850 Daily Rider Project

Have wanted a nice Brit bike to ride daily for a while. Was never able to afford one.
But for some reason it was raining Nortons in upstate NY. Bought three in a matter of weeks!

Well now the plan is to take the 850 and make it my daily mount in the spring.
Last owner had the bike for many years and used it fairly hard.
While it has not run in a few years the bike does seem like it weathered storage fairly well.
-Engine turns over and feels like it has good compression.
-Nothing major looks missing, damaged or broken.
-Everything moves freely as it should.

v


Bike has a few interesting parts.
-Dunstall mufflers
-Dunstall fairing
-Dunstall (maybe tickle) rearsets
-Dunstall clip ons.

All and all I think this will make a nice vintage performance rider.

Started to clean things up a bit.






Went to clean the carbs, but found this.


So I ordered some Amal Premieres to replace them.
Gunna make lamps out of the old ones!


Have ordered a tone of parts.
Was going to do some work on the bike today, but I stayed up to late to watch and Irishman knock out a dude WAY to fast....
$60 for 13 seconds of fight?

Here is what is currently sitting on the bench waiting to be installed.
-AGM battery
-Main harness
-Headlight harness
-points
-condensers
-plug wires
-plugs
-carbs
-carb to airbox boots
-fork seals
-fork bushings
-all new cables
-Front isolastics
-Rear isolastics
-Axle rebuild parts

Im sure I am missing a few more things.
Suffice to say I think I have everything in house to get the motor up and runnings and do the basics that any bike will need from sitting.

Nice lamp. You light up our lives. :roll:

Torontonian said:

Nice lamp. You light up our lives. :roll:

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Stole the picture from eBAy.
Kinda funny idea.

Not mine at all.

As carbs go, they make great lamps.

Just throw all the Dunstall bits away (because they're utter rubbish) and you'll have a lovely bike there!

Paddy_SP said:

Just throw all the Dunstall bits away (because they're utter rubbish) and you'll have a lovely bike there!

Click to expand...

I really like the period bits and performance angle!

Nice project for the winter.

Ken

jaguar said:

Paddy_SP said:

Just throw all the Dunstall bits away (because they're utter rubbish) and you'll have a lovely bike there!

Click to expand...

I really like the period bits and performance angle!

Click to expand...

I knew that comment would upset some people, however, I stand by it. I used to have a small Commando spares dealership many years ago, and as part of that I had the misfortune to sell some Dunstall stuff. While the basic design was generally OK, the quality was so poor that it fell off the bottom of the scale. I remember well my first experience of this - I'd got some nice shiny Dunstall rearsets on my little Commando racer - as I left the line the right hand footrest overtook me as I braked for the first corner. On inspection, the retaining pin had fallen out. I then went through about 20 other sets I'd bought and found that under the nice shiny chrome they were all just as badly made. Many years of experience since then hasn't given me any reason to change my mind!

Paddy_SP said:

jaguar said:

Paddy_SP said:

Just throw all the Dunstall bits away (because they're utter rubbish) and you'll have a lovely bike there!

Click to expand...

I really like the period bits and performance angle!

Click to expand...

I knew that comment would upset some people, however, I stand by it. I used to have a small Commando spares dealership many years ago, and as part of that I had the misfortune to sell some Dunstall stuff. While the basic design was generally OK, the quality was so poor that it fell off the bottom of the scale. I remember well my first experience of this - I'd got some nice shiny Dunstall rearsets on my little Commando racer - as I left the line the right hand footrest overtook me as I braked for the first corner. On inspection, the retaining pin had fallen out. I then went through about 20 other sets I'd bought and found that under the nice shiny chrome they were all just as badly made. Many years of experience since then hasn't given me any reason to change my mind!

Click to expand...

So the Dunstall footrest overtook you eh... Proof that Dunstall stuff Is faster ... !!

Fast Eddie said:

So the Dunstall footrest overtook you eh... Proof that Dunstall stuff Is faster ... !!

Click to expand...

It did manage to get me into the corner, but I left it for dead on the exit!

Odd that the Dunstall bits are so unloved here.
Never heard that in other facets of the vintage motorcycle world.

