Author Topic: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one. (more pics)  (Read 9211 times)

bpreynolds

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Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one. (more pics)
« on: January 06, 2015, 03:23:58 PM »
Just rolled into the garage today, '99 Thunderbird Sport.  Battery charging and haven't even taken her for a spin yet.  Can't wait.  I thought I was gonna get a sport touring bike like a VFR but I kept hemming and hawing about it, back and forth, forth and back on several different deals.  Then all of the sudden this popped up locally when I was actually looking for a Sprint.  Very little hemming and hawing followed.






« Last Edit: January 07, 2015, 09:07:10 AM by bpreynolds »

Offline Tobit

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2015, 03:26:58 PM »
Sharp! 

 ;-T
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Offline rocker59

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2015, 03:35:39 PM »
Those were really good bikes.  Great find!

If it has a 60-series tire on the front (120/60-17) and you don't like the handling, I'd recommend going to a 70-series (120/70-17).  The bikes had the feel of "falling into the corners" with the OEM 60-series front tire.

I always liked the T-Bird Sport.  We had a few at the dealership where I worked.  One was a demo.  Most of the T300 stuff can interchange, so keep that in mind if you decide you want cast wheels or want to hop up the engine.  We put Super III pistons and cams in an Adventurer.  That was fun!  I think you can still get FCR flat slide carb kits from people like SUDCO, too.

It sure seems like classic Bonneville clothing on the 675 Street Triple would make for a fun nuovo Thunderbird Sport.  Won't ever happen, though...
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Offline menzies

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2015, 03:49:56 PM »
Very nice, I am a big fan of the TBS. Runs like a bonnie on steroids.
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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2015, 03:49:56 PM »

Offline LowRyter

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2015, 03:50:16 PM »
great bike. I ride with three of them (two reds and a yellow). Quick bike.  Basically a Gen 1 Speed Triple is classic dress.  Runs with my Bandit.
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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2015, 04:06:15 PM »
Nice bpreynolds!
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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2015, 04:20:04 PM »
 :drool
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Offline Lannis

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2015, 04:30:23 PM »
Looks like it'll have a nice "old-fashioned" Standard seating position with your feet well back; I think it would be comfortable from the looks of it.....

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bpreynolds

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2015, 05:07:39 PM »
Those were really good bikes.  Great find!

If it has a 60-series tire on the front (120/60-17) and you don't like the handling, I'd recommend going to a 70-series (120/70-17).  The bikes had the feel of "falling into the corners" with the OEM 60-series front tire.

I always liked the T-Bird Sport.  We had a few at the dealership where I worked.  One was a demo.  Most of the T300 stuff can interchange, so keep that in mind if you decide you want cast wheels or want to hop up the engine.  We put Super III pistons and cams in an Adventurer.  That was fun!  I think you can still get FCR flat slide carb kits from people like SUDCO, too.


Thanks for the very good info here and the compliments.  I honestly know very little about the bikes other than general knowledge from the past and the more specific stuff I've read in the last two days.  What I know about this one is it appears well kept mostly.  Bike fired up but battery struggled.  Retired fellow and his wife who also rides brought it up here to me today from western KY.  He just got a new Sprint and needed to clear some space in the barn.  That's also where the T-bird was under cover.  Battery was pretty down so it's on the charger now.  He also had seafoam in a mostly empty tank for Winter which I guess (?) I should maybe drain out since all my bikes get ridden all year and I definitely want to ride this one soon.  Bike has about 20k on the odo and he literally brought me 2 boxes full of various small accessories like mirrors, stock tail lights, and the bike's original seat.  He also gave me two Daytona rims but said rear is not direct fit and would need some kind of conversion that I'll need read up on.  Also got the service manual and records kept by previous and prior owner.  Carbs cleaned and boots replaced at 12k miles.  Here's the stuff he told me are add-ons.  Again, I don't know much about these nor whether they were needed per se (bad coils?) but they seem nice:
Triumph grab handle
Emgo horn
Emgo mufflers
Lucas tail light
Racetech springs
Different sprocket and chain for more (I guess?) oomph.
Ceramic coated headers
Nology Coils
Lust Racing lowering kit - might want to raise it back up for my 32" inseam

He also gave me some optional clip-on bars if I wanted and a National Flyscreen that was installed but I took off soon after purchase - just didn't like the way it looked.
« Last Edit: January 06, 2015, 05:24:59 PM by bpreynolds »

Offline bradjarv

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2015, 05:54:13 PM »
Had one for ten years, just sold it. Longest I've ever had any bike, that must mean something.

Offline Spuddy

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2015, 05:55:41 PM »
nice scoot. happy riding. do like the mufflers...

