cNw #101 Norton Commando 850

Congrats Simon! I was oggling your Norton but was still a little rich for my blood even second hand. So I bought a mostly restored 75 mk3 anam adding my own magic to it. My first Norty and I love the pull and bite this thing has. Best twin ever. Just don't tell my twin daughters I said that.
 
arcpoint said:
Congrats Simon! I was oggling your Norton but was still a little rich for my blood even second hand. So I bought a mostly restored 75 mk3 anam adding my own magic to it. My first Norty and I love the pull and bite this thing has. Best twin ever. Just don't tell my twin daughters I said that.
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And congratulations to you too arcpoint. Would love to hear what you’ve done to it and maybe some photos too
 
Café au Lait said:
And congratulations to you too arcpoint. Would love to hear what you’ve done to it and maybe some photos too
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Thanks! Will do once I'm a bit further along, but I think I will need to upgrade my account as I don't believe I can upload photos. Also wondering if there are any Norton or Brit bike guys in or around the Temecula / Murrieta area (btwn San Diego and Riverside.
 
I found this forum doesn’t work uploading photos in my iPhone library, I have to use a third party app (ibb). I’ve come across this issue on other forums
 
Café au Lait said:
Thanks for the tip re people playing with the throttle. At some point I’ll no doubt have an in-depth chat with Matt about many aspects of ownership but there was one thing he told me that took me aback. He recommends changing the engine oil every 1k miles! or at a push 1500. I should have asked him why at the time as that does seem unusually frequent to say the least. Those of you with non cNw bikes I’d be interested to know your regime.
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My thought is the fuel getting shot down the manifold is degrading the oil.
 
The man recommends very short oil changes because he can.

It's safe.

Nothing bad will happen.

The topic could be debated all day.

A very expensive motorcycle, no down side to frequent oil changes.

I would (and always do) recommend OIL SAMPLING.

For the cost of two quarts of oil, you can tell what's happening in there.

www.blackstone-labs.com

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Learn what's going on in your engine with oil analysis. Our free kits are easy to use and we explain the results in plain English!
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Totally get that my query had nothing to do with cost, just curious that’s all. Anyway just had an email from Matt, potential huge issue avoided; dodged a bullet!! I’ll update later or those interested
 
So, like I said, just received an email from Matt;

“So I did a bit more work on #101.

As I was rolling it through the shop, I noticed a faint click every so often. Checked the chain as it could be a stiff link but no, chain is good. So I removed the chain and just spun the counter shaft sprocket and I could feel a little 'skip' every so often.

Not being a believer in things scabbing over and healing by themselves when it comes to bikes, I removed the entire primary to get a closer look. With it removed, I found nothing external that could be the cause so next I took the entire gear box apart.

At the very last gear (4th), the lay shaft gear had a broken off tooth !! It was laying in the bottom of the case. Clean break, no metal fragments or oil contamination.

So I replaced the 4th gear lay shaft and sleeve gear (4th main shaft) as a set.

Gear box and primary is all back together. You now have a freshly gone through gear box. A bit of a bonus.

Always an adventure”
cNw #101 Norton Commando 850


cNw #101 Norton Commando 850


I hate to think how this could have all turned out, yikes!!!

Yet again Matt comes to the rescue and further proof, not that any is needed of course, that his reputation is so well deserved.
 
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How does the shaft gear just have a tooth break off like that on a ground up rebuild with scant miles on it? Did Matt manage to give that bike so much extra power that the gear can't handle it or was something more ominous at work here?
 
How does the shaft gear just have a tooth break off like that on a ground up rebuild with scant miles on it? Did Matt manage to give that bike so much extra power that the gear can't handle it or was something more ominous at work here?
 
arcpoint said:
How does the shaft gear just have a tooth break off like that on a ground up rebuild with scant miles on it? Did Matt manage to give that bike so much extra power that the gear can't handle it or was something more ominous at work here?
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Well that is a very good question. I’ve no idea what internal components rolled over from the original bike but would seriously doubt anyone in this business would be able to check for metal fatigue or such like. I do wonder how hard Bill rode this bike but wouldn’t know if this could be a consequence anyway. Perhaps Matt could answer you if he’s reading this thread?
 
Café au Lait said:
Well that is a very good question. I’ve no idea what internal components rolled over from the original bike but would seriously doubt anyone in this business would be able to check for metal fatigue or such like. I do wonder how hard Bill rode this bike but wouldn’t know if this could be a consequence anyway. Perhaps Matt could answer you if he’s reading this thread?
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Whatever the case, you are indeed fortunate to have caught this before it quite literally blew up into something else altogether.
 
Not sure it is relevant but Andover Nortons website “Pirate Parts” section has comments on gears and their markings.
 
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