Happy butt

So I got my Roadster tank fixed. Some of you might remember the JPN-colored Roadster tank with the major dent in the side.



I got the tank stripped…



And the dent taken out.



More about the tank here: tanks-lot-t9757-15.html#p111770

So today I decided to swap out the Proddy tank and seat. I'm sure some of you just fainted, so I'll give you a minute.

Back yet?

While the Proddy tank and seat are pretty cool, the seat is, ahem, firm. Perhaps I should say solid. There is but a whisper of padding and you cringe at every bump in the road. Sometime you have to crouch on the pegs just to save your ass. Plus I wanted to see how the bike felt.

It was like a completely different bike! With the Proddy you sat "in" the bike. You are sandwiched between the tank and the seat hump, nowhere to go. And you are back, way back. With the Roadster you sit "on" the bike. More of a perch. While my brother thought the stock seat was going to be uncomfortable, it's light years better than the racing seat.

As soon as I swapped over the parts (I did buy a second set of taps) to put the tank on I fired it up and took it for a ride. It was a blast!

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrLe844e63U[/video]







The bike is really sexy now. Something about the Roadster tank and seat that just scream Norton.

And my butt is happier!

The downside? Now you can really see the crappy rear fender. :mrgreen:

Don't worry, I'll switch it back at some point. I'm still missing the fairing side brackets (another story) so the fairing will need to wait anyways. The way I attached the Proddy seat you can remove it with no tools. The only tools required for either tank is the front mounts. Once I get a few more parts swapping should take just minutes. Fun!

Duh, it ain't our ride so quite worrying about liking the common practical Roadster tank/seat better than short ride racer like saddle. Comfortable street performance is a Commando's main theme. I spent enough time on a Corbin seat to like looking at them way more than sitting on them very long.

I like the big ole interstate tank best for looks and for range and for effective knee grip and for platform to support a decent tank bang and for showing off lots of paint color and shades the engine from mid day sun.

For some reason you Cdo makes me think of this distracting image no matter the tank and seat its wearing : )

Jees hobot that bought the story down.

Oh no now I'll get reply things on my email and see that picture again,,,,,,,,,,

It just the missing inspection plugs look like missing teeth on a pretty gal to me. There is no reason for it as belts and alternation do not need air cooling in a Commando application. So Dave's proud photo's look to me like the smiling locals here that drive half primer-ed PU's from deer, trees and drunken family encounters. In Dave's flavor though he is showing good taste to me in his appreciation of sassy classic Roadster over the angular plastic molded look of the racer style set up.

I awoke this am with horrible realization i'm living on pure fate not to ruin my Trixie Roadster by riding fates here, before I make it to INOA rally, so decided best not risk any Commando travel till done with trailer travel, ugh. In past only got like 3 wks ride intervals before horrific show stoppers, over last 6 yrs, only about 6 months riding total. On first test ride 7 milers to hwy and back Trixie lost her timing hole plug, ugh, but I had new one so didn't have to run around with tape to keep oil inside and THE Grit out.

The motor sure sounds good at idle. Those blue pipes hint she might be on the lean side though.

hobot said:

So Dave's proud photo's look to me like the smiling locals here that drive half primer-ed PU's from deer, trees and drunken family encounters.

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aceaceca said:

The motor sure sounds good at idle. Those blue pipes hint she might be on the lean side though.

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That was when it first got started. It's better now.

Hehe, Tomator tow truck has cute buck teeth like me before braces and is a male character not a gal with gaps in her smile.

Pipes that blue imply to me there was a few seconds of running with the timing way off as that lean a burn would make running a fumbling annoyance, so likely both conditions at once occurred early on Swooshes kick crazy learning curves. But guess how I leaned how fast blue blue pipes can occur : (

Its a same how small a deflect distracts form a fully functional runners looks...

swooshdave said:

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I love that NO PARKING that the clutch lever points to . . .

Vintage Paul

hudson29 said:

swooshdave said:

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I love that NO PARKING that the clutch lever points to . . .

Vintage Paul

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I was just trying to get a shot of Mt. Hood in the background. :mrgreen:

I'm jerking your chain for my fun and don't really think poorly of your neat Commando dressing wardrobe. I now know you can't resist spending on her, so here's something to get your wallet drawing trigger had twichy...

Commando Fiberglass Outer Primary Cover (1969-74) - With Norton belt drives eliminating the oil from the primary drive, it has become increasingly popular to machine a �hole pattern� in the outer cover to both vent the belt and more importantly add a custom look to the bike. To eliminate both the need to modify the factory cover and to work around the existing inspection holes/caps, we have had a heavy duty, outer fiberglass cover produced. The standard inspection/access and oil level holes have been eliminated while the factory mounting system has been retained. The cover is currently available with a gloss black gel coat finished . - #C326 - Temp out of stock.

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http://www.clubmanracing.com/beltdrivesnorton.php

I kind of like the inspection holes, it makes it look like you know what you are doing at least to the people that don't know.

Hmm, is that kind of like known unknowns, or unknown knowns? Where have I heard that?

Totally different look Dave. I like it in the cruzer mode.

Dave
69S

I like it too. Get some red on that bitch and you'll be good to go.

Tank and fender yellow, with a propper black Norton decal... yummy.

Dave are you tempted to convert to roadster trim full time now?

So Dave, my yellow hotrod was once a Dunstall . Very cool and useless. I had all the glass out for paint and did what you did. When I got the glass back I put it on e-bay for somebody else to look at. Jim

speirmoor said:

Dave are you tempted to convert to roadster trim full time now?

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I have lusted after a Proddy since before I even got this bike some 20 years ago. I even have a model of one.

I had planned all along to use the stock Roadster setup while I get use to the bike and break it in. I had put the Proddy parts on only because the Roadster tank wasn't ready.

But as you all know I'm too much of an attention-whore so the full Proddy set up will go on at some point because it does get the looks! :mrgreen:

That's the main reason I'm keeping my Dunstall setup, Makes an uncommon Norton eaven more uncommon. Plus I got it dirt cheap and it was NOS. Another dumb luck buy.

bwolfie said:

That's the main reason I'm keeping my Dunstall setup, Makes an uncommon Norton eaven more uncommon. Plus I got it dirt cheap and it was NOS. Another dumb luck buy.

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A fellow attention-whore… would not have guessed. :mrgreen:

I spend much time with my 3 and 5 year old, talking to someone with a drivers liscense is a welcomed thing.