Micheal, we live in the central USA and yesterday while at my friends Guzzi dealership I met an elderly fellow that was born and raised in London. He’s lived here since 1996. He said when he was a young man he worked at the Matchless/ AJS factory building bikes and worked a short while at Norton. We sat and talked for a couple hours. We exchanged phone numbers and he asked if he could come to my house sometime to see my Norton. Of course I agreed. Even though he could barely get around with a cane and I helped him put his coat on he was riding a Honda Forza scooter because he can step thru it and he doesn’t have to shift it. I’ve been retired four years now and that was one of the best days I’ve had. He watches U-tube so I told him about your channel and he assured me he will tune in. Love your stuff and just felt like sharing that. Thanks.
Haha, Mike, I've been there and done that on my '73 Bonneville. Simple problems to fix but not always simple to diagnose. Every time I prepare for a ride on my Triumph I go through all the brake lights, turn signal and headlight functions 'just to make sure'!
Best what I heard of British eletrickery was that their cables don't work with copper inlets but with smoke inside! Proof is that when you have a shortcut smoke is coming out of the cable and thus there's no connection anymore. I even saw a tin of original Lucas spare smoke somewhere in the Internet. But the vendor was already offline, so I couldn't give it a try... Glad to see that you're back on your feet! Rgds from cold Northern Germany!
You very welcome anytime I love motorcycle because my dad never learn driving a car he have different motorcycles like ej. India Vespa 125 Lambretta ect.with the Vespa I learned in 1983 that was I buy the Triumph 1968 I was a teenager when I seen the triumph,Norton motorcycle and BSA then Honda introduced for the time with Suki too I love triumph all the time 😊
Mike congrats to you & your team for winning the battle against the Triumph electrics.👍 You were thrown many curves with bad grounds & crossed wiring always giving screwy symptoms.
Great bike wonderful job well done from Star to the end I love the results but missing to hear the motocicle running is beautiful Triumph 1972 my friend have the same model and year but blue of color thank you for the video done well ❤️🩹😊
Thanks for the update, Mike. Electrics are not my strong suit, you provided some useful hints on the kinds of little things that can be an issue. Most of my troubleshooting concludes with "it was weird". Thanks again.
Ah Mike, what a timely post! I've been dreading getting into my wiring on my 78, I've not worked the electrics of a Triumph in many decades, and most of my electrics aren't quite up to snuff. You nailed it with the turn signals and your description of how they don't work. Something about electrics by Lucifer.
Hi Mike. I can sympathise about the electrical problems - I've had my fair share of those over the years 😏 I miss my dad's help with electrical fault finding.
Loom looks new, was fitted but has probably never worked. Im glad you've kept the chromed switches, ive not seen someone go to the length of chroming alloy lucas ones before.
Hi Mike, greetings from Eastbourne, England. i am glad that you are feeling better, and that steady progress is being made on the Triumph. The blinking tennis ball was a stroke of genius!!.
Pleased you are ok Mike & the electrics are now all but sorted .. .. 👍 Like so many things, they can certainly test your patients at times .. 😅.. 😉 .. 😂 atvb t .. 🏍
Hi Mike. It would be great if you would do a video on starting the 72 T120 and adjusting the carbs from a cold start. i have the same bike with the old carbs and having a rough time getting the air/fuel mixture right. Thanks Gary
Love the attention to detail in your videos, where can I get a smiling tennis ball with eyes that blink when the horn sounds, hehe. Also, where can I buy a ‘Geoff’ please?
Those switches are a bit of a nightmare. One of mine had a broken plate inside and I discovered that the Spax version are very slightly different. I worry that the casing is too frail to take the power of the levers, especially the front brake.
The wires that go to the flasher relay on my bike are only white. There is a white wire with a yellow stripe but that goes to the LH coil. There is also continuity between both battery terminals (+/-) and the flasher unit
@TheMightyGarage My left coil isn't getting spark and I have a white wire with yellow stripe that is unconnected but when followed down, it goes to a double white wires with yellow stripes that is also unconnected. And I dont see any white wires thar would lead to the flasher. I wish I could send pics.
