CNW E Starter a year later

As I have always said I have no problem with people spending their money on upgrades to help them to keep riding and buying a new CwN ES is all good if you have a health problem, my point is not all of us can afford to spend so much money on just one upgrade and a ES is just way out of my price range, when I was working and in 46+ years with my old Norton I spent what money I did save for to do the up grades I done as I went along but nothing in my upgrades cost over $1k to buy, work hard and slowly save for things. I have also brought new bikes over the same years, my Norton is my play bike us to be my everyday rider for most of its life but now it's my play bike I have a ES Thruxton and even my CRF450X has a ES so I save my right leg for kicking the Norton when I do take it out and it only takes one kick everytime and mostly on 1/2 a kick.
So I have my bikes for old age but been lucky with only injuries to my left knee, have no problems with the rest of my body and only the last 7 years I had my first bone fracture in my left elbow and a broken left thumb from being thrown over the Norton handle bars from bad front brakes so more full front brake upgrade for under $600.
As I say over time spending $500 here and there and the Joe Hunt to be the most money I spent in one hit on my upgrades $850 au $$$ to me $5,500 for just one ES start is way out of my price range and how much will one cost further down the road, no I just hope my KS leg holds out as it has so far, I am careful in how I treat my body, but I don't wrap myself bubble wrap.

grandpaul said:

6 speed is way newer than anything I ever saw growing up. I learned to drive a big ol' Chevy Suburban when they were still called "Carry-All". 4-speed Stick shift had 3 bends in it to clear the seat and the under-dash A/C console.

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I started driving my dad's Mercury Pickup with three on the tree at 16 in the back fields on the farm.
Back on track. I bit the bullet with Matt's E-start. Still waiting. I carefully looked at both aftermarket systems and was at the rally when Alton introduced his system into North America. I didn't care for his stator/rotor system for one. With Matt's unit you pay more but you get the belt drive system included and use the existing OEM Rotor/Stator or 3 phase upgrade.
My only beef is that I likee my Ham can Airfilter and I have to loose it.
I wish Matt would make a Ham can type to fit the back plate and original bolts that would clear the starter motor.

ashman said:

So many people buying old classic British bikes who have no idea in how to kick them to life and try to kick them like a old Honda or something, not knowing the secret knack, but I been kicking mine for over 46 years now and learned the knack within a few weeks after buying it new.

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Only 46 years…ah you’re a young guy.

ashman said:

So many people buying old classic British bikes who have no idea in how to kick them to life and try to kick them like a old Honda or something, not knowing the secret knack, but I been kicking mine for over 46 years now and learned the knack within a few weeks after buying it new.

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A talent of mine, if it can be called that, is that I can get anything started. First British bike was a '66 .060 over Bonneville built by Don Hutchinson in Boston area, it took me two kicks the first time, thereafter one kick every time I rode it. I had a friend who couldn't start his bike at all, but when riding could wheelie and power slide like crazy. I never have been a daredevil or wheelie artist. I would pay someone to kick my bike over to have those riding skills. We're all individuals!

ILLF8ED said:

Only 46 years…ah you’re a young guy.

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No I have owned my Norton for 46 years brought new when I was 17 years old, I am 64 years old now and been retired since I was 55 years old and living on a self funded pension still have just over 3 years to go before I get the Govt age pension at 67 1/2 and by them my self funded pension won't have enough left to lose the full old age pension.
Living on a set budget for 9 years without any price increase and cost of living getting harder every year you can understand why a ES would be out of my price range without selling what I have, the last upgrade parts I brought for my Norton was the upgrade to full Grimcia front brakes after the original front brake tried to kill me just over 7 years or more, was one of the best upgrade for just on $600, I already had the RGM master reduce kit ready to install at the time but after the accident decided to replace everything to modernise my front brake system now I have brakes as good as my modern Thruxton, little money for good stopping power, my life is worth it.
Don't go cheap for old brake system that wasn't up to it back in the 70s, the reduction kit is only a cheap fix and one day your old original brakes will let you down without warning as mind did, my life is more important than saving a few $$$.

CanukNortonNut said:

I started driving my dad's Mercury Pickup with three on the tree at 16 in the back fields on the farm.
Back on track. I bit the bullet with Matt's E-start. Still waiting. I carefully looked at both aftermarket systems and was at the rally when Alton introduced his system into North America. I didn't care for his stator/rotor system for one. With Matt's unit you pay more but you get the belt drive system included and use the existing OEM Rotor/Stator or 3 phase upgrade.
My only beef is that I likee my Ham can Airfilter and I have to loose it.
I wish Matt would make a Ham can type to fit the back plate and original bolts that would clear the starter motor.

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Interestingly the traditional Harley air filter is also referred to as the "ham can"...and I very much like them on both bikes. I don't need estart on my Commando YET...but that could change any time as I'm an aging baby boomer.

bluto said:

Interestingly the traditional Harley air filter is also referred to as the "ham can"...and I very much like them on both bikes. I don't need estart on my Commando YET...but that could change any time as I'm an aging baby boomer.

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Bluto,
Nice pair of motorcycles you have there!Is your Sportster a rubber mounted model? I have always liked the look of the Sportster having owned one at one point.

YING said:

Bluto,
Nice pair of motorcycles you have there!Is your Sportster a rubber mounted model? I have always liked the look of the Sportster having owned one at one point.

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Thanks, it is, Sportsters went to rubber mount in 2004 using a system similar to the Norton isolastics. Mine is a 2008 Roadster, which means is has dual front discs and a tach.
The stock suspension was lousy so I installed Ohlins shocks in the back and a fully adjustable cartridge fork kit in the front to fix that.

I left the airbox backing plate in site. Removing it requires modifying the location/mounting of the ignition switch and doesn't improve anything
except allowing for a very deep air cleaner. After installing the cNw kit, I thought the provided starter button/kill switch looked dorky and out
of place as an add-on to the handlebars. So, I wired the starter to the unused OEM switch button and retained the OEM kill switch. No
problems for 6 1/2 years and 5,000 miles. Two other things I sprung for which I am ecstatic about: Comnoz sump reed breather now sold
exclusively by NYC Norton (yea! 95% of oil leaks eliminated); Landsdowne Dampers from Don Pender dramatically improved handling and
road feel.

bluto said:

Interestingly the traditional Harley air filter is also referred to as the "ham can"...and I very much like them on both bikes. I don't need estart on my Commando YET...but that could change any time as I'm an aging baby boomer.

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Nice choice of machines. A northern Cal thing?