Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 8:22 pm Post subject: rear end makeover
Can someone tell me what method the
Corbin style seats (or others) are mounted
on Nortons? Does a braket need
to be added to utilize the stock knobs?
Am thinking they really
improve on the overall looks.
Have owned my fastback for 27yrs, and
all the while it has not had a rear fender.
(does have the tail section but am thinking
of removing, but of course keeping it!)
has anyone used other fenders, non stock,
on the back? I know jc whitney used to sell
universal type ones, course, the problem there
is knowing what size of wheel they are for, to
go with the overall look....
any thoughts from you good people on the subject ?
keep knees in the breeze!
69fb
IOWA, USA !!!
Joined: 25 Jun 2004 Posts: 86 Location: The Great White North
Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 3:30 am Post subject:
The only Norton seat that Corbin sells to the general public is a direct replacement for the roadster seat (I think that I read somewhere that Corbin builds a seat exclusively for CNW that fits the Interstate, available only through CNW). It has tabs, just like the original and mounts using the original knobs. The only difference is the left side tab is not an open-ended slot, and therefore the left seat knob has to be totally removed inorder to remove the seat.
This seat will really only work with the roadster tank. It would be next to impossible to make it work with a fastback tank and tail section. You run this seat without a fender, I personnaly would use a fender as it completes the look of the seat. I believe that the fastback fender conture would fit the seat just as well as the roadster one, what to do with the tail light is the question.
You may want to contact Corbin directly to inquire about the possibility of making a fastback seat. After all, it was the very first Commando, and one of the more popular models.
After riding for a couple decades with the board Norton called a seat on my '73 Roadster, I picked up one of the Corbins. As Derek says, it mounts the same as the stock seat. If you want you can cut the right side bracket so it can be removed with out removing the seat knob. I like it. It puts me back further where I normally sat with the stock seat anyway and the lines complement the Roadster tank. As with most modern aftermarket seats it feels hard at first, but after a few miles you realize it's much more comfortable than stock.
If you are after a custom seat, forget Corbin. They are no longer interested in one-off production or reworking stock seats. Sargent, however, are a pleasure to deal with. A friend of mine just sent them his KTM 620 stock seat and they sent him back a beautifully re-contoured re-upholstered seat for his street-converted thumper.
Another concern with Corbin these days is quality. The Norton seats seem to be done quite well. However, the Corbin on my BMW had to be extensively re-worked to get it to fit properly. The Corbin for my 900SP was impossible, so I bought a Sargent and it just dropped on!
Joined: 24 Dec 2003 Posts: 362 Location: Brisbane, Australia
Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 4:13 am Post subject:
"(I think that I read somewhere that Corbin builds a seat exclusively for CNW that fits the Interstate, available only through CNW). "
I have a quote from CNW for the corbin interstate seat.....$350 US was the quote about 9 weeks back.
Even though the roadster & interstate seats are little different shapewise, it is really only a matter of the mount placement. It is moved further forward on the interstate, the seat lengths are really no different.
You may be able to use the roadster type corbin seat very easily on the fastback, only having to alter the position of the mounts to suit.
The guard/ducktail would be another matter, but I have met an owner who has mounted a "Norvil" Tank with the fastback rear end with a bit of ingenuity.
Look at the yellow "Norvil" tanked norton on this page.
http://users.bigpond.net.au/nortonfan/events.htm
It is the top second from right bike. He did have the seat "custom" made to fit in the "gap" between tank & ducktail.
I am sorry I do not have a more "side on" photo for detail.
You still may have to mount a "standard" type norton rear guard with your corbin seat I guess.
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At the end of 1967 the Norton Commando was announced.
The Norton Commando was greeted with a certain amount of scepticism because on first sight the commando appeared to comprise of the old Norton Dominator twin cylinder engine mounted at an inclined angle in a set of new cylinder parts.
It was not realized that the new Norton Commando Isolastic method of engine suspension damped out all engine vibration and produced a machine which had uncanny smoothness for a vertical twin. In due course the critics were silenced and the Norton Commando had the distinction of being regarded as the first of todays so called superbikes. There can be little doubt that the original design concept of the Norton Commando has proved correct, since comparatively few modifications of any real consequence have been made since production commenced during 1968.
Now nearly 40 years later Norton Commando riders like us are a breed of our own, and as far as we are concerned its still more fun to go for a blat on the old Norton Commando, and fast. As a Norton Commando owner and enthusiast, my goal here is to promote and give credit to those who keep the Norton name going.
It is more deserving to give credit to the Commando itself, for after all these years it continues to be respected. The original Commando designers like John Favill are those who deserve the credit for developing this incredible motorcycle.
The Norton Commando Roadster and Interstate of the late seventies, never died. Although the Norton Villiers factory dispersed the tradition lived on. Today Kenny Dreer in the USA is developing the new 952 CC Norton. What a great looking bike this is, and its engineering is still based on the original layout. It will be interesting to see how the new 952CC Norton does in todays tough motorcycle market. One thing is for sure, I would own one if I could afford it.
