[Odeen12]

Big 2 year service coming up for this baby. Will put down a detailed post on how goes!!

[greyanaroth]

Coming back to t-bhp after nearly a decade, so first off, apologies for resurrecting what seems like an old thread. I hope you didn't sell the bike off and still have her around

I just scored myself a used S3, and while it's being serviced right now, I know for a fact that while it's not been dropped (I REALLY went over inch by inch with a flashlight and triple checked if the pegs had been replaced, but luckily for me the old owner was a slob) but equally, it's been handled, eh, not optimally. Tyres had burnout wear and they went immediately.

My big question, however, is whether to get future services with Shaman or with Zubin (he's the ex head tech guy with triumph who went on to open his own workshop, yes?) . Shaman guys told me they've sold very few speed triples in Mumbai so perhaps their mechanics are not as familiar with the bike as they should be?

Any and all advice on what coolant works best to keep the heat low and how to get that damned clutch to be lighter without affecting the performance mechanics of the bike will be insanely appreciated.

Also, odeen, if you still own the bike and have some time for a coffee and a chat, would love to meet up as I'm also staying at Yari Road.

I'm in Germany for work+vacay and I've been scouring some moto shops in Berlin for accessories/consumables and its been a tough ride. Luckily found a brand new set of brembo sinter brake pads, which was my biggest stress tbh. Otherwise, my unending hours of literally watching every speed triple video out there only seems to reinforce how insanely reliable this bike is and how only the stator seems to be a problem area.

FYI, while my daily commute is super short (Yari Road to fun Republic) it's equally high traffic and slow speeds. And I want to ride this beauty everyday, all the time, hard clutch or no. Hell I even ordered a wrist grip workout thing that I'll be using everyday to build forearm strength haha.

Oh, and my bike is a boy. And he's a dragon. And his name is Balerion, The Black Dread.

[Odeen12]

Originally Posted by greyanaroth

Coming back to t-bhp after nearly a decade, so first off, apologies for resurrecting what seems like an old thread. I hope you didn't sell the bike off and still have her around.

I just scored myself a used S3, and while it's being serviced right now, I know for a fact that while it's not been dropped (I REALLY went over inch by inch with a flashlight and triple checked if the pegs had been replaced, but luckily for me the old owner was a slob) but equally, it's been handled, eh, not optimally. Tyres had burnout wear and they went immediately.

Oh, and my bike is a boy. And he's a dragon. And his name is Balerion, The Black Dread.

Hey hey hey. Firstly it's a superb decision. Genuinely the Speed is a lovely motorcycle. People stayed away from it, but when you own one, you know what joy really is.

Unfortunately had the Brit go so as to make some place for a Jap. I miss her tremendously. And i am hoping i'll get her back.
I am in Yari road and can do coffee anytime. I am not the one to let go off a chance to not see a Speed

You can get the bike serviced with Shaman, just that you have to get them to do it in front of you. Zubin is good as well but If you see my thread on the Suzuki, i recently went to Poona to get the bike worked on by Kunal, Slipstream Performance. And i was absolutely happy with the worked carried out. And i don't think i can go back to anyone else. He was professional and transparent with the entire process. Plus it's a great ride for what's it worth.

While you're in Germany look for the ASV C5 regular size levers for the Speed. They are top notch on quality and will help with your clutch. I had them on the bike and the new owner has thanked me for the same.

You should absolutely ride her, erm him, Balerion everyday.
Also you'd be happy to know, in the 2 years that i had the Speed, there wasn't a single issue that i faced. The bike is built like a tank. Regular maintenance and upkeep should have you smiling for years to come.

Again, happy to meet whenever you want. Happy riding mate!
Cheers!

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by greyanaroth

I just scored myself a used S3,

My big question, however, is whether to get future services with Shaman or with Zubin (he's the ex head tech guy with triumph who went on to open his own workshop, yes?) .

Originally Posted by Odeen12

Unfortunately had the Brit go so as to make some place for a Jap. I miss her tremendously. And i am hoping i'll get her back.

Good to see this thread revived. Good reminder Odeen to also catch up on your Suzuki thread which I am sure is every bit as detailed as it is entertaining to read. That particular Speed Triple is truly something else and it is now in the hands of an equally passionate owner and rider so still in pristine condition.

