Inspection (for purchase)

## Introduction to pre-purchase inspection

These are great bikes, and they're not at all expensive to buy when compared to other sport-touring bikes on the market.  If you get one in good condition, you should be able to sell it for what you bought it for, and you shouldn't need to immediately put a bunch of cash into neglected maintenance items.

Here are some areas that should be looked at when purchasing a Trophy (or really any other bike, for that matter).  These aren't necessarily problem areas for the bike, but they are areas where some people have had problems.

## Mileage

### Low-mileage bikes

Is it a low-mileage bike? You will want to get an idea of how much time the bike has sat, because this can indicate necessary maintenance items due to age vs. due to miles.

### High-mileage bikes

A bike with high mileage might not be a bad thing. If the bike has been maintained according to the recommended maintenance schedule, it should last for a very long time. Several owners have over 100,000 miles on their odometers.

These areas might help you with price negotiation.  If the bike is listed at NADA value, then any of these items would need to be considered as possible "additional cost" to you.  You can easily add up enough cost of maintenance items to exceed the sales price of the bike.

## The Checklist

### Pre-visit check

* Do an AutoCheck lookup on the bike's VIN.  This will tell you where the bike has lived and how many owners it's had.  It will also tell you about any insurance claims and possibly, dealership services.  The cost of the check is way less than the cost the bike. If you're like me and had to tow the bike home 2 hours, it's less than the cost of trailer rental.
* Call your local Triumph dealership with the bike's VIN and engine code to confirm that they match.  Triumph VINs and engine codes aren't identical, but you can find out if the bike is as it was from the factory, or if it has a replacement engine.  If the VIN or engine code is in any way damaged, you might want to make sure that the DMV inspects the bike and resolves any issue before you hand over any cash.
* Ensure that the owner has the bikes title in-hand and in his/her name. Straightening out a title mix-up is no fun and could cost you your purchase money. It always helps to get the owner to agree in advance to perform the title exchange at the DMV office.
* Some states have electronic titles. If so, then you might need the owner to get his title in paper if you are an out-of-state buyer.
* Ask if the owner will allow you to test-ride the bike. While an owner might state that they don't want it damaged, you don't want a bike that will give you problems a week after purchase. Show up with proper gear and with your motorcycle endorsement on your license.
* Ask the owner if the bike is currently insured. Lack of insurance could indicate that the bike has sat unused.

### Maintenance

* Ask the owner how much he/she rode the bike, particularly in the last couple of years. Ask about maintenance performed. If the owner has little to say, then you might want to assume that little was done.
* The first valve check is at 6K miles and the next one is at 18K.  You want to make sure to check the    valves and to keep them in tolerance.  They don't wear much after engine break-in, but if the tolerances are too tight, then you could wind up doing a lot more work than just a valve shim job.  If the PO can't tell you the last time the valves were checked, you'll probably want to check them yourself.
* It's a noisy, clattery engine.  The valvetrain should make noise.  The timing chain should make noise.  The gears in the gearbox should make noise.  It shouldn't sound like a can of nuts and bolts being shaken or like there is a hammer inside the engine.  It should run smoothly without pups, hiccups, or thumps.  Any of these could indicate work that needs to be done.
* Check the chain and rear sprocket for wear and tolerance.  It's easy enough to do and will make you aware of a possible immediate maintenance need.  Ask the owner how often you need to lubricate the chain and what do you lubricate it with.  If he says that he lubricates the chain at every oil change, that's not so good.  If he says that he lubricates it every time he fills up, that's excellent.  If he lubricates it with WD-40, that's not so good.  If he lubricates it with a chain wax or gear oil, that's good.
* Rotate the rear while while the bike is in neutral and on the center stand. There should be no kinks in the chain.
* There isn't a good way to check the timing chain tensioner without removing the bolt.  You should ask about this item and whether it's ever been replaced or checked.  Springs wear based on age and heat cycles.
* The air cleaner is a pain to get off.  Ask if the owner has replaced it. Listen to any discussion of whether he's done anything to make it easier.  Also, ask when was the last time it was cleaned or replaced.  These are foam, oil bath air cleaners.  An original air cleaner might have partially disintegrated.  Replacements are more than $70 for the part assembly.
* Check the date code on the battery.  2 years on a gel cell is about its lifetime.  When they die, they can just lose a cell and then you can't start the bike.
* When was the last oil change? What type of oil was used? The Triumph dealership recommends Castrol racing synthetic motorcycle oil. The wrong oil can cause the clutch to slip.

