Timing

The timing of the ignition spark on the power stroke of the combustion cycle.  The timing can be controlled by electronic or mechanical means.  Modern ignition systems can advance or retard the timing based on RPM, speed, throttle position, gear position and even wheel spin.
For mecanical engine timing see the Cam Chain topic.

Tank Slapper

Anyone who has ridden a motorcycle fast before can attest to having to deal with unwanted head shake at one time or another. It is when this head shake gets out of control that we call it a tank slapper.
Keith Code, author of the book, A Twist of the Wrist II explains it as ‘The [...]

Tubeless Tire

A tire that retains air without an inner tube. An inner tube (used on a tube-type tire) is necessary to retain air pressure when the wheel design (especially wire spoke wheels) or the tire cannot do so. However, an inner tube typically deflates rapidly when punctured, and this sudden deflation can cause a quick loss [...]

Tachometer

An instrument used to determine engine speed in revolutions per minute (rpm). Most motorcycles have a tachometer that sits next to the speedometer in the instrument cluster.

Trailing Shoe

The rear facing brake shoe on a drum brake system.

Truing

Can refer to the process of adjusting a crankshaft so that it spins within specification. More often the term is used to refer to the painstaking process of adjusting a spoked wheel to correct any irregularities in lateral and radial runout, also known as wobble and hop. This is done by tightening and/or loosening spoke [...]

Tightening Sequence

Upon both disassembly and re-assembly of various motorcycle components, most notably motorcycle engines, there is predetermined numerical or pattern sequence in which bolts should be removed or tightened. Failure to follow this sequence can result in component damage, specifically, warping or cracking the component. In the case of a cylinder head, the manufacturer often recommends [...]

Trail

The distance (in inches or millimeters) between an imaginary line drawn down the center of the front forks of a motorcycle to the ground  and a vertical line drawn through the front axle center to the ground.

Top End

The top end of an engine typically refers to all of the components from the cylinder base gasket up, including  the cylinder, cylinder head and piston but excluding the connecting rod. Two-stroke engines are famous for requiring top-end jobs on a frequent basis because they produce power every revolution of the crankshaft, while four stroke [...]

Top Dead Center (TDC)

When a piston travels the length of its stroke in normal operation, it is said to have reached top dead center when it is at the upper most position in the cylinder, farthest away from the crankshaft.

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