Southern Triples Rally Roundup

5th Southern Triples Rally 2017 Hahndorf (9-12 March 2017)

This year the ‘Southern Triples Rally’ for BSA Rocket Three and Triumph Trident riders was moved to South Australia at the request of several triple owners in SA. The previous four southern triples rallies were held in southern NSW to compliment the well-established and very popular northern NSW triples rallies organised by Col McAndrew in Ballina and now Evan’s Head.

So, it was that Gerry Rowley, Steve Cramp, Geoff Kemp and the Tri-Spark team got together to organise this Rally in the picturesque tourist town of Hahndorf in the Adelaide hills to promote the use and enjoyment of these machines.

Many of the thirty or so entrants travelled from as far as New South Wales, Canberra, Queensland and Perth to get there (it is nearly 1200Km from Canberra). The venue was the Hahndorf Resort just south of the village with its fantastic hills vistas and excellent amenities.

To kick things off we had a BBQ dinner in the camp kitchen, organised by Joanne Kelly. This was a very pleasant evening with balmy conditions and the casual surroundings were perfect for getting acquainted with fellow triplers.

The presentation dinner on Saturday evening was at the restaurant in the Resort where we enjoyed a great meal and some thirst quenching after a great day of riding. The award presentations followed the meal with some noteworthy outcomes. Ian and David Wright (Brothers) won awards for their beautifully restored early T150 and T160. Paul Edwards won the best special for his Legend. Steve Mobbs won the Best BSA Rocket 3. The heroic Tim Tapsell won the ‘furthest traveled award’, well deserved for riding his T160 to and from Sydney! The award for best Hurricane went to Steve Cramp while the award for best Drum Brake Trident went to Ian Matthews, both of South Australia. 

Many commented on the caliber of the bikes which are an absolute credit to their owner’s efforts to keep them up to this very high standard. Plans are already being discussed for a next triples rally event in Gunning NSW for 2018 and perhaps back to South Australia after that.

T160 Primary Drive Options

For many years now Triumph T160 Trident owners have been wondering what to do if they need to replace their primary drive chain in the event it wears out or breaks as they are no longer available as a spare part.

We have some exciting news from one of our fellow triples enthusiasts here in Australia on how to use a triplex chain to replace the no longer available Duplex chain on your T160. Of all the options available for the T160 this one seems to make good sense when you consider that the triplex chain was well proven on the T150 Trident!!

 Ian says:

Back in 1975 when Triumph released the Electric Start T160 Trident it was widely assumed that the change to a 7/16” Duplex Primary Chain in place of the well proven 3/8” Triplex chain used on T150 Tridents was all about making room for the LH gear change mechanism that had been fitted between the larger Primary Drive Sprocket and the inside surface of the Primary Cover.

Fast forward to the present and T160 owners find themselves with a problem because nobody makes 7/16” Duplex chain anymore.

A number of ‘less than perfect’ solutions to this situation have emerged but they have all had their problems…. Belt drives that really do not fit…. Belts that break frequently…. Twin simplex chains that cannot be adjusted to get even chain tension, and the need to machine chunks of metal from the inner cover to fit these adaptations are just a few of the issues encountered by owners looking for a solution.

However, a recent breakthrough has changed everything.

A new product has emerged that smashes the long-held theory that the duplex chain was used to make room for the LH gear change. Ian and David Wright from www.classic-triumph.com have developed a conversion kit that easily converts a T160 primary drive to accept a 3/8” Triplex chain as fitted to the T150 models and it works perfectly. No machining to any cases is required with this simple ‘swap and go’ solution that leaves you wondering why Triumph ever changed to a Duplex Chain in the first place!

For more information go to http://classic-triumph.com/t160-primary-drive-conversion or http://www.clivescarfesystems.co.uk/

  

New! Triple TRI-0002 - SD with Miniature Coils

New for this month is a special version of our popular triple ignition that is compatible with miniature coils.

The coils are small enough to fit under the tank in some installations. We first trialed this version on Gerry's Rob North featured in a previous story with great results. The bike revs out beautifully now and has covered several thousand miles - Gerry loves to ride this one!

What's different about it? We made it compatible with Gerry's existing miniature coils (Boyer ignition) supplied with the bike but extended the dwell time for higher spark energy.

