New Norton owner :-)

Hi all!

Just a quick hi! Always wanted a commando and finally got one 2 weeks ago! It's a Mk2A 48k miles. She needs a bit of work as I think it's a bit tired in place but I am pretty green to restoring so very much softly, softly so far.

I got a new wiring loom as it looks a mess under there and me and a friend(who is much better at these things!) are going to fit it soon. Had a few issues with wiring already though nothing bad.

She weaves from rear when at 80+ which im yet to work out if it's old tyres/isolastic/wheel out of line or a bit of everything. The only other noticeable issue is it seems harder to start warm than cold, cold is a doddle. Can this be anything to do power box? It's got Boyer.

Overall happy with my purchase and glad to be able to be on here as an owner not a viewer

Congratulations on your new Norton. That's a handsome bike.
Plenty of guidance here. Make sure to use the "search" function and you'll find a plethora of information relating to your topic.
Hard starting when warm sounds like a bad coil to me. Also Boyers are susceptible to low voltage so check your battery with a voltmeter and make sure you have at least 12.5 V or so (running). You might have a weak charging system (rotor) or battery. Weaving from the rear can also be worn-out swing arm bushings. You can check by putting the bike on the stand, then grabbing the swing arm and push-pull sideways and observe how much play you have. Old tires are always a gamble. Check the head steady for worn-out rubbers.

Take your time, do 1 thing at a time, and don't be afraid to ask for guidance.

Welcome & congrats. Very nice looking bike.

I had the +80mph weave myself. It was a combination of swingarm tube play that is a known, fixable issue with early swingarm cradles, and the relatively poor performance quality of the stock norton headsteady. Once I fixed them both, my bike handled much better.

Recently I replaced a float bowl on one carb that was not working properly. I think the new float bowl's seat height has changed my bike's starting proceedure a bit, making it less of a one kick bike. I plan on messing around with that bowl's seat height to raise the gas height level to make it start easier. (or more likely make it start the same way it did with the old bowl, which is just something I have become accustomed to, and knew how to make it catch on the first kick)

You need to learn what your bikes best starting procedure is to have it start on the first kick. How much you need to bleed the carb, how much choke (if you use the choke lever) and how much throttle lift you employ when you kick it. I use no choke, I bleed my carbs till the puke a little gas, then lift the throttle about 1/4 open and kick. I usually get it started on the first kick, but it's definately been harder to do every time since I changed the float bowl... HTH

Nice looking ride , welcome brendanq

Congrates on being sucked into ever loving ongoing niggling annoyances to show stopping features. While you are still at piecmealing stage, mainly two things to be aware of that can stop your show or the Commandos, do not over tighten primary chain which will seem too slack when cold so creep up on tension checked hot for cold base line sag and check the brake fluid at each gas up or leaving home to make sure fluid is not leaking blowing away unknown so good brake one hard pull down to the very next instant nothing at all. Tires are more influential on weaving at speed than any other slackness but they all add up together but until new tires fitting and air balanced front to back, generally 2-3 lower in front, its hard to tell much about what is doing what stability wise. Isolastics sag and take a set too so may end up fussing with them to get the joyful smooth security *fully Fettered* Commandos are so addictive famous for. I found my Cdo would tend to take more effort to steer when a slow leak let rear get a few lb lower than rear so play with air till nicest easier road flowing steering obtained, This can vary some for the surfaces and weight carried. Also should top off all fuilds to obvious or manual listed levels to experience the infamous leaks weeps and messes till finding their innate best levels then note that to maintain. Oh yeah I did have a mysterious straight line weave/wobble onset I could not reproduce on purpose as somethings would and others time not, till I happened to check primary chain tension with cover off and noticed its flapping rhythm matched the wobble sense then notices the chain flap was tugging on the loose swing arm and worn tanny sleeve bushes so had to service those to get the steady as she goes delight. Not issue at all while staying loaded pretty good in turns but when loads let up to neutral the dancing could onset. Commandos are a thinking man hobby that frustrates me often because it requires so much thinking and plain accidental or trial error solutions.

Hello! Welcome. I am a new Commando owner too and I'm starting a resto-mod from the ground up. This forum has become my first check of the day and it's almost always constantly open. You'll find great people on here. (my first post got a lot of replies and opinions, friendly opinions!)

Happy riding,

Mario

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome

Sorry for late reply i don't really get onto the PC(or mac in my case) to often but plan to get on it quite often now!

Thanks for the suggestions i am going to slow go through each one by one. Some of which match up to what my dad can remember from way back in his memory bank from his one that he had in the 70s!

The tyres look in pretty good nick really no cracks or anything but is there a code anywhere on Dunlop TT's to give you a hint of age? like batch no.s or anything of the sort.

I think when money permits i will replace the little bits that will help reliability and usability one by one and when I'm happy with all of that i will look at performance but not until other bits are sorted. She is pretty good for her age though, certainly wakes up the neighbours dogs in the morning

brendanq said:

The tyres look in pretty good nick really no cracks or anything but is there a code anywhere on Dunlop TT's to give you a hint of age? like batch no.s or anything of the sort.

Click to expand...

If there is a three-digit number, as shown, far right, in this case "428" followed by a small triangle, then the first two digits indicate the week of manufacture, and the third digit is the year 1990-1999 so this particular TT100 was made in week 42, 1998.


If, however, there is a four-digit number, as in this example below (not a TT100) "2103" that is week 21, 2003.

awesome thanks!

i will get checking

i got to wear out a handfull of old hard tires, some with cracks but still decent tread left and only couple-3 things to note, one the front brake can overcome grip easier, its a bit easier to get rear to skip/step out if really trying to do so and the ride may be a bit rougher if tires stiffer so can lower air a bit but this stiffness/bouncing can also induce weave/wobble sooner - unexpected than nice new tires, but again must be mis behaving in non ideal places yet good to know what to expect and how to recover this before it actaully loses control. New tires definitely make for more comfortable sensations in isolastion and suspension feedback and detectable better grip even w/o being illegal. Main down side is harder old tires take longer to use up for excuse to renew for the slightly nicer sensations and looks. When I am just enjoying sane operation to get morre mileage I try to only accelerate much when leaned and do not use much engine braking comapred to the front to extend center of rear. A new owner on an isolastic rubber baby buggy should keep in mind there is danger lurking on faster longer sweepers with some lumpyness or gusty-ness - feels on rails about mid way through then can become bucking broncho that gets worse on initial let up and must slow down a good bit below initial onset before it tames to normal. Oh yeah I can not reccomend enough to practice with some extra low air in rear then front then both together to get sense of a slow leak before it goes crazy and same skill to control as world class racers over doing it and recovering. Ya can be going fine in straight line at hwy speed and not feel a very low or even flat tire... til ya lean on it a bit *****