RAT-S CAFE

Cobba · Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2011 7:59 pm Post subject:

Had a 76 T160 for many years. Sold it about 5 years back when in a sticky financial position or would probably still have it.

Likes and dislikes.

Bike went hard and handled well. Yeah, maybe a bit heavy compared to it's little twin cylinder brother but well balanced and made up for it in horsepower just the same.
They are basically a Daytona 500 motor with an extra cylinder tacked on the side. A common mod was to bore the barrel out to accept the 650 piston (4mm bigger) and take it out to 840cc. Next step was to stroke it and make it 1000.
On my stock bike with modified gearing and some basic engine mods she was good for the magic 200+ no worries at all.

Now the down side.
Probably more my own doing due to manner operated, but had many others who played with them give the same comment.
They are very hard on valves and valve train. Even with the best valves and guides on offer at the time of building (or offered to me by the Triumph enthusiest engine rebuilder who done it for me) I was constantly having to re do the valve clearances every couple of thousand Ks. (learnt a few tricks from that too)

Also, it used to draw oil at idle (smoke out the pipe when I took off at the lights). Varying opinions on it.
The engine rebuilder blamed it on me aligning the rings (had the barrels of several times. Surely I couldn't do it every time). Others (and probably more correctly) on valve guides.

Finally, if you are handy and intend on doing your own engine assembly then I hope you are already heavily balding, if not shaven headed.
Aligning the 3 pistons at a staggered height, aligning the rings so that they are evenly spaced around the piston and then manipulating the barrel down over the 3 rocking pistons successfully is an art and an adventure that I will carry in my mind forever.
One piston (preferably centre) needs to be just short of (or over) TDC making the other 2 either just over half way up on one stoke or half way down on the other, then you have to hand feed rings into the bottoms of the bores as you fit the barrel. Try doing that by yourself. Evil or Very Mad

As for the rest of the bike, well in my opinion it's a well designed frame for it's age with limited flex, crap brakes (Lockheed disc on mine) and average suspension, but all easily brought up to a modern and workable standard weather staying contemorary or going cafe racer.

That's my 4c worth. Change given if required.
If you do go down that road then I have a Haynes manual still here somewhere and a few years of fried memoreis that could be reserrected if needed. Love to be part of a Cafe project if you go that way, but mine was too original to concider that.

otherwise · Grumpy Joined: 31 Aug 2010 Posts: 1075