Buying a commando and have questions

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cdafirefighter

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Jun 10, 2009
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Hi, I have been pining for a Norton since I was old enough (I'm 26)to know what a motorcycle was and am finaly getting one. It's a 73 850 Interstate in need of a head gasket but otherwise (I hope) with no major problems and just in need of a good going through. I have been looking through this forum and can tell it is going to be invalueable to me as I learn my way around British iron. My first question for you wise commando veterans: Which manuals/referance books are the best for someone who wants to learn how to maintain and improve one of these bikes? Thanks, I will put up some photos once I have the bike home.
 
cdafirefighter said:
Which manuals/referance books are the best for someone who wants to learn how to maintain and improve one of these bikes?
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My guess is that this forum and others are actually as valuable as the workshop manual.
 
1. The Norton workshop manual. Personally, I think it's better and clearer than the Haynes one.
2. A parts book: It's invaluable for the exploded diagrams alone.
3. Norton Tech Digest. You can get that from here - http://bracebridge-street.com/tech.htm

Also, I plan to get the DVD on engine re-builds. I haven't bought it yet but have read numerous recommendations, so I think it's a good item to have if you're planning to get into the guts of the bike.
 
As others have said the factory workshop manual and an illustrated parts book are the two most useful references

A few other useful bit and pieces

For general reading on pretty much every technical issue you can't beat Captain Norton's Notes
There's an online workshop manual here but it's a bit cumbersome to use .
The Norton Owners Club webshop sells various rebuild videos but you may want a more local source.
 
htown16 said:
Who puts out the DVD on engine rebuilds?
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Primarily sold by the UK NOC to its members only, but they are available through certain US Norton clubs, I believe. http://apple.clickandbuild.com/cnb/shop ... cal+Videos

Note that these NOC DVDs are PAL TV format (most countries of the world use PAL except USA & Japan ) so may not work with US TVs and DVD players, but should work OK on a PC.
 
Hey CdA,

Nice to hear that there is someone else around here interested in old British iron. Are you on the Spokane Vintage Bike mailing list? If not, send me a mail and I will get you hooked up with the guy who manages the list. He is rebuilding a 74 Commando. I also have a 74. Hope to meet you soon. There is a gathering of vintage bikes (all different stuff - British, Italian, Japanese, American) at the Rocket Market in Spokane the first Wed. of every month at 7 pm from April to Oct. I think next one is July 1 (Happy Canada Day!!). Hope to see you then. I am hoping to be there and if I make it, it will probably be on my Commando.

Tobin
Pullman, WA
 
You might consider joining the Northwest Norton Owners club. Most of the members are in western OR and WA so attending meetings in Portland and Seattle are a bit of a challenge for us over here. However, membership entitles you to 10% off parts from Old Britts. This is our local Commando parts dealer and the owners Fred and Ella are great people to deal with. I get most of my parts from them.
 
Congratulations and good luck!

For my rebuild I used:
  • 1. workshop manual
  • 2. Clymer Manual (BSA Triumph Norton, ISBN 0-89287-604-2)
  • 3. INOA TechDigest to be invaluable.
  • 4. this forum!

Not a fan of kim the cd man -nothing personal, just most of the information is condensed in a better format in books.
 
fastback said:
Congratulations and good luck!

For my rebuild I used:
  • 1. workshop manual
  • 2. Clymer Manual (BSA Triumph Norton, ISBN 0-89287-604-2)
  • 3. INOA TechDigest to be invaluable.
  • 4. this forum!

Not a fan of kim the cd man -nothing personal, just most of the information is condensed in a better format in books.
Click to expand...

Always rated the Clymer manual above the Haynes but thought it had been out of print for years, just checked and its in stock all over.

Cheers fastback
 
Rich_j said:
Always rated the Clymer manual above the Haynes but thought it had been out of print for years, just checked and its in stock all over.
Click to expand...

It's the Clymer Norton Commando manual that I believe you are thinking of, which is no longer in print (I do have a copy)?

The current Clymer 'British Street Bikes' manual covers Unit BSA and Triumph twins and Norton Commando motorcycles, all in one book (Clymer M330).

http://www.clymer.com/Book.aspx?bid=637 ... reet+Bikes
 
cdafirefighter said:
Hi, I have been pining for a Norton since I was old enough (I'm 26)to know what a motorcycle was and am finaly getting one. It's a 73 850 Interstate in need of a head gasket but otherwise (I hope) with no major problems and just in need of a good going through. I have been looking through this forum and can tell it is going to be invalueable to me as I learn my way around British iron. My first question for you wise commando veterans: Which manuals/referance books are the best for someone who wants to learn how to maintain and improve one of these bikes? Thanks, I will put up some photos once I have the bike home.
Click to expand...

I use the original Norton workshop manual and a lot of stuff from the Internet like:
http://home.clara.net/captain.norton/
http://sterlingmotorworks.com
http://britcycle.com/help.htm
many others
and of course here :) any details on your new bike? Is it standard or has it been updated with modern electrics/ignition?

have fun Paul
 
Thanks for all the fast and knowledgeable replies guys, this is exactly the sort of info that I was looking for! I now know what books to buy and will be saving all the links for reference. Tobin, I would love to get involved in the local vintage bike scene, I didn't know that there was a club in spokane. I will send you a email for more info. Paul, this what I know about the bike so far. I looked it over and it is pretty clean and seems to be very complete. I was told that it was rebuilt "from the ground up" maybe 8 of so years ago by a guy who rebuilds brit bikes. My friend told me that it ran very strong and he rode it a fair amount up until about 4 years ago when it started to smoke a little from one of the pipes. My friend believes that this is due to a leaking head gasket. he has always meant to replace the gasket but life intervened and he has not had time to mess with it since. So it has sat in a garage since then. My friend has periodically turned it over with the kick start to circulate some oil and moved it a little to keep the tires from getting flat spots but has not started it. It has a single Mikuni conversion, I am not sure if it has had a electronic ignition installed or not. my friend has fixed several small leaks from the gas tank and said that it has needed the carb cleaned a few times, so I don't think the gas tank has been coated for ethanol compatibility yet. (He had never heard of the trouble with modern fuel in old fiberglass. I will be coating it first thing) And that is all I know for now. I am fairly mechanically inclined but have little hands on experience working on bikes, so I plan on leaning heavily on all of you with all manner of dumb questions. :).
 
cdafirefighter said:
I am fairly mechanically inclined but have little hands on experience working on bikes, so I plan on leaning heavily on all of you with all manner of dumb questions. :).
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Sounds like me when I first got my Norton a few years ago. This place and the people here will help you as they have helped me. I owe lot's of guys here some virtual beers I'm sure. Great place and even greater people on here.
 
cdafirefighter said:
My friend told me that it ran very strong and he rode it a fair amount up until about 4 years ago when it started to smoke a little from one of the pipes. My friend believes that this is due to a leaking head gasket. he has always meant to replace the gasket but life intervened and he has not had time to mess with it since..
Click to expand...

Could also be an intake valve seal. Exactly the same symptom as my bike. I was burning a fair bit of oil and my left exhaust was smoking pretty good at idle and during deceleration. Bike ran fine though. Replaced seals this winter during a top end rebuild and no more smoking left pipe!
 
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