The Polish rebuild

TURBO200R4 · Dec 3, 2025

has anybody succeeded taking off the splined collar off of the FD???

yes one came off ok and one was a terror.
with a 30 ton press and tourch heated collar and when it brock loose it brock my big bearing puller and the press seamed to jump 5 inches off the ground.
would advise against it.

Idaho Red Rocket 3 · Dec 3, 2025

matjas said:
Took the swingarm out and extracted the shaft. Top is as new. The bottom is beyond bad. I really think it is unsuitable to be put back in have to sleep it over
Didn’t see how bad it was when it was in the swingarm. It is proper shot.

That driveshaft is done. It can be replaced with a new one. The problem is the female coupler on the FD. No replacements for that except complete new FD.

I have a basket case 2005 RIII that has a fully stripped out drive shaft and coupler on the FD. The sad story is the dealer was not a trained triumph Tech. He did not know about the drive splines. He disassembled the entire bike and engine believing the no drive problem was a broken transmission. He totally missed the stripped splines. After total disassembly and inspecting the transmission, they realized their error. The fee to do this was about $800. They wanted another $5600 to reassemble and fix the stripped splines with a new drive shaft and FD. The owner took it home in pieces where it sat in his garage for years. Until his wife said, "Get it out of here". I purchased it for $1000.

Anyway, You will need to buy a new or new to you (used) driveshaft and FD. If you can, up-grade to the Roadster shaft and FD. The spline and coupler are much larger and last longer ... at least that is what they say. I purchased used ones as a set for my 230 HP 2006 RIII. After installing these on the 2006, I'll move the ones I'm taking off the 2006 onto the 2005 RIII.

This is how I got it back in 2019. Still looks like that now in my shed. I did sell a lot of the accessories and got more than my money back.

matjas · Dec 3, 2025

matjas said:
The shaft lower coupling seems to be a dog. I would say typical English engineering of which I have everyday proof at work. Still - if greased properly it should hold much longer.

matjas · Dec 7, 2025

The old tank serves a purpose of painting exercises. The Rocket must look like one.
This is my first try with airbrush ever so bear with me. Just wanted to see how complex of a task this is going to be.

Koko3052 · Dec 7, 2025

I’m following your post and like what you’re doing, Thank You.

.
I have 2 Rockets, first was an 08 classic and then later stumbled on an 06 with under 10K kms that was too cheap to pass by. I only have two seasons running the 08, but more than fifty on HDs and love the Rockets. Bought my 08 with 50K on the odometer and immediately checked the drive shaft, the splines were almost like yours. Cleaned it all up and lubed with high moly and seems to be holding. A buddy was restoring an old Honda GL and they had a grease nipple from factory at about the spot the splines would be…..got me to thinking but haven’t attacked it yet! As to your thinking about repairing the spline end and the collar, I'm with you 100% on that and will post here if/when I have any luck with that.
Yes broke my diff drain plug at the first oil change so I found a bolt that size and then rigged a “tie wire” so it will never come out. I use pipe thread seal on the threads and no oil seeps.

I do that to all drain plugs on all my bikes….peace of mind. BTW you cannot fish the broken piece of drain plug out of the “fill” hole, diff has to be taken apart.
As to your “grabby brakes” all that I could suggest is maybe flushing the systems? My bike had Metzler 880 when I purchased it but that didn’t last long. I went darkside and am trying a Kuhmo Solace 4SH 32 in 235/60 R16” and love the traction and handling. Nay sayer’s told me that the bike rim is different contour than the car tire but that is BS. I cut out a piece of my Metzler just to get a good side view of the fit and it is perfect.

matjas · Dec 8, 2025

For the tires it absolutely is hard to blame anyone for going to dark side as the dedicated motorcycle rubber is just ridiculously priced. In Poland you can get proper winter tyres for two cars like opel Astra. Wtf! For the price of rocket set! I am tempted but I think this is illegal. Haven’t checked really. Yet.
My wheels are being bead blasted now and when powder coating has been done I will have to make up my mind.
Brakes are mechanically ok. This is what they do - brake

Nothing compares with the abs brakes on telelever BMWs. Bar none. That is just their own league.

I used to have gl1200 in pristine original condition and at 100kkm when I checked the splines all was just like the day it was born. Had probably 10 older BMWs /finished my acquaintance with BMW at 1100 series/ and still have 1100rt and r80gs - stuff just doesn’t wear given it is maintained every tire change. Ofc clutch splines is a major PITA and one of the reasons BMW no longer use dry clutch as of advent of the wasserboxer for ease of maintenance… at the same time they made the alernator totally inaccessible. But I digress

I did a file check

at the garage and the outer splines are proper hard and it is quite difficult to score the splined sleeve. The shaft in question is literally plasticine/crayon hardness

I know it has been run as dry as nuns private parts but come on Triumph. You can’t make a whip out of sand.

matjas · Jul 27, 2026

matjas said:
For the tires it absolutely is hard to blame anyone for going to dark side as the dedicated motorcycle rubber is just ridiculously priced. In Poland you can get proper winter tyres for two cars like opel Astra. Wtf! For the price of rocket set! I am tempted but I think this is illegal. Haven’t checked really. Yet.
My wheels are being bead blasted now and when powder coating has been done I will have to make up my mind.
Brakes are mechanically ok. This is what they do - brake
Nothing compares with the abs brakes on telelever BMWs. Bar none. That is just their own league.

I used to have gl1200 in pristine original condition and at 100kkm when I checked the splines all was just like the day it was born. Had probably 10 older BMWs /finished my acquaintance with BMW at 1100 series/ and still have 1100rt and r80gs - stuff just doesn’t wear given it is maintained every tire change. Ofc clutch splines is a major PITA and one of the reasons BMW no longer use dry clutch as of advent of the wasserboxer for ease of maintenance… at the same time they made the alernator totally inaccessible. But I digress
I did a file check at the garage and the outer splines are proper hard and it is quite difficult to score the splined sleeve. The shaft in question is literally plasticine/crayon hardness
I know it has been run as dry as nuns private parts but come on Triumph. You can’t make a whip out of sand.

matjas · Jul 27, 2026

I have been away for some time

and the project was at idle during the winter/spring. Then I was riding a lot other bikes but finally started again with the Rocket.
It has been on its own legs for a month now. New lights, new tyres, new seat /10cm higher than the original/, de-chromed and many elements painted structural matte black - and today I managed to finish the painting. Well almost as the batwing fairing still needs some additional work - I suspect there is some shxxit oozing out of the laminate causing random fisheyes in the paint. Will get there.
Decided to go more traditional route than the rivets.

So here it is as it is now. I need to start fabricating radiator guards and footpeg rails.

Has anyone purchased the thicker radiator for Rocket from China? Mine seems to have developed a weep throughout the winter and I am not willing to be repairing it anymore I think. The import one is said to be 30% more efficient - thicker core.

Rick111 · Jul 27, 2026

Wow that is a stellar job . I didn’t notice any “ fish eyes” but if you are getting them make sure you have no open or fresh silicon laying around . When is it going back together ? I need to see it complete .

The Polish rebuild

TURBO200R4

stand up straight and grab the world by the a$$

Idaho Red Rocket 3

Living Legend

matjas

If it ain’t broken, fix it till it is.

matjas

If it ain’t broken, fix it till it is.

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Koko3052

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matjas

If it ain’t broken, fix it till it is.

matjas

If it ain’t broken, fix it till it is.

matjas

If it ain’t broken, fix it till it is.

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Rick111

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