Project Bike Starts First Try

A couple of months ago I picked up a ratty Norton with good paint and chrome. Mechanically it needed exhaust threads in the head, a center stand and the side stand refitted. After a good cleaning and considerable repair (head studs, wiring redo, rebuild ignition and bar switches, tank bolts, oil tank refit, rubbers and gaskets all round, chain guard and swing arm welding, dual clamp upgrade on swing arm pivot bolt, new spindle and bushings, four new turn signals and more) the big moment came last night.

A splash of gas in the tank, a temporary battery in the box, kick it through a couple of times to hopefully get some oil moving in the lines and finally turn on the ignition. The proper lights come on, flip the enricher lever down (Single square Amal conversion) and she starts on the FIRST KICK! 30 seconds later the enricher is off and the bike is idling around 700 RPM and sounding solid as a rock. Thank goodness two of the other Boneheads were over to witness the event or I might be doubting it myself.

Here's a couple of shots from the scene of the crime. I think she looks as good as can be expected and if it gets over 5C today (40 F) I'll be taking a short ride to see what's needed next. (Edit: I just did, details below)

Thanks for all on the forum who have posted such a wealth of knowledge. It has put me on the straight and narrow for many of the challenges during this project.

Brock

Congrats Brock! The bike looks great!

Cheers,
Gatsby

Nice going Captain. Now, like me, you have a long wait for spring before the real fun starts. Just one note... when you mentioned, you "pulled down" on the choke, you understand that pulling the lever towards you is actually turning the choke off right? (Perpendicular to the handlebars is off and parallel is on.) Just thought I'd mention that, as it's one of the many things on the Commando which to me is contrary to common sense... and I was turning the lever in the wrong direction myself before a few on here explained it to me.

Except that his bike has MK2 Amals.

Nice bike.

Got any before photos? Might as well throw your hat into the Most Improved ring.

Russ

comnoz said:

Except that his bike has MK2 Amals.

Nice bike.

Click to expand...

Standardization is a wonderful thing isn't it?

It topped 5C today so after running the road bike (RT) up and down the highway for a nice battery charge I fired up the Commando again and took her out.

The clutch will need adjusting. I had to stall the bike on the first go as the clutch drag was pulling me down the driveway. Threading the lever adjuster all the way out gave me enough to shift and even find neutral so off I went. With no plate on the bike I was happy to just take a circuit of the local neighbourhood. It sounds fantastic, pulls very strong in the midrange and shifts smoothly. I am ecstatic.

The brakes are less than marginal but I haven't had the front caliper apart yet and the back will come around with use. The tach works but the speedo goes round and round. The primary chain is a little tight so that's next, followed by a trip to Rosie's for a safety certificate and the MTO for a plate. It won't be tomorrow so it might be in the spring.

Referring to the posts above, thanks for the kind thoughts. I don't have a good before photo unfortunately so no 'most improved' post this time. And it's a single square bodied Amal. I guess that's a MkII. The enricher lever is on the carb.

Cheers

Good looking, for a yellow bike!

For clutch adjustment, try this:

First, slacken the cable, run the adjuster all the away into the lever

Then pull the cable out of the lever, put a bit of grease on the cable end and lubricate the cable. Put the cable back in the lever but leave the adjuster slack

Open the rear inspection plug on the primary, loosen the jam nut and screw the adjuster in until free play is taken up. back off a 1/2 turn and lock the jam nut.

screw out the adjuster on the lever until you've got just a bit of free play.

You should find the clutch feels a bit smoother and you've got quite a bit of adjustment left at the lever.

Good show. Your first Norton?

Dave
69S

Good stuff, looks pretty tidy for a ratty bike. What is the 5`C temp ride cut off about? Riding gear or black ice concerns? I find my bikes seem to run better in the cold air.

J.A.W. said:

Good stuff, looks pretty tidy for a ratty bike. What is the 5`C temp ride cut off about? Riding gear or black ice concerns? I find my bikes seem to run better in the cold air.

Click to expand...

I agree...cold air is a Norton's best friend!

Thanks BillT for the simple clutch adjustment procedure. A couple of ounces of 30W went down the clutch cable during the cleanup so at least the cable is nice and free. It has a tight bend due to the clip-ons that's not optimal so it's due for a reroute too.

It's not my first Norton. Honours for that go to a '69 fastback I had back in '73-4. It was a real hooker, a heart of gold but it cost me $50 every time I took a ride. Truth be known it was a fine bike, taking me around the Great Lakes area a lot. It got the Dunstall pipes (not the 'Y'), rear sets and fairing and a candy blue paint job. A repeat failure of the Lucas rotor drove me to sell it and into a stable but ultimately boring affair with the Japanese (GT750 Kettle and an XS11).

In the early 80's I had a fastback basket case that made it as far as my living room, eventually getting sold on in bits to a lady who remains active in motorcycle journalism. So this is my third and it seems third time lucky. Here's an old shot of Norton #1

Cheers

Well done.

Love the diamond tuck seat on the last bike pictured...