Bondorella’s New Friend! Triumph TR25W!

The only thing that can add to Bondorella’s already off-the-charts beauty (I’m a little biased…) is to put a motorcycle in her bed. I tell ya… not only did she look fantastic with a two-wheeled beast in the back, but she also did a mighty fine job hauling my new project bike to the Motor Palace! Ladies and Gentlemen… meet Bondorella’s new pal! A 1969 Triumph Trophy 250! Woo hoo!

Let me back up a bit and tell you how this project came to be. About ten years ago, I got a Triumph Bonneville (one of my dream bikes). Of course I added the new bike to my eBay saved searches and ended up buying this ad:

Here. I’ll type it out so you don’t have to squint to read the caption:

“Some bikes challenge egos. You don’t just jump on a Bonnie and take off. The Bonneville is a motorcycle that demands involvement. A vertical twin that insists you learn exactly how to tickle the carbs… throttle just right… so one healthy kick brings it roaring to life. Bonneville riders–over two generations of them–understand and appreciate this intimate bond between man and machine. Most egos aren’t up to the kind of a trip that today’s 750cc Bonnie demans. But if yours is, we have a most rewarding motorcycle for you.”

Translation? This bike is a problem child!

Had I seen this first, perhaps I would have realized this wasn’t the bike for me. Yep. The ad was right. This Bonnie did challenge my ego, big time. Because I hadn’t grown up kick-starting motorcycles, I didn’t know how to finesse her and for the most part, blew out my knee trying and would sit back sweating in total frustration on the verge of tears. My dear Bonnie and I never developed that intimate bond, and that made me exceedingly sad. Oh… but I did love riding her (seen below on one of the RARE occasions she started for me first kick, in front of a crowd of onlookers at Vintage OC… thanks for saving my rep, Bonnie!).

My feller on the other hand, could give her one healthy kick  and bring her to life. They almost instantly developed that bond between man and machine. So… the bike really became his.

Because my guy is a decent guy, he offered up a trade. A fair one? Maybe not in the eyes of the motorcycling public, but a stellar one in mine! The 1969 Triumph Trophy is a 250 (so hopefully much easier to kick start) and is a project.

Why does that excite me you ask? I’ve done a pretty good amount of wrenchin’ on Bondorella, but haven’t done anything in the motorcycle realm other than change the pipes on my Harley.

I’ve been itchin’ for another project, and here this one comes along. The engine has already been rebuilt and is bolted into the frame, but everything else has to be done. What better way to form that intimate bond than to bring her back to life! Granted, I have no clue what I’m doing, and the book doesn’t have explicit instructions, just vague stuff like, “Be sure to rehook the oil lines in proper sequence.” I guess if you took the oil lines off, you’d have a good idea which way they’d go back on. But since I didn’t, I reckon I’ll have to do a bit of checking and finding out. If you have a Trophy 250 or a BSA B25 in your garage, do me a favor and shoot me some closeups!

First step? Cleaning her all up. Mostly dust from sitting in the garage for the last seven or so years.

Next? Sorting through the bin and figuring out how complete she really is. Anyone have an ARD Magneto they want to part ways with? I’d gladly give it a home on the little Trump!

There are two tanks: one will remain mostly as it is because the patina is SO AMAZING; the black one will get a “Bondorella” treatment in part. Stay tuned to see the result.

And there it is. The scintillating story behind the Great Bike Trade of 2012. I can’t wait to take her out on the road and watch her sparkle like her pal Bondorella. For now, the Motor Palace will be her home away from home.

Until next time…

Later Gators!!