[Guest]

Ok, flame suit on...
I've searched here and on several other forums, but can't find a specific answer to my question...
I've had too many honda motorcycles to count and i love the fact that with small amounts of maintenence you can just get on them and ride...My last bike was an F4i. Now I want a big bore naked!
Here is my question...It's time for a new bike and I love the looks of the 1050 S3, i've been a fan of s3s since i was a small teen (now i'm 22)

My question is, i will probably put about 10,000 to 15,000 miles a year on my new bike and i plan to keep it for many years to come, i'll be doing some touring and i just want to know what the lifespan of these bikes are?

Who's got the highest mileage 1050 out there, i know the sprints and tigers have the same mill? does anyone have 70 to 80k on one of these engines, if so what if any problems did you run into, obviously there is maintenence do be done, but what else?

I've read the common s3 issue's thread and i found nothing in there that had any meat to it...is anyone having major troubles with these bikes?

I have read of one incident regarding a cam chain failure on a sprint, but this seems to be a one off occurrence, is anyone else having problems? Some valve seal issues here and there, but what else? I want to know the dirt!

I guess i just need some advice to sway me either way, dad keeps telling me not to get a triumph, but in my mind they are just as reliable as other brands...

If i am used to honda rideability, will a triumph leave me unsatisfied?

give me some feedback, all is appreciated. Thanks

 

[StuckInKansas]

I don't care what anybody says, it WON"T be as reliable as a honda. If all you want in a bike is reliable transport, buy a honda. If you want a beautiful bike with some character and is crazy fun to ride, look SERIOUSLY at the S3. I personally don't like hondas, simply because they are almost bland in character. Efficient, reliable, cheap yes, but cool, no. I used to like hondas for the same reasons you like them, but I started to look in to the character of a bike, and the S3 won, hands down. Plus, when a girl asks what kind of bike I ride I don't have to say "Honda....", I can say "a Triumph, its a british streetfighter".

 

[J-Pip]

I've got about 15K on mine, no issues outside the regular maintenance. From what you listed as your concerns, look into your local dealer, how close are they? and are they any good? Try to find some local Triumph riders and ask them about the dealer. Mine sucks, i've taken my bike their 3 times, they did work on it once. I've done everything else myself. It's not as easy to get parts or service for them, but the bike is fun to ride. It's a good bike, lot's of guys with the 955 have plenty of miles on them. There's not a big difference between the two engines. Like what was said already, Honda's are very reliable. The 919 is a great bike too. Get out and ride an S3 you won't be disappointed. Plus is you get the S3, you'll have all of us to give you shit and advice.

 

[milq]

I don't care what anybody says, it WON"T be as reliable as a honda. If all you want in a bike is reliable transport, buy a honda. If you want a beautiful bike with some character and is crazy fun to ride, look SERIOUSLY at the S3.

+1

 

[BUCKET]

I got 40,000 km's on mine with no major hassles.Same as any bike,keep your oil changes and periodic maintenence regular and she'll last a long time.Oh yeah and buy a s3 or we'll :slap: ya. ;D

 

[BillT]

1050's have been out just under three years, so you probably won't find many with a lot of miles on them. Though the engine is new, the reliability of older S3s should say something about the bike. :eboy:

 

[white06S3]

OK, now I'm losing my mind. I swear I just read, in either the last issue of BIKE (May) or in Motorcycle Sport & Leisure (#561) that the 1050 motor, in a Sprint, was just shown to have the least amount of wear when compared to some other bikes' motors. Now I can't find it. I think they referenced a test done by some other magazine or an oil company or something. I know the test wasn't the main focus of the article I read. Maybe it was all a dream, or maybe a delusion I created to defend against the anxiety that results from the way I ride my bike ;D.

 

[DirtMcGirt]

i was coming back from Alabama Jack's on sunday :beer: with my buddy when we came upon a dude and his girl broke down on the side of the shoulderless road...we stopped to see if he was ok and he said yeah but that the bike quit cause the reg. rectifier fried...oh yeah BTW it was a HONDA 1000rr and the same shit happened to my 900rr...the rect. drained the battery in the middle of a 400 mile trip and i had to push start her twice...so far i am happier with my s3...knock on horse wood :horse:

 

[APtech77]

I personally don't like hondas, simply because they are almost bland in character.

