Last ride of the year

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Chicago area and we had a great weekend. Took the Commando out yesterday and today. New motor and trans this spring and it runs like a watch. I have so bits to work on but it is now an enjoyable machine. Today is the farthest I have gone and had to rely on reserve to get home. My circle of trust keeps getting larger. I now have to do some work on the front end. A new tire is in order as I am running one at least 30 years old or so. The rear was replaced a few weeks ago.
I am working on reliability and cleaning it up as I go. It just keeps getting better while the HD sits in the garage.
Is there an easier pull clutch for this thing? Just about killed me today.
I hate winter.
 
MikeM said:
Is there an easier pull clutch for this thing? Just about killed me today.
I hate winter.
Yes.
You need to address the stack height of the clutch plates. Do a search on this.
Regards,
Thomas
CNN
 
I feel sorry for you poor souls that can't ride all year round, our winters here is the best riding for us Aussies as its just right, it gets a bit hot here in the days like today its going to be 37c here and its not summer yet, we are only half way through spring.
After a rebuild you will find it will get better the more miles you get on it and do replace that old front tyre it could give out on you any time, its just not worth it, as for your clutch when working right they are very light, mine has always been nice to use and can use one finger if I wanted to, but better with all as well its alway been a smooth operation and gears change with a light click all the time.

Ashley
 
MikeM said:
Chicago area and we had a great weekend. Took the Commando out yesterday and today. New motor and trans this spring and it runs like a watch. I have so bits to work on but it is now an enjoyable machine. Today is the farthest I have gone and had to rely on reserve to get home. My circle of trust keeps getting larger. I now have to do some work on the front end. A new tire is in order as I am running one at least 30 years old or so. The rear was replaced a few weeks ago.
I am working on reliability and cleaning it up as I go. It just keeps getting better while the HD sits in the garage.
Is there an easier pull clutch for this thing? Just about killed me today.
I hate winter.


Read these two pages, do what it says.

http://atlanticgreen.com/ndnsclutch.htm

http://atlanticgreen.com/clutchpak.htm

Get a Venhill Teflon lined clutch cable as well.
 
Winter does bite the big one. I usually keep the bikes going until the salt flies. Not this year thou. With building a new house and getting the current house ready for sale my basement workshop, garage and 4 bike's have all been packed in a 10 by 20 storage unit. I put the last bike in on Friday. Sucks since its been warm and sunny still.

Agreed about the stack height and teflon cable.
 
Summer in Oz is almost as unrideable as winter in much of North America.
Friends tried it and almost melted, 40+ degrees Celcius was the norm!!!

Glen
 
When we ride in summer when its hot we start very early in the morning and be home about 11 am before the heat bites, but also do a lot of night rides when nice and cool, so you work around the temps, I rug up when its cold and wear my sleeveless leather vest when hot, you adapp to your region and climate.

Ashley
 
I forget about how some parts of the contry there is a "end of riding season" I cant imagine I would be able to exist in this phycotic mondern world if i wasnt on a bike every day.

hopefully you garage is warm and you can sit out there and at least stare at the bikes.
 
motoalchemist said:
I forget about how some parts of the contry there is a "end of riding season" I cant imagine I would be able to exist in this phycotic mondern world if i wasnt on a bike every day.

hopefully you garage is warm and you can sit out there and at least stare at the bikes.

Here's what's arguably my last ride for the year, as there was frost on the windshield this morning (34' F at 6 am).

Last ride of the year


At least the shed offers protection from the outside weather, and the temp can be raised a bit. Keep in mind that you sometimes have to raise the temp above the ambient 20' F, or worse!
 
A number of far away riders rub their adventures in my face so share a couple of American final fall rides... if ya can stand this much of it.




Fall riding winding down This summer I have been mostly absorbed with my Norton Commando 1974 to make it a better runner.

The Winter before last I decided to address a problem it had with heavy oil consumption. When I pulled off the head, the reason was obvious. The stock 13 yr old rubber valve stem seals had become embrittled and were not up to their task...of keeping oil in its place.

I did some research and I learned that the material of choice now for valve stem seals is VITON. I also discovered that a place in Batavia OH , BORE-TECH, has a process to treat the cylinder walls with a Silicon Carbide process making them extremely durable and with a better ability to transfer heat, thus running the Norton head cooler. It required a .020" overbore, so I sent the cylinder barrels off to them along with .020 larger Hastings pistons and new rings for them to cut appropriately to fit the cylinder walls they would be preparing. Previously I sent the pistons to Swain Coatings in NY and had Swain deposit a ceramic coating on the piston tops and a low friction coating on the piston skirts. I took the heads to a local racing machinist with some good rep and had him cut in the new valve seats for a set of Kibblewhite Black Diamond valves. I fit it with a copper head gasket and we used brand new head bolts. Those results were great.