@greyanaroth: His Speed was actually bought by a close friend of mine around the same time I bought my Street Triple 765 S (which since then I flipped for a Tiger XRX). The speed is definitely a handful, and I actually preferred the Street on the flickability front but in the right hands its definitely a beast. Maybe we can catch up if we do a ride towards town sometime.

PS: Just curious who you bought the Speed from (someone working for a media company?) because someone from our group recently sold a black speed triple and there aren't many of these floating around.

[greyanaroth]

Originally Posted by Odeen12

Hey hey hey. Firstly it's a superb decision. Genuinely the Speed is a lovely motorcycle. People stayed away from it, but when you own one, you know what joy really is.

Thanks! I got back last night (and got some goodies for my bad boy!), and going to pick him up today. Let's just say I didn't sleep very well last night. Didn't find a lot of stuff for the speedie, everything was available on order. Hit the triumph store and checked out the new S3 RS and BOY have they done some voodoo: thing felt light as a Street3!

Unfortunately had the Brit go so as to make some place for a Jap. I miss her tremendously. And i am hoping i'll get her back.
I am in Yari road and can do coffee anytime. I am not the one to let go off a chance to not see a Speed

I read your gsx thread. That bike is another beast. You have a thing for bad boy bikes haha first the speedie, the original hooligan, and now king GSXR. We should totally do coffee (and a ride!) sometime. Would love to hear your insights. I'll PM you my number.

You can get the bike serviced with Shaman, just that you have to get them to do it in front of you. Zubin is good as well but If you see my thread on the Suzuki, i recently went to Poona to get the bike worked on by Kunal, Slipstream Performance. And i was absolutely happy with the worked carried out. And i don't think i can go back to anyone else. He was professional and transparent with the entire process. Plus it's a great ride for what's it worth.

While you're in Germany look for the ASV C5 regular size levers for the Speed. They are top notch on quality and will help with your clutch. I had them on the bike and the new owner has thanked me for the same.

You should absolutely ride her, erm him, Balerion everyday.
Also you'd be happy to know, in the 2 years that i had the Speed, there wasn't a single issue that i faced. The bike is built like a tank. Regular maintenance and upkeep should have you smiling for years to come.

Again, happy to meet whenever you want. Happy riding mate!
Cheers!

Man, I'm going to have a hard time squeezing out time to ride him and taking out the time required to sit in on a service in Mumbai. Taking him to poona will be tough as nails especially since I don't plan on doing anything nearly as involved as what you've done with King Uncle (hehe). That said, never say never. Just a scorpion slip on (stock map+10kg weight loss!) and swapping out the battery and r/r so I get more weight saving and hopefully the dreaded death of the stator is avoided. And a few small (and ****ing expensive ***) things here and there and go for me.

Catch up soon! Will try and post pictures once he's in today. Please don't rain...

Originally Posted by Axe77

Good to see this thread revived. Good reminder Odeen to also catch up on your Suzuki thread which I am sure is every bit as detailed as it is entertaining to read. That particular Speed Triple is truly something else and it is now in the hands of an equally passionate owner and rider so still in pristine condition.

@greyanaroth: His Speed was actually bought by a close friend of mine around the same time I bought my Street Triple 765 S (which since then I flipped for a Tiger XRX). The speed is definitely a handful, and I actually preferred the Street on the flickability front but in the right hands its definitely a beast. Maybe we can catch up if we do a ride towards town sometime.

PS: Just curious who you bought the Speed from (someone working for a media company?) because someone from our group recently sold a black speed triple and there aren't many of these floating around.

My original plan was a street rs because WOW HOW LIGHT IS THAT BIKE? And that clutch. One ride on the western express highway at 8pm crawling traffic had me convinced that that was the bike for me. But then, had some financial adult type things to also work out and a VERY close friend scored a speed in Delhi. Which I road. And was plastered. And then saw a decent deal on Balerion. Tbh I'm glad I got this, the street was too easy to ride and I would have 100% gotten into trouble with that bike. This big fella is a bit scary and since there's no traction control and I don't want to go down flat on my a$s, I'm going to take it easy. At first at least. Glad I stocked up on good gear haha.