I suppose that you know that most British bikes at least had electrics by Lucas. The nickname that bikers had for Lucas was 'The Prince of Darkness'! I always laughed at that.
It wasn't just the bikes, the cars were plagued also. The name Lucas Prince of Darkness is well known. The only thing Lucas made that didn't suck, was a vacuum cleaner.
Lucas didn't use enough springs in their switches !! It's difficult ta get the instrument bulb holders to stay in the meter when the insulation hardens up so. When nothing makes sense, it's a ground issue. Or maybe a politician's fault.
Micheal, we live in the central USA and yesterday while at my friends Guzzi dealership I met an elderly fellow that was born and raised in London. He’s lived here since 1996. He said when he was a young man he worked at the Matchless/ AJS factory building bikes and worked a short while at Norton. We sat and talked for a couple hours. We exchanged phone numbers and he asked if he could come to my house sometime to see my Norton. Of course I agreed. Even though he could barely get around with a cane and I helped him put his coat on he was riding a Honda Forza scooter because he can step thru it and he doesn’t have to shift it. I’ve been retired four years now and that was one of the best days I’ve had. He watches U-tube so I told him about your channel and he assured me he will tune in. Love your stuff and just felt like sharing that. Thanks.
Nothing can resist a good determined mechanic !👍😉
It is the height of irony that the Prince of Darkness may keep us awake at night.
Rest up and be well Sir!
Haha, Mike, I've been there and done that on my '73 Bonneville. Simple problems to fix but not always simple to diagnose. Every time I prepare for a ride on my Triumph I go through all the brake lights, turn signal and headlight functions 'just to make sure'!
I need one of those t-shirts! Glad you're feeling better, Mike.
Good to see you back in the garage! Great intro and fantastic t shirt! Good bless. 🌞🏍
Really chuffed that one of my mates is an auto electrician. Glad you're feeling better and that you sorted the bike. Tek care mate.
Great result! Ground issues plague older machinery as connectors corrode.
Electrics can test even the most patient of people . Well done Mike 👏
Best what I heard of British eletrickery was that their cables don't work with copper inlets but with smoke inside! Proof is that when you have a shortcut smoke is coming out of the cable and thus there's no connection anymore. I even saw a tin of original Lucas spare smoke somewhere in the Internet. But the vendor was already offline, so I couldn't give it a try... Glad to see that you're back on your feet! Rgds from cold Northern Germany!
Well Done Mike! Best Wishes from Floral Park, Long Island, New York, on the East Coast!
You very welcome anytime I love motorcycle because my dad never learn driving a car he have different motorcycles like ej. India Vespa 125 Lambretta ect.with the Vespa I learned in 1983 that was I buy the Triumph 1968 I was a teenager when I seen the triumph,Norton motorcycle and BSA then Honda introduced for the time with Suki too I love triumph all the time 😊
All ways good to have mates to help out.
Mike congrats to you & your team for winning the battle against the Triumph electrics.👍 You were thrown many curves with bad grounds & crossed wiring always giving screwy symptoms.
Well done. With best regards from Germany.
Well done, mate. Wiring -- the Devil's spaghetti!!!!
Great bike wonderful job well done from Star to the end I love the results but missing to hear the motocicle running is beautiful Triumph 1972 my friend have the same model and year but blue of color thank you for the video done well ❤️🩹😊
Thanks so much for your kind words! Please stay tuned as I had the opportunity to ride it this week during a sun break!! Cheers, Mike
Hey, Mike, great work! Greetings from northern Germany Manfred
Thanks for the update, Mike. Electrics are not my strong suit, you provided some useful hints on the kinds of little things that can be an issue. Most of my troubleshooting concludes with "it was weird". Thanks again.
