New owner introduction

Hello everyone

As is customary on other forums, I thought I'd take the opportunity and properly introduce myself. I’ve been lurking here for quite some time and have really benefited from all the experience and advice you guys collectively have with these bikes.

As far back as I can remember as a kid in the 70’s I have always lusted after the look and sound of a Norton. This was the bike that initially sparked my lifelong love for motorcycles and I promised myself that I would someday get one, that day finally came last week when I picked up a 1971 Commando

I’ve spent the past 20 years riding BMW’s and Ducati’s so, being my first British bike, I’ll admit this is quite a change (still just getting used to a right shifter :shock She shares the garage with my BMW K1300S, which I plan on keeping as a daily rider and for distance touring. As much as I enjoy the K Bike and its performance there is just something about cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway on the Norton that the BMW simply cannot match…I’m sure you guys more than understand what I’m saying.

I’ll be the first to admit I know very little to nothing about Norton’s but am excited to learn as I go. I've always felt the best way to learn is to go do some research and then get your hands dirty. Hope you guys will take it easy on me when I come up with dumb questions, which I’m sure I will have plenty of. Luckily my time on other forums has taught me how to use the search feature.

Look forward to being on the forum, if any of you are down in Southern California and would like to meet up and ride let me know

Josh

Lookin' good. Welcome.

Welcome.

Nice tiddy looking Semi Combat, has '72 disc brake but '71 cam breather tube. Difference of utilitarian appliance that don't hardly need you vs a real smooth motorcycle you are part of. Don't think of monkey or pay any attention to sense of valve train getting through...

Welcome from the opposite end of the Pacific Coast (Anacortes, WA). I was a-Norton development engineer at the Wolverhampton plant in 1966-68 on the Commando and then the AJS Stormer. Been in the US since 1968 - 30 years at Boeing, now retired.

frankdamp said:

Welcome from the opposite end of the Pacific Coast (Anacortes, WA). I was a-Norton development engineer at the Wolverhampton plant in 1966-68 on the Commando and then the AJS Stormer. Been in the US since 1968 - 30 years at Boeing, now retired.

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Motorcycle and airplanes, sounds like a great career to me. Enjoyed many hours behind the controls of Boeing equipment (727-100, 737-200, 747-100/200/400)

Thanks for the welcome guys

Transcon said:

......Thanks for the welcome guys

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+1, welcome and good looking bike , seems to be already well sorted out already, happy trails

Hi, welcome. You've cone to the right place. Lot's of knowledge available here, so glad I found it. Is it true what they say about turbine engines? "If it's not leakin', it's out if oil" :lol:

Howdy.

Nice that you were able to start out with a fairly well-sorted bike. There is another new guy post with an electrical gremlin after he spent some LONG hours cleaning up an old garage survivor. At least you are already enjoying the ride!

Welcome, where are you in SoCal? I'm in Fullerton well entrenched behind the dreaded " Orange curtain". There is a monthly local vintage bike show in Huntington Beach this Sunday vintagebikeOC.com You should bring the Norton by.. I'll be there on my BSA as the Norton is still being massaged. Will PM you for contact info.. Glenn.

Always Fly low and slow my mommy told me. Commando are fun to frustrating critters to own so hope your honeymoon lasts a good while. Norton did not issue a Commando configured like you have, RH disc brake with cam breather, so would be educational fun to pick apart what ya got, which ya'll need to know anyway - eventually. Two things you must be aware of, one don't adjust the primary chain to seeming sensible tension as tightens up greatly when road use heated and two, check your brake fluid level each gas up for a while to make sure fluid ain't leaking and blowing away till one good pull down very next instant nothing.... Be worried when it only starts after dark...

