Progress pic

I joined up here a few months ago to help me get a bike back working again after about 5 years of it sitting unused. And there any many of you to whom I owe a thanks - I have at least glanced at every one of the 300+ pages of threads on the Commando...THANKS.

While I know lots of folks like to see the photo history I suck at that (among other things). But I did snap a camera phone pic of it in cosmetic completion. I have a few partials in between, but they are pretty lackluster.

I plan to use the weekend to run through a sort of checklist before trying to see if it will fire up, or if I have more work to do.

Honestly I expect the "more work to be done" alternative to be reality - I've never had a bike as far apart as I did for this go round so it seems unlikely I could get that many variables to fall my way.

Anyway, on to the pic as it sat in my driveway today, 15:57:25 hours on 28 June 2012 (at least that's what my phone timestamped it as).

Looks pretty good to me, start it up, take it for a ride you be surprised it probly will have no problems you won't know till you ride it and fix any problems as they arrive, but looking at your bike I say it will be fine, looks like you have done a very fine job of it, now just enjoy all your hard work, have fun.

Ashley

a black Mark3 Roadster with silver decals

I love it!

I've had about 3-4 good rides now with no issues other than my stupidity. I spent most of last summer straightening out things, but I'm about to make a long run now, it seems to be running good. I'd stay close to home until you get confidence in it.

Dave
69S

Very nice indeed.

Looking Good .

Looks great well done!

That is a good looking bike! Well done.

One of the things that concerned me about attempting to start the machine was how many things I did to it at once, and yet how many things I hadn't touched. Way too many variables for my poor brain to track and feel comfortable about. Still, one has to try sometime, so I did.

Well, I got two surprises - one good, one not so good (but not really bad -I should have checked).

Good news:

I purchased a starter from DynoDave; new electronic ignition from Pazon (Altair), and new Mikuni from Rocky Point. Not to mention I rewired to negative ground using a new AN harness as a starting point. For my first effort at starting the bike I thought, well now's as good a time as any to see if it will turn over via the new starter motor. Turned on the fuel tap, pushed on the choke, and hit the start button, engine was running so fast it surprised me. The starter was engaged for less time than it takes to get my 2011 Toyota pickup running. Engine almost immediately settled down into an idle around 1K - all without me touching any carb adjustments. Any needed tuning will have to wait until the primary goes back together (see other news immediately following).

The not so good, but not really bad news:

All the work I have been doing was with the transmission either in neutral or sometimes with a gear engaged. But I never tried in-gear and with the clutch pulled in. Found out (thankfully not while the engine was running) that the clutch had a couple of plates locked up to their corresponding steel plate. Also, I vaguely remembered that back when this machine ran, it had always slightly slipped under power, so when I was looking all the parts over I checked the clutch plates and it seems the PO had install 5 old style (thick) fiber (Barnett?) plates, as they all measured up around 0.14" When I install the new style plates (around 0.12" IIRC), I guess I should expect a stiff clutch pull - may be time to invest in another steel plate as so many have done - delays will be the death of me yet.

In the first post of this thread I thanked all the contributors for the info in 300+ pages on the board, and in addition to thanking Jerry for having the board, and I'd like to thank a few vendors.

Thanks are in order for the 3 vendors mentioned in the good news section above - Dave (Atlantic Green), Andy (Pazon), and Bill (Rocky Point). I think I have written more notes to Ella at OldBritts than I have to my wife of 29 years - what a nice couple she and Fred are deal with. Other vendors that have shown they care include Venhill Direct (here in the US), and Bob Carter (EBay vendor in Portland, OR - who rebuilt my Veglia clocks even though he prefers to work only on Smith gauges). There were lots of others I bought one or more things from that simply worked as advertised (Clubman Racing, Commando Specialties, the list would go on for a while). So while I didn't get to sample your customer service, I do appreciate your support to the community as I don't believe handling Norton parts is the way to financial glory.

So, thanks to all, hopefully over time I can give back to the community.

I have a sweet spot in my heart for MKlll's and yours is looking good to me. Glad it started right up for you...feels great right.

First weekend with it finally all together and I am babysitting for my almost two year old granddaughter. I love her to death, but this weekend? Ah well - maybe I'll have to be sick a day or two next week (mentally sick that is, and I know what would restore my spirits).

Edit: For got to mention why the delay between starting, finding the stuck clutch plates, and this weekend.

Turns out I suck at bleeding off brakes - and I have a new sleeved MK3 front and a new stainless rear MC. On application of the front I could stop, but obvious air in the line. On application of the rear - well it was almost like I didn't do any bleeding at all. Lots of reading, trying several alternatives (arranging them in a vertical and letting the bubbles rise worked), and I need to put a few miles on, re-torque, etc. I keep telling myself, soon....

I have never owned a standard commando. You have changed my thinking. Your bike is extremely beautiful, and I'd love to own it.

Excellent report and overall great result!

A good friend of mine owns a Suzuki dealership. He can ride any new Suzuki his heart desires. He also has a very nice Vintage collection, three Manx Nortons, a 69 Bonneville, a preunit Bonneville, a MK3 Commando, 650 Manxman, a Combat Commando and some CZs and a series C Vincent Rapide.
All of the bikes are in impeccable, ready to go condition. At a recent Vincent get together he quietly told me that out of the whole lot he enjoyed riding the MK3 Commando the most.

You will be very happy with that bike.

Glen