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Offline steven c

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #11 on: January 06, 2015, 07:15:55 PM »
 Great bike, great motor, I had a 97 Sprint EX. Always wished they made one with the new triple, would be fun.
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Offline steven c

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #12 on: January 06, 2015, 07:16:54 PM »
 Great bike, great motor, I had a 97 Sprint EX. Always wished they made one with the new triple, would be fun.
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bpreynolds

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #13 on: January 06, 2015, 08:07:34 PM »
Just got back from my first ride about 15 miles or so.  Hee Hee.  Oh my.   ;-T :+=copcar

Online PeteS

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #14 on: January 06, 2015, 08:22:23 PM »
Got to ride one this past summer. Amazing motor and sounds so much better than my Triumph Tiger 800.
Great bike, enjoy.

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Offline leafman60

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #15 on: January 07, 2015, 07:45:53 AM »
Very nice! I like it!

bpreynolds

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #16 on: January 07, 2015, 09:06:41 AM »
You guys are great.  Thanks for the compliments.  Fella had put it up for Winter in his barn under a cover, stored for Winter with a bit of old gas and Sea Foam in there.  I drained the tank, put new gas, charged battery, and she fired right up.  First ride was wonderful and very suprising as the bike is much quicker than I imagined it would be and that's saying something for a guy who also owns a Street Triple.  Engine is wonderful and everything seems fantastic in upper revs with a ton of torque down low too.  Even still, carbs were cleaned and boots replaced at 12k, but it's still running just a small bit rough for me at low speeds.  May have to do some tinkering with the carbs.  This did improve the more I rode which is what I remember from my vintage bikes as well.  It is not bad at all but just something that I do want to get straightened out a small bit.  In the meantime, here are some gratuitous photos the owner sent me prior to sale.  Bike here still has fly screen immediately removed and I also reinstalled the missing chain guard too as I just can't stand the idea of the chain out there like that.





« Last Edit: January 07, 2015, 10:18:03 AM by bpreynolds »

Online PeteS

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one. (more pics)
« Reply #17 on: January 07, 2015, 10:40:47 AM »
I had one of those National Cycle flyscreens on my EV. Surprising how much wind it took off my chest and my helmet was in clean air.

Pete

Offline rocker59

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #18 on: January 07, 2015, 01:24:11 PM »

First ride was wonderful and very suprising as the bike is much quicker than I imagined it would be and that's saying something for a guy who also owns a Street Triple.  

When it needs a new chain, source a chain and sprockets from a T300 Tiger.  You'll really like its roll-on, then!

I put the Tiger chain and sprockets on my 1998 Sprint Executive and WOW!, what an improvement in acceleration!
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Offline Cam3512

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one. (more pics)
« Reply #19 on: January 07, 2015, 01:46:57 PM »
Nice bike!  I LIKE the fly screen, goes well with the look and does help with wind.
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Offline menzies

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one. (more pics)
« Reply #20 on: January 07, 2015, 02:36:33 PM »
Love those black header pipes, I ceramic coated the headers on my red/black special sport and think they look really nice.
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bpreynolds

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #21 on: January 07, 2015, 08:30:27 PM »
When it needs a new chain, source a chain and sprockets from a T300 Tiger.  You'll really like its roll-on, then!

I put the Tiger chain and sprockets on my 1998 Sprint Executive and WOW!, what an improvement in acceleration!

Much appreciated for the tip.  I'll have to go back and check records on this one.  The owner before the guy I bought it from did have a different sprocket and chain put on it to make it quicker, just dunno what these specifically are that he installed.  It's there in the records.  I just need to fish it out.

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #22 on: January 08, 2015, 11:03:12 AM »
Much appreciated for the tip.  I'll have to go back and check records on this one.  The owner before the guy I bought it from did have a different sprocket and chain put on it to make it quicker, just dunno what these specifically are that he installed.  It's there in the records.  I just need to fish it out.

Count the sprocket teeth.

I don't know what stock was on the TBS, but I think the Tiger was 17/48.  It's been a long time, so I can't remember for sure.



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bpreynolds

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Re: Flippin the T-Bird. Bought one.
« Reply #23 on: January 09, 2015, 09:44:17 AM »
Count the sprocket teeth.

I don't know what stock was on the TBS, but I think the Tiger was 17/48.  It's been a long time, so I can't remember for sure.

From service records looks like 16/43 sprocket combo is on there with a 520/120 chain.  I'll have to ask around over on the Triumphrat Hinckley triples forum but I'm pretty much certain that's not entirely stock, nor do I know if it's a good combination per se though I can say from experience bike feels like it coulld pull The City of New Orleans all the way to New Orleans  ;D  Not only pulls hard down low but seems fine too on the highway at well above legal speeds.

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