Colorado Norton Works rebuild?

mike996 · Nov 17, 2012

I think a lot of CNW - they have great parts and info available and I've made use of both. I agree with others here that for me, working on my Commando is one of the "charms" associated with it and I do all the work on it. I have purchased several of CNWs items, most recently the 520 chain kit and prior to that the brembo Master cyl kit. CNW has been very helpful and they will talk to you about anything Norton.

RennieK · Nov 17, 2012

I'd say go for it for sure and if you get the hankerin to do some wrenchin on your own you can always pick up another beater to tinker with at your leisure.

Hobot · Nov 17, 2012

Life is short and unpredicable so I say eat desert first, which in this case is pay CNW for the grunt work to simply trash out all but the frame and basic engine, tranny forks and hubs and add features as deep as the wallet. You will be best of show everywhere but Norton Rally where the seasoned appreciate the fettering blood and skills to get another one pretty damn good too. The vast majority of Commando riders ain't online but riding and maintaining. I've lost years of ride memories d/t having to fetter my own to start with or recover from crashes.
CNW are the real deal and Norton soul people so supporting them helps the rest of us long term too. One of the highlights of Empire Rally was meeting up with 3 online friends face to face after years of bantering to all be drawn to the brand new CNW hung of back of a van, so unreal in gleam and line we were left slobbering on ourselves only later in a daze greeted each other more formally.

1up3down · Nov 17, 2012

CNW parts I have on my 73 850:

Complete Brembo front disc brake, steel line, and master cylinder

high output dual lead coil

Trispark Ignition

Jim's CNW head steady

Jim's CNW hydraulic clutch

CNW anti wet sump oil line valve

I have the money but I would not buy a complete CNW bike as I would be afraid of marring it somehow!

concours · Nov 17, 2012

I enjoy being self sufficient. There is no better way to become intimately familiar with a machine than working on it. It's gives me a comfortable feeling when thudding along 1500 miles from home. .02

dougmatson · Nov 17, 2012

I love their bikes, so when i started to make a bike that i was going to ride I used their bikes as a guide. I love working on bikes so to have them do all the work was not going to happen. I have the their Brembos front and back, hydraulic clutch system, stainless chain guard, DT head steady, lots of stainless parts. The rest is based on what I like. Complete rewire with neg ground, 3 phase rotor, Comnoz's breather, Lansdowne fork kit, Excell rims, Old Britts oil gauge kit, Fair Spares starter, Shoria Battery. I have done all the polishing by hand, painted the frame, built the wheels, rebuilt the tranny, and the engine is apart waiting for the FullAuto head, the motor rebuild will include all of Jim's (JS Motorsport) trick stuff. I should have this done in about a month or so. It has been expensive, I have a box full of receipts but when i get this done and painted it will look like a CNW bike and run as good or better. The difference is every time I look at it or ride it there will be a big smile on my face knowing that i did it.

J.A.W. · Nov 17, 2012

Another excellent thread which goes to show what a bloody brilliant forum this is, I wonder if any members would be interested in contributing to a thread giving a 'best of' menu of proven/recommended approaches [parts/services] to building a practical performance Commando?
I want to do what I can, but recognise that there is a wealth of experience here that could enable a proficient, practicable balance in building a good un.

Snorton74 · Nov 17, 2012

I wonder if the do it yourselfers felt the same way about Dunstall back in the day?? Or now, since that Dunstall shit is vintage?? I hope to do more of the work on my next rebuild, but my mostly CNW Cdo will always be the most reliable bike I have.

cjandme · Nov 17, 2012

SquareHead said:
If you could afford a CNW Norton rebuild, would you do it? I am fortunate enough to be able to afford it and am pretty sure I am going to do it, but I wanted to get feedback from the collective... I would appreciate your reasons for/against. Thanks!

\

Yes I would Squarehead....you lucky bastard.....I mean everyone has seen their bikes on their build page and the quality shows in every shot and because their reputation is outstanding. That being said you can still wrench on it yourself after you get it back. As for the against ...........not really coming up with anything against doing it.

batrider · Nov 17, 2012

rightshiftrick said:
While CNW makes nice bikes, I wouldn't set out to own one. The main reason for me is that I don't like a lot of they styling changes. I also prefer the original equipment controls and think changing as many components as CNW does, takes away from the soul of what a Norton is.

