I don't know if any of you guys watch Freddie's videos and Vlogs on YouTube?
Anyway, he has a 2009 (I think) Triumph Bonneville T100 SE that he's abused a fair bit. Going to Morocco and then back to the UK, amongst other things. When he got it back to the UK it was in a bit of a sorry state, so he got someone to take a look at it. They stripped the top end of the engine, but then the work stalled for a good while because they couldn't get a cylinder base gasket, none in stock with Triumph anywhere in Europe! Anyway, eventually some of Freddie's followers managed to send some to him.
Funnily, in the video comments a number of guys were saying to make one from gasket material, as it was only the base gasket!
Anyway, the reassembly went ahead and Freddie got the bike back, but it wasn't running at all well and it then developed electrical issues. Freddie then took it to a independent Triumph specialist, who had a look and diagnosed low compression and something on the electrics. His advice was to replace the engine!
Freddie posted all this and was seriously questioning whether it was worth keeping the bike or just get rid!
A couple of other youtubers contacted him, volunteering to have a look at the bike for him. Eventually Freddie arranged with one of them, that he'd take the bike away and see if he could sort it out over the coming months.
Anyway, I've been following this other guy's channel to see what he finds.
So far, with regards to the electrical issues, he's replaced the starter relay and found that the charging circuit wasn't really working well, so he's replaced and upgraded the Reg/Rec.
He has found a small airleak in one of the inlet stubs too.
But the latest video, from Sunday 4 Jan, is truly shocking.
The guys that did the original work on the bike had reassembled it with the valve timing way off! He also found that they'd put the cam caps back on in a completely random order! There was also a problem with one of the spark plug holes, which they said that they had helicoiled. The guy working on the bike now looked at the plug and it's flopping around in all directions just before it's seated! He's now considering if it needs the cylinder head replaced!
What I find shocking is that some so-called professionals have done such shoddy work and really don't seem to be overly bothered about it. Like him, or hate him, Freddie has a lot of followers on YouTube etc, so these other guys could have really shot themselves in the foot! Where is the pride in their work with some of these guys now!
This is the first video from the guy who has taken on the job of fixing the Bonneville (for those that are interested)