From 22 to mid 30s Norton Passion and Restoration Norton 1927 16H Flat Tanker, Norton RAF 1944 WD16H, Norton Commando 1968, Norton 650ss 1967

Nice work. Is the 208 miles on it correct?

Hi Saber it isn’t the previous owner had rebuilt the speedometer,

I did find a reference to the bikes frame number on another forum asking questions n when she came into the uk needing resto, that the previous owner said she had 15k or so on her on a forum which added up in my mind to the overall condition on some original bits.

Then he took her apart did the resto which he unfortunately made a few mistakes on the engine side and I then had to redo the full restoration that previous owner did completely within 200 miles shown on the clock lol

The only few things she needs to get her concours are the Matt chrome footrests and kickstart, was gonna be my next purchase, n the pipes are original chrome so the silencers are blistered slightly, luckily a/n do all the year correct stuff for the 68’ that’s me nitpicking at it though oh an a green button for the tricon handlebar switch.

Hopefully whoever has her when I advertise her next week ends up riding it a lot as that was my intention hence the riding mods I’ve done

Bit more progress today all together now bar the spin on oil filter assembly just ordering a new one from A/N as I wasn’t happy with the original one that was on the bike then she’s ready for the first start

Running total now is for anyone wondering what it takes to get to this level.
Andover brand new parts £3,424.50

Seager cylinder head skim valve guides and guides.

Norman White frame update to 69 upper support and jig

Pete Lovell - Hone

Engineering work £750

Amal carbs £273

Total £4,447.50 not inc the Indian tank.







Bit of a walk round video

You have mentioned the Gus Kuhn Nortons. The reason I went with the Commando motor in my Seeley 850 was the Kuhn Nortons - they gave Peter Williams with the JPN Nortons some hurry-up. I never believed in the motor - to me it has everything which could ever be wrong in a performance motor - however, it is excellent.
When I was a kid, I watched Jack Forrest beat all the Manx Nortons in an Allpowers race at Bathurst with a 650SS in road trim. It is not a motorcycle I could ever afford when I was young.

Very interesting acotrel yep my dads eldest bro raced a 1968 Gus Kuhn trimmed bike to quite a bit of success at the time Reg Deardens has done some work on it as well,

I’ve got a pic of his bike somewhere I’ll have to dig it out

Now that is cool on the 650, my shoulders mostly healed now so hoping after we’ve finished this house move to start riding the 650ss again looking forward to that.

Hi everyone hope we are all well sorry for the radio silence been a bit chaotic lately, was mid move to Somerset with my dad an then we found out his stage 3b/4 prostate cancer medication isn’t available on the wider NHS (had checked previously but the info changed) so had to cancel the move an now moving n downsizing local in Cheshire, had to focus on helping him through the past year as he had surgery n radio therapy so my classics took a back seat

Now Finally able to start working on the WD16H after making the choice this week to let my 68 commando go to free up some funds for the move n to get my WD16H ready to ride, an for a trip I’ve got planned on her.

While I’m waiting for the house to sell I can get back on with the WD16H n very excited as I’ve missed working on the bikes. Can’t think of anything more pleasurable.

Ordered some paint today to get the late type rear rack fitted

I’ve got a few questions for those in the group if that’s ok has anyone got the measurement for the correct location for the tail light on the rear mudguard?

Can’t remember for the life of me,

Also is everyone using tinmans for making cables?
Stuff I’ve seen online said a few different splits am I right that it’s 40 tin / 60 lead is the right stuff

Got all the bits before Carrot shut n got a birds nest tool but forgot to order the solder,

All I’ve got left to do now is re time the mag refit the oil lines got those apart at the moment to replace the rubber sections, then she’s ready to run n I can do the rest of the detail as I go along, been a long road but she’s getting there

Wirings nearly finished to. She’s so close now!

Got some big plans for a trip if I can pull it off next year. Gotta keep dreaming and moving forward,

Hope your Dad is doing well ?

For cable nipples etc I use regular plumber’s lead free solder as it is much tougher / harder.

Are your cables stainless steel? If so you’ll need a special flux.

Just the ordinary type of steel mate thanks for the tips decided not to get the stainless as I’d heard it’s harder,

Dads doing well all things considered he’s tired alot of the time at the moment, which is understandable with the radio therapy but on the whole he’s doing good he’s very gutted about the move as we were both excited for it so just making travel plans to get ready to rock and roll after the house downsize

Gonna make the cables up tomorrow

Got the last £155 quid order coming for the commando tomorrow so more to stick on the total of that should have her fired up can’t wait to hear that.

Bit more progress today got her listed on the bay so the journey comes to an end with the Commando sad times, alas can’t keep it with the house downsize,

Just waiting on the new spin on oil filter assy coming this week, then she’s ready to run,

Next step bike wise is to get on with my WD16H n get her ready to ride now I’m focusing all my riding on that inc a trip idea I’ve got, solder turned up for her today n solder pot is delayed but coming on Monday, so I’m gonna get the rack painted this weekend, an make the cables up ready for soldering this week,





Held one of the badges up to see what it’d look like.

Also helps if I click the seat down lol

Few more of the Commando from today














Just starting on the rear late type carrier and pannier frames for the WD16H one bracket to make and then they are ready to fit after the paint.

