April 2015
A friend found a very original and unrestored 1970 Bonneville in Auckland and decided to buy it. This particular model year commands a premium price, but is apparently worth it, so it was hoped this one would not disappoint.
There were a few issues during his delivery ride back down the islands, but they were mostly due to lack of use and were managed ok. I was asked to give it a bit of tuning and some maintenance issues to sort.
Front forks got rebuilt with new gaiters and seals and some thicker oil to improve damping.
The alternator gave out and it got replaced, plus there was attention to the clutch. Nice working on a bike that has not been messed about.
It also got treated to a pair of new carbs, from a set of 3 30mm jobs I bought 20 years ago but never fitted to my Trident.
Next job was to replace the non-working ammeter. The new one has a black face as opposed to the original white one, so it looks much more at home now.
There was also a new pair of handlebars to fit, and a new old stock front mudguard which sported the proper colour centre stripe and pinstriping.
The bike has been getting more use of late and is a joy to ride. It is very well behaved now and enjoys a really good mix of handling, braking and power.
No need to be the flashiest kid on the block.
Quality is more than skin deep..