triumph t 100

[marty 31]

I have been offered a 1972 tiger 100, its a import with high style exhausts, it will have a close ratio gearbox and am wondering if its suitable for normal road use or will it be revving to high for pottering about at 60-70 mph and general road use?

[john.k]

The revs at any speed in 4th are not related to the gear ratios,but to your final drive ratios.........in other words ,you can change the gearbox sprocket to suit your self............But a close ratio box can become a real problem if you expect to drive in traffic......In effect,you will have no first gear,and be starting in second gear ratio ....and slipping the clutch........If the motor is highly tuned with high CR and oversize carbies the bike will be a nightmare in traffic............

[Rex]

The C range CR box (if this bike still has it) is well-suited to road use as it was more selling point than performance addition.
Anyway, if it was not to your liking it could be changed for a standard cluster in a morning and sold on. They're sort-after items.

[TGR90B]

Buy it on price and condition. The late ones have no problem with high revs.

[mini-me]

Sure its a close ratio and not a wide one?

T100 tough old motor, not a bad bike at all. Handle well, good brakes compact size machine nice and light for old geezers.

I used to maintain a fleet of them for City London plod, worst things was swinging arm wear and crap electrical switch gear, easily fixed.

If it has  single carb and a wide ratio or standard box it'll be a pussy cat compared to modern bikes.
Junk the high level exhausts for a high level 2 in 1.

[Rex]

True, I recall that the export-only T100C's had "WR" (wide ratio) stamped on the gearbox.

[mini-me]

I can't recall any Meridan Triumph of any size equipped with a CR box; possibly the Thruxton T120 did.

Met Police Saints had wide ratio boxes, lower comp pistons, E3134 cams, single carbs which made them ideal for London traffic, very quick off the mark, tractable and unfussy. Mostly wouldn't reach 100mph, no point, they had nutters in V8 Rovers for that.

Used to make I chuckle hearing some of the  BS spouted about super tuned ex plod bikes offered for sale.

[marty 31]

thanks for he help, I might be getting mixed up here, in could have been a wide ratio box, whats the difference? it defiantly has a single concentric carb

[TGR90B]

Surely the terminology gives you the answer.

[mini-me]

If you like it just buy it and don't worry about the gear ratios it's unlikely they are anything other than standard road.

Probably you are getting the sellers bullshite or plain ignorance.

There's a lot of it about.

Incidentally, no-one "potters about" at those speeds on a 50 year old bike. If that's what you want, honkawayama thing is what you need.

I used to get newby optimists in the AMC club wanting to "cruise" at 70mph on a '50s 350.............not for long old lad, not for long.

[marty 31]

If you like it just buy it and don't worry about the gear ratios it's unlikely they are anything other than standard road.

Probably you are getting the sellers bullshite or plain ignorance.

There's a lot of it about.

Incidentally, no-one "potters about" at those speeds on a 50 year old bike. If that's what you want, honkawayama thing is what you need.

I used to get newby optimists in the AMC club wanting to "cruise" at 70mph on a '50s 350.............not for long old lad, not for long.

I don't find that answer a great lot of help, the reason I ask is just so iam not dumped with a bike that's  revving its tits of at 50 mph and nothing short of a new gear box will fix it,  that's all 

[mini-me]

It won't be revving its tits off  unless you drive it like that.
It's you that controls the revs. I wonder if you are confusing gear ratios as would be set by primary or final drive sprockets? For instance,a smaller engine sprocket  and or a bigger rear wheel sprocket would lower the gearing and hence the engine will have higher revs for a given speed.
On these the engine sprocket is duplex, so difficult to change, and if I remember the rear sprocket is integral with the brake drum; that can be altered, but the overall ratios  would be raised or lowered by the gearbox sprocket,usually 1 tooth down or 1 up. Only visual inspection can tell you whats on the bike.

With close or wide ratios its only certain gears that are changed. I suggest you study the relevant parts lists for gearbox info.
 Has it got W stamped on the case has has been suggested?

Its a near 50year old bike and should be ridden in a sympathetic manner as befits its age.
 A nice bike that I wouldn't turn down if I was in the market for one.
If you want  a bike to do as you have said, its a wrong buy for you.
That's my considered opinion, otherwise its up to you.

As an after thought, A bloke called Ted Simon rode one round the world not so long ago. I don't believe he suffered from too high revs.

[TGR90B]

It's a sprocket change at worst, the final drive ratio will probably be the same what ever gearbox it's got. I don't know what you're fretting about.

[iansoady]

If you like it just buy it and don't worry about the gear ratios it's unlikely they are anything other than standard road.

Probably you are getting the sellers bullshite or plain ignorance.

There's a lot of it about.

Incidentally, no-one "potters about" at those speeds on a 50 year old bike. If that's what you want, honkawayama thing is what you need.

I used to get newby optimists in the AMC club wanting to "cruise" at 70mph on a '50s 350.............not for long old lad, not for long.

I don't find that answer a great lot of help, the reason I ask is just so iam not dumped with a bike that's  revving its tits of at 50 mph and nothing short of a new gear box will fix it,  that's all 

You've had a number of sensible and well informed responses. Your reply is rude and confrontational. It's clear you don't understand how the gearing on these bikes works as whether it is close ratio or not has no bearing on the revs in top gear.

Perhaps you would be better off asking the question somewhere else (although you won't get better answers).

[marty 31]

the answer was not intended to be "rude or confrontational" and yes you are right, I don't understand how the gearing on these bikes work, hence the post in the first place, what I do understand is many years ago I owned a Bonneville triton with a morgo conversion and a close ratio box, and it worked out high geared in first, up to 70mph, then next to no difference in the next 3 gears and revving to high in top gear at cruising speed, so in this instance sprocket changes were not the answer otherwise it would be near impossible to pull away, but maybe you are right about asking elsewhere.