Newbie, couple of questions

M

Manu

Basic
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Feb 4, 2026
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Hi - After 25 cycle-less years I find myself with a '72 Commando. Have always wanted one.

First order of biz (besides changing all lubricants) a new steel fuel tank. Fiberglass has given way. So recommendations of where to get said tank would be appreciated.

For the tank, will need a painter, and possibly a mechanic (not for tank). I'm in the Truckee CA area. Any recommendations for good work within driving distance? Reno/Carson closest, East Sacramento within a day.
Thanks!
 
Manu said:
a new steel fuel tank.
Click to expand...
Assuming it's a Roadster.
morriesplacecycle.com

062701T Gas Tank, Norton Commando Roadster-Emgo

morriesplacecycle.com morriesplacecycle.com
www.classicbritishspares.com

Norton Commando Roadster Steel Gas Petrol Tank 06-2701 06-2026 750 850 EMGO

Up for grabs is the new Norton Commando steel gas tank. Replaces part number 06-2701 and 06-2026. Great for replacing fiberglass and steel tanks as fitted on Norton models.
www.classicbritishspares.com www.classicbritishspares.com
coloradonortonworks.net

Steel Roadster Fuel Tank

Roadster model, all steel, direct replacement fuel tank Front and rear mounting holes and petcock holes are sized as stock The lower panel is pressed out of one piece of metal, just like the original tank The upper section is made from 2 halves with a welded seam down the middle There is an...
coloradonortonworks.net coloradonortonworks.net
 
Tanks made in India are usually cheaper but the fit/quality of some may not be as good and they don't always look the same as the original tanks.
 
As a owner of a Commando best to get a good workshop manual and learn to do the work on your bike yourself for any maintenance work, helps if something goes wrong on the side of the road, these are very reliable bike if they are maintained, these are easy to work on if you have basic understanding and the right tools, a set of WW tools is also needed, good luck and enjoy.

Ashley
 
ashman said:
As a owner of a Commando best to get a good workshop manual and learn to do the work on your bike yourself for any maintenance work, helps if something goes wrong on the side of the road, these are very reliable bike if they are maintained, these are easy to work on if you have basic understanding and the right tools, a set of WW tools is also needed, good luck and enjoy.

Ashley
Click to expand...
Second this, very rewarding working out a problem and fixing it yourself.
 
I done so for all my 50 years of owning my Norton, doing all the work myself, complete rebuilds and conversion to the Featherbed frame and I did that without any experience at all. + who can afford paying someone else to do the work, I know every nut and bolt on my bike can do things without looking in the workshop manual and I have a fully set up workshop just for my bike now, build things up as you go I have 50 years of doing that with my Norton, I even built my large shed and workshop as well set it all up, wish I had all this when I first started on my bikes, but the best thing now is I have a lift table, bike scissor jack and every tool I need to work on my Norton, good having all the right tools to do the job.

Ashley
 
Yea, I'll do what I can and I enjoy DYI in general. Had a couple BSAs in my youth (like 20s, 70s now) and other bikes through the years that i wrenched on. Even have my old craftsman WW set.

This 750 I just got has not been operated for some time. So am starting by draining and replacing all fluids, plus the tank. Figure I'll learn a lot in the process.

Anyways, hopefully you guys will have patience with my dumb questions as I dip my toes back in. Seems like a good forum.

Thanks
 
Become a VIP member and help support this great Norton site, Jerry does it for the love of our Nortons and Les is very knowledgeable to do with anything Norton, has the answer to most things Commando and Norton.
 
(1) Join the Fort Sutter chapter of the AMCA. The annual Dixon show is middle of June - check the Fort Sutter website. The majority are Harley guys, but they know where to find excellent painters in your area. (2) From bitter experience: DO NOT buy a tank from India! (3) The Northern California Norton Owners Club has a few members in your area, https://nortonclub.com - may be able to put you in touch with a mechanic.
 
Manu said:
Yea, I'll do what I can and I enjoy DYI in general. Had a couple BSAs in my youth (like 20s, 70s now) and other bikes through the years that i wrenched on. Even have my old craftsman WW set.

This 750 I just got has not been operated for some time. So am starting by draining and replacing all fluids, plus the tank. Figure I'll learn a lot in the process.

Anyways, hopefully you guys will have patience with my dumb questions as I dip my toes back in. Seems like a good forum.

Thanks
Click to expand...
No such thing as a dumb question!This forum along with a good manual is a great resource with a lot of experience and knowledge from the members.
Mike
 
Hey, welcome to the forum, and the Norton club Manu!

