Norton noob questions

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frankdamp said:
Tim:

I just noticed your question about comfort on a long days' ride. Once we got the reliability of the prototypes up to a good level, we started the "endurance" riding, to get as many miles on them as quickly as possible. It settled at a target of 500 miles in a bit over 8 hours and we could design our own routes. My regular route started with about 100 miles on the M6 motorway from Wolverhampton to Levens Bridge then towards Barrow, over the Hard Knott and Rynose passes into Ambleside. I went out from Ambleside to Kendal then to the A66 across east to the A1, A1 south to the A45, west to Coventry and back north to Wolverhampton.

There was no comfort problem for me or the other riders doing the same endurance rides.Vibration was non-existent and the riding position was very comfortable for me (5' 10" in those days). I rode from 04:00 to 12:00 and the other rider did 16:00 to midnight and two other people did the same on a second prototype. The two four hour periods were set aside for maintenance.

Getting paid to ride high performance motorcycles on that schedule was a specially satisfying experience, but it didn't last very long. 20,000 miles per bike took 3 weeks!
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Sounds like a dream job for sure and something I'm sure my knees and back of 45 years ago would have tolerated easily but alas no more. I like having my feet directly under my butt and being able to stand upright on the pegs once in a while to stretch out.
 
Handling and brakes are the key things initially.

Make sure the tires are good, with modern rubber. For a lot of touring you dont want older harder tires, do you?

If your shoes need replacing, I highly recommend the RGM MZ Gold shoes, and search for how DogT beds them in to fit the drum. I assume you have front drum? If not, get a 13mm re-sleeve on the front MC for improved braking, inexpensively.

If your cables appear tired, replace with Venhill cables.

LED headlight/bulb to reduce load on a marginal anyway charging system.

Clean your clutch plates, and use Type F tranny fluid in the primary instead of 50W. Install DynoDave's clutch rod seal to keep tranny oil leaking across into the primary. Search on how to set the stack height correctly for a lighter pull.

Later on, get one of the newly reissued Lansdowne fork damper kits for improved handling performance. When was the fork oil last changed?

Agree on a re-sleeve+ rebuild kit or Amal Premiers for the carbs. Nothing is worse than nagging carb issues.

And then....
 
frankdamp said:
Getting paid to ride high performance motorcycles on that schedule was a specially satisfying experience, but it didn't last very long. 20,000 miles per bike took 3 weeks!
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Well, it took awhile but I finally know what I want to be when I grow up :).

For the record - new tires, new cables and spare cables, fluids, fork rebuild, brakes, valve lash, carbs, etc. is SOP for me on new old bikes. I'll need to pick up some signals and a center stand too, both were removed long ago and lost. Thanks to all for the reassurance and advice, really looking forward to getting this bike on the road. Hopefully I'll make it to the Norton Owner's rally this summer with it, not too far away for me and a good reason to get it done.
 
frankdamp said:
My regular route started with about 100 miles on the M6 motorway from Wolverhampton to Levens Bridge then towards Barrow, over the Hard Knott and Rynose passes into Ambleside. I went out from Ambleside to Kendal then to the A66 across east to the A1
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Hello Frank you chose a great route (Hardknott & Wrynose miles of tight twisty C roads gradients up to 1:3 and sheep) I did it once 1978 both directions in the rain. Hats off to you!

Martin.
 
Unfortunately the list will get longer, especially the more you use it.
All the mods are sensible ones, some more important than others.
I would say if you are going to use it regularly in modern traffic the most important things, breaking and handling.
I have an unrestored 850 and it is fitted with standard iso's.
At the moment I don't feel the need to change, no vibes above 2700 ish. No handling faults despite old shockers but reserved the master cylinder.
They are great bikes just bear in mind their age and that of any components.
As they say Enjoy!!


]
 
cliffa said:
-replace isolasts
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If the current rubbers are ok then got for the Mick Hemmings vernier adjusters.


+1 on that.

I was going to suggest the same thing. If the original ISO's are in good shape keep them. It seems the new rubbers are not made to the same Shore rating as the originals, and increased vibes are felt as a consequence. The Hemmings kits are great apart from the nylon tipped grub screws which get chewed up out after a few adjustments. (I'm going to replace mine with brass ones).
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It is highly unlikely that the original ISO rubbers are OK. I suspect that, when you end up removing them, they will be oval shaped from years of bearing the weight of the engine, or the rest of the motorcycle if stored on the center stand. The innards push out fairy easily or can be driven out with a press, a large "C" clamp can be used to get either the front or rear moving, do soak them with WD-40 or equivalent; replacing them, as been mentioned earlier, with the Mk3 vernier type is a no brainer; they turn a 2 hour replace-the-shims job into a 5 minute procedure.
 