RSR

Same here. I had my oil tank rebuilt by CNW and plan on getting the Combat breather reed setup. But I just don't like the bike with painted fenders and Corbin seat. Or a spring valve in the oil line.

I plan to take a trip out that way next summer and will definitely stop and load up with more goodies. I appreciate the nice work they put into their bikes and I think technically they know what they're doing.

Russ

Johnnymac · Nov 17, 2012

I would say if you can afford it, go for it. As others have said, they are safer, more reliable , and gorgeous.

radiofun · Nov 17, 2012

Re: Colorado Norton Works or 2 other bikes??

B+Bogus said:
I don't have, and will never aspire to having a CNW Norton.

...... and yet you seem to praise their upgrades. Interesting.

radiofun · Nov 17, 2012

There are plenty of running and reliability upgrades components that you can purchase from CNW and then do the component replacement yourself. Thereby putting together a beautiful bike that runs and is reliable like they were meant to be...that is, like they would have been had the technology been available at the time.

So, get the satisfaction you want by doing the work yourself and saving some $$.

DogT · Nov 17, 2012

I'm not sure I'd buy one. I enjoy the wrenching too much. That said, if I had the bucks, I'd send stuff off to get it done at CNW and put it together myself. It just depends on how much you want to do or if you just want to let someone else do it and ride. I've spent enough in stone walls around the house to buy 3 CNW bikes, but it just wasn't in the monetary plan. I've gotten enough enjoyment out of doing the work myself and still have a reliable (so far) bike. But there are still improvements to be made after about $8K.

I'm sure Matt would make one in any look you like from ultimate custom to totally stock.

Dave
69S

mike996 · Nov 17, 2012

"... but it just wasn't in the monetary plan."

Does that mean the wife said, "No F$&%^$g way are you going to spend that money on a F$*%&^^g motorcycle!) ?

Hobot · Nov 17, 2012

Yep exactly another reason this can well be considered a real man's hobby to take on. I'm always reminded how tolerate my mate is of my Norton mistresses.

SquareHead · Nov 17, 2012

J.A.W. said:
Another excellent thread which goes to show what a bloody brilliant forum this is, I wonder if any members would be interested in contributing to a thread giving a 'best of' menu of proven/recommended approaches [parts/services] to building a practical performance Commando?
I want to do what I can, but recognise that there is a wealth of experience here that could enable a proficient, practicable balance in building a good un.

You might want to check out INOA. They have a very good book on upgrades and modifications to the Commando.

SquareHead · Nov 17, 2012

[/quote]

Same here. I had my oil tank rebuilt by CNW and plan on getting the Combat breather reed setup. But I just don't like the bike with painted fenders and Corbin seat. Or a spring valve in the oil line.

[/quote]

You don't have to have painted fenders when CNW does a rebuild. I am staying with stainless fenders. You don't have to go with a Corbin seat, either. I am going to stay with a stock Norton seat...

motorson · Nov 18, 2012

I met Matt at the Barber Vintage festaval. He is an absolute artist! He has an amazing head on his shoulders and is very down to earth in his thoughts and attitudes. I suggested that the Barber village museum needs one of his bikes and he hesitated while his employees yelled "YES!!" You will never regret it and since you can afford it you will own a piece of motorcycle history that can be obtained in no other way. I hope I get to see it. Dan.

B+Bogus · Nov 18, 2012

Re: Colorado Norton Works or 2 other bikes??

radiofun said:
B+Bogus said:

I don't have, and will never aspire to having a CNW Norton.

Click to expand...

...... and yet you seem to praise their upgrades. Interesting.

Feels like the wrong end of the stick has been firmly grasped by both hands here!
I'm in no way maligning nor praising CNW upgrades - that wasn't the question?
All my upgrades came from UK suppliers, incidentally, and I'm more than happy with them, and if CNW stuff does the same then it has to be good

The question was around the benefit of investing in having CNW deliver a bespoke build.
A great option for some, but not for me, unless there's something else I missed?

Colorado Norton Works rebuild?

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