2000 885i, anything to look for?

[Papalobster]

Found a 2000 855i for sale reasonably close and I'm gonna take a peek at it. Anything I should look for? I'm a previous Steamer owner.

[Chris Canning]

Head gasket.

[PeteH]

Head gasket.

.   That's about it, but due to its age any problems should have been sorted, imagine asking the same question for a 955

[Chris Canning]

As I've said on here many times my first 885i lasted 6 weeks the second we had for two years took it in for a 12000 service test rode a 955i and never went back for the bike as 955( engine wise) is a world away.

[walker]

the 955i is potentially a smoother motor, but I only ever trusted the ones with the 1050 cases (2006 models).

The 885i has the nicer alternator (not a stator setup).

As the previous post said - look for a coolant weep at the rear of the cylinder head. Just under the intake.

not a lot that is overly expensive... other problems to note / things to do:
oem spring is really mushy in the front, easy to replace
radiator cap may leak, easy to replace
overflow hose elbow may crack, easy to replace
swingarm bushing and lower shock mount bearings should be cleaned and regreased
the fuel regulator on the injection rail might need replacing at some point (if it runs rich.... easy to do)
fuel level float may sink or get stuck, so fuel gauge won't register (easy to replace the sending unit/float)

It will sound like a box of rocks when running. it's a good motor otherwise. Has a nice clutch on it. I swapped out the clutch release arm with a 955 unit (it's a longer arm on the 955, but the other dimensions are the same) and the 1050 cable (doesn't have that stupid 90 degree bend near the release lever) to give the clutch a great low effort and really nice feel (the stock clutch setup will feel a bit stiff). Easy fix - but keep that in mind when looking at the bike.

Love the separate alternator with built in regulator on that bike!

[Chris Canning]

Don't think my 955 was any smoother it was just faster and of course you have another 1000 revs to the redline so under normal use even less stressed,Triumph have a motor upgrade every 4 years there has only been one exception to that and that's the 885i/955 T509 motor because it was a dud there are some good ones out there but boy an awfull lot of duds that's both 885i's and early 955 Daytona motors.

Triumph developed the new 955 motor for the new Daytona they where in such a panic that actually put it in the Tiger in may 2001 way before the new Daytona.

[Chris Canning]

Never mind bikes amazing how cameras have come on in 14? years found these today looking at old photo's this was our second 885i's down near Tarragona after riding for some miles on an unpaved road.



Wonder if the old girl is still chugging along after all these years.

[walker]

Don't think my 955 was any smoother it was just faster and of course you have another 1000 revs to the redline so under normal use even less stressed,Triumph have a motor upgrade every 4 years there has only been one exception to that and that's the 885i/955 T509 motor because it was a dud there are some good ones out there but boy an awfull lot of duds that's both 885i's and early 955 Daytona motors.

Triumph developed the new 955 motor for the new Daytona they where in such a panic that actually put it in the Tiger in may 2001 way before the new Daytona.

The later 955 motors used mostly 1050 bits - so the one I had wasn't very different at all from my 1050 tiger, only it was smoother fueling than the 1050. Cases, heads, a lot of other stuff. very different than the earlier 955i motors. If you ever get a chance to ride a late 2006 955i, it's a world of difference. 

For the 885 motor and the original question - I figured those were the things I knew about, either first hand (most of them) or a few second hand. I think there were also a few instances of the ECM getting corroded because of screw holes / water leaks at the rear underside fender? Corroding the underside of the ECM? I never had that problem, but I seem to remember something about that.

[Sin_Tiger]

it was smoother fueling than the 1050. 

A little OT, have you tried putting the TOR tune (sorry I can't remember the number off hand) in your 1050, it makes a big difference to the lower RPM fuelling, even with the stock can. Made mine quite pleasant to ride in traffic, better still with something a bit fruitier on the pipe  .

[walker]

Never had a problem with the stock 1050 tune.... the last of the 955i motors are a different ECM, plus most of the the 1050 bits, just a different displacement.... if you ever get to try a late 2006 955i motor, you'll want to own it instantly.... it's more than just the fueling too... it's much smoother.... not just a different fuel map/spark curve (although that would help a 1050).  Hard to explain.

I'd argue that this is one of their *best* triples that I have ever owned (I have only owned 5 different variants to date). Very different than other 955i motors.

Didn't want to hijack this thread - the question was around the 2000 885i motor, which I have also owned. 

[Chris Canning]

There's little point in introducing the 1050 into this thread because while the engine may have a link to the 955 what makes it so different is the Japanese fuel injection and that changes it out of all recognition better/worse blimey that's a whole new thread,having jumped off a 1050 Tiger Sport last year while I'd buy one if my old 955 went bang,I was more than happy to ride home on the old bike because the motor was for more relaxed,and as our own personal use is long distance travel it's a better option.

Re the 885i it was Triumph's first attempt with fuel injection,while on a tour around the factory in 2000 with other Tiger owners when the question was raised why wasn't the bike a full 955cc like the T595 engine there was lots of huffing and puffing design the team who where in the room with us,they wouldn't give us a straight answer but the nudge nudge wink wink version was it wasn't good enough,at that time Triumph had their R+D done by the company over the road(Wilcox).

I'd had my first 885i a couple of weeks,I get a phone call bring it in when need to change all the internal engine bolts they have been plated with wrong finish and it's flaking off and blocking the oil ways,while it was in the shop I went to have a look there where 955 Daytona motors every in bits  ,they had that many apart in the end the factory where rebuilding them because the shop couldn't keep up,just part of learning process that Triumph went through to get to where they are now and while the 955 has it's quirks it's where I considered Triumph turned the corner when the majority were good instead of the other way round.

[Madruss]

if you ever get to try a late 2006 955i motor, you'll want to own it instantly.... it's more than just the fueling too... it's much smoother.... not just a different fuel map/spark curve (although that would help a 1050).  Hard to explain.

I'd argue that this is one of their *best* triples that I have ever owned (I have only owned 5 different variants to date). Very different than other 955i motors.

Was scrolling through some old posts & found the above interesting comment.
I'll keep one of these on my radar, so if one pops up for sale down under 

[Flyingwombat]

Mine (previously my dad's) was left in the rain for about 4 years, got lightly crashed a few times, and flooded up to the top of the alternator. It started first time. Only on 35k, but not serviced properly since around 2015 or so.

Currently servicing it

- Full brake and master cylinder rebuild front and back - the front was filled with green jelly
- K+N filter
- Oil change
- Changed the old and non-functional hotgrips
- Sorted some rubbish wiring
- New LED headlights and running lights
- Spark plugs
- Replacing all the old corroded fixings
- Fitting new panniers

So far no major issues. No shockers.

I'd be doing the valve clearances too but the tool went missing when it was lent to a garage...

[Flyingwombat]

Actually what I wrote is a bit of a lie. It seems that all the connection points for the fuel regulator vac tube on the airbox are gone, as are all the scottoiler terminations... No logical reason I can see, just a vac tube dangling without an elbow, and airbox without a grommet.

Kind of unsurprising though. The last garage to attempt to fix it when it was MOTd were a bunch of muppets, the pipes they have added are new, and the fuel lines they replaced are shorter than normal.

[Madruss]

Great to hear you're having a go to make it rideable once more.  
Bikes left out in the weather for a period of time usually don't fare well.
I found a TSS Bonneville in Sydney some years ago. The tarp covering it had disintegrated a few years earlier. Sadly, in my eyes & finances, it was too far gone