New Norvil commandos.....

Apart from the eye watering prices and long build times, does anyone have any experiance of the 'new' norvil commandos?

Build quality, performance, reliability etc etc

Charles

Since you hear as much bad as good about Les Emery's integrity as a human being and businessman, and a lot of the good is his own propaganda, I would skip his offerings and look at other options any time I needed to spend money on Norton parts or bikes.

OldBritS Is Now Building New Commandos.

I do understand that, but really looking for some actual experiences

I've personally experienced at first hand customer service provided by Mr Emery and his team. Never again.

I think you're not getting exactly the info you expected. For an overview of the company you wish to purchase from, have a look at the 'When is an 850 actually 750' thread. This should give you an idea of what to expect with reference to your questions.

'When is an 850 actually 750' thread.

when-850-actually-750-t17660.html

I've personally experienced at first hand customer service provided by Mr Emery and his team. Never again.

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Me too. In my opinion:

Les has encyclopaedic knowlege of Commandos and is OK to deal with unless something/anything goes wrong. In my (and many others) experience, he very quickly looses it if he perceives something is going to cost him and I won't put up with him any more. It's a great shame as I've spent thousands there in the last 30 ish years. Knowledge and technical ability 10/10. Attitude if there are any snags, 2/10 if you are lucky : ( Daughter Kate's attitude could also do with a bit of light honing.

I have never heard anything really bad about these bikes but I doubt you would get treated as you might expect if there are problems with your purchase.

Hi Govig,

you're being very generous. Attitude dealing with customer complaints 1/10. Technical knowledge 4/10. Technical ability 3/10.

govig wrote:

Daughter Kate's attitude could also do with a bit of light honing.

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:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

He told me the C3 bearing was the wrong one to use for the main bearings. However, he did send me a pair with the bottom end rebuild kit.

Dave
69S

The is the link to the recent norvil commando sale on eBay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-NORTON-C ... 1223135195

if Les was a forum member this thread would now be locked i suspect :shock:

What is your point please.

DogT said:

He told me the C3 bearing was the wrong one to use for the main bearings. However, he did send me a pair with the bottom end rebuild kit.

Dave
69S

Click to expand...

Hope you sent them back Dave, as bearings with C3 clearance have larger clearance than normal.

mikegray660 said:

if Les was a forum member this thread would now be locked i suspect :shock:

Click to expand...

Me thinks he may be closer than you think.

"by ZFD » Sun Oct 30, 2011 3:35 am
Gentlemen,
The reason why Andover Norton switched from standard bearing spec. to C3 was that all bearing manufacturers now work at the lowest possible tolerance within the norm. In the old days they tended to be at the other side of the scale, manufacturing techniques being more "liberal" then.
The problem first became apparent to me with the C2 bearings Triumph specified for the T140 engines (part # 70-2879), in that if one used those lower-than-normal tolerance bearings the crank would not turn as soon as bearing and crankcase had cooled down (I deal in Triumph spares in my German firm, too). I therefore switched to standard tolerance bearings for the Triumphs (part# 68-0625). Shortly afterwards we had the same experience with the Norton Superblends.
Amazingly, I had complaints only from two workshops- Mick Hemmings and my own engine man Rudi Kolano. The others must have banged the too-tight bearings into the crankcases no matter what, or got their C3 bearings from somewhere else- in most cases I tend to think the former. One "Norton Specialist" I asked about it had "never had any problems", neither had any of the British "Triumph specialists". Why did that not amaze me?
We therefore changed our spec for 06-4118 from standard to C3.
Joe Seifert"

That was the best information I had at the time, things may have changed by now. This horse has been beaten to death here. Anyhow, the way I use the bike it won't matter.

Dave
69S

Dave I suspect that the bearings you have are fine or they would have locked up from the get go. There have been stories here of bearings being dropped into hot cases that would not turn once the cases cooled off. It isn't when the bike is warmed up that you would have a problem. It is cold. (I think!) You may have been sold old stock or they were sloppy enough that it didn't matter!

Russ

DogT's post is still the current situation, hence Andover Norton still supplies the C3 Superblends as standard.

If the crank does not want to turn in the bearing when the engine is cold the tolerance is simply too low. What do you think happens to the bearing that is forced to turn at too little tolerance when you start the cold engine? What do you think this does to the tracks and rollers, and how long do you think these will last? Obviously, as the engine warms up the tolerance increases, but by then the seed has been sown for coming desasters.
The Commando I rode to work on this morning- and that I have used as an everyday bike for the last three years- has the C3 bearings. So have all my customers Commandos that have been rebuilt in the last few years.

As for technical expertise, it tells me what I suspected anyway if all Norton "experts" don't realize the bearings are too tight, but the two only people I'd trust to rebuild one of my own engines do.....

Then again, the "new" Commandos seem to get purchased by people who don't plan to use them anyway from what I see on the forums (411 miles???). Makes no difference to these customers if the things perform as they should, have the engine capacity they should, or even bearings in the engine!

I had it out for a good run today and it's still running fine, great day. Doesn't miss a beat. I think I've got well over 1000 miles on it now since the new bearings/rebuild. I know that's not much, but hey, I'll be 70 in a few days. Some days are good, some not so good, but it starts 1st kick most of the time with SAE50 in it. I'm going to V-Twin oil next change.

Dave
69S