I had been wanting to try a flat slide carb for some time, so now it seemed like the logical time. The original Nortons came with dual Amal carbs which had some quality/ materials problems. The slides wore out in them quickly and idling was not their specialty. I opted for the single carb from Mikuni , a fla tslide 34 mm racing carb. Sudco provides the basic jetting set up... then you have to take it from there. I ended up changing the twin Amals which had very stiff slide return springs....2 of them... The single Mikuni has a much lighter spring which is a big improvement curing the hard throttle return spring.

The Norton now runs tremendously well. 4th gear alone can pull pull a particularly steep hill along the Allegheny River Valley to 92 mph. I also installed a hydraulic clutch master cylinder and slave cyl to replace the original clutch cable arrangement used to pull out an 8 inch pressure plate apart from the stacked intermixed disks taming the Norton's power output shaft. . Now it has a slick and light operating clutch lever which is another treat.

Last couple of weeks I researched a bottoming problem on the front forks. I took the forks apart and removed the stock damper tube. Brazed up the 2 lower holes for oil flow and drilled new 9/64th holes above where the 1/4 in holes had been and filled the forks with Automatic Transmission Fluid instead of the fork oil. The original fork springs were removed and replaced with Progressive Suspension fork springs After a test ride, I added a 3/4 inch spacer upon the softer Progressive spring's rate. Again I made a ride and I added 2 more washers on top of the spacer to make another 1/8 inch of spring tension. and instead of 150 cc oil in each fork leg, I now tried 160ccs of Automatic Transmission oil . The transformation was complete. I now had a really compliant front suspension.

The temps warmed to 70 yesterday so I launched out on a 100 mile run up though the mountains in Northern Pennsylvania.. I took the Rt 28 expressway up past the northern leg of the Allegheny River to Kittanning where the expressway ends. Then the road tuns into a motorcyclists dream..... tall rolling hills and long sweeping bends and curves following the rolling landscape. I stopped at the Gulf station in Kittaning to fill up with gas for the long stretch of country roads ahead. The rows of cars and trucks slowing down traffic were easily dispatched on the hills where an extra passing lane was provided. A snick into 3rd gear gave the growling torque necessary to eliminate the lead truck which was desperately trying to close the gap on the extra lane where it narrows to nothing on the crest of the hill. As I caught the truck the lane was only half width and I could see cars approaching from the opposite direction, but I needed only a scarce bit of width to get by him so I stretched the throttle cable a bit more and needed to ride out the yellow line as I passed him. Mentally I could hear him cussing. The rest of the hills between him and New Bethlehem belonged to me.

I sailed around hills and the front forks were working well beyond their original design parameters. I kept unspeakable speeds on tap and went around descending curves like I was on rails. Passing New Bethlehem was about the 60 mile mark on my travels. Clarion laid ahead of me but first I had to leave the country 2 lanes and head West ON EYE- 80 This is the long northern passage that crosses Pennsylvania east to west and extends across the great Clarion River. A short 4 mile interstate jaunt and I exit back onto the northern leg of 66 which began at New Bethlehem. The motor of the Commando was settling into its high speed character and it was enjoying the thrills also. A sweet silky purr at 90. As I passed the intersection on Rt 66, North of Clarion at the Country Barn gas station. it marked the distinctive section of rural scenery yet to be enjoyed.

The temperatures however were felt to be dropping well below the 70 mark. The brisk 4 oclock air added a new dimension to the experience. Before I left I added my magnetic tank bag and packed it with a fleece neck wrap to seal out any cold wind draft from my Fieldsheer cordura jacket. A pouch of Capri-sun Lemon drink should I want a cool sip, my Wee Willie pouch of face shield spray cleaner with a squeegee and tiny spray can of Plexus shield polish, first aid pouch of assorted bandages, a small fork lock for security, a discreet assortment of a few wrenches, screwdriver, and shock spring spanner and of course a bungee cord.

Ahead another 25 miles, just south of Marienville was a hunting camp that I was welcome to and I had some heavier clothing stored there. Halfway to my destination was Leeper at the crest of the hill at the 4 way intersection where a country store makes their extraordinary Ham salad. I had planned to bring that back home for my neighbor, Rick. I found I was able to fit 2 containers in my crowded tank bag. I made room by putting on my fleece neck wrap and sticking the compact first aid kit in my jacket pocket and my sunglasses in my zippered pocket on my pants leg.

