69 commando handling mods for bumpy b roads

Hi everyone the 69 commando fastback is mine pick her up in a few weeks excited is an understatement ,


handling upgrades wise doing the cat and fiddle and surrounding roads, whats everyone recommend, all bumpy and scratchy roads, and some commuting to

know theres a few options regards different headsteadies


landsowne fork kit but what shocks does everyone like to use with them andover? or hagon? or other,


Cheers,

Tom

I'm possibly wasting my breath here, metaphorically speaking, but the best handling upgrade is http://www.vintagenet.us/phantom/wsc.html.

Cue recommendations for shock swaps, fork dampers, rod-end links, tyre sizes, 18" wheels, steering dampers etc. They all make a difference (not necessarily for the better) and a lot of mods are an attempt to solve steering/handling problems which cease to exist once the alignment is correct so the starting point is WSC. I would however in addition to the above recommend a pukka Peter Williams designed isolastic head steady - but they mention that in WSC anyway.

You don't need a half clue to know checking the bike is not bent is a first up check.
As far as the suspension,its no surprise coming down to budget.
Both Cosentino Engineering and Maxton (iirc) do a Showa shim cartridge insert for the stock Commando fork,no doubt the likes of WP can supply fully adjustable coil over rear shock absorbers.
You can have the straightest bike in the world no matter the marque but it is only as good as the correct spring rates and both compression and rebound damping.
Those in themselves will deliver sure footed handling along with feedback when set correctly.
You could still get reasonable improvement with the Lansdowne inserts (but what spring) along with Ikons or good Koni's if you can find them.
If you want 675 type feedback it will cost dearly.

Just to put things in some form of perspective,not all members are fuddy duddys stuck in the 1970's :lol: my daily rider is a set up Ducati Hypermotard 1100S (not to mention the two highly modified TL1000's)

Tom,
The cat and fiddle as been the attraction for the Lads for many years, It's a thrilling "track" ,i was there last week end .carn't say i enjoyed all the Average speed cameras....I noticed some bikers Blasting between the cameras ..slowing down and then tearing off again to keep their average down.
Luckly the cameras only record the rear plate..so you can stop just before them.
handling issues, correctly set iso's and modern rubber..check the swing arm play. Years ago [1972] my mate" Decka's" Fastback weaved on hard bends..before the frame issues where really a issue...he just put up with the bad handling..chasing "sid" on his honda 500 four..risking all to keep up the British end Foot note and groan time..he sold that Green "meany" for £60! ..and bought a Reliant three wheeler ...Yep..he had Knocked up his missus...How the great can fall :!:
Enjoy the bike..no doubt you will..

Reasonable performance ? I had better tell Duncan fitchett! he's going flat out with them ! Watch him on You Tube...Pembury Onboard Manx Norton Lansdowne. Onbord Mike Russell's Manx Duncan had a great race..Im off the Silverstone Next weekend to Deliver Stu Tonges second set of dampers .springs? Stock.

Time Warp said:

You don't need a half clue to know checking the bike is not bent is a first up check.
As far as the suspension,its no surprise coming down to budget.
Both Cosentino Engineering and Maxton (iirc) do a Showa shim cartridge insert for the stock Commando fork,no doubt the likes of WP can supply fully adjustable coil over rear shock absorbers.
You can have the straightest bike in the world no matter the marque but it is only as good as the correct spring rates and both compression and rebound damping.
Those in themselves will deliver sure footed handling along with feedback when set correctly.
You could still get reasonable improvement with the Lansdowne inserts (but what spring) along with Ikons or good Koni's if you can find them.
If you want 675 type feedback it will cost dearly.

Just to put things in some form of perspective,not all members are fuddy duddys stuck in the 1970's :lol: my daily rider is a set up Ducati Hypermotard 1100S (not to mention the two highly modified TL1000's)

Click to expand...

Time Warp said:

You don't need a half clue to know checking the bike is not bent is a first up check........ Just to put things in some form of perspective,not all members are fuddy duddys stuck in the 1970's :lol: my daily rider is a set up Ducati Hypermotard 1100S (not to mention the two highly modified TL1000's)

Click to expand...

The whole point about WSC is not assuming everything is as it should be - checking alignment from first principles and correcting/checking manufacturing tolerances.
It's obvious you're no fuddy duddy Time Warp - an old fuddy duddy wouldn't wear a head scarf like the one you've got - no way! and you say you've got TWO highly modified TL1000's - wow...I'm really impressed.

nice one lads just been looking at the a peter williams headsteady going to get one ordered

live right near the cat put stacks of millage on mine an dads bikes up there haha

the waley bridge road is great as well


know she will never be a 675 but interesting to see what i can get her like as im gonna be using the commando as my main bike yay

Tom. Dun the Buxton- Waley bridge road....many hair raising times! Some hair pins are just that...Hair raising on on pins at the same time!

Tom Steele said:

nice one lads just been looking at the a peter williams headsteady going to get one ordered

live right near the cat put stacks of millage on mine an dads bikes up there haha

the waley bridge road is great as well


know she will never be a 675 but interesting to see what i can get her like as im gonna be using the commando as my main bike yay

Click to expand...

Zee Olde ' Gas Girlings ' with the 110 Lb Springs . Shocks should be two way damped , anyway . Old Std. Girlings pumped down & wallowed on bumpy sweepers . With Compression Damping the Gas G's pumped the rear UP , if anything /
this means it wont drag .
IF the old Domi etc DAMPER for the STEERING that goes through the stem with the big knob accessable over the steering stem fits , its adjustable to suit . This isnt a bad idea as adjustable to suit conditions . Though you seldom wing them down hard

Iso's at 2 to 4 thou ( 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 actually ) .

Velcro on trouser seat & motorcycle seat , if the roads are really bumpy .

Fork Oil . ATF - STP blend was the go , more stp to stiffen ( 15 - 20 % ) . you dont want it to stiff , it helps if it moves occasionally . Tune to the big bumps using some movement .

Some form of decent head steady . Dual Trottle cables & twist Grip ( 1/4 turn ) . The TYRES will make a bigger differance than most things , alloy rims If youve struck it rich . Tune The brake linings to the Drums , check cables & pivots .

Wes and I live on very rough pot holed wash out frost heaved pavement and creek bed like steep drive ways and the more pleasant predicable secure Gravel roads that both of us find the Brit Iron cycles of BSA, Norton, Triumph are about made for it compared to off road moderns. Our moderns, scooter to cycles jar the snot out of our hands to butts and skip about off road so we don't travel as fast and secure on them once off pavement. Wesley mentions this about every time I see him after he's had some rides both ways. i don't like being told I'm full of shit any time i bring up Ms Peel wonderous mods but I no longer look at rough wagon trail switch back pavement on plateau faces as much thrill so its only off road that really challenges Peel's suspension/frame/tire reactions and my skill not to crash. So you are stuck with run of the mill solutions that can't smooth out the rough stuff in glee.

2" extra fork travel, 4+ progressive tunable spring rates, progressive adjustable hydraulic damping with indistinct silent soft top and bottoming braced from twisting and raising fork frequencies above tire-frame hysteria audible zones ain't for the timid to believe is possible. Lightening the brake also helps this sense too. Tires must be air down some to take up the edges of the encountered roughness but this raises Iso isolation threshold some and can distort on hi load pavement handling but best I've tried so far on tarmac was 58 PSI rear and 56 front on dual purpose hard tires. Traffic and animals scar me for an afternoon relaxing ride out in public so hill climbing raw Mt side behind home is what I'm gearing up Peel for.

nice one lads think Ive got the direction to take her in now just cant wait to pick the fastback up woop