Now available as a complete kit with Lucas miniature coils and our HT leads - look for the TRI-0002-SD

Please note that the TRI-0002 and TRI-0002-SD are not interchangeable

Check it out on our purchase page - Tri-Spark Purchase

Southern Triples Rally 2017

Tri-Spark are sponsoring a rally exclusively for riders of pre 1976 British triple motorcycles based in Adelaide South Australia 

Southern Triples Rally #5 - Friday 10th to Sunday 12th March 2017

Your Organisers -  Gerry Rowley - Geoff Kemp - Stephen and Joanne  Kelly - Steve Cramp

Based in the historic German town of Hahndorf
Hahndorf Resort Tourist Park (Big 4)
Mt Barker Road, Hahndorf SA

Rides through the picturesque Adelaide Hills along winding country roads through historic towns and villages

Show & Shine, Trophies, presentation dinner and social activities

Book your accommodation early! Hahndorf Resort, Cabins, Cottages, Caravan and Camping sites. http://hahndorfresort.com.au/ Tel 1300 763 836

Old Mill Motel http://www.hahndorfoldmill.com/accommodation/
Tel 08 8388 7888

Register your interest - contact Gerry Rowley 0477 250 749
or email AdelaideTriples@gmail.com    website http://tmra.org.au/southerntriples/

BSA Rocket Three with a difference

One of our customers here in South Australia tells the story of his Rob North in a recent magazine article with all the details you would like to know about this extraordinary bike.

Gerry's bike presented some unique challenges that led us to make a custom ignition for this machine which he writes about toward the end of this article.

Click here to read the Old Bike Australasia article

Old Bike magazine does a great job of bringing all the classic Australian bike action to print for all of us racers, riders and restorers around the country. Thanks to Old Bike for kindly allowing us to use the piece.

www.oldbikemag.com.au

Triple Ignition - How to install it like a Pro

Have you thought about installing one of our British triple cylinder systems and wanted to see how it's done? All of your questions are answered here! The Classic Bike Guide in their August 2015 edition have covered every aspect of the installation in this detailed article prepared by one of our customers Morgan Rue from Luxembourg. Don't miss this one!

Click here to read the CBG article

Thank you Morgan Rue for creating it and thank you Classic Bike Guide for kindly allowing us to use the piece.

www.classicbikeguide.com

New Ignition! Classic Triple TRI-0002

The Classic Triple has all the ignition performance you need for your Trident or Rocket 3 - WITHOUT THE BLACK BOX. You asked for a simplified installation with superior running and here it is! Advances in technology have enabled us to build a high performance sequential firing system in this compact design with only five wire connections.

This high precision system with built in self test button is tailored exclusively for the Triumph Trident, BSA Rocket Three, T160 and Hurricane machines. Easy starting and a smooth idle are retained from our original triple system (TRI-0001) which by the way will be available well into the future. Compatible with 12 volt coils (6 volt coils if a ballast resistor is fitted).
Click to read instruction manual

Aussie Triples Rally 2013 Winning BSA

Travelling 2,000 kilometres by motorcycle is a feat in itself but when the trip is completed on a classic bike then it makes the expedition even more courageous.  This is exactly what Gerry Rowley did in 2012 to attend the Triples Rally when he rode from the Gippsland area of Victoria to Ballina in the Northern Rivers region of NSW where the rally is held annually. He would have repeated the trip in 2013 too but due to various circumstances he ended up taking two bikes on a trailer along with a mate to ride the second one.

This year he brought his 1969 Rocket 3 and his 1969 Triumph Trident T150 to Ballina and both bikes are beauties. Gerry keeps them in tip top condition. Obviously everyone else who participated in the rally thought so too as he took home rally awards for both motorcycles including Best BSA 2013 for the Rocket and Best Drum Brake Trident for the T150.

Gerry says he’ll probably ride up for the 2014 rally because he knows that whichever bike he rides, it will cover the distance without a hitch. He’s that confident because he’s got Tri-Spark digital electronic ignition systems installed on both bikes. Whether he rides one of these bikes or his 1974 Norton Commando 850, which also has the Tri-Spark system installed, he knows he’ll get to his destination no matter how far away it is.

 So delighted is Gerry with the trouble-free riding he now enjoys that when he takes delivery of a Rob North BSA currently being built, it too will have a Tri-Spark system installed before a final tuning on the dyno.  For him a Tri-Spark system has become a mandatory component.

