New Bike: Triumph 675R/765RS

[Jay]

New bike time!

I’ve wanted a triumph triple for many years, ever since riding @andrew_7 ‘s 675 around Silverstone, and being a Moto2 fan as well, I had to jump at the chance to own this bike. It was up for sale online one evening, and after sleeping on it, I messaged the seller, sounded it out and decided to skip work and drive 4.5 hrs up to the top Norfolk to see it.

Arrived, liked what I saw and did a deal (which was 2.5x less than what it was going to cost me to build with a new 765 RS!) Got a complete package of spare parts, wets of wheels, an array of tyres and a box of 765RS parts I could use to take it to a full 765RS electrical spec if I wanted.

At the moment she’s running:

• 2021 765 RS engine
• Brembo 19x20 Master Cylinder
• Domino quick action throttle
• Ktech 25mm IDS cartridge in ohlins fork
• Ktech DDS lite shock
• Online adjustable steering damper
• Pipeworks exhaust
• Promach rearsets . Road shift
• Triumph Translogic quick shifter
• RaceTorx gear shift support
• GB Racing engine covers
• Renthal 520 chain and sprocket conversion
• Renthal race grips
• Folding, adjustable clutch lever
• Race ignition (on/off switch)
• Carbon fibre mudguards
• Carbon fibre frame guards
• Fully floating brembo race discs
• Fancy pants race brake pads
• Stomp grips on tank
• Race fuel cap
• Race coolant hoses
• Radiator fan removal
• Race coolant bottle
• No thermostat
• Distilled water for coolant
• Everything lockwiree
• Full titanium engine bolt kit
• 2k rpm idle
• Oem clipons
• Oem top yoke
• Oem 675r dash
• Triumph 675 kit racing ECU
• Bazzaz AF module
• ABS removal
• Lightweight Lithium Ion battery
• Hel “H” pattern front brake lines
• Race snorkel and front subframe
• Race fairings

Obviously, I have already planned a raft of improvements in my head to take it to the next level, but we’ll see how this season goes on it first!

But off the top of my head, to take it a little more to the Moto2 rep idea I have, I would:

• Add Moto2 bodywork
• ECUMASTER ADU 5 dash logger snd supporting wiring harness
• 765 RS ECU or programmable race ECU
• Wheel speed sensors to try and get 6-axis IMU Traction Control working again
• Race top yoke and clip-on

For now, I just need to get to know her! It’s been a while since I’ve ridden a bike without ABS or Traction Control, so I’m taking it easy with her

First time riding her, at Brands Hatch this week.

Packed in the trailer for the trip home after buying her and the other package items.

[Jay]

Niggles.. I asked the previous owner if there were any, and I got an emphatic NO from him. Well, it was clear that was a bit of a fib.

The important bits check out. It runs. It’s changes head. It’s straight, and all the electronics work: great!

What was not so great was:

• The Exhaust can was rubbing the swing arm. The wrap and started to wear away a bit. Thankfully not in very visible area. Some washers between the exhaust pipe and can have insufficient clearance. Next!
• The quickshifter doesn’t work in Road Shift. I’m going to switch the reader configuration back to race shift, and learn how to use that at Donington in a few weeks! I don’t know why the previous owner changed it to road shift. It’s a race bike!
• The fairing was touching the exhaust pipe before the can. The engine, race sump conversion and fairing are not designed for each other. The touching caused some burning through to the wrap. Added some washers to the fairing mount and added some heat shield to the inside of the fairing and i now have clearance!
• There’s not much rear brake pressure. In need to bleed it.

Nothing too serious, and all fixable.

Oh dear, the exhaust is touching the swingarm!

Too close!

That’s better, there’s enough room now. Shouldn’t need much.

Yep, checks out, there’s room

Oh dear, just spotted the fairing touching the fairing and starting to burn the wrap.

Getting a closer look at it in the workshop.

Time to fix this! About to cut some heat shield to line the inside of the fairing with.

The 765 RS engine, with Moto2 edition sump swap mod to put the exhaust pipe on the left of the sump (it is, just doesn’t look it in the photo).

Fixed! There’s no clearance and heat-shielding in place.

The quickshifter that won’t work in road-shift

[Jay]

Got a new P1 Products adjustable peg stand to help with working on the track bikes and moving them around at the track without needing to faff with a paddock stand. Looking good so far! Very handy thing - it even works on the other side to make the bike lean right, which is useful for if I need to remove an engine casing and don’t want to empty the bike of oil first.

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https://p1-productline.com/product/p1-products-peg-side-stand/

Also, the final drive output shaft had a nasty old, bent up and rusted washer and nut on it. I couldn’t have that, seeing as all other fittings seem to be titanium, so bought a new titanium nut that has a flange and acts as a washer as well, with drill holes for lock-wiring.

Nasty old washer and nut.

Shiny new titanium bits.

And with 30 mins to spare over lunch at home one day, I set about installing it.

Now, ideally you’d take the sprocket off, thread lock-wire through one of the holes, and put it back in place, but as I didn’t have much time (or motivation) for removing the rear wheel to get slack on the chain to allow the sprocket to come off I found another way to do it in-situ…

Test fitting, marking where the drill holes will be in relation to the sprocket with a bit of masking tape.

Removed the washer and nut, spun the rear wheel a bit until the marker was at the point where I thought I had the most access and ability to get wire through once, and then back through another hole.

Wire through with a bit of a bend near the tip to make life a bit easier when fishing it back through. Used some long nose pliers to just about get enough purchase on the wire through one of the sprocket holes to pull it back through so I have a loop.

Putting a bit of copper grease on the thread and rear of the new nut to avoid seizing. I don’t know if that’s possible with steel and titanium, but I thought no harm in not doing it.

Torqued the nut up, then threaded one of the wire lengths through the nut and used the lock-wire tool to wind it up. Might have wound it a little too tight, but it seems strong still.

The odd angles of the holes and lip on the nut make the wire look a bit messy, but it’s tight with no slack.

All done, new titanium nut in place, and lock-wired. That makes me happy. No more rust.

[me_groovy]

I think the copper grease will change the torque value on the nut. As it’ll have less friction on the mating surface?

[Boris]

This is how it works.

Torque settings are generally for dry fastenings, and should be lowered when there’s a lubricant on the threads.
I’ve not been told how much to lower it, I was taught by work where we don’t use copper slip etc on bolts, just taught the concept.

[Jay]

Interesting. Well, it’s titanium on steel on steel, so I will assume a few nm difference won’t trouble it much.

Hopefully not famous last words. Will report back after the trackday in a few days

[Jay]

I performed a quick oil and filter change on the track bike the other day (first time using a new oil pan container, and only discovered at the last second that the breather cap was sealed and needed drilling before use, so the main plug hole spat and spurt oil everywhere as it filled, creating a bit of a mess, bah).

I also discovered a sheered off bolt in the belly pan, which after some investigation turns out was front the front sub-frame. Seems to have just sheered off on it’s own. It’s not critical it seems, so will go to California Superbike School (Level 4) on Sunday as-is and then have to disassemble and drill out/replace after…