Most Improved - some improvements

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Matt01

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When I first posted a couple of shots of my '71 Commando for the most improved, I had not finished it. So here is 'Swampy' at my local MoT Test centre (where it passed) on the 13th Feb - I'm just applying for a UK registration at the moment....
Most Improved - some improvements

Most Improved - some improvements

As you can see its all together now, and I should be riding her in a couple of weeks. And I do have a 6 inch headlamp to fit, but I need to run up some adaptors on the lath to fit on the indicators.....
 
That's an excellent job you've done, Matt, (so you did manage to get the head back on then!) even though I'm not much of a Hi-Rider fan, and that seat looks even odder than Hi-Rider seats generally do, but it's all turned out very well and I do like the orange colour.

How many more thrilling episodes of the rebuild series in Real Classic mag. can we expect look forward to (delivery of RC71 is imminent I believe)? http://www.realclassic.co.uk/
 
Hi LAB - the colour is Malagutti Rosso Red - I matched it to the (found on ebay) tank to do the sidepanels. Its not a million miles from Norton's Tangerine. I think....
There will be 10 Real Classic episodes - part 8 is in issue 71 (March 2010) which is in the post or just arriving now so three to go. The seat does look a bit odd, but there were two types, and this one is the one not called the 'dual' seat - also the sissy bar is not properly positioned, it should be further forward (which it is now).
All in all its been fun doing it, and having the RC series did tend to make me move a bit quicker than normal - I picked the bike up on the 18th June 2009 and it was MoTed on the 13th Feb 2010 - so approx 7 months to do it. All I need now is a year or so to shake it down!
I'll see what its like to ride as a high rider - I've also got Roadster and interstate tanks and side panels (and a seat) so I can ring the changes...... I'll post up some more once its on the road and I've put a few miles on it.
 
Hoo Hoo, very nicely done.

I've still got all the high rider stuff I took off of a '75 that I converted to a cafe racer for my first client. I just MIGHT fit them up to my '75 one boring afternoon...
 
I've always had this idea to take an old Hi-Rider, bolt up some "S" pipes and Supertrapps, cut the rear loop and switch to an XR750-type seat, add some Flanders dirt track bars and make a street tracker. Sacrelige?
 
Danno said:
I've always had this idea to take an old Hi-Rider, bolt up some "S" pipes and Supertrapps, cut the rear loop and switch to an XR750-type seat, add some Flanders dirt track bars and make a street tracker. Sacrelige?
Click to expand...

You realize that an "old Hi-Rider" is really a Commando and you could do that to any of them?
 
You've got reason to be proud. Now go wear that paper label off the tire!
 
A High Rider consists of a tiny gas tank, un-bloody-useable seat with high back, a set of tall bars, longer cables & wires, and a clamp-on sissy-bar.

The only significant differences between a Roadster and interstate are the gast tank (large for Interstate, medium for Roadster), and the different seat mount locations to accommodate length of tank accordingly.
 
grandpaul said:
A High Rider consists of a tiny gas tank, un-bloody-useable seat with high back, a set of tall bars, longer cables & wires, and a clamp-on sissy-bar.

The only significant differences between a Roadster and interstate are the gast tank (large for Interstate, medium for Roadster), and the different seat mount locations to accommodate length of tank accordingly.
Click to expand...

Seat is actually different, isn't it?

And different side covers and exhaust pipes.
 
swooshdave said:
Danno said:
I've always had this idea to take an old Hi-Rider, bolt up some "S" pipes and Supertrapps, cut the rear loop and switch to an XR750-type seat, add some Flanders dirt track bars and make a street tracker. Sacrelige?
Click to expand...

You realize that an "old Hi-Rider" is really a Commando and you could do that to any of them?
Click to expand...
Right, but I like the AJS-style small tank and smaller headlight bucket for that purpose. Plus, it always seemed like there were plenty of unloved Hi-Riders around selling for cheap and begging to be put back on the road.
 
Danno said:
swooshdave said:
Danno said:
I've always had this idea to take an old Hi-Rider, bolt up some "S" pipes and Supertrapps, cut the rear loop and switch to an XR750-type seat, add some Flanders dirt track bars and make a street tracker. Sacrelige?
Click to expand...

You realize that an "old Hi-Rider" is really a Commando and you could do that to any of them?
Click to expand...
Right, but I like the AJS-style small tank and smaller headlight bucket for that purpose. Plus, it always seemed like there were plenty of unloved Hi-Riders around selling for cheap and begging to be put back on the road.
Click to expand...

I don't think they are as unloved any more.
 
I see lots of restored and original Roadsters and Interstates but very few Hi-Riders. Where did they all go?
 
Danno, I have exactly the flat tracker you are referring to in various bits waiting for a spare slot in my workshop. The combination of High-Rider/SS-Type tank and XR 750 seat looks great and the ergonomics work well with wide bars and rear set pegs, The use of an S-type central oil tank will allow quite a slim waist at the tank-seat junction and I will probably build some kind of custom side panels perhaps incorporating the classic square racing number plates. I am undecided about the exhaust, options being a pair of S-type pipes with Supertrap silencers, SS-type pipes with similar silencers or a pair of low pipes both exiting from the right side of the bike with shorty megaphones. I will be building this from a butchered parts-bike that came my way, so I have no pangs of conscience about destroying an original machine. I will try to find a photo or two of the bodywork mocked up.
 
Cool. Just what I always wanted to do. In perusing the Viking Exhaust site,I spied a TT-type pipe setup with low, right-exit pipes and shorty megs that would also fit the flattrack profile. Wouldn't mind finding a Trackmaster or Redline dirttrack chassis set up for a Norton, although it would be a boneshaker! :D
 
I'm not sure there ever were many high riders to start with. Since folks loved the Roadsters I bet a lot of them became Roadsters.
The good part is that it is nice to save an original one for future generations to see.
 
Cookie said:
I'm not sure there ever were many high riders to start with. Since folks loved the Roadsters I bet a lot of them became Roadsters.
The good part is that it is nice to save an original one for future generations to see.
Click to expand...

Around here, most were discounted as leftovers ('75 E-starts) when the Company was circling the drain. I have only ever seen a couple of 750 Hi-riders.
 
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