I would second everything said here so far. Great group. Lots of excellent advice, with very little nonesense chatter, unlike what you might find on the MG forum, which I also follow for my Midget.

I was in your shoes 5 years ago, with my Combat. I still haven't ridden it since rolling it into my house when it arrived.....For some smiles, here is a list of the stuff I did on it since it arrived....

1972 Commando "Combat" Roadster MKIV
Arrived January 4th 2021
2021
  • New shocks (shorter)
  • Castrol GTX 20W50
  • New rear brake cable (Dan)
  • New foot peg rubbers (Dan)
  • New gear lever rubber (Dan)
  • New SS braided gasoline hose kit (MK3 upgrade) w/fuel filters
  • New carb intake rubbers (Dan)
  • Replaced original Zener Diode and regulator with Tympanium regulator kit, and balast resistor kit (Dan)
  • New ignition switch cover (Dan)
  • Main wire loom replacement
  • New Horn
  • New Venhill clutch cable
  • Corbin saddle
  • New Doherty grips
2022
  • New rear brake lever
  • New left side footrest
  • New Barnett clutch pack (Dan)
  • New SS muffler mounts and hardware kit
  • New SS footrest Allen head bolts
  • Fork oil with Redline 10wt
  • Engine stone shield (Dan)
  • Redline MT-90
  • Primary chain adjustment
  • Primary 20W50 Castrol GTX
  • LED headlight replacement, Hella
  • LED rear bulb
  • New primary cover
2023
  • Exchanged wheels from 850 to Combat
2024
  • Brake caliper rebuild (Dan McCluskey)
  • Bosch DOT 4 fluid
  • Castrol GTX 20W50 (Spring)
  • Gearbox oil replacement, Redline MT-90 (Spring)
  • Front fork rebuild (Dan) TBD
  • Reed valve replacement (cNw) TBD
 
And by contrast,....here is all the stuff I did over the years on my '74, which I DO ride.....
When I look back at this timeline, and all the stuff I've done, all the learnings, I'm quite proud of having done this with no prior experience with bikes. It was all because of the help of these guys + shop manual, and a lot of patience with myself to work carefully and intentionally. I had a blast doing it all, and look forward to the many more years I have with the bike.

2026
  • Redline Gearbox Oil Change (Winter - Storage)
  • Valvoline VR1 20W50, Napa Gold filter (Winter - Storage)
  • Valvoline VR1 20W50, Napa Gold filter (October)
  • Fork oil replacement (Fuchs Silkolene 20wt, 6oz., Summer)
  • Valvoline VR1 20W50 w/Napa Gold filter (Summer)
  • Replace upper shock hardware, stainless steel, including knobs.
  • Replace shock lower stainless steel hardware (cNw)
  • Install Pair of Ikon 76-3044 Basix Rear Shocks
  • Stainless Steel Footrest Mounting Hardware (cNw)
  • Isolastic Stainless Steel Stud and Acorn Nuts (cNw)
  • Installed New Rear Brake Cable (Dan McCluskey)
  • cNw Electric Start Kit
  • Installed Shorai Lithium Iron Battery (cNw) #0701-12 LFM 21
  • Balance wheels
  • Replace Side Stand Spring
  • New Elite Chain
  • Replace Centre Stand Spring
  • cNw Rear Isolastic
  • Installed NYC Norton Billet Aluminum Rocker Covers and gaskets
  • Installed Dan’s Brass Rose Nuts on the Exhaust
  • Install the NYC Norton Comstock Reed Breather Kit
8XXX odometer for the season

2025
  • Redline Gearbox Oil Change (Winter - Storage)
  • Valvoline VR1 20W50, Napa Gold filter (Winter - Storage)
  • Valvoline VR1 20W50, Napa Gold filter (October)
  • Fork oil replacement (Fuchs Silkolene 20wt, 6oz., Summer)
  • cNw HeadSteady
  • Valvoline VR1 20W50 w/Napa Gold filter (Summer)
  • Summer Service (Shimmed rear ISO 0.015” each side, installed Rick Walker’s swing arm bearing upgrade kit).
  • cNw LH Switch Cluster Install.
8929 odometer for the season

