Hints for first ride on a commando

Some of you may recognize my sig and all the questions I've asked since becoming a member to this forum. Well, after 2 years of my restoration and rebuild, my bike was finished a month or two ago. I didn't have a title for my original basket case, but received a call yesterday that my paperwork for a new title was going to be processed thursday or friday (tomorrow-ish). I've only taken my norton for a ride up and down the alley a few times, once on a back road by my house for maybe a mile, never getting much beyond 35mph. I've never had her on the road, so I am hoping this weekend, or sometime next week, I will have my first real ride on a norton commando.
So, all knowing and powerful cdo residents, tell me what I can expect (besides pure joy) and what to look for, what to look out for. The good, the bad, the beautiful... I know vintage motorcycles, a 71 bonne has been my everyday rider for a few years. But this isn't a bonne. This is a Norton Commando, and so I've heard, there is no other motorcycle like it.
If you don't have any specific input, maybe you could share an anecdotal story about your first time on a commando. I'm hoping that the first ride on a cdo is as memorable as other....firsts...and worthy of sharing with the group.
Thanks, Dan

After getting it out at speed and nicely warmed up, stop somewhere and look it over well for loose nuts, screws, oil lines, leaks, chain tension, etc. If you hear something odd, stop and look it might be a part falling off! Chances are good that something will work loose on the first ride or two.

Other than that, have fun and ride safe!

Russ

DO NOT over tighten primary which greatly tightens up once hot and only takes once to take out most of drive train, just not all at once.
Check brake fluid at each gas stop a while to make sure it ain't sneaking out on ya.

A small adjustable wrench, screw driver, fuse, extra electral wire and tie up wire, small vice grips, zip ties, spark plug and plug cleaner brush or sand paper, alert folks to planned routes and maybe a cell phone and some cash/cc for a tow. Soothing substance to mediate on while going over all the fasteners you can reach w/o opening back up. Break loose and redo if not already broke loose to redo.

4 inch dia hose clamp and tape in case the radioactive axle pops.

hobot said:

DO NOT over tighten primary which greatly tightens up once hot and only takes once to take out most of drive train, just not all at once.
Check brake fluid at each gas stop a while to make sure it ain't sneaking out on ya.

A small adjustable wrench, screw driver, fuse, extra electral wire and tie up wire, small vice grips, zip ties, spark plug and plug cleaner brush or sand paper, alert folks to planned routes and maybe a cell phone and some cash/cc for a tow. Soothing substance to mediate on while going over all the fasteners you can reach w/o opening back up. Break loose and redo if not already broke loose to redo.

4 inch dia hose clamp and tape in case the radioactive axle pops.

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Hilarious. Yes, thank you, I have leather pouch with necessary tools and fuses and tapes on my bonnie that I will transfer to the cdo. Mostly used to help broken down harleys, but has brought the trumpet home on occasion too.

I have a flask that I will fill up as well on case I'm stuck roadside for an extended 8) time

There are two things that come to mind on the Commando. Re-torqueing the head after the first few heat cycles, especially if you're using a composite headgasket. And re-tightening the exhaust nuts sometime during the first ride when it gets up to temp is almost guaranteed. The exhaust nut usually only needs to be done once, bring a nut wrench.

Once you get the oil nicely warmed up, take the rpms up over 4500 and spin it up to 5500 briefly, feel how smooth she feels and how strongly pulls, revel in the glorious sound out of those peashooters!

I always find that the cylinder base nuts loosen much more than the head bolts on the first couple of heat cycles.

Hey, these guys are paranoids. Throw caution to the wind, you are on a Norton now, throttle it and hang on. If you don't smell gas or oil keep going. Just enjoy the experience of a Norton. When you get home you can do some of those niggling things the others refer to. In 1970, my first ride on a Norton was in North Finchley, London. I was about 22yrs old and had only ridden motorized bikes and doodlebugs before. Bought my brand new flake blue Commando for $900 with rack on the back. We asked the guy servicing our bikes if he would gas them up for us. I think he thought we were daft. Anyway, after getting on the wrong side of the road a few times we were off on adventure. I have never been able to warm up to any other bike except a Norton. I originally went to London to get a Bonneville but none were available. Now after getting one, it sits in the garage while I ride a real machine. I would be interested in your thoughts about the two bikes after you have some saddle time with your Norton.

Wesley has '69 Bonnieville and '71 Commando and he says the Bonnie is a bit handier on THE Gravel but still drops it going extra slowly. He says the Commando is like a flying saucer technology ahead of the Triumph in power and cruise speed and comfort and fling security that don't vibrate to destruction various items as routinely as the Bonnie. Rode behind him on Bonnie a couple weeks ago up to 80 swinging this way and that just fine except the Bonnie was having to press its limits some while the C'do was in normal cruise mode beging to hit its torque peak response ease. Wes says he feels most guilty to ride the Bonnie d/t the vibration always decaying its fasteners and brackets.