Now I was into the northern pines which had been cleared for camp sites. Everything was neatly preened and grromed everywhere. The great caveat here is... Deer Crossing signs. A watchful eye and fingers laid across the brake lever were necessary. You had 2 options, go slow and hit a deer anyway or go fast and hope you hit them in the soft part and come out on the other side. ( honest...that is not a tale..the accounts of motorcyclists cutting a deer in half and remaining alive and even upright are startling to hear).

I was enjoying the afternoon scenery and the subtle scent of the brisk pine air. The campsites have quaint names and the back trails are also correspondingly named. Vowinckle Hotel, Stoney Lonesome,

Bucktail Hotel, .Titioute ( "titty yute"), Lonesome Pines, The Fireworks Store, and coming up ahead presently , the camp.... Joe's Pines. It was now 4 PM. Cousin Mel was keeping the place warm and we both enjoyed a ham salad sandwich and a cranberry apple juice chaser as he showed me his recent acquisition, an old lawn tractor his brother Bill had brought up. The battery was dead, so I got he tools from the tank bacg and extracted it for him to have it tested and or charged. He showed me some massive pines he had felled and cut up and offered a mini barn to store my Norton there. Hell, no chains would keep a Norton Commando secure should a hint of its presence get out. I extracted a warm sweatshirt from one of the camp's ancient closets and pulled it over my long sleeve T. I told Mel I wanted to get back to Pittsburgh before the sun set because I had forgotten to being a clear face shield...I had only the spectra Blue- mirror silvered one installed. I had to "make some time."

Mel was surprised when I said the 74 Commando was a kick start only. He smiled as I opened up the normal fuel tap, set the choke, and gave a 1/4 turn of the throttle. The Norton came alive with a mighty plunge onto the starter lever which I had positioned at full compression. The sound of a Norton at idle will turn a Harley owners head...to see where that rumble is coming from. It was past 5 PM now as I left Mel and the camp. .

I did a spectacular launch from the camp driveway and roared off down 66 hoping there was sill enough fuel in the fuel tank to reach Leeper once again. I had put about 70 miles on that tank at abundantly illegal speeds. A quick glance at my nacelle oil pressure gauge assured I was still pumping 40 PSI of oil to the heads on acceleration. I stopped at the Leeper Exxon. Popping open the Jaguar style gas cap, I peered down into it. The gas was down pretty low but consumption still hadn't necessitated a switch to the reserve fuel valve. 93 octane went in ..$7 to bring it just an inch below the filler neck. Once more I was ready to burn daylight.

Through the ancient pine forests and past Zacherel's Country Market. I glided in to the Country Barn gas station to install my soft earplugs which I had forgotten at the Exxon gas stop. Off again, I pulled hard and onward to I-80 and it's New Bethlehem exit. Another 20- miles or so I would be past New Bethlehem and into those grand sweeping curves and exhaulting hills which were so thrilling to take with the motor on full boil and the suspension working so smoothly at last.

There was nothing in front of the large chrome Norton headlamp to resist the cold evening air. My fleece neck wrap was doing an excellent job however of sealing in my body warmth ... with The Fieldsheer's vent zippers all closed off. . The silky soft purr of the two 850cc ceramic coated pistons were humming in their high tech silicon carbide air cooled barrels. This Black Phantom was sailing along in its element. The soft azure blue pastel skies held the sinking evening sun in a breathtaking rosy gold glow. As I approached the mountain curve ahead...CRAP ...the end of a truck with a large flatbed trailer just caught my gaze. As I cleared the curve, there were 2 motorcycles in front of him; an all black version of a Harley cruiser, likely a Dyno Glide and a late model 1800 Honda GOLD WING in a deep red wine berry paint scheme. These were not slow bikes but they were deeply tasting the scenery and curves in their leisure. The Gold Wing was at least more than comfortable because the Harley had no windscreen on his bike.

Ahead, I knew, was the extra passing lane on the approaching steep grade. I would.. "GET THEM" ..all.

SNick into THIRD...wind her up to 7 GRAND and power shift into FOURTH GEAR as I pressed the bars for a cleanly performed "ess" curve counter steer... back into position at the head of the pack

As I neared the crest of the hill. Maybe the 2 riders never saw a ghost before, but they did get passed by a "Black Phantom" on one of the best hills Rt 66 has to offer. Now I was alone again in the brisk evening air as the curves and hills just kept on comin'. The skies were agahst in pastel blues and silky white strands and brilliantly lit rosy gold clouds along the hill tops. But all that glitters ..is not gold.

