With the bike sitting on the center stand, motor off, when in gear, how much free play (spin) should the rear wheel have? I have 4 - 5 inches (travel measured at the tire).

It depends upon how large a diameter --OD----. Five inches on the OD travel --rocking the wheel to & fro---may be acceptable--on a 19" rim---on a 6inch diameter rim it would be kind of excessive. The larger the diameter the more backlash you would see. Like 1 degree error in a compass for 1 mile distance would not be too much--but at 3000 miles---1 degree would be miles and miles and miles.
I would think that the back lash is a combination of the slop/wear of all the components involved--bearings--bushings--chains etc. I have never seen any figures concerning this---perhaps others can shed some light on this topic.

Thanks for the reply 303 fmj. So..........thats why there are so few Nortons for sale.

i just put Trixie in 1st with 7000 miles on her and about worn out rear chain to find only 2" roll of ground travel before all slack taken up. Also same thing on lots and lots of rear wheel bumping by hand to turn engine for ignition and valve adjustment. 4-5" implies great slack in chains and tranny guts and likely unpleasant snatch on throttle changes riding. Some of your slack could be the hub cushions chewed to gum, helped in digestion by the snatch slack of course.

Dunno if thats not about right , for top gear , with chain slack ( correct ) and back lash .

On the Main Stand ( beercrate , WHO has mainstands ? ) Nudgeing the Cyliders , Timing or Setting Tappets
you have ' a bit of slack ' to swing across useing the weight of the wheel ( tyre ) to nudge microscopic iotas .

This means your points are well set , though you have to go way back and up again , to see the right side of
the Cam Time Chain is TAUT , or theyll e Out . mutter fume . Patiance is a vertue . No hurrying .

Diablouph wrote:With the bike sitting on the center stand, motor off, when in gear, how much free play (spin) should the rear wheel have? I have 4 - 5 inches (travel measured at the tire).

Which gear? The higher the gear, the more free play there will be. 4 - 5 inches in top gear is about right.

Thanks L.A.B. I have about 4 - 5 " in 4th. Now I can sleep better tonight.

Diablouph wrote:Thanks for the reply 303 fmj. So..........thats why there are so few Nortons for sale.

Yes---things were good back in the 70's & 80's when you could pick up a Norton for a few hundred bucks---people just wanted to get rid of them---so started to ablige then soon had run out of room---had a chance to get another 20 for a good price before the guys from "down under" took them away in a container load. I had the bucks but not the place to store them. Got the parts instead--smaller and easier to find place to put them. The gent selling them was an old Norton, AJS, Matchless and Ducati dealer who retired and took all his stuff home and sold out of his house for years. Health issues finally forced him to unload everything. I was given first shot for all or part of it.
Looking at it now---should have gotten it all.

303 fmj,

You are truly a man of vision.......................... A pox on you, and all who ride your neat horde.

Diablouph wrote:303 fmj,

You are truly a man of vision.......................... A pox on you, and all who ride your neat horde.

Danka Mein Herr.