Erratic drivers/broken forks

So a few days ago riding home from work during peak hour, I was unfortunately involved in an altercation with another car. Ended up rear ending someone, due to erratic driving by a fella in a bmw 4wd.
Pulling off from light this fella just veers into my lane without any prior indication, and so the car in front of me and myself brake heavy and I end up running the back of the car in front.
So there is slight damage to the bike, police reports have been filled in and sent off. Witnesses should help the fact.
Damage included - bent fork stanchions, broken front mudguard, broken foot peg, bent bars, scratched/dented exhaust. Was fairly slow speed so I got out of it with a scratched knee.
All the damage to the bike should be covered by the driver of the BMW.

Anyway, time to jump on the phone to some spares shops for the forks. Any recommendation? Im under the impression that I should be getting stuff from Andover or their distributor. I am in australia and will be giving britishspares a call in a few hours.

I have also ordered myself a set of Lansdownes damper kit. Thanks John.

-Rykie

Try CYCLECRAFT ENGINEERING in Perth, WA. They only stock Commando parts, genuine AN and they know their stuff. Call Murray on (08) 9361 4619.

Mick

So I am also after some new yokes. As I have said in a previous thread I will be getting some clip ons, so I am after a flush top yoke (without the bar clamps/pinch bolts). Any recommendation? I have been looking at the ones on Clubman racing http://www.clubmanracing.com/suspensionforksnorton.php
1972 750 Combat

Well that'll teach you to go racing around blindly and lane splitting in rush hour. I learned to be the crazy one out in traffic, to get noticed and scare most away from me, though not so much to attract police attention on lose any reserves in control for surprises. Only times I have close calls is when at best behavior blending in with the flow in multi lane roads. I tend to be a real lagger at traffic lights and in lines of cars, to avoid exactly your event and give me some scoot forward room until car behind gets slowed in time too.
Point being if ya get on two wheels you don't have control so part of the core of the hobby is the sad tales no fault of your own.

Likely yoke and sliders ok just the stanchions tweaked. They can usually be straightened if not too kinked. if just eye ball bad then toss, if must roll together to reveal bends then may be fine corrected. Pay attention to head steady alignment, lack of bind/shift for sense of frame damage that matters.
Hardly ever hear of frame bends on most fork bending impacts.

British Spares should be able to handle it all or fairly source what they lack.
I highly recommend Greg Fuath's Roadholder kit and RGM fork brace while at it.

Expect electrical connection gremlins after such a short stop and flop down.
Expect some delayed physical and emotional impact effects your self, usually by 3rd day I've found but can be longer term too though not yet noticed.

good thing you made it ok

Haha, thanks hobot. Already been 5 days since the little incident.
So im kicking still. A little sad now though, cant ride the poor thing. Just gotta look at it in a different light. I was going to be rebuilding the forks anyway, and I suppose this has just pushed it forward a bit. Got myself of my arse and pulling those forks apart.

The bend is visible http://www.flickr.com/photos/60142691@N08/5486481517/
Not the best pic to see it, but its there. Cant get the right hand stanchion out, its in there tight. No movement what so ever.

Havent found any electrical issues as of yet. It all seems to be running. I did ride it home after the crash.

Oh man Rykie, it didn't strike my own brain and guts till I saw those ruined stanchions then got involuntary groans and throat rattles ...

Its a wierd reversed over reaction to ride stuck forks, so my respects to keep riding past the event but can fully relate to the love affair state you can't live w/o.

What about the front wheel itself?

From what i can see so far. The wheel seems to be alright, i could be wrong though. I will have to talk to someone with a better eye than myself. Lets wait and hope.

Cheers Rykie, Dampers in post tomorrow.
Good luck with the re-build.
Regards john Lansdowne Eng

rykie.hw said:

So a few days ago riding home from work during peak hour, I was unfortunately involved in an altercation with another car. Ended up rear ending someone, due to erratic driving by a fella in a bmw 4wd.
Pulling off from light this fella just veers into my lane without any prior indication, and so the car in front of me and myself brake heavy and I end up running the back of the car in front.
So there is slight damage to the bike, police reports have been filled in and sent off. Witnesses should help the fact.
Damage included - bent fork stanchions, broken front mudguard, broken foot peg, bent bars, scratched/dented exhaust. Was fairly slow speed so I got out of it with a scratched knee.
All the damage to the bike should be covered by the driver of the BMW.

Anyway, time to jump on the phone to some spares shops for the forks. Any recommendation? Im under the impression that I should be getting stuff from Andover or their distributor. I am in australia and will be giving britishspares a call in a few hours.

I have also ordered myself a set of Lansdownes damper kit. Thanks John.

-Rykie

Click to expand...

So another quick question regarding Andover vs other norton parts. Is there much difference in quality? Specifically the Andover stanchions compared to some made in Taiwan.
Is it worth the extra cash for the Andovers or not?

Edit* Any recommendations on rear set pegs? I have been looking on the Norvil site, currently looking at the rear sets with reverse gear lever. Any other interesting/better options?

Edit* Any recommendations on rear set pegs? I have been looking on the Norvil site, currently looking at the rear sets with reverse gear lever. Any other interesting/better options?

Click to expand...

Have Mick Hemmings supplied rearsets on mine. Finish is quite good but gearchange pivot very sloppy with clevis attachment. I changed to a couple of rod ends and shimed the main pivot. They work well and the brake (LH only) allows for std switch and cable both of which work well. Some pics on Photobucket p4 and 5.

Wheel is easy to check, just stick axle in it, in forks or hand held so it spins and look for a wiggle-wobble, if barely noticed then I'd ride it no worries. Even if a wiggle-wobble seen its still fine to ride sanely but might upset grip/control if pressing toward hinged onset or tire skip/slip, which I tend to avoid - usually.

Give the new stanchions a look/feel inside where springs rub and outside of springs too, to access if some smoothing up is possible, as this is the main area of friction in fork action.

OH yeah, Is anything detectable skewed with the stem tab stop? I've taken them off 3 motorcycles a few times each and gave up on them on SV650 and just strapped pads on stanchions to bump against robust frame tube. Intend to do the same on Ms Peel. So far have not gone down on Trixie Combat since tab welded back on from ''05 deer strike. I don't know if welding tab is an issue for stem distortion. The ones I had welded back were done with just enough stuff removed to get too it and rest covered from splatter. Seemed fine after on 2 Combats.

rykie.hw said:

So another quick question regarding Andover vs other norton parts. Is there much difference in quality? Specifically the Andover stanchions compared to some made in Taiwan.
Is it worth the extra cash for the Andovers or not?

Click to expand...

Uh, yes.