Hey all,
I'm a new member on this forum. I'm considering buying a used America, and I have a couple of technical questions that I haven't seen the answers to in the stuff that's already online.
1) What is the total wattage put out by the electrical system, and how much of that is used to support the basic functions of the bike (headlight, coils, etc)? I do occasionally do some cold weather riding, and I use a heated jacket liner and gloves (about 100 watts). Also, I might want to add some auxillary lighting, so it would help to know how many watts are available.
2) I'm hardly a mechanic, but I do like to do basic maintenance if I can. From what I've seen, basic stuff like oil changes look pretty easy. I've bled brakes and done fork oil changes before. My current ride is a 1982 BMW, and if you know anything about those you know that the valves need to be adjusted pretty frequently. I understand that the valves on this bike need to be adjusted a lot less frequently, which is great, but I've never adjusted a shim-style valve before. How tough is it? Could someone with VERY basic mechanical skills do it?
3) The bike I've looked at recently has been performance modded with exhaust and racing carbs. I'd probably switch back to the stock parts. If I do that, what can I expect in terms of fuel economy? (My BMW gets 40 MPG and has a 5.5 gallon tank, so I've been spoiled in terms of the range I can get between fill ups).
Finally, I know you guys love your Triumphs or you wouldn't be on this board, but is there anything I need to be aware of or to watch out for? Is this bike really as low maintenance as it seems?
Thanks in advance,
Joe