### Rubber

Rubber ages more than it wears.  If it gets old, particularly if it gets old without exercise, it loses flexibility and may fail.

* Pay close attention to the oil seals in the fork legs.  These aren't a terrible job if you're either handy or have done it before, but they're somewhat expensive to have someone else do for you.  On a low-mileage bike, fork might last about 3K miles before they go the way of year-old windshield wipers.  If the fork seals leak, you may need to replace fork seals and front brakes. Check the fork legs for oil before and after a test ride.
* Check the date codes on the tires.  A low-mileage bike could easily have had the original front tire and an old rear tire.  Check the tire pressure: 36psi front, 41 or 42psi rear seems to work well for me.  Too little rear tire pressure alters the suspension geometry and makes the bike truckish.

### Fuel System

The fuel system may be this bike's Achilles' heel if it hasn't been maintained properly.

* Look for varnish on the undersides of the carburetors and fuel tap.  Sniff for fuel smell. If the bike was run with fuel containing ethanol, the carburetor and fuel tap seals could need to be replaced. This can be a lot of work, and the seals aren't all that cheap.
* Use a small inspection mirror and flashlight to look at the carbs.
* Pay attention to the condition of the fuel tank insides.  Rust isn't nice to have, and it can cause you lots of issues in the fuel system.  It's entirely possible to de-rust a tank or to correctly line a rusted tank with epoxy, but again, it takes time and effort.  An improperly lined tank can be a lot of work to fix.

### Cooling System

* After your ride, leave the bike running and make sure that the cooling fan cycles on and off.
* Check the condition of the coolant in the reservoir before and after a test ride.  Nasty brown coolant will need to be replaced, and could indicate a lack of maintenance.
* You can't access the radiator cap without removing the front-left fairing. Keep this in mind when asking the owner about maintenance.

### Exhaust

* Check the exhaust.  You want to know if the mufflers need replacement.  If the bike has always been ridden long enough for the engine and exhaust to heat up, and if it's been garaged, then it's probably good.  If not, then condensate might have pooled in the mufflers or header.

### Brakes

* Look at the color of the brake/clutch fluid in the 3 master cylinders.  If it looks like white wine, good.  If it looks like apple juice (or prune juice), it will need to be flushed.
* Put the bike in neutral on the center stand, push the rear brake pedal and release, then rotate the rear wheel.  The rear brake shouldn't stick.

### Clutch

* The clutch should not slip once the clutch lever is fully released.

### Suspension

* Bounce the bike and make sure that the front suspension and rear suspension have similar compression and return.  There is some adjustment in the rear shock.  The front is only adjusted by replacing oil/parts.
* Check the steering head bearings.  With the bike on the center stand and the front tire in the air (get someone to push down on the rear grab handles), move the handlebars back and forth.  They should move smoothly.  The front tire should also rotate easily and without thumps.

### Bodywork/Comfort

* What windscreen is on the bike?  The stock windscreen is pretty short and seems to be designed for the riding position from the MK I bikes.  It results in lots of wind noise at highway speeds (but better fuel economy than Clearview XL aftermarket screens).  A tall aftermarket screen or add-on deflectors will be more comfortable if you plan to ride longer distances.
* The seat will last you a good bit if the bike is garage kept.  You can buy aftermarket seats or get them recovered. If the seat is in poor shape, its repair value should be considered in price negotiations.
* Most of the detailed checks will need to be done at home, after purchase. The bodywork is old and may be a bit brittle.  Be careful with it.  Before removing the rear fairing, spray some silicone on the 6 plastic pins that hold the front of the fairing in place.  They poke through rubber bushings and that rubber can grab them tight enough for you to break them off.  You can help matters by using your finger to push the pin out through the bushing when you remove the fairing.

### Hard Points

* Check the center stand.  Some bikes have issues here. This part gets the most road grime, and can wear prematurely.