Some basic lore all Commando victims need to be aware of...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws513Esq74k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CmaMZRRWlo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM9M2hYSvqQ

hobot said:

Always Fly low and slow my mommy told me. Commando are fun to frustrating critters to own so hope your honeymoon lasts a good while. Norton did not issue a Commando configured like you have, RH disc brake with cam breather, so would be educational fun to pick apart what ya got, which ya'll need to know anyway - eventually. Two things you must be aware of, one don't adjust the primary chain to seeming sensible tension as tightens up greatly when road use heated and two, check your brake fluid level each gas up for a while to make sure fluid ain't leaking and blowing away till one good pull down very next instant nothing.... Be worried when it only starts after dark...

Some basic lore all Commando victims need to be aware of...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws513Esq74k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CmaMZRRWlo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM9M2hYSvqQ

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Like most of the women in my life I have no delusions that this won't be a frustrating relationship but for now I will enjoy the honeymoon and just deal with the issues as they come. I had my first (very minor) issue just today when we went out for a quick spin down the coast. About 40 miles south of home I noticed the right pipe was moving around a bit and the exhaust nut was slowly backing itself out with the vibrations. Pulled into a parking lot which, lucky for me, had a Home Depot and picked up a pair of channel locks to get me back. As soon as I got home I went and ordered the proper tool for the job which should be on its way to me soon. I was aware that the front disc was not standard on the 71' and the bike seems to have undergone a garage restoration at some point in its life. I can tell the original color was Royal Blue looking under some of the seams on the backside of the tank and the mirror is off a Harley. Points have been swapped out with a Sparkx electronic ignition and coils. I'm sure there is more but I will have to wait until I learn more about these bikes to note the differences or hopefully meet up with other owners that can help me out. I did take your advice and checked the brake fluids and all seems to be good there, I'll make a note to keep checking that.

One issue that I have noticed is that, though the bike runs well with the headlamp off, as soon as I turn the key to the second position it wants to die on me. Searched around and saw that it could be a number of causes but after looking at the state of the battery (old) and testing it (flat) I went ahead and ordered a new one which should arrive today. Hopefully that will solve the problem, if not I will be back here trying to figure a solution.

Thanks for all the advice and videos....the Tunnel of Love one was classic (and the chick was hot which made it that much better :wink: )

Josh

gtsun said:

Welcome, where are you in SoCal? I'm in Fullerton well entrenched behind the dreaded " Orange curtain". There is a monthly local vintage bike show in Huntington Beach this Sunday vintagebikeOC.com You should bring the Norton by.. I'll be there on my BSA as the Norton is still being massaged. Will PM you for contact info.. Glenn.

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Hey Glenn,

I'm in Laguna Beach right down the road from you, good to see another "Orange curtain" dweller on here. Looked up the meet in HB and plan on making it over, working a flight back from the east coast that morning but I get in around 10am so I should be good. Would really appreciate the chance to meet up with someone local who knows something about these bikes and could help me as I try to figure things out. I'll PM you my contact info and hopefully we can meet up

Josh

One issue that I have noticed is that, though the bike runs well with the headlamp off, as soon as I turn the key to the second position it wants to die on me. Searched around and saw that it could be a number of causes but after looking at the state of the battery (old) and testing it (flat) I went ahead and ordered a new one which should arrive today. Hopefully that will solve the problem, if not I will be back here trying to figure a solution.

Thanks for all the advice and videos....the Tunnel of Love one was classic (and the chick was hot which made it that much better)

Josh[/quote]

Welcome from an Eastern Airlines refuge currently flying a smaller three-holer, a Falcon 7X.

Get a voltmeter on it and see how the alternator is doing. I had a BSA with a zener that conducted way low - about 12.5 volts, so the battery just never charged.

