I tinker quite a bit and after 6000 miles had no "real" problems to speak of. Don't muscle in the pillion screw or rear foot peg hanger screws as they will strip quite easily.
I noted you have a '68 Triumph chopper. If its equipped with Amals and Lucas electronics, you'll notice a vast improvement in reliability and maintainability in the Hinckley era bikes. Most people wrench because they want to nowadays, not because they have to.
I believe the most common problem I've read to date is the front brake disk warping and the quick necessity to change the rear pads. Being used to the old Lockheed brakes on Norton's and Meriden era Triumphs, I for one have always down-shifted to the point of using minimal brakes and have yet to have a problem.
To keep the bikes "relatively" inexpensive, costs were obviously cut as evidenced by the cheapo plastic fuel tank "dash", plastic front fender, and less than great chrome work. Keep in mind the tin work, paint, and chroming were done in Thailand, once again to probably cut costs. So, there are some quality issues, but IMHO nothing substantial.
Although I loved my old Norton and Bonnie, there can be only one (two kids in college) and to date, I'm glad I made the decision I did to sell the Norton and trade the Meriden in for the Hinckley. No longer do I "not drive a Triumph farther than I'm willing to push it home".
Stick with it,
Tom