Finished the rear late type carrier today paint wise and the pannier frames found a marking on one of the pannier frames

Last job to do on these slightly further down the line is make the field stand bracket sand the area off a bit n attach it good thing is I can see exactly where it was which helps for locating it

Felt so good to get back onto her,

Gonna set the timing tomorrow, refit the oil tank make the oil lines and petrol lines and make the cables up ready for when my solder pot comes on Monday,

Bit of progress today got the late type rear carrier on n made a start on sussing making the control cables started with the mag cable

gotta order a few more bits for that tomorrow but all is going well.

Hopefully by Tuesday have the cables finished, then it’s a case of finishing the wiring, and the inside of the oil tank is being treated at the moment really enjoying working on her again,

After that just gotta make the fuel lines up an she’s all good

Well everyone successful day today the Commando started first kick ^_^ what a absolutely amazing sensation

I’d made sure I was getting return with the plugs out first primed the crank etc, an checked the rocker lines were primed

Tomorrows job is to set the dynamic timing, and refine the carb settings as they are just on a baseline at the moment,

Hope you all enjoy a short clip from today.

Really looking forward to a test ride tomorrow to say I’m gonna miss this bike is an understatement.

Got out on the Norton Commando today running absolutely sweet to say I’m gonna miss this bike is an absolute understatement hopefully she goes to someone that can enjoy her,





Norton Commando 1968 restoration test ride

Lovely !

Thanks mate

So the test ride went absolutely superb, checked the oil along the way both return and level spot on,

Came back checked again spot on put the commando away on tdc as you do,

Get up the next morning to check over everything pop the filler cap off an she had wet sumped the majority from tank to the sump,

Then discovered a substantial amount of oil in the timing cover which accounted for the rest of it

So it’s been leaking via gravity overnight from the engine case oil way drilling shown in picture one into thin air in the timing cover as nothing matches up with it, filling up to the higher engine case drains into the sump, the first 68 engines didn’t have a lowered timing case drains into.

Bit of checking over and reading Norman Whites book and there as an interesting reference to Norton flying engineers out to California in 1968 as the earliest bikes were having issues with it,

So I think I’ve re followed in the Norton engineers footsteps, that flew out to America,

Interestingly Steve Wilson’s ’s book Norton Motorcycles also mentions a reference to the first 100 bikes being fitted with the Atlas cylinder head on the production line which was then promptly discovered in the factory and replaced with the correct Cylinder head,

Love uncovering history,

So I’m thinking the best course of action is to get a 25186 ab1 later 1968 Norton Commando timing cover so the over pressure venting matches up to the case so the pumps not leaking into thin air in the timing cover,

She’s one of the first 65 ever made so could make sense that she had the current timing cover on from new,






Gonna check with a few people tomorrow but it’s pretty obvious that’s it, no way it would drain past the brand new pump that quick no leaks from the back of the pump.

A few tests show it’s coming from there an with the measurement there’s nothing blocking it, from what I’ve read on later commandos they actually threaded that oil way drilling so when working on the timing chest oil wouldn’t leak out via gravity, thought you all might find it interesting especially anyone else restoring a 68’

Got two different fixes on the way for the wet sump issue on the Commando one from Norman and the other based on a fix Norton did

Gotta say a big thanks to Norman White on this and Ashley at Andover both gone above and beyond again to get our heads collectively round what Norton did back in the day,

In other news my shoulder / nerve injury recovery seems to have done the trick after all the kickstarting with the commando decided to re commission the 650ss so here’s a look back at some previous riding and the first start of 2025 on her,

Norton 650 SS Classic British Motorcycle life daily rider #nortonmotorcycles #classicbike


Now if I can just get the lever abutments for the late type Norton WD I’ll have everything running

Hi team hope we are all well thought a few might find this interesting following on from my previous post with the help of Norman White thanks Norman as always I was able to get a later AB1 cover for the 1968 Norton Commando she’s one of the first 65 ever made by Norton,

After the first successful test ride after restoration I came out the next morning to find the oil had disappeared in the tank, having a brand new oil pump I knew it couldn’t be that so after some investigation I found 700ml or so of oil had drained via gravity into the timing cover, as nothing covers the crankcase oil way drilling,

then allowing the rest to reach the high up crankcase drains, once the timing cover was fun and end up in the sump over night, how you might ask via the crankcase oil drilling, which on the very first 68’s which looked like they used a slightly different atlas case didn’t cover the crankcase drilling.

After chatting with Ashley at Andover about the issue an seeing both technical drawings and a set of later 68 cases which had a threaded crankcase drilling / oil way the fix grant recommended was obviously how Norton sorted it when they flew engineers out in very early 68’ to California (reference Norman’s book page 88)

After looking at some of the drawings the AB1 cover rather than the even later AB2 seemed the best option and I was able to source one via Norman

Fascinating following in the footsteps of the Norton engineers 56 years ago always love stuff like this.

As always thanks everyone and hope you are all keeping well, I filmed a 1 min video as I retrofitted the cover and the outcome was a re assounding success



In other news had an issue with the new shocks so they went back for refund n I spent up for a set of Hagon semi shrouded which are coming on Wednesday that are being built for her then she’s finished