New toy

Hi everyone on this fantastic forum.

Here is some photo´s of my new toy. Featherbed wideline with 750 Commando engine. This is how it looked when I got it.


There is lots of things that I want to change. The swept back pipes will have to go, tried downpipes from standard Commando, but they sit too low.


Playing around with the idea of making a 2 into 1 system



I´m a Little puzzled about the frontfork and the stanchions. The top of the stanchions are straight and you clamp the top yoke like on Triumph disc brake forks. As far as I know all Roadholder stanchions are conical? My top yoke is alu and the lower is original .

Looks like PO has used a lower yoke as the top yoke with some modified stanchions. The stanchions will need replacing, maybe I should look for a replacement top yoke and use the old top yoke as lower, then I can use standard stanchions.

There were no clocks, so I´ll have to make something to fit clocks on.


There is hoses everywhere, see also 3th Photo, that will need tidying up. Oil filter is fitted behinde timing cover. The thin hose connected to the end of the cam comes from the oil return!!! So there must be some kinde of oilpressure fed to the end of the cam. I can´t see any modifications done to the end of the cam, so can´t see the point? The hose belowe the cylinder is probably crankcase ventilation.


Hope you like it.

Dan

Love it - looks like fun!!!

We have had a lot of discussions about Dave Sundquist on here over recent months.

Take a look at some of his Commandos here on his YouTube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2ujf7WSZKRo881T2ZAI3Xg

A lot of the mods to your engine are very similar to the modifications that he does to his machines. Oil filter behind timing cover, oil pumped into the cam he cover in one of his vids too (that was a Dunstall trick)

Keep us posted on your progress

Very nice indeed, I have a love of Commando Featherbed framed bikes and there doesn't seem to be much work to make it yours, as for your exhaust system do what I did when building mine in 1980 was to find a exhaust shop with a mandle bender and get your pipes made up to fit the Featherbed frame my pipes were bent and tucked right close to the botton frame rails , I wanted it like this so no way of scraping when leaned right over and I have my mufflers upswept as thats how I like them, they were made over 37 years ago now and are still being used on my bike, they are showing their age but are still working as good as the day they were made and chromed.
I run the stock Commando front end on my Featherbed with the stock Commando clock set up but I replaced the stock front Commando front disc to a full Grimica 12" front disc, calipa and master cylinder, that was one of the best mods to the brakes system, there are better disc kits around but the Grimcia set up has worked well for me, one finger operation if you want, one thing also I would run air filters on it, volicity stacks are a fire risks, don't ask me how I know as I learned the hard way lol.
Anyway its a lovely looking bike, take your time to learn how to ride it before you judge it as once you master the way it handles you will love the Featherbed/Commando as mush as I do, it looks like its been well set up.

Ashley

Yes please.......
jug

The swept backs look great .. am intruiged by oil feed to cam - we wont be seein you on a worn /soft cam thread anytime soon. Seems like a well thought out bit of kit. Use Commando clockholders

The cam oil feed was a Paul dunstall mod from way back
There was a new dunstall cam on eBay USA recently where you could see each lobe lobe was drilled

Very nifty home brew; you made the right decision to remove the swept-back pipes, they get in the way of adjustments.

I went for the stainless clock holders from Chris Knight Motorcycles www.chris-knight-mcs.co.uk after trying the Unity one, and not loving it.

I modded it slightly, by slinging it underneath the triple trees - I think it unclutters the look!


Since fitting that, our forum friend Nigel (@Fast Eddie) has drawn my attention to a set by Gasbox sold through Lowbrow Customs, which I think I like even more.
https://www.lowbrowcustoms.com/the-...s-style-speedometer-and-tachometer-mount.html

baz said:

The cam oil feed was a Paul dunstall mod from way back
There was a new dunstall cam on eBay USA recently where you could see each lobe lobe was drilled

Click to expand...

Its always seemed like a good idea to me- but the Dunstall ones were pressure fed off the supply side -this comes off the return according to Dan. What I fancy is drilled lobes and the ability to give the cam a squirt on startup and periodically therafter . Always thought the Dunstall cam very pointy vicious lift little dwell

oldmikew said:

Its always seemed like a good idea to me- but the Dunstall ones were pressure fed off the supply side -this comes off the return according to Dan. What I fancy is drilled lobes and the ability to give the cam a squirt on startup and periodically therafter . Always thought the Dunstall cam very pointy vicious lift little dwell

Click to expand...