Cdo's should all have enough charging reserves over 2000 rpm to keep everything burning brightly so unless battery so bad its dead ness would prevent starting I"d suspect you have a poor connection of alternator to battery or there is a short in the hi beam or of course both at once plus another issue doing the same thing, so just fixing one or two things may not be enough. Kill toggle switch resistance comes to mind for instance or key switch.
Welcome to the world of never ending Commando wonder, aka: Stumped.


won·der ˈwəndər/ noun noun: wonder
1. a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable. "he had stood in front of it, observing the intricacy of the ironwork with the wonder of a child"
synonyms: awe, admiration, wonderment, fascination; More
surprise, astonishment, stupefaction, amazement
"she was speechless with wonder"
the quality of a person or thing that causes wonder.
plural noun: wonders
"Athens was a place of wonder and beauty"
synonyms: marvel, miracle, phenomenon, sensation, spectacle, beauty; More curiosity; informalhumdinger "the wonders of nature"
a strange or remarkable person, thing, or event.
"the electric trolley car was looked upon as the wonder of the age"
having remarkable properties or abilities.
modifier noun: wonder "a wonder drug"
a surprising event or situation.
"it is a wonder that losses are not much greater"

verb: wonder; 3rd person present: wonders; past tense: wondered; past participle: wondered; gerund or present participle: wondering
1. desire or be curious to know something.
"how many times have I written that, I wonder?"
synonyms: ponder, think about, meditate on, reflect on, muse on, puzzle over, speculate about, conjecture;
be curious about
"I wondered what was on her mind"
used to express a polite question or request.
"I wonder whether you have thought more about it?"
feel doubt.
"I wonder about such a marriage"
2. feel admiration and amazement; marvel.
"people stood by and wondered at such bravery"
synonyms: marvel, be amazed, be astonished, stand in awe, be dumbfounded, gape, goggle; informalbe flabbergasted
"people wondered at such bravery"

the other tool that should be on your list as a MUST have is the clutch spring tool. another helpfull one is the clutch locking tool. when you tighten the exh rose nuts it helps to do it with it hot and running.

Transcon said:

I had my first (very minor) issue just today when we went out for a quick spin down the coast. About 40 miles south of home I noticed the right pipe was moving around a bit and the exhaust nut was slowly backing itself out with the vibrations. Pulled into a parking lot which, lucky for me, had a Home Depot and picked up a pair of channel locks to get me back. As soon as I got home I went and ordered the proper tool for the job which should be on its way to me soon.

Josh

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here is another place that you will spending money. the sparks unit is NOT worth the cost of the box it came in. it is a cheep pile that has a very high failure rate.

Transcon said:

Points have been swapped out with a Sparkx electronic ignition and coils.


Josh

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weak battery's are an issue with a lot of electronic ign systems. also in a headlight state you might want to think about a higher output charging system and even more so if you do a lot of in town riding. and again if the headlight has been replaced with a higher wattage. the original charging system was marginal at best and now @ 40 plus years even more so.

Transcon said:

One issue that I have
noticed is that, though the bike runs well with the headlamp off, as soon as I turn the key to the second position it wants to die on me. Searched around and saw that it could be a number of causes but after looking at the state of the battery (old) and testing it (flat) I went ahead and ordered a new one which should arrive today. Hopefully that will solve the problem, if not I will be back here trying to figure a solution.

Josh

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Welcome from an Eastern Airlines refuge currently flying a smaller three-holer, a Falcon 7X.
Get a voltmeter on it and see how the alternator is doing. I had a BSA with a zener that conducted way low - about 12.5 volts, so the battery just never charged.

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Thanks, I'll check that out. That 7X looks like a beautiful machine, I'm on the Airbus 320/321 these days so it looks like we are both fluent in French airplanes

there I fixed it for you :mrgreen:

Transcon said:

I'm on the Scarebus 320/321 these days

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bill said:

the other tool that should be on your list as a MUST have is the clutch spring tool. another helpfull one is the clutch locking tool. when you tighten the exh rose nuts it helps to do it with it hot and running.

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Ill look into picking one up, thanks for the advice on tightening the nut when hot

bill said:

here is another place that you will spending money. the sparks unit is NOT worth the cost of the box it came in. it is a cheep pile that has a very high failure rate.

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From reading here I kind of gathered that, thinking of trying the Tri-Spark eventually

bill said:

there I fixed it for you :mrgreen:

Transcon said:

I'm on the Scarebus 320/321 these days

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You've got that right. They say a new Airbus pilot says "What is it doing" where as an experienced Airbus pilot says "Its doing that again"