, okay--thanks! I was sitting on the bike today (because the '51 FL has a flat and is on the lift), and really like the riding position. I'll definitely ride it before trying the flat bar (especially because that means drilling and threading those wires through another bar), but at least sitting on it the slight forward cant feels very good--and I suspect with a 65~70 mph breeze on my chest will remove the slight amount of pressure on my hands...?
 
The caliper came in, and the '51 FL had a flat, so I grabbed the axle to do a quick go/no-go analysis. As always happens during R&D with bespoke parts, there are some challenges.

The good:

First, the caliper is just 60% the weight of the Harley cast iron, 4-pot lump - 48 oz vs. 29 oz. Still don't have the conical hub and brake parts unlaced from the Bonny's steel rim to compare with the DIY disc brake setup's components, but the caliper is reasonably light.

Second, the caliper is not only a perfect fit with the 11.5" rotor--no surprise due to the specs--but the location of the pads within the caliper is spot-on for this rotor's working surface width.

Third, the pad release mechanism is very simple and nice: a wire circlip easily compressed with needle nose pliers. Lots of pad area to stop this machine and of course 4 pots to evenly and forcefully squeeze them.

Fourth, the offset nets some flexibility in adapter design: I can go under or over the lugs, although doing the latter means bolting the caliper to the adapter before mounting as a unit onto the lugs--and no easy way to check the tightness of the caliper-to-adapter bolts without R&Ring the unit.

Fifth, per the first image, the '70s aesthetic with the five-spoke design is just smashing (though that's purely subjective).

Sixth, per the second image, the leg clearance netted by the caliper's offset is fine. The lugs on the Bonny slider are ~ 1/16" from the rotor's surface, which allows a little room for the L/R movement per the initial measurements in an earlier post. As you can see in the 2nd pic, the hub is shifted to the bike's R/H side about 1/8", which is well within the allowance I calculated from the initial hub and slider measurements.


The subjective:

The bleeder of this L/H caliper is oriented down (parallel to the ground on the rear of a Harley). I could simply buy the R/H version, in which the hose attachment and bleeder are reversed, but the hose routing is shorter and neater this way, and it's dead simple to bleed your caliper unbolted from the slider and hung from the bars with a piece of mechanic's wire (I use a pressure or vacuum bleeder--have both--so it's a five-minute operation either way).


The bad:

First, the radial mounting dimension is extremely tight, with only a few thousandths of fudging room either way, because the pad is such a close fit to the rotor's working band.

Second, as a consequence, the caliper's lugs end up just overlapping the slider's lugs a skosh (4th, 5th pics).

This would net a part that's a bit thin for my comfort between the slider's studs and the caliper's lugs. The force is transferred into sheer on the studs, and in the direction exerted is not an issue. However, I like to over-design and would prefer a one-sided part in case anyone wanted to replicate this conversion (which would only mean lacing on a 2000-and-later Sporty aluminum hub).

So, the final picture shows the solution: move the caliper radially clockwise, and make up a part with threaded holes to accept button-head Allen screws passed through the caliper's ears, into the part.

The caliper's saddle is just kissing the stud's ear on the slider, but removing a couple of thousandths with a piece of sandpaper is neither daunting for DIYers nor would impact the integrity of the slider one wit.

The final image shows the bird's eye view of the proposed part. It's a little hard to describe and perhaps to visualize, but it'd be a stepped design, engineering-wise analogous to the Creative Spridgets rear disc adapters I showed earlier, similarly taken from 10mm thick from 6061-T6 aluminum bar. This means machining both sides and two setups in the big CNC mill, but the part would be attractive, not very heavy, and strong as a house.

I've got 90 days to return the caliper, so no huge rush. When I get a weekend free, I'll make up a hard maple mock-up prototype and we'll see what's what...
 

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Missed this until it was mentioned by @LoneRanger. :(

Based on View attachment 55828, they are not standard Triumph UK bars - 97-1871 are the drum brake version, disc brake were the same strange shape but originally a couple of inches wider.

BCS's dimensioned photos from Handlebars any use for identifying? Maybe Norton 06-5748 or BSA 65-4960?

First blush, I'd say you're right about the last two candidates--and the rise is identical on them (the BSA bar looks lower but I think that's the camera angle).

However, the bar is 29" wide, so AMC Low 02-2484 seemed closer... but it's the different control end lengths and middle section that cinch it: 8" and 4" respectively. I appear to have a Norton 06-5748 'Majorca' bar, but perhaps a replica cut a teensy bit long...?

Well, as I've said, the riding position feels good--sitting still, anyway. The flat bar would look racier, but with the '71 Bonny's lofty seat height relative to the P-clamps, I'm not sure I'd want to reach ~1" lower and an equivalent bit farther forward for any extended period of time, as this bike is intended to be my backroads 'quick touring' mount and it's a full morning's ride out to El Cabezon and back. If I want to sit upright and tool along at a more leisurely pace, I'll take the 'paint shaker.' :cool:
 

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