Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech Looking at buying a America

I am looking at buying a Triumph America (2002-2010) and want to know how the routine maintenance is. Is it a diy thing or is it a take it to the shop type deal?

Hello and welcome to the forums.

The routine maintenance thing depends on your ability. If you have any mechanical aptitude, then you should be able to handle just about anything. Things like oil changes and drive chain adjustment are easy. Valve adjustments are a bit more of a stretch but there is a lot of info in the "tech vault" to help.

To add to Gregger's post, EFI models (some 2008's, 2009, 2010) require software on your laptop plus OBDII cable to synchronize the throttle bodies, clear & read computer codes.

The fuel pump and fuel filter is inside the fuel tank, and the entire assembly has to be removed from the tank to service.

Other than that, EFI models run smooth, easy to start, and are more efficient. Maximum torque on the EFI models is ~1300 RPM lower than the carb models at 3300 rpm. Much more tractable lower down.

HTH,
H.

Welcome to the site

I'm afraid I've got to warn you of a downside to owning an America, and that is that when people come up to talk to you about your bike, when they go away they'll be able to describe your bike perfectly, but all they remember of you is something like this

Oil change every 6000 miles. Valve adjustments every 12000 miles.

Any links to a how to? I m verry good with older cars and trucks, but this will be my first street legal bike. My dad had a old 70's triumph chopper and my brother in law is good with Jap. bikes. I just dont want a dealer only maintenance.

One of the main reasons I bought this bike is because of simplicity. I have a 2004 speedy. The only thing I go to the dealer for is valve checks and adjustment. I've done everything else with basic tools and a bike jack, a manual and this forum. The forum gives you that boost to tackle it yourself, cuz if you get stuck someone here will know how to get you back on track. If I had another bike I would force myself to learn the valve adjustments. Few bikes out there are this wonderfully basic. There's a Zen thing to it. At 30k i've seen the dealer once, but I'm overdue on the valve check. Huummm maybe I really do need a second TRIUMPH!!!!

If you are able to work on cars you can handle anything you need to do on these bikes. The hardest thing you will have to do is adjust the valves. Personally I thing the whole valve/cam set up is retarded. Why not just threaded adjusters and real cam bearings? Better yet, push rods and rockers. It isn't like these engines turn fast enough to float a valve.But anyway, the valves are shim over bucket and that = PITA.