Essential mods for your Norton Commando

Further to the recent post regarding easy & cheap mods: I thought it would be fun to see what the consensus is on essential mods, ranging from safety, reliability, and practicality to plain desirability.

I'll start with layshaft bearing upgrade...

Where do we start lol but the LS bearing was replaced when it blew at 12k miles on the clock and 3 years old from new, my Norton has been one big experiment since 1980, start of the conversion to the Featherbed frame and motor built for it and over the next 44+ years as good upgrades, Boyer Ignition was the first, Koni shocks then the Atkont alloy rims and as other parts come on the market, Lansdown fork internals, full upgraded front brakes (full Grimica system), better tyres, experiment different carbs, but found the old Amals worked best now and the biggest and one of the best the Joe Hunt magneto for that big spark, the old Amals tuned right and the JH work so well together for easy starting as well reliability and great running, yes it's no longer a Commando but 85% of my Norton runs Commando parts that was used.
Upgrades depend on how deep your pockets are but I built mine when prices were a lot cheaper and upgraded parts when the Aussie $$$$ was even with the US $$$$ and I had spare money to burn, but there are so many upgraded motor parts on the market now and love to be able to afford some of Jim's goodies for my motor, as I say how deep are your pocket can be endless in what you can do or spend on our Norton's, where do we stop, with me its been life long since I was 17 when I brought my 850 Commando new.

Ashley

B+Bogus said:

Further to the recent post regarding easy & cheap mods: I thought it would be fun to see what the consensus is on essential mods, ranging from safety, reliability, and practicality to plain desirability.

I'll start with layshaft bearing upgrade...

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Of course, roller bearing located next to the counter sprocket bearing and replacing kickstart bush with needle roller bearing to support the entire layshaft

Sergio said:

Of course, roller bearing located next to the counter sprocket bearing and replacing kickstart bush with needle roller bearing to support the entire layshaft

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Someone had done the needle roller bearing mod on my layshaft before I bought the bike. The end had been reduced to fit the bearing through the hardening.

Sticking to essential I'd say

The gearbox layshaft bearing
Some kind of front brake upgrade.
Top isolastic upgrade

Close to essential
Electronic ignition
Clutch pushrod oil seal.
LEDS if ridden at night.
A pressure relief reed valve.

And a slightly endulgent one.

The RGM folding kick-start. Which is very unfortunately not available at present. It is 1,000, 000 times better than the Norton standard kick-start which dug me in the back of my leg for more than 30 years.

For any hard ridden twin I would, & do, fit a reed valve. That way, if assembled with a reasonable amount of care they remain oil tight.

If your Commando doesn't have one, a spin on oil filter.
Solder the wire clip on the sump filter if there is one.
Add rear brake pedal spring to rear drum models.
A metal fuel tank as required.
Swing arm spindle clamps for models with just the central bolt securing the spindle.
Vernier adjusting ISO's are optional upgrade, but worth it.
Wet sumping measures, although I don't feel the need yet.

Deckard said:

If your Commando doesn't have one, a spin on oil filter.
Solder the wire clip on the sump filter if there is one.
Add rear brake pedal spring to rear drum models.
A metal fuel tank as required.
Swing arm spindle clamps for models with just the central bolt securing the spindle.
Vernier adjusting ISO's are optional upgrade, but worth it.
Wet sumping measures, although I don't feel the need yet.

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Have you had one of those clips on the sump filter come out?

I soldered the one on my race bike but havnt bothered on my street bike. But may if there are reported problems

The rear brake pedal spring is an excellent safety suggestion.

johnm said:

Have you had one of those clips on the sump filter come out?

I soldered the one on my race bike but havnt bothered on my street bike. But may if there are reported problems

The rear brake pedal spring is an excellent safety suggestion.

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Yeah, I was changing pistons on my 750 because of the known problem of the slotted ones and found the filter washer jammed between the cylinder sleeves. Never found the wire clip until I split the cases later. It was resting underneath the cam. The washer and clip can make quite a mess inside once they're free to roam......

Deckard said:

Yeah, I was changing pistons on my 750 because of the known problem of the slotted ones and found the filter washer jammed between the cylinder sleeves. Never found the wire clip until I split the cases later. It was resting underneath the cam. The washer and clip can make quite a mess inside once they're free to roam......

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Interesting. Next time I change the oil I shall inspect and perhaps solder it in.

A better way of ensuring the wire circlip stays in place is to cut the ears off and machine a taper on the outside of the washer. The washer then forced the circlip into it's groove.

Bored and honed an Mk2a 850 for a customer. When i lifted the barrels i found the conrods in a right state, it looked like someone had blasted them with nails, I discovered the sump filter washer in three battered pieces, never found the circlip, i came to the conclusion that the PO had left it out or never realised it was missing. I use a seger type clip with the edge ground to a taper to fit the groove, far stronger & far more secure.

I did this - works a treat! https://www.accessnorton.com/NortonCommando/large-crank-drain-mod.38890/post-661151

I did wonder if after fitting a real oil filter on my '71 750 that I could just gut the sump drain. I soldered the circlip and never looked back. Solvent cleaned and compressed air finished since. If Greg's take is to just to remove all the sump screen/ washer/ circlip, I'm good with that.
It was an archaic method of filtering oil and the spin on filter rendered it redundant. Why bother trying to remedy something that is no longer necessary and is a serious potential hazard?

While the '72 cases don't have the large sump strainer, they do have the big-end starving forward located oil return port, and the well documented 'Combat case mod' has to be another essential mod.

My mind is wandering again.
Upgrade your alternator. Best to upgrade the Zener diode to modern regulator in the process.
What I really would like ideas on is a good battery retention mechanism. Another poorly designed contraption that didn't last very long on my first Commando like the '71 sidestand.
Simple and easily implemented is desired. I'll admit I'm lazy about that particular project.

On the early bikes, the kegler clamp modification is essential, so I have 2 essential modifications, kegler clamps and reed breathers. The rest of my modifications are optional and a much longer list...

I never did modify my Combat cases. So far it has 40K miles and 50-some years on it. So not strictly needed. There are some differences of opinion on how it is done: Old Britts vs DynoDave method vs adding a small screen to the pickup.

o0norton0o said:

On the early bikes, the kegler clamp modification is essential, so I have 2 essential modifications, kegler clamps and reed breathers. The rest of my modifications are optional and a much longer list...

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Kegel clamps??

jaydee75 said:

Kegel clamps??

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Swingarm Clamps developed by Heinz Kegler. The early bikes only had a single bolt in the swingarm tube to fix the swingarm axle in place inside the cradle tube. It doesn't take a long amount of riding before the swingarm axle wallows out the tube ends in the cradle and a noticeable amount of lateral play develops in the swingarm. It's very noticeable when you ride an early bike with a worn swingarm tube. Before I fixed mine I described my bike as riding like a snake. It was that bad. Back in the 80's I actually thought it was the swingarm bushings and I took out good ones and put new ones in as an attempt to fix the problem. Back then I didn't know any better, and just rode around on a bike that snaked down the road. I always wondered why everyone thought the commandos handled so well because mine did not!

You can make your own. (I did) or you can buy them from NYC norton already made and just install them. The clamps look like this installed.