2024
  • Valvoline VR1 20W50, Napa Gold filter (Winter - Storage)
  • Redline Gearbox Oil Change (Winter - Storage)
  • Fork oil replacement (Fuchs Silkolene 20wt)
  • Brake caliper rebuild (Dan McCluskey)
  • Re-installed the choke and cabling
  • New valve cover gaskets, w/new SS nuts
  • New Gearbox inspection hole gasket
  • Redline MT-90 gearbox oil (Spring)
  • New fuel valves, (Dan McCluskey)
  • Bosch DOT 3 fluid
  • Install cNw front isolastic kit
  • New Buchannan rims w/ss spokes, w/Bridgestone Battlax 18”
  • New SS front axle and nut
  • New SS rear axle and nut
  • Valvoline VR1 20W50 w/LM MoS2 (Spring)
  • Valvoline VR1 20W50 (Summer)
  • Fork oil replacement (Fuchs Silkolene 20wt)
  • Line fuel tank with heat shield
  • Adjusted fuel needle to middle notch
  • Adjusted front isolastics 1.5 notches from hand tight to see if the vibration goes down a bit. Lots of vibrations on left foot from ride to Stockbridge.
7758 odometer for the season
NOTE: Noticed smoke on the left exhaust at initial startup for about 10 seconds or so. Clear while running. Clear on startup after running 50 miles. Potential left side intake valve oil seal failure.

2023
  • Valvoline VR1 20W50 w/filter (Spring)
  • Valvoline VR1 20W50 w/filter (Summer)
  • Valvoline VR1 20W50 w/filter (Autumn)
  • Installed Coolcats Assimilator
  • Installed PODTronics regulator
  • Converted to a single carb setup using Premier
  • Airbox modification for single carb (Bart)
  • Installed cNw single coil pack kit w/NGK plugs and Taylor wires
  • New Elite chain
  • Valvoline VR1 20W50 w/filter (Autumn)
  • Exchanged wheels from Combat
  • Installed 19" Bridgestone Battlax front tire (Kevin)
  • Installed 19" Shinkyo rear tire (Kevin)
5624 odometer for the season

2022
  • Replaced fork oil, Redline 10wt, (Feb)
  • Installed Euro low-rise bar (Feb)
  • Replaced fork oil plugs, footpedal bolts with SS hardware
  • Replaced clutch friction stack with Easy-pull kit from cNw
  • Replaced the clutch cable with Venhill
  • Replaced sump filter plug (Dan McCluskey)
  • Installed standard length shocks, Emgo
  • Castrol GTX 20W50 w/filter (Spring)
  • Gearbox, Redline MT-90 (Spring)
  • Castrol GTX 20W50 w/filter (Summer)
  • Valvoline VR1 20W50 w/filter (Autumn)
  • Installed Brembo cNw brake M/C and SS line kit (Autumn)
  • Serviced the wiring loom connectors under the tank and renewed the bullet junctions.
  • Silkolene 20wt fork oil
  • Engine stone shield (Dan)
4705 odometer for the season

2021
  • New throttle assembly, twist grip, and cabling
  • Gearbox oil replacement, Redline MT-90 (Spring)
  • Primary oil replacement, Castrol GTX 20W50 (Spring)
  • New coils (Spring)
  • Installed oil pressure gauge (Spring)
  • New ignition wires and Champion plugs (Spring)
  • Castrol GTX 20W50 w/filter (Spring)
  • Castrol GTX 20W50 w/filter (Summer)
  • Castrol GTX 20W50 w/filter (Autumn)
  • Installed shorter shocks, Emgo
3,155.7 odometer for the season
Newbie, couple of questions
 
Hmmm...engine oil is interesting:
  • Castrol GTX 20W50 w/filter (Summer)
  • Valvoline VR1 20W50 w/filter (Autumn)
Which should I go with?

Also, doesn't seem to have a filter. I see there is an aftermarket. Something good to add?
Thanks
 
Manu said:
Hmmm...engine oil is interesting:
  • Castrol GTX 20W50 w/filter (Summer)
  • Valvoline VR1 20W50 w/filter (Autumn)
Which should I go with?

Also, doesn't seem to have a filter. I see there is an aftermarket. Something good to add?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Oily thread about to occur ?
 
kommando said:
Cheapest upgrade for biggest benefit

andover-norton.co.uk

Andover Norton - OIL FILTER KIT (WITH PLAIN 3/8

OIL FILTER KIT (WITH PLAIN 3/8
andover-norton.co.uk

Newbie, couple of questions
Click to expand...
Yes, indeed. I have this kit for the Combat, but haven't gotten around to installing it yet. This and the reed breather I still need to install at some point. No rush since I have my '74 to ride, and this Combat makes for some very nice functional decoration in my office:)
 

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