1972 Triumph Bonneville T120RV 650 - Part 7 - Electrical Part 2

[@budlistar5312]

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.

[@paulwoods682]

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'!

[@krautrapide]

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!

[@duckysan]

Great result! Ground issues plague older machinery as connectors corrode.

[@coreylevenson]

I need one of those t-shirts! Glad you're feeling better, Mike.

[@speedtriplerider7853]

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.

[@mickgerard6696]

Good to see you back in the garage! Great intro and fantastic t shirt! Good bless. 🌞🏍

[@sf940477]

Electrics can test even the most patient of people . Well done Mike 👏

[@georgemartin5481]

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.

[@jimcollins2466]

Well Done Mike! Best Wishes from Floral Park, Long Island, New York, on the East Coast!

[@zepelin-on-road]

Nothing can resist a good determined mechanic !👍😉

[@frankboff8185]

All ways good to have mates to help out.

[@jamessabbagh6014]

It is the height of irony that the Prince of Darkness may keep us awake at night. Rest up and be well Sir!

[@ulrich.hoffmann]

Oh yes, those Lucas switches are tricky to work on. Been there, done that but I don‘t have that cool t-shirt!

[@richardtucker9827]

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.

[@bananabrooks3836]

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.

[@toniabg]

Well done. With best regards from Germany.

[@philmuskett265]

Well done, mate. Wiring -- the Devil's spaghetti!!!!

[@manfredmatzdorf4728]

Hey, Mike, great work! Greetings from northern Germany Manfred

[@rwayne3243]

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.

[@MothershipVideos]

Well sorted.

[@nigelbeaumont1109]

Lucas Electrics… Prince of Darkness.🇬🇧

[@tadpoles10]

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 .. 🏍

[@johnmcclain3887]

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.

[@petersnow389]

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!!.

[@TheDavey333]

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 ☕️

[@gillestrombetta3019]

Superbe travail comme d’habitude bravo Mike

[@Shirley-hr8tx]

It takes intelligence and patience to tackle wiring something I don’t poses,I can manage a fuse or blown bulb that’s about my limits😂

[@bruceengstrom9568]

Love your shirt

[@4418CARLOU]

Lucas, The Prince of Darkness!

[@nigeldavis4220]

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?

[@garycrist2944]

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

[@johndorber6877]

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.

[@timblaes7028]

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.

[@MegaCoots]

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

[@raypusey8037]

Is there a question paper on this episode Mike ? If so I’m going to need too watch it a few more times !! 🤔 🧐 🫠 Ray 🇬🇧

[@richardparkersmith4810]

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.

[@trevorlock642]

How does the horn make the tennis ball blink???!!!!

[@Frightningman]

Bad grounds / earths can give so many weird problems - ask me how I know! 🙂

[@PeterJUren]

Lord Lucas, the Prince of Darkness, strikes again.

[@wdhewson]

I recall that switch required an excessive effort. 'Twas a bit of a clue perhaps.

[@mv4ago]

Joe Lucas, AKA The Prince of Darkness.

[@kevindaly5093]

My motorcycle doesn't have a tennis ball with blinking eyes. Is that a Lucas feature? 😉

[@practicalplinking6133]

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.

[@JonnyBlazeTCB]

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?

[@JonnyBlazeTCB]

Yes or no, please?

[@TheMightyGarage]

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

[@JonnyBlazeTCB]

@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.

[@JonnyBlazeTCB]

@@TheMightyGarage I also have a Boyer Micro mk- iv ignition if that explains it?

[@duboisthierry292]

Oh,Lucas, Prince of darkness! And Lucas, patent holder of short circuits and false contacts... Just joking.

[@Kevin-cy9cv]

Those handlebar switches are very fiddly ....