1968 TR6R Trophy 650 Spotted At Bike Nite

[The Seeker]

Parked next to (that's my '96 Trophy behind the classic) this fellow's TR6R 650 Trophy at Bike Nite last night:

He bought the bike last winter for a mere $500.00.

He's got it mechanically near perfect (brakes, tires, re-built the motor, new pipes & silencers, etc) but decided NOT to re-spray it or fix it up cosmetically and wants to keep the original paint, etc.

 

[otherwise]

Re: 1966 TR6R Trophy 650 Spotted At Bike Nite

Nice find for that price!
It probably is a 66 if he said so, but it has a 68 front brake (the only year with TLS & horizontal cable exit).

 

[DaveM]

Re: 1966 TR6R Trophy 650 Spotted At Bike Nite

I am not sure if I would have just stopped at that I would also want it to look good

 

[devo]

Re: 1966 TR6R Trophy 650 Spotted At Bike Nite

good score
and I see when he rebuilt the motor he kept, the genuine triumph oil leak.

 

[DaveM]

Re: 1966 TR6R Trophy 650 Spotted At Bike Nite

lol I also noticed that one

 

[The Seeker]

Re: 1966 TR6R Trophy 650 Spotted At Bike Nite

Actually it IS a '68 and I don't know why my brain caused me to type '66 when I posted the photo.

When I left for Bike Nite at around 5:00 PM it was still sunny and warm. By the time I left and the sun had gone down the temperature dropped drastically and it was only 47f by the time I got home. I only wore a T-shirt and my fabric Triumph jacket so I was quite FROZEN when I took my helmet off. Perhaps I had brain freeze??

PS: I mentioned the oil leak to him too and he said he wanted to use nothing but original stuff. He used the OEM type gasket on the chain case and figured that it's only appropriate that it leaks

 

[Rocky]

Re: 1966 TR6R Trophy 650 Spotted At Bike Nite

PS: I mentioned the oil leak to him too and he said he wanted to use nothing but original stuff. He used the OEM type gasket on the chain case and figured that it's only appropriate that it leaks

Oh well, to each his own, but I would have freshened the paint too and cured as many leaks as I could.
Originality ain't all it's cracked up to be.
But if he's happy; I'm happy.
Nice bike though and a great find. He practically stole it for that price.

 

[shanered6]

Re: 1966 TR6R Trophy 650 Spotted At Bike Nite

thats the type of classic i like ( your not to sceared to ride it or get it dirty ) and didn't you know !....the chap that designed the chain case was called ...SCOTT !

 

[The Seeker]

Re: 1966 TR6R Trophy 650 Spotted At Bike Nite

Oh well, to each his own, but I would have freshened the paint too and cured as many leaks as I could.
Originality ain't all it's cracked up to be.

Like many old cars that are found, there are people who say they are worth more with original paint as opposed to a re-spray. It was kind of cool how you could still see the nearly worn-off "Trophy Special" decal on the tank, which would be lost with a re-spray.

He actually had the engine out of the frame and rebuilt it completely including the sludge trap and all. That's a brand new OEM gasket leaking.....of course he said this was the first time he'd rode it any extended period of time to Bike Nite last night.

He practically stole it for that price.

Well, it wasn't running at all and looked like a scrap heap so I suppose the PO was happy to have someone give him something for it.

 

[The Seeker]

I corrected the year in the title....

BTW: This is the first photo I've ever taken with my new smartphone.....wow what a difference between this HD camera and my old flip-phone!!

 

[shanered6]

The Seeker;119199]I corrected the year in the title....

BTW: This is the first photo I've ever taken with my new smartphone.....wow what a difference between this HD camera and my old flip-phone!!

AJ thats a real good pic for a phone

 

[CarlS]

That TR6 looks familiar! Good shot, AJ. When Paul rebuilt my engine, he built it not to leak and it doesn't. I had a 1966 TR6 that bought new and it never leaked a drop the three years I had it.

 

[Rocky]

I rebuilt my bikes to as good or better than new with modern components to not only look good, but to run well and reliably.
Originality and value don't concern me. I own the old bikes to ride, not to collect, or for any particular future value. They are valuable to me while I own them and someday they may be valuable to a new owner.
As I said, to each his own.
I didn't realize the subject bike was a "scrap heap" when he got it, so I guess the price was right.
to the new owner for putting it back on the road and looking very nice as is.

 

[The Seeker]

Yes, it didn't run, the battery was left in it, the tires were flat and rotting to nothing, and it had tons of crud, dirt, and spider webs covering it according o the owner.

It's not painted, but I guess there was a LOT of elbow grease put into taking it apart and cleaning/polishing the whole thing up.

 

[Sea Dog]

Re: 1966 TR6R Trophy 650 Spotted At Bike Nite

good score
and I see when he rebuilt the motor he kept, the genuine triumph oil leak.

:y24:

 

[grandpaul]

I was WONDERING when Carl would jump in...PAGE TWO!!! (You must have been out for a ride)

Looks nice, a "survivor".

Some 60s Triumph cases had porous castings, and there is nothing you can do, short of VHT coating the inside of the case halves, to stop them from leaking.

Could be he assumed the oil leaks were from joints, didn't seal the cases, and only after running the fresh overhaul, realized he's got porous castings? The vertically split classic Triumph cases DO NOT take a flange gasket, so I use Loctite flange sealant.

 

[jpread]

Re: 1966 TR6R Trophy 650 Spotted At Bike Nite

good score
and I see when he rebuilt the motor he kept, the genuine triumph oil leak.

Exactly...I thought your Triumph was supposed to leak and it was only when it stopped that you really knew you were in trouble.

 

[The Seeker]

You'd never know if you had any oil in the bike if it didn't leak!