Tribsa. Help needed identifying the frame.

[v8legend]

I'm hoping some of the trolls don't live in the 'Classic' section.

This is my mates Tribsa. We know that because it says so on the side panel! He's had this for over 30 years. He took the engine out to fix it, and as is typical, he never got around to fixing it. Recently, his father decided that the motor was junk (he was probably right), and threw it in a skip.

So the question is, 'What frame is this'?

He's probably got the logbook somewhere (or can ask for a new one). Is it worth anything in this state?

A few pics

pic 1



pic 2



pic 3



pic 4



pic 5



All constructive help appreciated.

 

[Mallard]

Just a guess really, but I would reckon it could possibly be a late '50's early '60's A7 (500cc) or A10 (650cc) - I don't think there was a lot of difference between the frames, - just the engine capacity.
Best find the frame number first then see if it tallies with the paperwork.

Google the BSA owners club website - there maybe more info there.

They are all worth something - more with the paperwork than without. Even if the engine was U/S his old man should not have put it in the skip.

 

[v8legend]

Even if the engine was U/S his old man should not have put it in the skip.

My mate's none too chuffed either!

 

[Den]

I think its a Triumph frame. Not a pre-unit one.

 

[Timolgra]

I think its a Triumph frame. Not a pre-unit one.

Triumph T120 ??

 

[ppgser]

Anchor?

 

[v8legend]

Anchor?

I wasn't asking what it should be used for. Just what it is.

 

[freeloader]

May not be much help, I know, but the front mudguard looks like early seventies to me. Petrol tank looks much older, but I don't think it came with that frame...

In fact, I'd date the front forks, rear shock absorbers, and taillight as early seventies too.

Are the pillion footrests mounted on the swinging arm? I've a feeling that was a seventies "feature" as well.

 

[Tinytim]

70's Triumph shite frame?

Tell ya mate to run from it. Money pit beckons.



(Chucking the engine in a skip for fooks sakes )

 

[Packer]

Your pal should tell his Dad that someone posted on a bike forum that any Brit twin is worth at least £3,000 just for the engine castings and crankshaft.

Gold dust Dad, pure gold dust, you've just ruined my pension fund.

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

looks like an old suzuki frame to me

forks are jap,yokes are jap
rear wheel is brit
frame is cut at the rear loop


the engine should have been kept and this rolling chassis should have been skipped

 

[Timolgra]

looks like an old suzuki frame to me

forks are jap,yokes are jap
rear wheel is brit
frame is cut at the rear loop


the engine should have been kept and this rolling chassis should have been skipped

Yes, I think it may be a Yam XS650 frame or Suzuki as you say GS750

 

[v8legend]

I found this pic on an American site of an A10 frame.



So, I'm fairly sure it's not an A10.

 

[freeloader]

I found this pic on an American site of an A10 frame.

View attachment 204544

So, I'm fairly sure it's not an A10.

You're right, it isn't, which is a shame really - as far as I remember, the reasoning behind building a TriBSA was to take the good Triumph twin engine out of its indifferently handling Triumph frame, and put it into BSA's rather better handling frame - as a secondbest solution when you couldn't get hold of a Norton Featherbed frame (resulting in a Triton, of course), which was reckoned to be the ideal at the time - which I believe was the late 50s to 60s.

Putting a BSA engine into a Triumph frame might have been seen as a way to use up the shite parts you had left over. Calling the resultant machine a TriBSA as well (if that's what you had there, and we don't really know) is tantamount to taking the piss...

Incidentally, have you found a frame number on it?

 

[ChasF]

XS650 or similar Jap frame seems the most likely. Definately not an A10 as I've got one of them in the shed.

Tank is BSA (but not A10) so I assume the TRI bit was the engine!

The whole thing looks like a HOS. Can't identify the front brake but a twin leading shoe drum brake may be worth something but the rest of it should have gone in the skip instead of the engine.

 

[v8legend]

Putting a BSA engine into a Triumph frame might have been seen as a way to use up the shite parts you had left over. Calling the resultant machine a TriBSA as well (if that's what you had there, and we don't really know) is tantamount to taking the piss...

So, if this turns out to be a Triumph engine in a Yamaha frame, then it's the worse of both worlds!

 

[freeloader]

So, if this turns out to be a Triumph engine in a Yamaha frame, then it's the worse of both worlds!

In the sense that he threw a Triumph engine away rather than a BSA one, I'd say yes, but I couldn't comment on the relative merits of BSA versus Yamaha frame, though.

(but I heard that XS2s didn't handle )

 

[neilflash]

For my 2pence worth looks like a BSA starfire 250 frame left hand brake pedal as well

 

[freeloader]

For my 2pence worth looks like a BSA starfire 250 frame left hand brake pedal as well

Good point, definitely not a Japanese frame. Forks could be Starfire too, I'm fairly certain the front mudguard, forks, headlamp, and speedo would tie in with that as well...

(edit) No, not a Starfire, its front down tube was single down to the front engine mount where it split in two.

But the bigger BSAs from that era (eg 500 twin) had twin frame downtubes...

 

[v8legend]

I know someone who has restored about 12 XS650's. He's confirmed it's definitely not an XS650 frame. LH brake pedal would point to it being British. Whoever built it in the first place thought it was a TriBSA, so I'll stick with that 'trail of thought'.