“I tried other units before I discovered the Tri-Spark system and I just wasn’t happy with them,” Gerry explained. “I like to keep maintenance on my bikes to a minimum and Tri-Spark does the trick giving me superior starting and better riding especially on the three cylinder models.”
Gerry says initially Tri-Spark was recommended by another satisfied customer. Since then, he has recommended Tri-Spark to at least three other classic bike riders.

“It’s a very easy system to install so there’s just no reason to put up with inconsistent starting, kickbacks or backfiring.” Gerry said. “I can set out on a trip knowing I can enjoy the ride without a worry.”

Aussie Triples Rally 2013

Our roving reporter Norma Flint attended the 2013 Aussie Triples Rally in Ballina NSW where Tri-Spark was a hot topic amongst rally participants. Riders who had Tri-Spark Digital Electronic Ignitions Systems installed on their bikes were so pleased with the trouble-free riding they were experiencing that they were happily sharing the reason why with other riders.

One of these was Danny Ryan who was delighted with the way his bike had performed on the 200km Saturday ride. He said he’d tried various options in the past before discovering Tri-Spark “but, they just didn’t perform as well,” he stated. 

It was a lucky day for him then when he bumped into Steve and Joanne Kelly at the Triples Downunder Rally some 7 years ago!  He purchased a Tri-Spark system soon after and hasn’t looked back. “Tri-Spark fires individually unlike other options making it much more reliable,” Danny explained.

As a result he now has Tri-Spark units fitted on his 1968 Triumph T150T and his 1972 T150V and more recently, he’s installed one on his 1981 Bonneville and he’s a happy man.“My bikes are easier to start now and run much more smoothly,” Danny said. “Also, when I place an order with Steve a unit soon arrives and they are easy to fit.”

Similar comments were repeated by several of the 55 plus participants throughout the three days of the rally.  It’s good to know that Tri-Spark has improved the riding pleasure for so many classic motorcycle enthusiasts.

Manx GP 2012 Result

Success comes in many forms and for the Steve Robins team with rider Mark Parratt and the Tri-Spark sponsored Rocket 3 it came in the form of finishing what can only be considered an endurance race for these classic racers and placing second without any mishaps.
I would emphasise the endurance nature of this race in the following way. The four laps of the 37.7 mile circuit totalling over 150 miles are raced at an average speed of nearly 100 MPH mostly at full throttle. Mark Parratt's time was 1 hour 32 minutes 37 seconds. (Dave Madsen-Mygdal's winning time was 1:31.21.84.) Congratulations to everybody involved in making this a reality.

Frank Zappia R3



This very fast 930 Rocket 3 Belonging to Frank Zappia was recently spotted at the Broadford Bike Bonanza. He's been fine tuning the details of this very competitive racer for years now - most recently with all new electrical parts from us. Frank knows his bikes and loves to recommend  and install our ignitions for his mates in the Sydney NSW area.

Plastic cover shows off the Tri-Spark

Magni Rocket 3

This one of a kind racer made by Magni and triple Tecs puts out over 90 HP claimed from the highly tuned Rocket 3 power plant. Handcrafted to suit this engine it displays an attention to detail rarely seen in such builds - we love the signature Magni custom exhaust and hand hammered tank. Just Beautiful!
Click to read more

Tri-Spark Starting up T160

Watch this humorous demonstration by one of our New Zealand customers as he fires up the T160 for the first time with Tri-Spark Ignition.

Neitzert Racing Triple

This machine ridden by proud owner Bernd Neitzert is crafted to perfection with only the best components from around the world. The competitive nature of racing means that each part must function at peak performance for the machine as a whole to be out in front - safe - and reliable. We are pleased to play our part in so many success stories in the classic triple racing world. 

Triple Brew Racing

 

Long time customers Ian and Grant of Triple Brew Racing in the UK once again have their outfit racing in the UK this year. After a few years of development they are confidently making gains in their class - watch for these guys at the UK classic race meetings. 

Grant: "many thanks - we recommend your briliant system all the time"

Left Over Wires

A common question we hear has to do with wiring and left over wires. With electronic ignition the condensers are no longer required so they can simply be removed and the wires taped up to the adjoining wiring loom. If you have any doubts about the wiring we suggest you bring in a specialist or check with your local bike club for someone who's installed electronic ignition before.

