My first Norton

Hello, out there. I have had many bikes (american and european), but have wanted a norton ever since I heard one run. I finnaly got the opportunity to purchase one locally, it had been sitting for several years. I had no idea what I had purchased until I started work on it. Its a 1972 with the combat engine . The ser. numbers all match (frame, engine and trans.) 2077XX is the number. It had the interstate tank , seat and side covers, but the roadster exhaust. I'm not sure which way it came from the factory. I'm not much on the rearward riding position , so I bought a roadster tank, seat and covers (the tank and covers are in my buddies paint shop). I have added an oil filter kit, stainless rocker oil feed lines. New tires 4.10 x 19 K81s and wheel bearings. I have replaced all the rubber mounts except the two large isolastics (they seem solid). I have sealed the steel tank ( I use KBS gold standard and love it ). I rebuilt the carbs and changed the fluids. It started up with just a few kicks (man this thing has some killer compression). It Sounds great. The clutch was stuck so I rode it for a very short distance. I was able to free the clutch with a snap of the throttle, I'll have to take it apart as it is either engaged or disengaged ( no slip). This made for a very thrilling first ride! I am concerened about the combat engine. Are they all ticking time bombs, or were some fitted with upgraded bearings and pistons?. The bike has 11,000 original miles. And I dont plan on running it at high RPM. My plan is to keep checking things, and ride it gently this summer. Next winter I may tear it down and upgrade the critical engine parts. This is a great site with tons of great information. Thanks to all, Barry

Hi Barry and welcome. Your plan to go easy and check everything out sounds very wise. How about some pics?

The main thing with the motor is to verify whether the Superblend main bearing has been fitted to the driveside of the crank. I'n not sure when the factory started including them, but I know it was after a rash of failures (cracked crankcases) caused by the flexing crank throw riding up onto the sharp edges of the straight rollers in the main bearing. Chances are if yours has been around and running all this time, the Superblends are there, or it would have already experienced a failure. Be careful not to over-rev it, keep it full of high-quality lubricant, and you should be OK. And use the highest octane fuel available possibly even adding an octane booster to cope with the higher than normal compression.

Howdy, Barry.

Sounds like you have a level head working in your favor; i'm betting you researched some of the old tech threads before you posted your intro as well...

Pix next time, eh?

Hi Barry, I also have a 72 COMBAT, Be a while before I get at that one. I have two others, Do you still have your interstate tank? Is it steel? And is it for sale? Im not sure when thay started to upgrade the bearings someone here should know. Its allways a thrill to ride a NORTON. Phil

According to the INOA Tech Digest, Superblends were installed from 207197 on, so twist the throttle and grin

don

The news on the superblends , Sounds comforting, Thanks. Also My steel interstate tank sold on ebay a couple of weeks age ($610 US). I have used aviation fuel with an upper cylinder lubricant (marvels mystery oil) in the past for high compression engines with great results. Thanks, again Barry