Ah Mike, what a timely post! I've been dreading getting into my wiring on my 78, I've not worked the electrics of a Triumph in many decades, and most of my electrics aren't quite up to snuff. You nailed it with the turn signals and your description of how they don't work. Something about electrics by Lucifer.
Hi Mike. I can sympathise about the electrical problems - I've had my fair share of those over the years 😏 I miss my dad's help with electrical fault finding.
Geoff the master of electrickery 😀
Electrics can be confusing but you got there in the end, well done 👍
Good to see you are feeling better, Mike ☕️
Loom looks new, was fitted but has probably never worked. Im glad you've kept the chromed switches, ive not seen someone go to the length of chroming alloy lucas ones before.
Well sorted.
Hi Mike, greetings from Eastbourne, England. i am glad that you are feeling better, and that steady progress is being made on the Triumph. The blinking tennis ball was a stroke of genius!!.
Pleased you are ok Mike & the electrics are now all but sorted .. .. 👍
Like so many things, they can certainly test your patients at times .. 😅.. 😉 .. 😂
atvb t .. 🏍
Oh yes, those Lucas switches are tricky to work on. Been there, done that but I don‘t have that cool t-shirt!
Superbe travail comme d’habitude bravo Mike
Hi Mike. It would be great if you would do a video on starting the 72 T120 and adjusting the carbs from a cold start. i have the same bike with the old carbs and having a rough time getting the air/fuel mixture right. Thanks Gary
How does the horn make the tennis ball blink???!!!!
Lucas Electrics… Prince of Darkness.🇬🇧
Lucas, The Prince of Darkness!
Love your shirt
Love the attention to detail in your videos, where can I get a smiling tennis ball with eyes that blink when the horn sounds, hehe. Also, where can I buy a ‘Geoff’ please?
Those switches are a bit of a nightmare. One of mine had a broken plate inside and I discovered that the Spax version are very slightly different.
I worry that the casing is too frail to take the power of the levers, especially the front brake.
Had a 71 bonnie brand new the handle bar switches were the other way round stop switch right hand side indicators left hand side as shown in hand book
Is there a question paper on this episode Mike ? If so I’m going to need too watch it a few more times !! 🤔 🧐 🫠 Ray 🇬🇧
My motorcycle doesn't have a tennis ball with blinking eyes. Is that a Lucas feature? 😉
Does the double white wire going to the flasher relay have yellow stripes? And is it supposed to have a constant 12v with key off?
Yes or no, please?
The wires that go to the flasher relay on my bike are only white. There is a white wire with a yellow stripe but that goes to the LH coil. There is also continuity between both battery terminals (+/-) and the flasher unit
@TheMightyGarage My left coil isn't getting spark and I have a white wire with yellow stripe that is unconnected but when followed down, it goes to a double white wires with yellow stripes that is also unconnected. And I dont see any white wires thar would lead to the flasher. I wish I could send pics.
@@TheMightyGarage I also have a Boyer Micro mk- iv ignition if that explains it?
I suppose that you know that most British bikes at least had electrics by Lucas. The nickname that bikers had for Lucas was 'The Prince of Darkness'! I always laughed at that.
It wasn't just the bikes, the cars were plagued also.
The name Lucas Prince of Darkness is well known.
The only thing Lucas made that didn't suck, was a vacuum cleaner.
Bad grounds / earths can give so many weird problems - ask me how I know! 🙂
Joe Lucas, AKA The Prince of Darkness.
I recall that switch required an excessive effort. 'Twas a bit of a clue perhaps.
Lord Lucas, the Prince of Darkness, strikes again.
Lucas didn't use enough springs in their switches !! It's difficult ta get the instrument bulb holders to stay in the meter when the insulation hardens up so. When nothing makes sense, it's a ground issue. Or maybe a politician's fault.
Oh,Lucas, Prince of darkness! And Lucas, patent holder of short circuits and false contacts... Just joking.
Those handlebar switches are very fiddly ....