Bike currently has Morris mag rims
Cleaning the rims I found the following markings:
front rim
Jones
WM 2.19
37-4129
rear rim
Dunlop
WM 3-19
This is confused:-
. There is no such thing as "Morris mag rims"; complete 7 spoke aluminium alloy wheels by Morris were an 80 on option on twins. If your bike had these wheels, the rear would be 18" or 16".
. The markings you have posted found on the rims say they are standard chromed steel, likely original. Jones and Dunlop were both rim suppliers to BSA/Triumph, Jones generally supplied Small Heath (BSA), Dunlop generally supplied Meriden (Triumph). Before the sit-in at Meriden from September 1973, Trident engines were assembled at Small Heath then trucked to Meriden for assembly into cycle parts and dispatch. After the sit-in, when triples were assembled completely at Small Heath, parts not required for the twins - e.g. 19" rear rims - were cleared out of Meriden to Small Heath, that could be the source of the Dunlop rear rim.
contemplating powder coating rim and hubs gloss black with stainless spokes. This keeps look of the bike while also bringing some originality back.
This is also confusing; as original, T160's had the chromed steel rims, polished aluminium alloy hubs, galvanised steel spokes.
Fwiw, I always use stainless spokes and polished aluminium alloy rims (the latter for some unsprung weight reduction on Triumphs), aluminium alloy hubs are polished (standard) and clear coated, the latter because it is difficult to clean away any subsequent corrosion. When selecting alloy rims, I specifically avoid the style with the ridge (aka "shoulder") around the circumference on each side. Any observer has to look hard to see the rims and spokes are not original.
anyone changed from rear 19” and gone to 18” to get better selection of tires?
This has been a regular change on triples for decades. However, the best tyres - Dunlop K81 TT100, Avon AM26 Roadrider, Continental "ClassicAttack" radials - have always been available in both 19" and 18" rear.
If you decide to use an 18" rim:-
. You do not fit the same width - 4.10 or 100/90 - tyre. A tyre's overall diameter is a function of its width; to have a rear overall diameter the same as the original 19" tyre, you must fit a wider 18" tyre, 4.00x18 (Roadrider) 4.25/85x18 (TT100) or 110/90x18 (Roadrider or ClassicAttack) is usual.
. The edge of the wider tyre will rub on the chainguard; this is not a problem, the standard chainguard has relatively generous clearance from the chain. With the chainguard in place, fit the complete wheel as far forward as possible in the swinging arm, rotate the wheel a few times, remove it again, the tyre will have left a mark on the chainguard. Remove the chainguard, use tin snips to cut out a triangular piece around the mark up to the top of the chainguard (allow for tyre movement rearwards for chain adjustment), refit chainguard and wheel, the piece missing from the chainguard will be invisible behind the tyre.
Rim widths
Apologies if you know the following already; if not, for clarity:-
. The two you have found are "WM2" and "WM3" (the "19" is the nominal diameter),
. "WM" is the rim profile and cross-section, "2" is a rim that measures 1.85 inches between the tyre bead seats, "3" is a rim that is 2.15 inches between the tyre bead seats.
. You might find new rims labelled "WM2" and "WM3" but they are not, the WM cross-section was obsolete decades ago, classic bike rim sellers simply use the WM and numbers designations to avoid confusing buyers.
Be aware the rim widths fitted to any T160 originally are one size too narrow for modern tyres - they were too narrow for the original tyres but BSA/Triumph and subsequently NVT chose to ignore the tyre companies' advice.
Only when the Meriden Co-op fitted complete alloy wheels did they have the tyre companies' recommended wider rims. When selecting new rims, use 2.15/WM3 19" on the
front, 2.50/WM4 19" or 18" on the rear.
The standard single disc front brake is borderline 'adequate' today; as you have Ducatis, if you use the T160's performance and/or carry a passenger, I strongly suspect you will not be happy with it. Tbh, it was rather marginal when the bikes were new but contemporary Japanese bikes had the same; within a few years, all the Japanese bikes had twin front discs; had the T160 remained in production, I suspect it would have had the same. If you can afford it, I advise the upgrade (I had a short period many years ago with one T160 with twin discs and another with a single disc, swapping from twin disc to single caused some underwear filling moments ...
).
Another disadvantage of the front single disc is, although it is merely adequate at stopping the bike, it twists the forks depending on the braking force.
Ime, this causes rapid deterioration of the standard 97-4001 fork seals, the left one so rapidly I used to change them at a 3000 mile service to avoid time off the road before the next 3000 mile service.
When I fitted twin discs, I also upgraded my T160's to the 97-7010 Leak Proof seals and retainers Meriden fitted as standard from 78. Seal problem solved.
Bike was put away in ‘82 and not started or had anything done since then.
OEM brake components were by AP Lockheed. The company recommended replacing all rubber hoses before they were ten years old.
Regrettably, AP closed in 2000. What remains of the Lockheed part does not make replacement rubber hoses, they are available but only as pattern parts.
For that reason alone, I would not simply replace like for like. However, as I also fitted twin front discs, I began making my own brake hoses from Goodridge parts back in the 1980's, I have not bought a standard brake hose since. Scary though this might look, in fact Goodridge specifically designed some systems to be assembled with simple hand tools, put instructions in the back of their paper catalogues and they are still available online. All this was/is available in the litigious US so must be pretty much foolproof.
Another alternative is Goodridge Buildaline - essentially different lengths of braided hose with end fittings, screw together same as standard rubber hoses but Goodridge also make a variety of adaptors so custom systems can be assembled.
Happy to expand on any of the above options - links, Goodridge part #, etc. - if you wish.