Timing Tip

If you get your new ignition system on the bike and it wont start, one of the most common problems is easy to spot. After you've gone through the usual checks on fuel and compression and battery voltage and you're still finding the engine only backfires, this can be a sign that the timing is out of sync by 360 degrees. This might sound odd after carefully checking and rechecking the alignment of all the timing marks but it's easily done and also easy to fix. Just go back over the installation making sure that the number 1 or timing reference cylinder is on the Compression Stroke when aligning the rotor in the static timing procedure. You can double check this by ensuring both the intake and exhaust valves are closed when rotating the engine to the static timing position. Hope that helps.....

Triple Racing in Europe

Out in front is our customer Berni riding the x43 which is running second place in the German Historic x class racing. He has a number of Tri-Spark systems in his triples which he believes are the best in the world (we like to think so too!) and recently finished a Rob North which again has the Tri-Spark ignition. His Philosophy is to keep all the parts the same on his bikes so he can swap them around in case of an accident - sounds like a great idea!

Tri-Spark Powered Rocket3 wins at Manx Grand Prix 2011

Riding the 850cc Tri-Spark powered Rocket3 entered by Steve Robins in the Formula Classic event was Mark Parrett who took victory as all other riders in the class had retired. But, don't think for one second that this made it an easy victory for Mark. His victory was hard fought as he had no back brake for much of the race and was also black-flagged in error. He later received a time credit resulting in a final interval timing result of 09:40.

Helping Robins and Mark at the Isle of Man were quite a team of guys including Phil Packham, John Ford, Pat Brown and John French and according to Robins without this team they would not have got the bike to the grid. He said, "You've got no idea how much work is required at an event like this.

"What's more it was all done while suffering from sleep deprivation and stress. These guys delivered beyond the call of duty." Humour appears to have helped them all through the low moments with everyone's high skill levels solving many a problem on the fly.

Robins also said that without the support of their sponsors they would just not have been able to take part. "The products supplied showed how robust these solutions were when tested in the ultimate test of the island. I would highly recommend them to all." Included in the list of suppliers is Tri-Spark who supplied the electrics and ignition.

Mark took the ride on the 850 at late notice winning the respect of everyone as he had never ridden it before and what's more had to contend with a right shift which is not his preference. That didn't stop him from achieving lap 2 speeds of 95MPH and winning the event. "It was astonishing," said Robins, "And to bring the 850 home for a win more so."

"I am in total awe of the riders," Robins said. "It takes a brave and very skilled man to ride these old bangers at the speeds they do on the island roads, total respect."

Finally Robins said, "Those who came over to the island to watch and support us many thanks, you've got no idea how much it all helped."

Jo and Stephen Kelly certainly enjoyed themselves. This comment from Stephen sums up the thrill and fun of participation perfectly, "We went, we saw and we'll be going back!"

If you want to read more of what Steve Robins had to say go to the Triples online forum.

Manx Grand Prix 2011

We’re planning to attend the Manx GP this year to support Steve Robins entry, Rob North Rocket 3 – 850cc in the Senior Formula Classic race.

Steve Robins has been a Tri-Spark supporter from the beginning first using the systems on his own bikes and later recommending them, and even fitting some, for riders in the Brisbane area. With two spark plugs per cylinder, the racer will be fitted with dual output coils connected to the Tri-Spark triple adjustable control box. This is a sequential system that fires the coils only as needed so there’s no wasted sparks. This system has optimum coil saturation even at high RPM due to the sequential firing method plus an adjustable rev limiter and advance slope adjustment.

Steve commented “With the punishing 4 laps (and about 20 laps of practice) of the 60Km circuit at the Isle of man at extreme revs (between 7000-9000RPM for about 1.5 hours at a time ) every aspect of the motor and chassis has to have extreme attention to detail applied and the very best solutions available in the market to increase the chances of finishing let alone winning . Having used the Tri-Spark Ignition systems, Coils and Regulator/Rectifiers for some years trouble free and very successfully it was a no brainer selecting the ignition and other electronic components - Tri-Spark.
We have a serious line up in the Triple pit crew on hand at the Manx with Charlie Barnes, John French, Pat Brown (from Triples Rule), Gary Woodcock and of course Steve Kelly all assisting . We will be based in Ramsey and no doubt will have a few beers at the Trafalgar pub in the evenings so anyone coming over for the event make sure you look us up.”