NOT if you build or own HONDA......

 

[Guest]

Buying my '05 I was worried about maintenance costs but have been surprised how little it costs. I've done 36,000 klm's in under 2 years and have had no trouble besides brakes. I am still on my original brake pads, chain and spockets and battery. I'm surprised my forks seal aren't stuffed from my clumsy wheelie's (getting better). I ride my bike to work 5 days a week and it's never let me down. I plan on keeping it for a long time yet.

 

[Devious2xs]

With the S3 not being tuned to high specific outputs, nor revving to the moon, I would expect the drivetrain to last a long time - the 955i engines have been known to last for MANY miles/Kms. The frame and swing-arm are well built, so as long as the head, swing-arm, and wheel bearings are kept lubricated regularly, it should hold up well.

 

[Bad Boy Brad]

i would like to hear of bikes with high mileages. I have just bought a speed triple (05) and I plan to do lots of journeys on it.

 

[J-Pip]

An MCN article. The site it's copied to is a local club, they're pretty selective at who rides with them from what i've heard, most are the local MSF instructors and local racers too. Any way it's a good read for what you want to know.
http://www.canyonchasers.net/reference/triumph_owners_survey.php

 

[jimmie]

Another thing, The Aces fuel additive Devi talks about is proven to reduce wear.

 

[MONKEYHANGER]

My timing chain failed on the autobahn last summer. She just died and rolled to a halt of a service station slip road. 5 days later she was back in Britain (waiting for the German recovery people to bring her home) 4 days after that she was back on the road. That was after 6k miles she's on 12k now and all is well.
Still very happy with her and hopeful of many more miles.
MH

 

[crashmasterd]

Actually Hinkley Triumph bikes in general have a very good reliability history. In my opinion just as good as Hondayamakawazuki. There was a moto-dispatch guy in England who put 250,000 miles on a Trident about 10 years ago without anything but routine maintenance. There's lots of guys with 60,000 - 80,000 miles on their Triumphs without a hiccup.

Engine wise I think the 1050 should be as good as anything you can buy (Monkeyhangers issue is an isolated incident). Triumphs do have a couple of minor issues to consider: Like the clutch cable problem. Most everything else has been sorted out, and the 1050 is a great bike. Keep it lubed and maintained and you shouldn't have any problems down the road!

 

[triple3john]

A German magazine stripped down the engines of various manufacturers after significant mileage. From memory over 30,000 miles. The 1050ST engine had the least wear of all the engines and all components were still well within factory tolerances. The 1050 is basically a stroked version of the 955,which has proven to be a very robust motor. Triumph may not be quite up with Honda but there's not much in it. Plus with Triumph you get character,fun etc. I don't know any Triumph riders who regret their purchase.

 

[MONKEYHANGER]

I could give you a load of waranty issues I've had with Honda (cam chain) Suzuki (Fork oil seals) and Kawa's (iced carbs) .
I called the factory in Hinkley and asked for some reassurance; you could not do that with the Japanese guys; they were great and told me that I was just unlucky and that the 1050 and 955 etc were well proven and all would be well.
They (and the dealer) said the fuel had the smell of diesel when they took her apart. Maybe the fuel line in Koblenz was a bit iffy!!!
Crashmastered is quite right. The S3 is a great bike.

MH

Engine wise I think the 1050 should be as good as anything you can buy (Monkeyhangers issue is an isolated incident).

 

[BillT]

They (and the dealer) said the fuel had the smell of diesel when they took her apart. Maybe the fuel line in Koblenz was a bit iffy!!!

Could diesel content in your fuel have caused some sort of detonation that snapped the timing chain? I don't see how, but then I've seen stranger things happen.

 

[MONKEYHANGER]

I spoke to on of the customer service technicians at the time; he said it was possible for the deisel to lock the thing which I guess could cause the chain to fail. I'm not sure myself. He said most likley was just a defective chain tensioner. That one I do believe.

Seems I'm the only one in the whole world to have this problem on a 1050 s3.

I posted a thread on the Trat asking if others had had the problem. Zip.

Only me....

???

MH

[/quote]

Could diesel content in your fuel have caused some sort of detonation that snapped the timing chain? I don't see how, but then I've seen stranger things happen.
[/quote]