I bought the bike from a dealer (The Bike Shop: Aazam Khan, near JJ flyover). He seemed like a decent enough chap and tbh, strangely enough, I was comfortable being able to grab hold of a guy with a brick and mortar shop and a rather sizable stock should anything go sideways with the bike. This bike is from Borivalli and I don't even know the owners name as yet. Apparently he's moved over to a BMW R1200GS or some such.

I'm definitely up for a ride once I get more used to the bike.

[greyanaroth]

I just had my first ride. It was a brutalising, humbling experience as I struggled with bumper to bumper traffic from JJ to Yari Road. Took almost 2 hours. Had to stop the bike thrice due to over heating. Will write a long detailed post later. An all-fluids-must-be-flushed long service with wheels + front bearing regrease, alignment and balancing needs to be done. But MAN. He is Balerion, The Black Dread. And one does not tame a dragon, one learns to work with the dragon.

Also I can't seem to send PMs for some reason. Probably because of my low post count? How does one get in touch?

[Odeen12]

Originally Posted by greyanaroth

I just had my first ride. It was a brutalising, humbling experience as I struggled with bumper to bumper traffic from JJ to Yari Road. Took almost 2 hours. Had to stop the bike thrice due to over heating. Will write a long detailed post later. An all-fluids-must-be-flushed long service with wheels + front bearing regrease, alignment and balancing needs to be done. But MAN. He is Balerion, The Black Dread. And one does not tame a dragon, one learns to work with the dragon.

Also I can't seem to send PMs for some reason. Probably because of my low post count? How does one get in touch?

Super Congratulations to you, again!! Yep, a service makes sense. I genuinely hope you have fun..

[greyanaroth]

Originally Posted by Odeen12

Super Congratulations to you, again!! Yep, a service makes sense. I genuinely hope you have fun..

I already am. Had a late night at the studio. Riding back home at 4am is highly recommended. Although these bloody bombay roads are deadly with their random holes, dips, unmarked breakers. The ABS got a thorough test. Great brakes on this fella.

There's some niggles. But nothing some TLC won't fix. This is already exciting.

And you know, apart from the supremely heavy clutch and a rather hot machine, this guy is so easy even in punishing traffic. Hats off to triumph for such thoughtful low speed handling and fueling. So classy.

[Odeen12]

Originally Posted by greyanaroth

I already am. Had a late night at the studio. Riding back home at 4am is highly recommended. Although these bloody bombay roads are deadly with their random holes, dips, unmarked breakers. The ABS got a thorough test. Great brakes on this fella.

There's some niggles. But nothing some TLC won't fix. This is already exciting.

And you know, apart from the supremely heavy clutch and a rather hot machine, this guy is so easy even in punishing traffic. Hats off to triumph for such thoughtful low speed handling and fueling. So classy.

The Speed comes with braided lines and a Brembo master cylinder from the factory. So yep, they have bite.

Triumph knows what they've being doing..the bike has a 50/50 weight distribution which helps. Plus she's smooth. Can't send messages to you for some reason.

Cheers

[Crankpin]

Apart from all the other great stuff on the Speed, what I liked best was it's ample and comfortable seat! Plus the feeling of being placed in the bike makes long and fast rides really enjoyable.

I've always liked riding my friend's Speed and after selling off my 'WhiteMuffin' ( Yamaha FZ1) which I adored and still miss, I was looking for something like the Speed.

The FZ1 was truly wonderful in every aspect except that it didn't have ABS and I really wanted a lighter and nimble bike. That was the main reason I got my Street RS and not the Speed.
Honestly, just like the FZ1, the Speed Triple was another highly underrated motorbike.

[greyanaroth]

Hello everyone! I've been looking outside at the torrential rain and cursing it mostly. Been taking him out the last couple of days since its mostly been dry/manageable. Learning a lot of slow speed manouvers because I made the classic n00b mistake: u turn drop. My pride was hurt way way more than anything that happened to the bike (a couple of small harmless scratches) and I got my first taste of a dropped bike with a wet weight of 220kgs. Let's just say my light squat workout helped. Been focussing on just relearning riding and brushing up on technique, especially going through the motojitsu stuff which is amazing. I can now take tight u turns with far more confidence and skill haha.