Yes I see what you mean, maybe someone on here has more details?

Hi.

Thanks for your replies.
So the cam oil feed is a Dunstall mod. I´ve never seen it before. I´ve just had the banjo of to have a look, here´s what I can see.


I´ve never worked on an early Commando, but I think this is the "Timed breather disc" and it dosen´t look like the cam is drilled. If the cam was drilled, then I would understand it, but if it isn´t? If it came from the feed side, wouldn´t you Loose a lot of oil pressure?
I´ll have a look at Daves youtube.

I´m working as a welder for a Company specialized in tube bending and we do a lot of 35X1,5mm 304 stainless. I would say that I should go up a size where the tubes goes into one, problem is that the silencer is 35mm. What do you think?
The swept back really had to go, they were way too wide. Didn´t make Photos of it, but the kickstarter looked like this, just to clear the pipes.


I got a K&N airfilter for twin carbs that was on my MK3 when I bought it, maybe I should fit that. Didn´t Fast Eddie use filters over velocity stacks?

I´m planning to make clock holders from 90mm alu tube. I can TIG weld alu, so that´s no problem. There´s 2 holes in the top yoke, that PO used for Triumph P-clamps to holde the handlebar. I can use these 2 holes for fitting clockholders, if I get another yoke, then I´ll probably make something from the headlampears. Well, I´ll probably make some new headlampears as well, these are too long. Oh, and some new clipons, these are angelsd and give a lot of pressure on my wrists.

Does anyone reconize these exhause roses? Not sure that I like them.



Dan

Exhaust rose don't look right get a new set or make a better set but the ones on it just don't look good at all.
Buy a T160 folding kickstarter from RGM they work better and fold out of the way and are longer for easier swing on the kicker, one of the best things I ever brought for my bike.

Ashley

Yes, I fitted a double foam sock type air filter (Pipercross I think) over the top of velocity stacks. Seems to work well.

I’ve never seen those exhaust roses before. They would definitely go if it were mine. Awful looking things! And they would appear to shield the exhaust area of air flow. I say bin ‘em!

ashman said:

Exhaust rose don't look right get a new set or make a better set but the ones on it just don't look good at all.
Buy a T160 folding kickstarter from RGM they work better and fold out of the way and are longer for easier swing on the kicker, one of the best things I ever brought for my bike.

Ashley

Click to expand...

I have seen the RGM kickstarter and they are really nice, but if I go with a 2 into one as I plan, then I don´t need one.

Fast Eddie said:

Yes, I fitted a double foam sock type air filter (Pipercross I think) over the top of velocity stacks. Seems to work well.

I’ve never seen those exhaust roses before. They would definitely go if it were mine. Awful looking things! And they would appear to shield the exhaust area of air flow. I say bin ‘em!

Click to expand...

Indeed it looks like they shield what is probably the hottest arear or the cylinderhear, guess that´s it then!!!

A 2 into 1 exhaust on a featherbed is difficult. With my Triton, I managed to make it high level down the left-hand side by bringing the pipe from the right close to the cylinder, but the lengths were always wrong and I once burned the shit out of my left leg when my boot heated up during a race. If you try to go under, you have to get around the front down-tubes. With the exhaust roses - I don't use them on my current bike. I simply threaded a pair of sleeves to fit in the head and made slip-joints. The pipes are held back to the sleeves in the head with springs and the sleeves are tightened against gaskets in the head.

If you are making a 2 into 1 pipe, the aircraft people might be able to help. At Moorabbin Airport in Melbourne, there is a guy with a mandrel bender making exhaust systems for light aircraft, out of Hastelloy. It is light weight, strong and does not need coating. You will probably find it happens at other places around the world

Hi.
Aircraft tubing, sounds expencive. I´m trying to get this bike running without spending a fortune on it. If I know I´ll keep it, then it´s something else. Here´s what I´m planning to do.





Seen at the Triton rally in Belguim last weekend.

Dan