New owner! Seat & tank problems

Hi Folks,

I bought my Commando as my first Brit bike project after many years rebuilding Jap & European bikes. It had been partially restored by it's previous owner who had sadly passed away.

There are lots of details / items to sort out but one of my main problems is to sort out the seemingly incorrect seat & tank combination fitted. The bike is a 72, 750 roadster ( built in April 72) - it has the original fibreglass tank but there is a big gap between the tank and seat. I also have a brand new seat which was included in the deal, but that too leaves a far too big gap? It is still in the wrapping and labelled "roadster square"

The tank fits neatly onto the mounting points, and the seat fits ok . I have been reading up on the bike and am wondering if the Roadster seat is longer and the new seat included is the wrong one?




Don't mention the wiring! A new RGM harness has been fitted and left hanging all over the place, plus the side panel is wrong................... lots to sort!

I would appreciate some help in resolving the tank / seat fit.

thanks in advance

It looks like you have an Interstate seat, these show an ugly gap in combination with a Roadster tank.

scottie58 said:

I have been reading up on the bike and am wondering if the Roadster seat is longer and the new seat included is the wrong one?

Click to expand...

The Roadster seat is slightly shorter than the Interstate seat, the main difference is the position of the seat mounting brackets which sets the Interstate seat further back because the Interstate tank is longer than the Roadster tank-so what I believe you may have there is an Interstate seat pan but with a Roadster seat cover (and foam) or, a Roadster seat that's had the brackets moved forward to fit a longer tank? Or maybe just a badly made seat pan [Edit] although the more I look at the photos it seems like the tank is further forward than normal?

Edit: "Roadster, square" I believe, refers to the later 850 squared-pattern seat cover design, which wouldn't have been the correct cover for a 1972 model Roadster.

http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/Broch ... ochure.pdf

Related question....

getting tired of the 100 mile range on the roadster tank.
are roadster tank/seat combos interchangeable with interstate seat/tank (no mods)?
sounds like that is the case.
what is the capacity of the interstate tank?

tomspro said:

are roadster tank/seat combos interchangeable with interstate seat/tank (no mods)?
sounds like that is the case.

Click to expand...

Yes.

tomspro said:

what is the capacity of the interstate tank?

Click to expand...

There are different sizes of Interstate tank: capcity-various-interstate-tanks-t4111.html