Ayup gang,
Seen a decent priced Trident with 24,000 miles… I might wander over to check it out… any particular things to look for on these models?
I imagine Aide’s opinion would be helpful here
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Exciting dude! Sure sounds like right up @AdieP 's alley.
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If it hasn’t got two wheels, walk away. There’s probably something wrong with it.
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@DCS222 my apologies - I missed this original for some unknown reason.
SO, a 93 T300? You don’t say if it’s a 750 or 900, though that matters little in terms of the overall package. They’re generally considered to be robust machines with few particular weaknesses, so 24,000 miles shouldn’t present any real worries for the engine/gearbox unit as long as it’s had the regular oil and filter changes (20/40 semi synth is the usual) as recommended. These bikes were generally considered to be over engineered mechanically and the finish is usually very good - the only downside being that the engine/gearbox ‘paint’ finish was actually, as I recall, a new ‘process’ that wasn’t, in practice, quite as robust as it should have been so has a tendency to peel/flake over time. That brings a secondary issue which is that it’s nigh on impossible to match the colour/finish - especially on the early silver colour finished bikes.
Other than that the T300s are really robust machines but these bikes are now over 30 years old and one of the problems is getting original or even decent repro parts. There’s a reasonable supply of used and aftermarket parts but that’s an area for caution.
Things to look out for? They’re top heavy so low speed or stationary drops are fairly common so check for fork and handlebar straightness. The fork stanchions weren’t, ISTR, the strongest in the world and the naked area is prone to pitting and corrosion. The chain adjuster eccentrics can also suffer from surface corrosion. With a low mileage bike there’s an obvious danger it’s been stood for long periods so a risk of fuel hardening in the jets - that would likely lead to poor starting/idling. If the bike is reluctant to start DO NOT drain the battery by continuing to attempt a start. If the battery weakens and the starter doesn’t spin the engine quickly enough it can demolish the starter sprag clutch and on this model year that’s likely to require engine out and full strip down.
The good points - there are plenty. These bikes have that indefinable ‘character’ that most UJMs simply do not have, however much they try! They look good and the finish of the early ones is, usually, very robust if it’s been reasonably well cared for. The 900s have oodles of torque (61 Nm?) and plenty of easy, almost ‘lazy’ horsepower (90 odd in the 900, I think) and there’s a glorious triple ‘growl’ to match the grunt. The 750s are lower powered but the short(er) stroke motor spins up more quickly giving the impression, at least, that its acceleration is at least a match.
They’re a joy to own and ride as long as you’re not seeking land speed record breaking results and razor sharp, race bike handling.
Pictures, please?
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Thank you so much, I forgot about the sprag issue! They haven’t got back to me yet… 
so I’m feeling it’s a bit billy BS!
But here’s the guff…
Ahh, just gone on the market place and it’s shown as sold, they never let me know!
Back to the drawing board
That’s a bit poor form. Hope you get sorted soon 
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Oh dear! I now feel even worse about my failure to respond quickly as that looks like it would definitely be worth a closer inspection, especially at that price. It looks like an early Sprint, though it could be an riginal Trident with a Sprint fairing added by an/the owner. It appears remarkably original - original (or OEM replacement) front brake discs - now impossible to buy; original silencers, also NLA.
Actually, a second look at a magnified image suggests the fairing has been added later - the front decal is wrong and the ‘flag’ decal is wrong. I’m unsure about the mirrors but fairly sure the indicators arent original, though that’s no surprise, they do give up after a few years and are long since unobtainium. Overall, though, and at the price suggested, a good buy … assuming the motor’s as good as the cycle parts. Keep looking - they can be really rewarding to ride and own.
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Don’t fret Adie, it went but they hadn’t responded to me anyway. They say the fairing was a sprint swap over, so they were not trying to pull the wool so to speak!
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The rules to chase a bike, is to have cash in the pocket and drive asap to see the bike, and be prepared to pass if anything is wrong. I used to apply those rules to chase guitars 
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I had a 1992 Trident 900 a few years ago.
I bought it through autotrader and travelled by train to Stratford on Avon to pick it up, only to discover it didn’t have an MOT. Rode it home anyway!
Had 24000 miles on it and had had a replacement sprag clutch fitted. This isn’t a problem if you keep the battery up to speed and on the early bikes with the grey engine there is an access panel so the engine doesn’t need to come out. Later black engines don’t have this.
Delight to ride, pulled like a train and sounded awesome with aftermarket pipes (already fitted). Issues?
Had to replace leaking fork seals twice.
Choke cable frayed and stuck at 3000 rpm.
Throttle cable snapped.
Dirty air filter caused a flat spot around 2800 rpm.
I think the bike had been stood for some years so that probably didn’t help with the above but only minor problems and easily fixed, otherwise totally reliable.
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