Okay, let me tell you about the time I messed around with my Triumph 955i. It was a real adventure, let me tell you.

So, I started this whole thing because, well, I heard a lot about the 955i having some quirks. You know, things like the engine acting up, and trouble starting when it’s cold outside. Sounded like a challenge, and who am I to back down from a challenge, right?
First thing I did was get my hands dirty. I’d heard the gearbox was a bit of a pain, and yeah, it wasn’t exactly smooth. I spent a good few hours just trying to get a feel for it, shifting up and down, trying to find that sweet spot. It wasn’t the easiest thing, but hey, I’ve dealt with worse.
Then there was the whole fuel system thing. Apparently, Triumph had to recall these bikes because of some fuel fitting issues. I checked mine out, and it looked alright, but I made a mental note to keep an eye on it. No one wants fuel leaking everywhere, that’s for sure.
- Gearbox: Not the best, took some getting used to.
- Fuel System: Heard about recalls, mine seemed fine but still a bit concerning.
- Cold Starts: Yep, it struggled a bit when the temperature dropped.
- Speedometer: Mine conked out after a while, just like I’d read about.
Next up, the cold starts. Man, I’d heard stories, and they weren’t kidding. When it got chilly, that engine just did not want to wake up. I tried a few tricks, different ways of getting it going, but sometimes it just took a lot of patience. It’s like it had a mind of its own.
And don’t even get me started on the speedometer. Mine just stopped working after a while. I’d read that was a common problem, so I wasn’t totally surprised. Still, it’s annoying when you’re trying to figure out how fast you’re going, you know?

I also noticed some weird smells around the fuel tank. Someone told me the O-ring seals were known to go bad, so I figured that was the culprit. I ended up replacing them, and that seemed to fix the problem. Also, I saw some corrosion on the engine casings. I guess the previous owner might have stored it outside or something. I might need to take care of the corrosion in the future.
Oh, and the surging! At low speeds, the engine would kind of hesitate and lurch. It was like it couldn’t quite make up its mind. Apparently, that’s a common thing with these bikes because they’re a bit too lean at the bottom end. It didn’t make for a smooth ride at times, that’s for sure.
But you know what? Despite all these little issues, it was kind of fun figuring things out. It’s like the bike had its own personality, a bit rough around the edges but still a blast to ride when you got it going. And honestly, fixing these problems, it only took like five minutes each once you knew what you were doing.
I had to get a second battery at one point because the bike decided to stop charging the main one while I was on my way back from the mountains. Apparently that’s a common problem, too. Good times. Not.
The Result
In the end, I wouldn’t say I “conquered” the 955i or anything dramatic like that. It’s just a bike with its quirks, and I learned how to deal with them. Would I recommend it to someone who wants a perfectly smooth and trouble-free ride? Probably not. But if you’re up for a bit of a challenge and don’t mind getting your hands dirty, then yeah, it’s a solid machine. And there are definitely many who still want to own this machine. I’ve learned to live with it, and it’s become a part of my life now.