My Spectra face shield found itself unable to combat the direct setting rays of the sun when the roadway turned WEST into the sun's path. Diving down into the valleys brought some relief, but as I crested the hill the sun stabbed at my eyes in a blinding fashion. Tilting my helmet downward... gave enough of a shadow slit to see the roadway ahead until I cleared the hilltops. I was still 10 miles to the Gulf Gas station at Kitanning where I would stop and give those 2 bikers a chance to catch up with me. I was dong good, chronologically, in the battle with the setting sun. My peanut tank was full again with the nectar of its choice ..93 octane and the Gold Wing and company had just flown past me and obviously had gotten the green light at the 4 way intersection where the route 28 Expressway begins. Catching them on the high speed expressway after getting the red light would be unlikely. I got a headlight flash form an oncoming car. Had I been running without turning on my lights? Switching to high beam provided no indicator light . One more click on the ignition switch and I was golden again. Thank You fellow traveller!

Now far up ahead.... on the hill? A blinking red tailight from a parked motorcycle. It was the pair who has passed me at the Gulf station. I prepared to stop.... turning on my right turn signal. Then I recognized they had only stopped to frame a picture of the dramatic rosy gold and whispy blue sun about to set on the hills & their bikes. Turn signal off again and another burst of acelleration from the Phantom. Now I was in the vast expanse of high plateaus and long lightly travelled 4 lanes isolated from the high traffic areas nearer the river valley. Once more ... the pleasing silky humm from the Commando. This was that part of the route for low level flight path. 4 wheelers snubbing the speed limits were overtaken as time compressed. The next 20 miles along the tall ridges of the Allegheny Valley offers great glimpses of the old man river down below. Daylight was still mine, though rapidly waning. ...Past the "Mills" mall on top of the Shaler Hills. My exit was not far away...now. In the dusk of evening, I took my approach on the twisty and steep Harmar hill overlooking the coal mining village below...Indianola, place of my childhood. Every inch of which I trod as the Pittsburgh Press newspaper boy.

Daysie's keen ears would know long before I got to the cul de sac that the Black Phantom was approaching home. Once more I rolled into the homestead with the motor idling smoothly at 1000 RPM.

It was a good ride. Ham salad was in the tank bag and Rick would have a nice surprise tomorrow. Rick visits his friend's hunting camp in Blue Jay just about 12 miles north of Marienville and he literally "lives" to go there. Its a spectacular camp with a full size pool table and pine wood walls set in with angled pine wood, a tavern style bar, a large "fridge" full of Yuengling beer, a wood burning fireplace and a den with ample sleeping area in the loft. There's an outshed full of cut pine wood. Its Rick's retirement dream which his friends from Pittsburgh are happy to share with him and they all are Pittsburgh Steeler Football fans.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
and another restless soul stirring up Commando juices
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<


Old buddy in Fonda NY was having a
Halloween party last night.
Got home for work at 6:30, Changed, into Cold weather gear.
Norton wicked up first kick! Yahoo!!
headed West on NY-67, gassed up in Mechanicville
Rolled 80 mph plus on I-87, to Saratoga,
Rolled on over to Rt-29 threw Rock City Falls,
Broadalbin, Johnstown to Fonda Border, about 52 miles!

Stopped at a "Shop&Rob" and got a Paper Grocery store.
Got to Party, kept gear on except traded helmet for Paper
bag(Unknown Comic style), proceeded to slink around party.
Found my buddy's 87 year old Mother, got pictures of me
and her. (They made her up to look like an old woman,
make up was kinda shotty)

Was there maybe 25 minutes, and headed out, as I was leaving
some Redneck asked me what year my Honda was. I said,
"well, I have a bunch of them, which one?" he says " the one outside"
my reply was " silly boy that is a "71 Norton Commando!" He comes back
with "That is older than me!" I mumble to him, "so are my blue jeans!"

...and off into the night, the now trusty Commando and I speed threw the
46 degree air, back home to Valley Falls, and into bed before 10:30!

"Life is Good!" I don't need no stinkin' Jeep!

Joe in VF NY
 
I just saw my first snow flakes go by from my kitchen window this afternoon. :(
time for building up bikes again and fixing stuff for the warmer weather.
Cheers,
Thomas
CNN
 
Beautiful day today but Only rode 35 miles, Rear tire is bald again.
I'm not ready to give up riding the norton but I must take it easy until I can get around to replacing tires.

I don't ever stop riding,
but my Honda Valkyrie has a windshield which makes things a lot more comfortable when the temps get down around freezing.
Not being totally crazy......... I ride that one the most in the wintertime.
 
Snowin here too. :cry:

Hoping for a reprieve, some years Nov can provide some good opportunities. 8)
 
Yesterday, Friday, I rode to work. 48' in the morning, then 72' for the afternoon ride home. Beautiful!
Today, it's rained all day, it's still raining at 2130, and the temp got up to 52'. We're done.
 
New York State
High winds, 40F, snow on the hills last evening.
Down at lower levels dry enough though.
Im about to have a go...
 
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