It's a very good thing if you can rotate and push/pull on the 13" long rear isolastic stud.

A good maintenance item would be to periodically loosen the stud nuts, double nut one end and then give it a few turns just to avoid rusting up of the stud in the rubbers.
I had a basket case that the stud could not be driven out due to corrosion and the rear isolastic rubber replacement job became huge.
 
As I remember the original Isolastic system, there were farily thin polyurethane washers between the outside surface of each rubber and the metal attachment flanges on the frame. These were intended to keep the engine unit's vibration solely in the vertical axis. If they were inadvertently left out when the Iso's were changed, the whole engine/transmission/swing arm module could rotate slightly side to side. This really messed up the directional stability of the bike.

Do the later marks retain that feature? The mention of handling being affected in one of the earlier posts got me wondering.
 
If the price is right, just buy it. As for $2000-3000, here in the UK forget it, anyone notice the frame and V5 that recently sold on Ebad, £3100 secured it if I remember correctly.

Any old bike will need a good going over, but there is very little to worry about as it is all fixable.
 
Make sure that if you buy it to get any shop tools and books he might have. That can save you a bit of money that you can use on other upgrades.
Tool wise the tapered guide for the points seal, clutch tool, exhaust pipe (big blue) wrench and any British size wrenches are tools you might need. Commandos are a bit of a mixed bag wrench size wise, most of it is American with the exception of the engine and transmission.
Old Britts has a very nice on line parts books for every year Commando and they have excellent how to sections too. Good people.
I agree that the original tank might be fiberglass, change that to a steel one.

Good to have you on the list where there is a wealth of knowledge and years of experience that is yours for the asking.

John in Texas
 
Trigger pulled, as of tonight the bike is home and on the lift to pull the gearbox. John, thanks for mentioning the tools and books - he had them all, and I knew to ask. I haven't been this excited about a new old bike in a long time :).

Norton noob questions
 
Bob Z. said:
It's a very good thing if you can rotate and push/pull on the 13" long rear isolastic stud.

A good maintenance item would be to periodically loosen the stud nuts, double nut one end and then give it a few turns just to avoid rusting up of the stud in the rubbers.
I had a basket case that the stud could not be driven out due to corrosion and the rear isolastic rubber replacement job became huge.
Click to expand...

The cure for that problem is to coat the length of the stud with NeverSeize [or similar anti seize compound]. Only coat the un-threaded areas. Do the front stud as well.
 
Nortim said:
Trigger pulled, as of tonight the bike is home and on the lift to pull the gearbox. John, thanks for mentioning the tools and books - he had them all, and I knew to ask. I haven't been this excited about a new old bike in a long time :).

Norton noob questions
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Sweet looking ride. Maybe you can make it to the INOA rally in Virginia in July?

John in Texas
 
N0rt0nelectr@ said:
Sweet looking ride. Maybe you can make it to the INOA rally in Virginia in July?

John in Texas
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Thanks. That's the goal actually - I'm in central NC, would like to have it back together and reliable enough to ride up for the week.
 
Nortim said:
N0rt0nelectr@ said:
Sweet looking ride. Maybe you can make it to the INOA rally in Virginia in July?

John in Texas
Click to expand...

Thanks. That's the goal actually - I'm in central NC, would like to have it back together and reliable enough to ride up for the week.
Click to expand...

You know Orlin Pettit? He lives in NC, not sure where exactly.
John in Texas
 
You are right to be exited, that's a great bike ! I would not have hesitated to buy it.

Cheers,

Cliffa
 
Looks like you did just fine. Good color, too! As for perceived vibration and comfort, after changing the muffler support rubbers on my '74 from 50A to 40A Durometer, the vibration cut-off point moved down from ~2800 to ~2400, and is smoother at speed. 30A's are available; I might try that next. https://www.mcmaster.com/#4403k422/=17lk006
Read up on the TLS threads for making that front brake work right. Much jealous! :mrgreen:

Nathan
 
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