That seat isn't as comfortable as you think. :mrgreen:

Great Thread!

If you're used to Triumphs, it'll shoot up the road with an intitially underwhelming sensation. You might even be disappointed at first becaue it doesn't rev like a Triumph. But then you'll look at the speedo thinking you're doing 35-40 mph and see it's actaully 60mph.

I had a T140 before my Mk 3 850. I miss the willing 'get up and go' of the Triumph. But as soon as you're on the motorway, what would have been a case of 'grit your teeth and bear it and you'll suffer for every mile you do' on a Triumph will remarkbly become 'wow, isolastics do work' and make you wonder where motorcycling development might have gone if Honda hadn't come along and ruined it all with the turbine smoothness of 4 cylinders....!

Seriously these are only my impressions. Just trust your own judgement and enjoy this aspect of British motorcycling! Look at it terms of what went before, rather than what came after- because this was a transitional period in motorcycle design and you are riding the best of the old rather than the cutting edge of what what was new then (which frankly the Japs embassared us with- and I say that as someone who loves the old order!)

Good luck- don't take it too seriously! I had 27 British bikes before I slung a leg over a Commando- and I was still impressed!

aceaceca said:

Hey, these guys are paranoids. Throw caution to the wind, you are on a Norton now, throttle it and hang on. If you don't smell gas or oil keep going. Just enjoy the experience of a Norton. When you get home you can do some of those niggling things the others refer to. In 1970, my first ride on a Norton was in North Finchley, London. I was about 22yrs old and had only ridden motorized bikes and doodlebugs before. Bought my brand new flake blue Commando for $900 with rack on the back. We asked the guy servicing our bikes if he would gas them up for us. I think he thought we were daft. Anyway, after getting on the wrong side of the road a few times we were off on adventure. I have never been able to warm up to any other bike except a Norton. I originally went to London to get a Bonneville but none were available. Now after getting one, it sits in the garage while I ride a real machine. I would be interested in your thoughts about the two bikes after you have some saddle time with your Norton.

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Doodlebugs? If you spent some time here, you would know that is the nickname for the V1 German flying bomb that desended in great numbers on Blighty in 1944. We had several of them fall here and they made a mess of our Dockyard at Chatham, not withstanding Spitfire pilots intercepting them by judicous means of physically 'tipping the wing' to push them off course at 20,000ft when otherwise out of ammo. Now that's heroism in the saddle even Hobot would admire!

Now that's heroism in the saddle even Hobot would admire!

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Yes indeed I do look up to those men and their flying machines. I also can't get completely out of my mind/heart the empty chairs at chow time either.

Its good habit to turn off fuel taps if left for long but even better habit to turn em on before entering busy road, till 1/4 mile later looking for a safe landing zone, unless wits enough to turn em on and let the roll restart for ya.

I was led into false security on the great handling factory Commando on my first 1000 miles ever, felt like on polished rails, till I began to crave the G's felt in peeling over for a straffing run or pulling out of dives, which is entirely possible to do here in the Ozarks wavy ribbon roads. Then I discovered THE Hinged Handling Horrors of un-tamed - un-linked un-swash plated rubber baby buggy on springy torsion tubes tabs.

I am a missionary to provoke people to test ride on low aired tires and creep up on zig zags and turns till that sublte sense as if just wind gusts or road texture reversing the action and resistance to fork control, soaks into your bones for ever more. Fully tame the frame at 3 points then can race around on flats or super over pressrized tires that literally feel like ice skater on mirror surface. BTW the harder the tires aired the softer the engine feels but then road texture too harsh.

How many hands to hold a loose flag open in the wind? How many if its attached to robust pole at its base?

Keep it below 90 mph in third , and take the weight on the legs , when landing . :? :wink:

All the best on that first ride mate.
Double check everything before you go, including the wet sumping, and Oil pumping,then go far enough to sattisfy your needs.
Then check everything again.
The fun begins....
My first Commando ride was most memorable...
I was just 16 and was trading in my blown (DEAD) 500 AJS.
As my father had died a couple of years earlier, and my 'poor' mother didn't drive, my boss and family friend offered to
take me in to Adelaide to 'look' at this Norton Commando that I'd seen advertised in the paper.
The Ajay was lying in the back of his Ford station wagon, oil dripping every where, and off we went.
He wasn't a motor cycle sort of guy but was a great friend to me and my mother, and had offered to advance me
a little cash to make the purchase, to be deducted from my pay ($25.00) at a rate of $5.00 a week.
It was a glorious Saturday morning and I was shaking with excitement, no regard what so ever for the fact that
this thing might actually do the real 100 mph. when we got there I was out the car and admireing the 50 odd bikes in the yard
and the only Norton that I could see was a shiny Dove Grey twin. Well I was sixteen, I knew everything, but wasn't quite sure
that this was or wasn't my new Commando. "Is this it" said the boss, and I didn't know what to say, hell I'd seen plenty in the
Motor Cycle News and it looked a bit similar. I was doing the obligatory twist grip turning when I here, " what you after young fellar"
"you like Nortons do ya". Yep. I want a Commando. Well that's a nice bike you'r sitting on there, but if you want a Commando you better
come with me... Mild imbarrasment. By the time I'm off the Dominator, he is standing along side the most beautifull thing that I had seen
since my friends red Atlas. An Orange and Silver 750cc Norton Commando. Fastback. I wasn't a shy kid by any stretch of the imagination,
but I didn't know what to do or say. "What do you thnk, she's alright isn't she ?" YEP. Then he started it up. I was nearly pissing my self.
Well a deal was struck and it was time take my new aquisition home. "Will you be allright" said the boss. Yep.
"Start her up then"..... Off the center stand, no trouble there, leg over, up into the air and... agh, nothing moved. Mild imbarrasment.
Again, again, umm not happening. " yeah they got a bit of compression" said the salesman, "but you'll be right after a while." Here I'll start it "
On her I get and away I go, fast, braaaaaap, second, braaaaaaaap, third, farrrrout this things got some stick, look down at speedo,
shit, way too fast, look up, oh oh, red light. We are in a 35 mph city street. On the brakes, nope too late, down to second and goooone.
I was like a dog with two tails, and by the time I got back home, about an hour and a half, I had a sore face from smiling.
I still get that smile, and will be taking a ride up to my old haunt very soon, where my poor old mum is , in a Nursing home,
so she can see that smile again.
Have fun on your bikes.
AC.
P.S.... I'm 56, mum is 97, and dad was 13 years older than mum.
I call mum "poor old mum" because she put up with me and six others, she is still fit and healthy.
Oh.. HINT FOR FIRST RIDE.... Don' t run red lights.!

Oh.. HINT FOR FIRST RIDE.... Don' t run red lights.!

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That had me on edge of seat then holding my urine and now trying to catch my breath. Your text played me like I was there. Whew take it easy on this old fart.

All the other Brit Iron may by show only for next generation but fully expect even more Commandos being felt in the groins.

My first ride was from Alexandria, VA behind some shed a lawyer had this blue 750 S, I don't know if he owned it, but he had the title. I was off, hard to push over, but figured I'd get used to it. Over the Teddy Roosevelt Bridge, down to the Arlington Memorial bridge and back up the GW Parkway for a few miles back to the shed. Holy Cow, at a dollar a cc, I had to have it.

Test the brakes before you get far so you know when to throw your feet out and drag them on the ground. Make sure the clutch breaks over and doesn't slip. If the gearbox is tight, get back home and loosen the primary chain, right now. If you're not used to 1 up, 3 down, practice.

Have fun and don't get into trouble.

Dave
69S

hobot said:

Oh.. HINT FOR FIRST RIDE.... Don' t run red lights.!

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That had me on edge of seat then holding my urine and now trying to catch my breath. Your text played me like I was there. Whew take it easy on this old fart.

All the other Brit Iron may by show only for next generation but fully expect even more Commandos being felt in the groins.

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I agree, that was a great story and had me dreaming like I was there. Glad to be part of the heritage if this, and all, these machines.

And to all, perhaps I am part of the next generation, I am 30 , but my "newest" machine is that 72 bonne. My oldest is a 53 zundapp, and I've never had a motorcycle that I started with a button, and hope not to till I'm too old to kick.

If you're not used to 1 up, 3 down, practice.

Have fun and don't get into trouble.

Dave
69S

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Thankfully I have the norvil rear sets on her, so it is 1 down 3 up just like the bonne. Whew!

I'd have to ditto DogT - got to constantly be aware of that right side shift pattern! Also, make sure you've oil flow but not onto the tire and that your newly installed battery isn't sitting solidly on its vent hose. Been there, done that............

I bought my '74 black and gold 850 from a guy who purchased it new in England and followed the ISDT around, shipped it to NY, rode to CA, then shipped it back to PA to me. Out of the crate and together and off we went, didn't know squat about it. Eastern PA Pocono foothills, great roads and my last three years experience since Vietnam all on a HD Sportster (newly stolen just then: translation? - love/hate morphs into anger/relief) and my Spanish lifeboat - a Montesa 250 Sport I kept strapped to the inside of my ford van. Suffice it to say the Commando was a bit more bike.

Couldn't believe the idle dance but was falling in love with the thing, big time, until the built up pressure blew the side of the battery out! Fortunately, was almost back to my shop and spent some hectic time washing acid off EVERYTHING. Smiling the whole time. Immediately cut all the road-going stuff off the Montesa and made a play bike out of it and haven't looked back - 36 years ago. I still have both of them. (Never missed the Harley once)

Good luck with the first ride and have fun!