What a load of geriatric rubbish a standard T21/3TA is. The first thing to junk is the silly bathtub rear enclosure for which strange eyed classic enthusiasts pay large sums of money. Other useful mods include bigger diameter wheels, Bonnie 12V alternator and associated electrics, battery and headlamp, 2 into 1 exhaust. Mine has trial tyres to cope with Devonshire roads and for trail riding. Fortunately, most of the spares are pretty cheap and can be found at auto-jumbles, anything difficult to find or too expensive can usually be bodged out of something else common or cheap.
After an initial engine rebuild, the 3TA was run in for a few hundred miles then used in some long distance trails where it proved amazingly reliable. Six months riding to work was followed by a trip to the IOM with some equally daft friends, at least a 600 mile round trip. I regretted every minute of the trip, small bikes are so boring and I had a Trident sitting in the garage.
Out of sheer frustration, the little twin was really thrashed to hell, didn’t like it and seized up solid, much to the amusement of a hotel full of BMW leather jock strapped, Heineken swilling Krauts. It underwent a total engine strip down on the pavement using two spanners and a pair of old Mole grips (simple, these Triumph things). The timing side piston had partially disintegrated and I could not find a new one, so with true British grit it went home on one cylinder with the other piston and con-rod removed and a jubilee clip around the vacant big-end.
After its second rebuild, undaunted by failure, the 3TA went to the ISDE for the week in Wales. If it had played up I would have drowned it in a Welsh bog, but unfortunately it didn’t miss a beat. It was ridden to work every day for a couple of years after that, including weekend green-laning and trials. The next rebuild was necessitated by seizing big-ends after it found its own way home after the regular Friday night thrash to a pub session. I think a decent oil filter would be a good mod for longer engine life.
Every six months the head gasket pisses out oil, piston ring wear was a problem until I fitted a K&N air filter (covered by a Fairy Liquid bottle), the primary chain has no tensioner and slaps around but the noise it makes is concealed by the loud exhaust.
The drum front brake is a joke, as is the instant lock rear - a good bodge for the MOT when the local plod sees the tax disc has fallen off (again) is to wrap a piece of metal around the cam profile to push the shoes out - fools them every time. The frame is really pathetic by Triumph standards and the swinging arm bearings must have inspired the Japs; there’s no way to lubricate them and once worn makes for interesting weaves. on bumpy bends. The chain lasts well because there’s a constant supply of oil pouring out of the gearbox and the impressive 18hp does little damage to the chain. The forks are commendable only because they are unbendable - I don't know if the seals leak because the gaiters have yet to perish.
For some reason, despite all the problems, it is really good fun with hardly any of the vibes that bigger Triumphs suffer. It will cruise at 60mph all day using about 500mpp. The acceleration is just less than a 350LC and fuel varies from extremely frugal to 50mpg depending on if you're pushing it or thrashing it. The Triumph must be quite desirable because I had to abandon it once after it ran out of petrol and some, er, people nicked it. Unfortunately, the plod found it just when I was dreaming of the £900 insurance money (just look how much jokers in Classic Berk try to sell 3TAs for).
On reflection, maybe I don’t really hate it that much after all. It is pretty crash proof, reliable, very cheap to run and most of all jolly good fun, it is almost like a faithful dog after six years of thrashership. I’d recommend a cheap Brit to anyone with a sense of humour, just don’t take them too seriously and don’t pay some of the silly prices demanded in the classic comics.
Keith Elliott