Mostly the bikes been behaving well and I'm really enjoying the amazing engineering that's gone into this bike because the previous owner/riders have not been very loving to this bad boy.

Going to swap out the under seat exhausts for a scorpion serket taper next month.

Oh and i took him to OCD detailing and DAMN he did a good job on the bike! Shines nicely, got recommended a solid cleaning/maintenance kit.

I will return with a proper photo shoot and more updates.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by greyanaroth

Hello everyone! I've been looking outside at the torrential rain and cursing it mostly. Been taking him out the last couple of days since its mostly been dry/manageable.

Ride it in the rain buddy. There is a recent podcast by shumi on monsoon riding - called torque the talk by Varun and Shumi. In two parts I think. I highly recommend you google find it and listen. Very helpful to get your head around riding in the rain as well as related tips.

Look forward to some pictures.

[greyanaroth]

Just gonna chime in for a small update. Been riding it to work regularly and pretty much relearning how to ride a motorcycle, specifically a heavier, WAY more powerful machine than I've ever ridden. It's humbling and exciting at the same time. My exhaust will be in in a couple of days. While I'm getting used to the weight and have worked a lot on slow speed manouvers, I'll happily welcome the drop in weight.

Photo shoot post exhaust install.

Observation: I ride back from work late at night, usually post midnight. The cops are surprisingly super nice and very impressed with the riding gear during alcohol checks. One cop waived me by saying "no way this guy is riding with alcohol in him if he's wearing so much safety gear".

I had a fork oil leak so got the fork seals changed and changed the oil in them as well. Had some throttle issues so the throttle bodies and Injectors got a nice cleaning and then i spotted that the clutch slack was not enough. While dialing in proper clutch slack as per the manual, I also noticed that the routing wasn't ideal, and was pulling a bit, so freed it up from some crevices. It seems like a design flaw or probably at some point the cable was changed and not routed properly. In any case, clutch cable slack had a MASSIVE impact. I did the adaptives reset by doing the 12 minute tune. All of this has restored throttle response to a much crisper (perhaps too crisp haha?) state. Once the exhaust is installed I'll be resetting the ecu from triumph, and checking to see which map works better, stock or arrow high mount. Scorpion suggests stock map, but some people have had a better fueling experience with the arrow high mount map since those are also just end cans.

Ideally, after a couple of months, I'd like to get this ecu tuned, because it's quite tunable using tuneecu, from a pro. Might make the same pune trip that odeen12 made.

I'm really enjoying this whole experience. So much to learn everyday, the most valuable lesson being "ride within 70% of your skill level". I'm glad I didn't get a bike like this when I was 25 or so. I would have 100% had a nasty crash.

[greyanaroth]

Just wanted to give a small update: I have since, moved on from the speedie. The bike needed some extra tlc and I got a good deal on a new 765rs which is a MUCH easier bike to live with. I still miss dear Balerion a lot, and the new owner probably didn't entirely appreciate all i did to get the bike back to stock and then improving upon it. A few adventures I had before I sold him:

1. Exhaust: got a scorpion serket taper, side mounted exhaust which massively changed the way the bike handled for the better. The can was too loud for my tastes without the dB killer so it ran with the dB killer in and sounded perfect. I've yet to hear such a lovely exhaust note. Probably the tuono v4 or the new Pani V2 (both with the akra can) trump it. But man was this a sweet sounding bike

2. Suspension: I subscribed to dave moss and started learning about suspension. While I had the speedie I had just started scratching the surface, and have since successfully for a fantastic setup on my close friends speedie. It needed a major rear shock spring adjustment for which we had to take a lot of things apart just to get to the spring. I've had much greater success with my 765rs which has significantly better suspension components. But somehow, I still miss the planted but plush ride of the speed. Must be the weight of the bike.

