Advice on buying a steamer

[fraserdog]

Hi,
   I'm new on here and am thinking of buying a 900 steamer,i know very little about these and have seen a few for sale with circa 40K on the clock,if I go and have a look what should I be looking for? are there any common faults/issues with the 900?any info greatly appreciated.

[ssevy]

The search button is your best friend. Lots and lots of info on here. Bookmark the ones you like or print them out and stick them in a notebook. Can never do too much research  before spending your cash!

[Mustang]

http://tigertriple.com/forum/index.php/topic,4997&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

[Sin_Tiger]

Where are you?  Flesh out your profile and you might get a bit more local help.  Fraser? Jockistan?

[akendall1966]

If your UK based mine is 1/4 that milage and absolutely fault free,  see the for sale section.

[Sin_Tiger]

Good, there is plenty of support in your neck of the woods and maybe even a good one for you to consider

[Bixxer Bob]

Brize......... more light blue?   -

[fraserdog]

Brize......... more light blue?   -

Brize Norton in West Oxfordshire.
I've been doing more research on the net like you do and the sprag/starter clutch problems keeps throwing it's ugly head up,it's making me a bit weary about buying a Steamer as it seems most of them will suffer from the problem at one time or another and it looks like an engine stripdown when it does and although i'm handy enough with spanners I want a bike I can ride,do regular maintenance and minor repairs when needed and not major work,it seems that post 2001 tigers (995's) can still suffer from the problem but it's not a complete engine strip to rectify the problem,i think perhaps i'll look at 955i's instead of a Steamer 

[akendall1966]

I am sure some one be along with better knowledge but I think they were a bigger problem in early ones, improved in later ones. I think most bikes with sprags can be damaged where the battery is too weak to spin the motor fast enough. Keep your battery in good nick and you have few worries.

[Sin_Tiger]

Don't be scared off, that's just something to put on your checklist when viewing poetical candidates.  All bikes have issues of one sort or another.

[threepot]

I, and I think I speak for most owners,would rate the Hinkley Triumph's as very reliable. I've had very few issues in the combined 20yrs I've owned t3/4s. My Trident's sprag went,mainly because I was keeping it outside,and not keeping an eye on the battery. Had to change it myself cos it missed the recall by a previous owner Even the Japs get it wrong..VFR1200-392 bikes recalled..swarf in the engine. The Africa Twin is prone to output shaft failure etc

93 900 Trident,had it 5 yrs,took milage up to mid K30's..fork seals,sprag(£50 repair),igniter(£90 ebay)
95 Super111,0wned since 98,k46,fork seals twice(now replaced forks £100 ebay) valves re-shimmed twice,crank sensor,water pump gskt.
96 Tiger,since Aug last yr,k41, bought as non runner,just cleaned carbs to get it running ok :icon_wink:

[fraserdog]

I've been I discussion with a chap that has a 96 with 40k on the clock and he doesn't seem to think it has sprag probs but he wasn't 100% sure as he didn't know what it would sound like if it was going but he did say that the engine cuts out if you put the sidestand down even with the bike in neutral,is it an engine strip if it's the neutral light switch?

[Sin_Tiger]

Cutting out and not showing the neutral light when very hot is common on earlier ones, attributed to the original plastic cam disc in the gearbox, later engines across the range had an alloy disc.

I can't find a summary of common Steamer issues, so here goes.

Sprag clutch can be damaged if multi starts are attempted with a very low battery. There is a newer sprag for later engines which solves this and it's retrospective.

Dreaded Alternator Rattle, failure of the shaft retaining bolt. There's is an upgrade kit that is easy to do.

Carbs furring up from lack of use,  Easy fix, clean them out and ride regularly.

Inlet valve recession on high milage (50k plus) not a fault as such, just wear and tear.

Spinning captive nuts on the plastic tank. Relatively easy fix with care.

That's the major common ones.  It will of course depend on how the bike has been treated and bear in mind some of these may already have been sorted. 

Fixed your predictive text issues Sin     BB

[Bixxer Bob]

I've been I discussion with a chap that has a 96 with 40k on the clock and he doesn't seem to think it has sprag probs but he wasn't 100% sure as he didn't know what it would sound like if it was going but he did say that the engine cuts out if you put the sidestand down even with the bike in neutral,is it an engine strip if it's the neutral light switch?

The engine is supposed to cut out if the sidestand is down, it's a safety feature.  I don't think it's related to the neutral light issue.

[Mustang]

in 19 years of wrenching on my steamers , this is what has happened to them .

1995 Tiger (tigger 1) bought new still have
ignition pick up sensor failure
ignitor box melt down

thats it for total failures

intake screens collapsed causing fuel starvation (this happened when bike was 2 years old)
had to adjust one exhaust valve in 60,000 miles (needed shim at around 25k)
throttle cable
speedometer cable
clutch pushrod seal and shift shaft seal (twice now in 60k)
bent kickstand
the rest has been batterys tires brake pads and chains and chain rub strips.

thats all folks .

1998 Tiger (tigger 2) bought new still have it .

ignition pick up sensor at around 30 k miles
1 gill coil went south at  around 45 k miles
plug wires went tits up around same time
alternator bolt broke three times in 70 k
rear POS Showa puked its guts out early in life , replaced it with an Ohlins.
rear wheel bearing and steering head bearins at around 50 k
and the clock died .
clutch pushrod seal and shift shaft seal (once in 70k)
rebuilt the floppy shifter
bent kickstand
and the rest is routine maint .
oh yeah the intakes are on their last hoorah with shims (the ones in #1 are actually 2.0's surface ground down to get back to .15 mm clearance)
this ones got 70 k on it

another 1998 Tiger(tigger #3) bought used at 35 k ex. condition

broken alt . bolt  on alternator side
has 50 k on it now
been totin a sidecar around for the last 15 k
had 1 stuck brake piston on both sides of front wheel.
don't know previous history
but other than routine maint thats all thats happened to it since I've owned it .

1996 Tiger (tigger 4) 52k miles
this is Mudhens old bike
went thru a frame up refresh and has been parked ever since .
sitting patiently in garage waiting for it's day to come again!!!!!!

are they reliable ?
get a well taken care of one and they treat you right . mine are in heated garage 

the plastic is starting to show its age on all 4 now , with the fairings not fitting as good as they used to (shrinking). and yes the decals bubble .

not a very bad  actual repair
list in over 200,000 combined miles














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