Paddy_SP said:

Just throw all the Dunstall bits away (because they're utter rubbish) and you'll have a lovely bike there!

Click to expand...

And if you do, throw them at me.

I never had trouble with the dunstall rear sets on my commando but the two into one into two rotted underneath quite quickly but the silencers lasted extremely well the chrome was excellent on them unlike other dunstall chrome I have seen ! I think quality control was not a priority back then

Great project, a classic find that starts with a bath. You will have a great rider when you're done. The new Amals are pretty good and resist ethanol (US)...

Paddy_SP said:

Fast Eddie said:

So the Dunstall footrest overtook you eh... Proof that Dunstall stuff Is faster ... !!

Click to expand...

It did manage to get me into the corner, but I left it for dead on the exit!

Click to expand...

You guys cracked me up on that one, I love this forum

When I first convered my 850 to a Featherbed back in the 80s I put a new set of Dunstal rear sets on, they looked great but after 6 months on the Norton they became very sloppy in the shift and the linkages loose, the chrome started to peel off and the foot pegs started to droop, for the price of them the quility wasn't up to it, so when I get around to build my project Norton up I am going to make my own alloy rear sets and if they work out good I will make a few sets, they will be made with rose joints on the linkages and adjustable as well.

Ashley

The Dunstal parts are what they are.
Are there better "quality" options out there?
Sure, there always are.

Plan to thrash on the bike this weekend and hope to install most of the new parts I have.
Figure the harness will take the most time to get put on correctly.

I do what to do some meaningful upgrades along the way to the bike. I don't think that the wheels will clean up all that well. Seems like the chrome is peeling a bit, so I want to think about upgrading to some alloy wheels. Still unsure if I should keep the wheels 19/19 or go 19/18 or even 18/18. Unsure if there is any benefit on the street. Plan to run Avon tires on it either way.

I stumbled into some parts to upgrade the front brake. Will have to do more research to see what direction I end up going though.
First I ended up with an AP Lockheed caliper bracket. Was told that it works with the stock rotor. My idea was that this would be relatively simple and effective for both cost and performance. Don't have caliper for this yet. Do the Lockheed calipers from the stock triumphs bolt on the same way the AP race one does?


But then someone on eBay failed to spell brake and Commando correctly and a Norvil 14 inch full floating kit was listed "cheap".
I failed to resist the temptation and bought it.


Few questions.
-What brake line should I use and where can I find it?
-What pads doe these calipers use and are there different options for compounds?
-How overkill on the street is the 14 inch set up?

I use "green pads" for 1968 Austin Mini Cooper in my Alloy Lockheed calipers, actually all my disc braked bikes,. I can't make out if that is a st steel disc but if it is, do not use EBC HH pads or you will score it badly.
sam

jaguar said:

I stumbled into some parts to upgrade the front brake. Will have to do more research to see what direction I end up going though.
First I ended up with an AP Lockheed caliper bracket. Was told that it works with the stock rotor. My idea was that this would be relatively simple and effective for both cost and performance. Don't have caliper for this yet. Do the Lockheed calipers from the stock triumphs bolt on the same way the AP race one does?

Yes, but being cast iron they are damn heavy. Not recommended. Use the alloy CP2696 caliper & brackets you have in the Norvil bits below.

But then someone on eBay failed to spell brake and Commando correctly and a Norvil 14 inch full floating kit was listed "cheap".
I failed to resist the temptation and bought it.
Few questions.
-What brake line should I use and where can I find it?

Just measure up and order one with a banjo for the m/c and a straight end on the caliper. Easy.

-What pads doe these calipers use and are there different options for compounds?

Uses the same pads as the iron calipers fitted to late Triumphs. Lots of compounds available.

-How overkill on the street is the 14 inch set up?

Click to expand...

Dont know actualy, don't have one but I would not worry too much, unless you have the habit of grabbing a big handful of brake. The standard Norton brake is not very good this kit should give you much better stopping, but will require more regulation of the right hand.

/Steve.

I don't know either - but it looks lovely, so very well done on the purchase!