3. Ecu mapping with tune ecu and the official lonelec OBD2 cable: I installed the arrow high mount, 91 octane map, which had a few "euro 3" holes in the fuelling which I conservatively filled in. I've since fine tuned that map more for my friend and he's very happy with it as opposed to stock, or even the original arrow map. This opened a huge Pandoras box and now I find myself obsessing over correct fuelling and suspension setup. Had to stop myself on many occasions but it has taught me a lot. The biggest being how much room there is for improvement and how much manufacturers are limited with their stock setups. Long story short: research and adjust everything. The results are fantabulous. That said, you can't beat the plug and play nature of aprilias and ducatis with their aftermarket maps and the overall aftermarket support.

4. Heating fix: I flushed the coolant and then ran a 1:1 mix of distilled water and synthetic white vinegar through the cooling system (radiator + reservoir). This flush mix came out orange, to everyone's shock at the triumph SVC. Ran the engine for 15 minutes, let the fan run for 5 and then let her cool down and flushed again. It came out bright orange for 2 flushes and then cleared up. I ran just distilled water to clean the vinegar mix out of the bike a couple of more times till it came out clear. This was extremely time consuming due to the wait between the flushes but it was totally worth it. Did a final flush and then filled with engine Ice. Bye bye heating issues. Bike never overheated again in traffic and I put it through some mid day abuse in heavy traffic to test it. Rock solid. Would get hot but once the radiator switched on it would be manageable. Win win. Highly recommend for anyone buying an old bike thats especially sat around a lot. If the corrosion is so extreme that you cause damage to your engine due to the flush, then I'm obviously not to blame. Please do your own research. You are responsible for your bike. This was my experience and it came highly recommended and was a massive success for me.

The speedie was overall, a fantastic learning experience and taught me some hard lessons. The biggest one being DON'T get a heavy, powerful bike with a super heavy clutch after a decade of not riding regularly. And avoid SBK dealers like the plague. After my 765rs purchase, I'm not sure if I'll buy brand new again because the depreciation hit is HARD. But finding an unabused bike is a bit of a task in India, but not impossible. It astounds me how much people abuse these lovely machines, and especially run aftermarket exhausts without any fuel tuning whatsoever. A lean engine + rev bombing + infrequent service = recipe for disaster. Easily avoided but sadly, all too frequent. I was very lucky that my bike, despite having a tampered odo (I declared the actual mileage as per service records to the new owner so my conscience was clear) and fairly high miles, was nevertheless used well and hard but not abused. Traced the previous owner and heard good things from everyone.

For experienced riders, I would highly recommend the speed triple for weekend riding. It's got a delicious power delivery, once properly setup handles like a dream and is built like a tank. But I am very happy with my 765rs. Its a far more engaging bike, WAY lighter and thus much easier to live with and behaves herself in nasty situations. Since my friend has a speed triple and he's super happy with it and I now have a lot of experience with the bike, I'm most happy to help out anyone looking at getting one. Amazing deals are to be had, but one must be wary of the fact that it's now an old bike and parts might be tricky to come by. The 1050 speedie will always be special. The new 1200rs is fantastic but seems to have lost a bit of the charm along the way. Few things feel as insane as a speed triple grunting out of a corner at 3k rpms with the front wheel coming up at 5-6k. Be judicious with your right wrist or you will loop it.

Signing off

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by greyanaroth

I got a good deal on a new 765rs which is a MUCH easier bike to live with.


And avoid SBK dealers like the plague. After my 765rs purchase, I'm not sure if I'll buy brand new again because the depreciation hit is HARD. But finding an unabused bike is a bit of a task in India, but not impossible.


But I am very happy with my 765rs. Its a far more engaging bike, WAY lighter and thus much easier to live with and behaves herself in nasty situations.

Haha. .. congrats mate. Life comes full circle. These are the exact reasons I just LOVE the 765 RS over the older speedie. Lack of Nannie controls and bigger heavier body compared to the insanely flickable RS that I know is FAR ahead of what it can deliver compared to what I am capable of. To me the choice is a no-brainer for the younger sibling.

Any particular issues with Aazam Khan (the used bike dealer) or is it basically the ODO tampering thing you indicated. Did he do the ODO tampering? Any other negative experiences. Helps inform other prospective buyers of superbikes from such dealers.

Cheers and safe riding.