Cafe on the road!

I acquired this '72 Interstate last summer and decided to convert it to a cafe style machine. Found the body parts on eBay - a fellow in Canada was selling this fairing, tank, side panels, and a very special HD seat. Took me about 6 weeks to get it all together, much of the time spent on re-wiring the front end and adding turn signals (I chucked my funky stalk-style and got some very discete units). Rearsets from Clubman Racing, kept the original shift pattern with the linkage. Made the clip-ons myself using 2-part split collars so they can be removed without dropping the forks. Been making minor adjustments to improve ergo / comfort to tolerable level. This machine is WAAAAY fun. Found myself laughing aloud the other morning as I ramped onto the Interstate and really tucked in, as much as this 55 year-old body would allow.

I am reliving my past - having bought a 66 (?) Dunstall Norton Atlas in London some 35 years ago, toured around northern Europe for a month and brought it back home to the states. Sold after a couple years.

Now I have the time and resources to have such a machine, for Sunday morning rides, etc. (My main ride is a BMW K1200LT which is for commuting and all manner of Iron Butt rides).

Stuart Ostroff - ready to attach 3 photos but don't see where/how?

Hope you can post some pictures ASAP. You have piqued my interest in seeing this beast you built.

Pix for youo

Evidently posting photos is complicated.

If you will send me your e-mail address I'd be happy to send you a few photos.

Stuart Ostroff stuart.ostroff@verizon.net

Thanks!
You've got mail.

Thanks for the other reply. Sounds like you should be working for Lucas!
Sorting out that factory wiring and not using the bullet connections will give a lot more reliability for sure. Cool bike.

Lucas NOT

No thanks, I won't be working for Lucas anytime soon. The "core" of my harness is still the Lucas 'gooey frazzle', but at least the branches are cleaned up, soldered, shrink-wrapped...... My cafe faring with pancake headlight has a new trailer-type plug set so I can pull the entire fairing off easily, and I wired the turn signals (on the fairing) with little 1/8" plugs and jacks, etc.

My model for wiring is my BMW K1200LT which has more wiring, more fuses (16+ 3 new ones for my accessories), more electronics than most cars. And the Norton could never be that well electrically engineered. I'd be curious to see what the new Norton guys are doing for electrics - I'm sure it's got more than (1) fuse!

I also bought one of the Boyer "wiring improvement kits" from one of our board members; will likely address that area soon.

Stuart Ostroff

Photos now up

Photos (3) of my cafe project are now available on Philip's (Fastback) site. I hope this works . . . .

THANKS PHILIP

http://www.nortonfastback.com/images/pi ... 305c_c.jpg

http://www.nortonfastback.com/images/pi ... 305g_c.jpg

http://www.nortonfastback.com/images/pi ... 305h_c.jpg

Stuart Ostroff

Good Job Stuart, what a good looking commando

Nice Looking Cafe Norton!

Interesting seat arrangement. Is the carry bag very big?

Enjoy!

Seat & Bag

Thanks -

The seat is from a Harley XR, same era, different side of ocean.

The tail bag is a Chicane "Summit", about 13 liter. Here's their site:
http://www.chicane-usa.com/summit.htm It is very well made, waterproof, keeps its shape, and is only $79.00

Stuart