What's a Steamer supposed feel like?

[pKp]

Got my '98 Tiger on the road - what a ride!

Well - I guess so...

This being my first Steamer, and first Triumph, and my first triple for that matter - I'm not entirely sure if everything is running as it should. The bike idles like a kitten - fires right up and levels out around a grand on the tach. But get 'er up around 4-5000 and things change quickly.

Help me out - what's a Steamer SUPPOSED to run like? I keep reading things like "smooth" and "effortless" - mine is certainly powerful with lots of torque, but honestly if feels like a tractor between my legs. Loads of high-frequency vibration.

I would describe it as a small-bore Harley kind of feel - certainly not a pounding thumper, but certainly no where near a metric bike.

Not that I mind - just want to make sure it's running as it should.

[Mustang]

what exactly is changing at 4-5 k rpm ?????????

[JetdocX]

4 to 5k rpm is where the fun starts.  All the way up to the rev limiter around 8500.

[Nick Calne]

If you are thinking Honda engine smooth then no...not so smooth.  Smooth as in rolls along smoothly and moves between speeds smoothly.  Engine is always making some sort of noise in common with most triumph triples.

[pKp]

Yea - I was thinking about engine smooth. Rides beautifully - very balanced. I can see where, in the right hands, the Steamer could run circles around so-called sport bikes. I can only imagine what the "Roadies" can do.

But the engine just seems to have more "feedback" than I was expecting. My first thought was the cams - green for more torque - might also produce more vibration. One almost gets the feeling the motor is on the verge of flying into 1000 pieces - but I trust that never happens.

Again, don't misunderstand. I love it! But, I just had practically every piece of the motor in my hand. My problem, having never ridden a triple, is that I have nothing to compare...

[D-Fuzz]

As a new Steamer owner, my impression of the triple is at highway speed it sort of lopes along until you give it some throttle, then t is like a rocket...it just pulls and pulls.  You'd better be holding on because it's gonna take off.  I've put on about 300 miles over the last two days and I love it! :D

[Rocinante]

pKp, from your description it sounds like you bought a, eh Steamer.

It has a very evident torque/hp increase(one or the other or both, I don´t know) at 4k rpm, and runs otherwise just the way you say.

Enjoy it!

[Nick Calne]

Just out of interest does anybody have a dyno chart to show what the engine puts out where and when exactly?

[Mustang]

Just out of interest does anybody have a dyno chart to show what the engine puts out where and when exactly?

Here's a 900 trophy chart which is very similar to the tiger just with an xtra 1 k rpm



the red line on chart is stock and you can see the stumble below 5 k , pulling the needles up gets rid of most if not all of the stumble .

[pKp]

Right on, Mustang. I lifted the needles one washer. Works like a charm.

I searched a little more last night - found several posts describing "loose" and "can of bolts rattling around" - not sure if they were describing DAR??? (Fixed that too...)


WEEEEEEE!!!!!


Also - has anyone experienced mild clutch slip - especially in 5th or 6th  - using full synthetic oil? The clutch seemed fine on inspection - only 18, 500 miles. But I'm getting some slippage in 5th grear when I give 'er the gas. Using full synthetic Shell 15-40.

[Mustang]

is it motorcycle specific oil ??????? you may want to try mobil 1 MX4T made specifically for wet clutches on bikes .

and on another note ...this is the bike that had the blown hopped up motor correct ? you may need new plates cuz it sounds like previous owner thrashed it pretty good

[pKp]

Yep - this is the one. Yoshi cans, advanced timing, big jets, high compression pistons. Everything is back to stock now.

I'm using the Shell Rotella Synthetic 15-40. They also make a semi-synthetic 10-30, but I wanted the extra range. Might try that next. The motorcycle-specific stuff is just too pricey for my tastes.

Hard to say on the clutch disks as I did a visual inspection only - no measurements. They "looked" fine. How long, under normal condition, can I expect the disks to last?

[Bixxer Bob]

If you're using oil that isn't motorcycle-specific,just be aware that some of the additives that are good for a car will make the clutch slip on a bike.

I added about 100cc of semi-synth car oil to my Blackbird once.  It gave me clutch sqeal for about three weeks afterward even though I'd drained and changed it.  It doesn't take much... :roll:

[Colonel Nikolai]

Yeah there's a reason they have motorcycle-formulated oil for wet clutch bikes. I'm running Amsoil 10w40 Motorcycle oil. I think it shifts better than the Mobile1 and I saw my first bump in MPG after changing.

I have a 96 Triumph Sprint that has 98HP/61.2FP and a 96 Tiger that has 85HP/60.5FP. Sprint seems faster and smoother in acceleration, which would indicate a flatter dyno than the Tiger. The cat pulls a little more viciously at around 3.8k or so where the Sprint will deliver a calmer, longer pull, keeping it's breath longer. The Tiger will get a little out-of-breath alongside near the top of the RPM dial. They have funny noises compared to other bikes that are quite pronounced with the stock exhaust. I feel like the chain is vibrating the pegs on the Tiger but it's that strange rub block that makes it seem so.

Since replacing the rear suspension with a full rebuild by Sasquatch with a gold valve, I think my Steamer handles better than the new Tiger's stock suspension which I have had several hundred miles of fun riding on.

Compared to two other bikes: Yam FJ1200 which was very, very fast but also very peaky and a Buell XB9S that while wickedly torquey and able to handle the curves much better than any of 'em but lacks build quality in the engine and tranny department (Harley engines are an industry joke), I will keep the Triumphs and probably buy more of them someday.

[Mustang]

They also make a semi-synthetic 10-30, but I wanted the extra range. Might try that next. The motorcycle-specific stuff is just too pricey for my tastes.

Hard to say on the clutch disks as I did a visual inspection only - no measurements. They "looked" fine. How long, under normal condition, can I expect the disks to last?

I'm  going with clutch plates are glazed .............I am running the rotella in tigger 3 hauling around a third wheel anchor(sidecar) and have zero clutch slip